§ MR. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the position of the Admiralty in relation to the publication of "Brassey's Naval Annual"; have officers under the jurisdiction of the Admiralty been permitted to contribute to its pages from time to time; and has the Admiralty ever had reason to complain of the disclosure of official secrets in this work.
MR. GOSCHENThe position of the Admiralty in relation to "Brassey's Naval Annual" may be described as one of benevolent neutrality. A few picture drawings, showing the external appearance of the finished ships, have been furnished by the Admiralty, but no important or confidential details. Officials serving under the Admiralty have not contributed papers to the "Annual." With regard to the last question of the hon. Member, my friend Lord Brassey is certainly not the man to countenance the disclosure of official secrets.