§ MR. E. ROBERTSON (Dundee)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any of the vessels, the completion of which was delayed in consequence of the dispute in the engineering trade, have been completed; and if he can now state the decision of the Admiralty on the questions that have been raised as to the application of the strike clause to such cases; and whether the common form of Admiralty contract has recently been revised; and, if so, whether he will lay a copy of the revised form upon the Table?
§ MR. MACARTNEYOne battleship, two cruisers, and six torpedo-boat destroyers have been completed. In some of the cases the contractors have alleged, amongst other causes of delay, the existence of the engineers' strike, and the Admiralty have considered this among other reasons for remission in every case in which it has been raised. The revision of the form of contract is at present under consideration.