MR. MULHOLLAND (Derry, N.)I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is his intention to carry into 708 effect the recommendation embodied in paragraphs 7 and 25 of the second Report of the Royal Commission on Irish Public Works, that the Commissioners of the Admiralty should appoint one of the surveying ships of Her Majesty's Navy to make soundings and observations with special reference to the fishing grounds, and that some person practically acquainted with the requirements of deep-sea fishing should be placed on board the vessel so assigned in order to advise and assist the surveying officers, and to collect information which might be useful to the fishing industry?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe recommendations of the Royal Commission are in very general terms. The Admiralty would be glad to consider on its merits any specific proposal made to them on this subject; but they cannot at the present time undertake to divert a surveying ship from the far more important work of correcting the charts used for general purposes of navigation for any less important object.