The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-24 00:00:00

SUPPLY:

The house then resolved itselfinto committee of supply,
Mr. FITZROY in the chair.

On the vote of 32 i,BOO/. being proposed, to complete the
sum necessary to defray the charges for new works, im-
provements' and repairs in the naval yards,
Mr. W. WILLIAMS complained of the waste of public
money in the public dockyards.
Mr. P. O'BRIEN wished to call the attention of the
First Lord of the Admiralty to the necessity of improving
Cork harbour, with a view to the public service.
Sir J. PAKINGTON admitted that the subject was
worthy of attention, but not having yet visited Cork offi-
cially he could not give any opinion on the matter.
Admiral WALCOTT complained of the delay in pur-
chasing the land required for the enlargement of the dock-
yards, more especially that of Keyham, observing that the
delay would no doubt ultimately involve an increased cost.
He thought many of the reductions made in the estimates
in this department were to be regretted.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said his hon. and gallant friend
was mistaken with regard to the importance of the re-
ductions. The additional laud required at Deptford vies
bought and paid for, and the item of 4,000/. which was
struck off was merely for the inclosure, drainage, and so
on, an I ha was assured by the director of the works that
the matter might very well bo postponed. At Chatham,
too, the money taken for the yard was more than was ac-
tually required.
Sir C. NAPIER—MaIta. _ _

Sir J. PAKINGTON was informed that it was very
doubtful whether the situation of the land which it had
bean intended to purchase was the best that could be ob.
tained. As regarded Keyharn, it appeared that the 25,0001.
was to have been paid for a mud
,flat, unfit for building
purposes. He thought that sum was too much for each
land, especially as there wore between ten and twenty acres
of laud belonging to the public adjacent to Keyham-yard
which were still unappropriated.
Mr. T. G. BARING observed that the vote of 25,0'.0/.
for the purchase of land adjoining Keyham-yard was not a
new vote, this outlay having been in fact sanctioned by
the House of Commons last year. It bad often happened
that the public had been put to great additional expense
in consequence of land in a convenient situation not hav-
ing been purchased early enough. The land which it was
nropased to purchase at Keyham bordered on the estuary.
It was not., as the right hon. gentleman supposed, entirely
a mud-flat, but a considerable portion of it was rising
ground, and was suitable for the building of barracks for
sailors—an object of which the right hon. gentleman
had expressed his approval. The extension of the Corn -
wall Railway to Keyham-yard was an object of great im-
portance, in reference to the economy of labour, and the
only reason why the purchase of laud in question was
delayed by the late First Lord of the -Admiralty was,
that he wished first to ascertain what would be the best
point for the junction. The extension of the Malta Dock-
yard was very important, the space at present occupied
being exceedingly confined. Again, he contended that the
reduction of 4,000/. for the contemplated arrangements at
the Cape of Good Hope, was by no means a wise reduc-
tion ; those arrangements including the erection of a new
jetty, which was much required, and the bringing the coal
depot much nearer to the vessels, He also regretted very
much the striking otTof 10,0001. from the 'Vote of 30,030/.
which had been proposed with the view of providing suit-
able lodgings for the c ast-guard. It must be recollected
that this expenditure was proposed partly for the purpose
of encouraging good seamen to enter the coast-guard ser-
vice. (Hear, hear.) The land which it had been proposed
to purchase at Portsmouth was required to provide better
accommodation for the soldiers there, there having been a
good deal of fever in that locality last year. The items to
which he load referred ma le up from 60,000/. to 70,0001.
of the 100,030/. which had been taken off by the right hon.
gentleman, and he thought what ho had said was sufficient
to show that the late First Lord of the Admiralty had not
framed this branch of his estimates without due conside-
ration. He might add that among the amounts struck off
by the right hon. gentleman was 2,5001. for a jetty which
would be so valuable that it would lead to a saving.of 5001.
in the launch of a ship.
Sir J. PAKINGTON though the hon. gentleman who
had just spoken laboured under erroneous impressions with
regard to the reduction,, He (Sir J. Pakington) admitted
the importance of finishing the dockyard improvements at
Portsmouth, and he was happy to be able to tell the hon.
gentleman that reduced estimates would suffice to carry on
the works during the present year. There would, in fact, be
no delay. He entirely agreed with the hon. gentleman as to
the necessity of providing suitable lodgings for the coast-
guard men ; but on investigating the estimates he was as-
sured that the vote of 30,0.0'. was entirely an arbitrary sum
—a mere guess ; and this was corroborated by the fact
that last year, although a vote of 25,000/. was taken for
the same pm pose, only 4,900/. was expended within the
year. Commodore Eden had assured him that eO,COO/.
would be amply sufficient for the present year. With re-
gard to the projected je.ties at Portsmouth, he begged to
say that having visited the spot, he now regretted th,ir
omission, but as the amount required was so small, he
hoped there would be sufficient funds to enable him to
carry out the object.
Mr. BEN PINCK called attention to the item for gun-
beet slips at If aslar. Tee total estimated cost of those slips
was 70,0001. Having visited the place himself, he had as-
certained that there were 40 gunboats now hauled up under
sheds, and it was the opinion of the naval authorities on
the spot teat, using the utmost possible diligence, it would
be impossible to Lunch more than eight of the brats in a
fortnight. He thought that this estimate proved, that if
men who were unfit by their antecedents for cert do pests
were placed iu theta, the result was, that great loss fell on

•
the public.
Sir C. NAPIER denied that these gunboats could be
launched in an hour. The hon. and gallant member pro-
ceeded, amidst the laughter of the committee, to explain
the opera.tion.of the launching of the gunboats, taking the
occupants of the treasury bench as representatives of the