§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the new form of Admiralty contract has been finally settled; and, if so, whether a copy will be laid upon the Table before the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill; and if he can explain why contracts for the delivery of armour plates and of electrical apparatus contain, as stated by the Report of the Public Accounts Committee, no penalty clauses.
§ *THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. MACARTNEY, Antrim, S.)The answer to the first paragraph is in 429 the negative. On the final revision a point of considerable importance was reserved for discussion with the Law officers. It was found impracticable to insert penalty clauses in contracts for armour plates, and with regard to contracts for electrical apparatus which are made by the Director of Navy Contracts, penalties are omitted in accordance with the general policy pursued since the formation of his Department some thirty years ago.