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THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: I of allowing the public and the service am afraid it is not an unusual experience to be misled if I did not, by a plain to find that valuable time is spent in one statement of fact, give an absolute House which is not redeemed in the contradiction to three serious other. The Government have not gone extraordinary misapprehensions on with the Bill, because it became clear from what was said in the House of Commons that it could not be passed, and it was still more clear from what was said in this House at the close of the debate by Lord Llandaff.

MALTA BREAKWATER-- NAVAL

STRENGTH IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

case.

-LORD CHARLES BERESFORD'S
LETTER.

VISCOUNT GOSCHEN: My Lords, beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the approximate date of the decision of His Majesty's Government to construct a breakwater at Malta. My attention has been called to a suggestion that the undertaking of these works, as well as other large measures, was due to outside pressure, which I can scarcely believe to be the I know of my own knowledge that as far back as early in the year 1900 Mr. Matthews, a member of a firm of eminent engineers, was despatched by the Board of Admiralty to Malta, that he made an admirable report on the technical side of the question, that that report was carefully considered by the experts at the Admiralty, and that in September, 1900, the matter was ripe for Cabinet decision. At that time a general election took place, and I was not able to bring it before the Cabinet. I should be surprised if my noble friend and successor Lord Selborne, as soon as he had settled down to his work, had not taken taken an early opportunity of bringing the undertaking before the Cabinet, and of getting their authority to include the necessary expenditure either in the Estimates or in the Naval Works Bill. I should like to know what the facts are.

*THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (The Earl of SELBORNE): It is no part of the ordinary duty of the First Lord to correct every mis-statement that may appear in the public prints as to the action of the Board of Admiralty; but as the noble Viscount has drawn attention to a very remarkable statement, I should be in great danger

was

tained in that statement. That statement was to the effect that it was due to a letter written by Lord Charles Beresford - about which I need say nothing, because its author has recently characterised it himself-that to this letter was due the sending to the Mediterranean of heavy reinforcements last summer, that a sudden Vote was taken at the end of last session for a breakwater at Malta, and that stores and munitions of all kinds were hurried out to the Mediterranean. Now, when I came into office in November, 1900, I found the question of the Malta breakwater brought to such a point that nothing further necessary than to obtain formal assent to the decided that this break water should be proposal from the Cabinet. The Cabinet built, subject, of course, to the approval of the House of Commons, at the end of November, or beginning of December, 1900. No secret was made at the Admiralty of this decision, and all preparations were pushed forward; and when I myself went to Malta in April, 1901, I finally decided the line on which the plans of the breakwater should be made, and I informed every responsible official in Malta that, subject to the approval of the House of Commons, this breakwater would be built. This was in April. The letter to which reference has been made was written in June. only reason why the Vote for the Malta breakwater was not taken till the end of the session was that it was the subject not of estimate, but of loan, and the Naval Works Loan Bill was not taken until the end of the session. That break water formed an item in the schedule of the Bill for months previously—indeed, from November in the previous year.

The

As regards the sending of heavy reinforcements to the Mediterranean, I must entirely demur to any such description.

Last year was rather a peculiar year. The pressure which had necessitated the assembling of a special number of ships on the China and Cape stations was passing away, and many new ships also were approaching completion. It became necessary, therefore,

Bradford-on-Avon Gas Bill [Lords].
Great Northern Railway (No. 2) Bill
Rickmansworth Gas Bill [Lords.]

[Lords.]
in April;

Ordered, that the Bills be read a second time.

PROVISIONAL ORDER BILLS (STAND-
ING ORDERS APPLICABLE THERETO
COMPLIED WITH).

for the Admiralty to decide carefully the in the case of the following Bills, principle on on which the Fleet should originating in the Lords, and referred on be redistributed. I came to the con- the First Reading thereof, the Standing clusion that much correspondence would Orders not previously inquired into, and be saved if I and the First Sea Lord which are applicable thereto, have been went to Malta to discuss that part of complied with, viz. :— the programme, which affected the Mediterranean with the Commanderin-Chief. This we did and the principles on which distribution has since proceeded were the direct issue of that conference, and nothing else. As regards the supposed sudden despatch to the Mediterranean of stores and munitions, there is not the slightest foundation for the suggestion that there was any abnormal despatch of stores or munitions The principles on which the stores have been supplied to the Mediterranean are exactly the .same as those on which they have been supplied to every other station and to the great depôts and ports at home. The principles on which those stores were forwarded were, as a matter of fact, all laid down and decided during the term of office of Lord Goschen. The only conceivable foundation for the suggestion lies in the fact that in June or July, 1900, the House of Commons passed a special Supplementary Estimate for increasing the reserve of ammunition, not only in the Mediterranean, but at home, and in all the naval magazines throughout the world. The orders given as a consequence of that Vote necessarily took some months to complete, and it naturally followed on the First Reading thereof, no Standing Orders are applicable, viz:

that it was in 1901 that these reserves were finally distributed to the different magazines at home and abroad, and not in any sense particularly to the Medi

terranean.

House adjourned at five minutes
before Six o'clock, till To-
morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Monday, 12th May, 1902.

The House met at Two of the Clock.

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.

