§ MR. ERNEST FLOWER (Bradford, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will reinstitute the arbitration between the Thames Ironworks Company and the Admiralty, which was withdrawn owing to a misunderstanding, and allow the claims of that Company to be submitted to such arbitration?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. GOSCHEN, St. George's, Hanover Square)No, Sir. Such a resuscitation is out of the question.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD - BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)asked whether it was not the fact that the Thames Ironworks Company withdrew from the arbitration in consequence of a misunderstanding
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYsaid that he could not accept that statement as being accurate.
§ MR. FLOWERasked whether the right hon. Gentleman would consent to see the chairman of the Thames Ironworks Company with the view to arriving at a friendly understanding?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYI cannot undertake to do that. An opportunity has been afforded more than once for reinstituting the arbitration, hut the Company did not avail themselves of it. I can now only regard the matter as settled.