MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Government has given an order to a Clyde firm for the building of five torpedo boat destroyers; and whether it is the intention of the Government to place any orders in Ireland with the Passage, Derry, or Belfast ship-builders?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. G. J. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareNo, Sir; no single firm has received an order for five torpedo destroyers. The Government have already placed contracts for the number of torpedo boat destroyers inserted in the Estimates, so that no further orders can be contemplated now.