§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is the fact that the Admiralty have given a contract to a French firm, Messrs. Delaunay, Belleville & Co., of St. Denis, for boilers to replace those of the Sharpshooter; and whether it is intended to extend or continue this practice of giving orders for ammunition, boilers, and similar warlike stores to the manufacturers and workmen of foreign countries?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHThe Admiralty have ordered, as stated, a set of experimental boilers for trial in the Sharpshooter. It is intended to continue the practice of obtaining from every available source (for experimental purposes especially) any articles likely to be of advantage to the Naval Service. A similar course is pursued by Foreign Governments with obvious advantage to British industries.
§ MR. HANBURYAre these boilers patented in this country?