§ THE DUKE OF SOMERSETsaid, that a Question which he had intended to put to the Government that day with reference to the Inflexible had been forestalled by the decision of the Government to have the vessel's stability tested by the calculation of a Commission or committee of experts. Under these circumstances, he would only point out that it was very desirable when this problem was submitted to scientific men that the data upon which they were to proceed should be thoroughly understood, because he rather suspected that some misunderstanding on that point was the cause of the difference of opinion which at present existed between the Admiralty on the one hand and Mr. Reed and his followers on the other.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONassured the noble Duke that the Commission about to be issued would consist of gentlemen who were perfectly competent to deal with the subject, and who were in no way connected with the Admiralty. The data upon which they would proceed would, he trusted, be such that when the result of their deliberations was made known, the public mind would be perfectly satisfied.