§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether His Majesty's ship "Egeria" has lately been sold out of the service; whether the Vancouver branch of the Navy League applied for the loan of the "Egeria" for 967W the purpose of establishing a training ship for boys of good character, and the Admiralty replied that they could not loan the vessel, and that if the Navy League wanted her they could buy her; whether the Navy League raised a fund of £1,000 and tendered this sum to the Admiralty for the vessel; whether the Admiralty refused this sum and stated that the vessel would be offered for sale by public auction; and whether, if the vessel has been sold, he will state the name of the firm that bought her and the price paid?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe reply to the first four parts of the question is in the affirmative. To the last part the reply is that the ship was purchased at an auction sale by the Vancouver branch of the Navy League, as the highest bidder, for £1,416, which will probably prove more advantageous to all concerned than a loan of the vessel under the usual conditions. It may be added that the League state that their training would be for the Merchant service, and not for the Navy.