§ DR. MACGREGOR (Inverness-shire)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if ho has received a Petition from the natives of St. Kilda, in the outer Hebrides, where they live isolated for nine months of the year from all com- 1077 munication with the rest of the world, craving for an occasional visit of the gunboats cruising in Northern waters during the autumn, winter, and spring months; and whether it will be possible to comply with this request?
THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Sir U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTH,) Lancashire, ClitheroeI received the Petition two days ago from my hon. Friend, and I can only at present assure him that the request is receiving immediate and careful consideration. A gunboat visited the Island last year.