§ ADMIRAL FIELDMay I ask whether, seeing that the evidence before the Court of Inquiry into the loss of the Sultan has been published, the Admiralty propose to give publicity to the Report by laying it on the Table of this House?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONIt has not been the practice hitherto to make public the proceedings of any Court of Inquiry; but the proceedings and finding of a Court Martial are published in the Press. In the present instance this Court of Inquiry investigated questions which should have formed part of the charges against Captain Rice, the captain of the Sultan, to be decided by the Court Martial held upon the stranding of that ship. Owing to the absence of material witnesses it was necessary to omit temporarily this part of the Inquiry from the jurisdiction of the Court Martial. The Court of Inquiry has therefore been held with open doors; and as the evidence given before the Court has been made public, the Report of the Court will also be sent to the public Press.