§ MR. GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether all the charts of Ferrol Harbour in use on board the vessels comprising the Channel Squadron, at the time of the stranding of H.M.S. Howe, were British or Spanish; if British, were they those of the re-survey by the Hydrographical Department of 1873, if so, will he state the means adopted for the re-survey of the Harbour, together with the name of the ship employed, and by whom commanded; and will he also inform the House whether the Spanish authorities were communicated with at the time of the re-survey, and say if soundings were made of the entire Harbour and its various channels from the sea inwards?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHAll the charts of Ferrol in use on board H.M.'s ships are British reproductions of Spanish charts. No re-survey of Ferrol, or of any part of it, was made in 1873 by officers of the Hydrographiell Department, or by any Other British officers. What was done in 1873 was to make certain corrections to the chart of Ferrol, founded on information furnished by the Spanish Government.