§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been directed to the outbreak of scurvy on board the Glasgow sailing ship "Corunna"; whether he is aware that three of her crew are lying in hospital at Dunkirk and two others at Greenwich Hospital, all suffering from this disease, and that the men allege that they are suffering from scurvy in consequence of the character of the food supplied to them during the voyage; whether he will cause an inquiry to be held with regard to this case; whether he is aware that the scale of provisions supplied to these seamen is the same as was issued on sailing ships in 1850; and whether it is his intention to bring in a Bill to provide a dietary scale which will allow seamen a greater variety of provisions.
§ MR. RITCHIEYes, Sir. My attention has been called to the case of the "Corunna," which has just arrived in this country. An inquiry into the outbreak of scurvy on board has been ordered, and until I receive the report of that inquiry, I am not in a position to say anything further about the case. As at present advised, I do not intend to propose any fresh legislation with regard to seamen's provisions.