§ SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, from what date the Dominion took over the hydrographic survey formerly under the Admiralty, and engaged a British naval officer, and commenced the employment of survey-ships on the Atlantic Coast of Canada; when the survey-ship building for the Dominion on the Pacific Coast is likely to be ready; whether the Admiralty survey in British Columbian waters during 1906, recorded in the Annual Report recently laid before Parliament, was still under Admiralty direction; and what arrangements have been made for the future as to joint action between the Admiralty and the Dominion Government in the extension of hydrographic survey, stated by Mr. Brodeur, in his speech, at the Colonial Conference, to be now taking place.
(Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) No Admiralty survey has been in progress on the Atlantic Coast of Canada since 1888. At the request of the Dominion Government, a naval officer was lent, in March, 1906, for surveying duties. It is not known when the Dominion Government surveying-ship for the Pacific Coast is likely to be ready. The Admiralty survey in British Columbian waters during 1906 was, and is still, solely under Admiralty direction. No such arrangement as that suggested has been made, as the Dominion Government have taken over a large part of the hydrographic surveying, and from what was stated 288 at the Colonial Conference they are apparently prepared to undertake the whole of the survey of their own coasts.