§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick's)I beg to ask the Under Secretary to the Admiralty whether, seeing that when the last contracts for Naval estimates for medicines were advertised the Irish firms got no opportunity of tendering, he can state when the tenders for medicines will be again considered, and whether the Irish firms will then have an opportunity of tendering.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. MACARTNEY,) Antrim, S.Contracts for medicines are not advertised. Competition is confined to firms of undoubted reputation for the supply of first-class articles. Should any Irish firm establish its claim to hold such a position and desire to be allowed to quote, there would be no objection to its doing so. The present contracts expire in 1902.