§ SIR ARTHUR FORWOOD (Lancashire, Ormskirk)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, what was the maximum indicated horse-power each boiler of the Sharpshooter was designed to develop; how many of Her Majesty's vessels are fitted, being fitted, or are to be fitted with Belleville tubulous boilers; what aggregate maximum horse-power they are to indicate; and the total displacement of those vessels; and has any of Her Majesty's vessels, other than the Sharpshooter, yet been tried at sea, and for how long?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYThe only conditions guaranteed by Messrs. Belleville, the makers of the boilers of the Sharpshooter, were to steam for 12 hours burning 22 lb. of coal per square foot of fire grate per hour, and also to burn on another trial of 12 hours 24 lb. of coal per square foot of fire grate per hour for eight hours and 30 lb. for four hours. Three vessels are fitted with these boilers, eight vessels are being fitted, and 12 vessels are to be fitted. The aggregate maximum horse-power they are to indicate is 322,700. The total displacement of those vessels from the Navy Estimates is 222,235. The Terrible has made satisfactory preliminary trials at sea on the 19th, 22nd, and 23rd inst., running from three to six hours, and indicating various powers up to 22,000 horse-power.
§ SIR ARTHUR FORWOODasked if the right hon. Gentleman could give him, not the coal consumption, but the maximum indicated horse-power for each boiler?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYThe question of his right hon. Friend was, What was the maximum amount of power which the boilers of the Sharpshooter were designed to develop? The contract did not indicate any special horse-power.
§ MR. G. W. WOLFF (Belfast, E.)asked if the right hon. Gentleman could give him the consumption per hour per indicated horse-power of these boilers?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYsaid he had not got the information now, but he would be able to give it the hon. Gentleman when they went into Committee on the Navy Estimates.