PRIVATE BILLS [LORDS] (STANDING
ORDERS NOT PREVIOUSLY IN-
QUIRED INTO COMPLIED WITH.)
Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table
of
Report from one the Examiners
of Petitions for Private Bills, That,
Earl of Selborne.

Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table Report from one of the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, That, in the case of the following Bill, referred on the First Reading thereof, the Standing Orders which are applicable thereto have been complied with, viz. :

Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 6) Bill.

Ordered, that the Bill be read a second time tomorrow.

PROVISIONAL ORDER BILLS (NO STANDING ORDERS APPLICABLE).

Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table Report from one of the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, That, in the the case of the following Bills, referred

Land Drainage Provisional Order Bill. Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 5) Bill.

Ordered, That the Bills be read a second time tomorrow.

NORTH WARWICKSHIRE WATER BILL. Lords Amendments considered, and agreed to.

DUBLIN, WICKLOW, AND WEXFORD
RAILWAY BILL.

Read the third time, and passed. [New
Title.]

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY (No. 1)
BILL (KING'S CONSENT SIGNIFIED),
MIDLAND RAILWAY (STEAM VESSELS)
BILL,

WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE WATER BILL,

WHITECHAPEL AND BOW RAILWAY
BILL.

Read the third time, and passed.

GREAT CENTRAL AND MIDLAND RAIL-
WAYS (SOUTH YORKSHIRE RAIL-
WAYS) BILL.

As amended, considered; A Clause added; Bill to be read the third time.

ISLE OF WIGHT CENTRAL RAILWAY BILL [LORDS] NOT AMENDED. Considered; to be read the third time. LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY (VARIOUS POWERS) BILL. As amended, considered; Amendments made; Bill to be read the third time.

NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY BILL.

As amended, considered; A Clause

added; Bill to be read the third time. NORTH METROPOLITAN TRAMWAYS BILL.

As amended, considered; to be read the third time.

RICHMOND HILL (PRESERVATION OF
VIEW) BILL.

As amended, to be considered to

morrow.

YORK CORPORATION BILL.

As amended, considered; to be read the third time.

ABERTILLERY URBAN DISTRICT

COUNCIL BILL [LORDS],

ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE AND DUKIN

ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL
ORDERS (No. 4) BILL.

Read the third time, and passed.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL
ORDER (GAS) BILL,

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL
ORDER (POOR LAW) BILL,
LONDON GOVERNMENT SCHEME.
(SOUTHWARK) BILL.

Read a second time, and committed..

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL
ORDERS (No. 11).

Bill to confirm certain Provisional
Orders of the Local Government Board'
relating to Blackpool (two), Cardiff,
Hornsey, Leeds, Southport, and Swin-
don, ordered to be brought in by Mr.
| Grant Lawson and Mr. Walter long..

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL
ORDERS (No. 12).

Bill to confirm certain Orders of the
Local Government Board relating to
Rotherham and West Hartlepool,
ordered to be brought in by Mr. Grant
Lawson and Mr. Walter Long.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL.
ORDERS (HOUSING OF WORKING
CLASSES).

Bill to confirm certain Provisionali Orders of the Local Government Board' relating to Birkenhead, Bradford (Yorkshire), and Liverpool, ordered to be brought in by Mr. Grant Lawson and.

FIELD CORPORATIONS (ALMA BRIDGE, Mr. Walter Long. &c.) BILL [LORDS],

LANCASHIRE COUNTY (LUNATIC ASYLUMS) BILL [LORDS], LONGWOOD GAS BILL [LORDS], NEWCASTLE AND GATESHEAD WATER BILL [LORDS],

SWINDON UNITED GAS BILL [LORDS], WEST HAMPSHIRE WATER BILL [LORDS], Read a second time, and committed. DUBLIN PORT AND DOCKS BOARD BILL (BY ORDER).

Read the third time, and passed.

LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL (GENERAL

POWERS) BILL (BY ORDER).

As amended, considered; Amendments made; Bill to be read the the third

time.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL
ORDERS (No. 11) BILL.

"To confirm certain Provisional' Orders of the Local Government Board relating to Blackpool (two), Cardiff, Hornsey, Leeds, Southport, and Swindon," presented, and read the first time; to be referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, and to be printed. [Bill 201.]

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL
ORDERS (No. 12) BILL.

"To confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board relating to Rotherham and West Hartlepool," presented, and read the first time; to bereferred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, and to be printed. [Bill: 202.]

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL from the River Medway to the River ORDERS (HOUSING OF WORKING CLASSES) BILL. Thames; and for other purposes. [Medway and Thames Canal Bill (Lords).]

"To confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board relating to Birkenhead, Bradford (Yorkshire), and Liverpool," presented, and read the first time; to be referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, and to be printed. [Bill 203.]

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Also, a Bill, intituled, "An Act to confer further powers upon the Tyneside Tramways and Tramroads Company for the construction of tramways and tramroads; and for other purposes." [Tyneside Tramways and Tramroads Bill (Lords).]

And, also, a Bill, intituled, "An Act for the granting of further powers to the Bristol Waterworks Company; and for other purposes." [Bristol Water Bill (Lords).]

RHYMNEY RAILWAY BILL [LORDS.] MEDWAY AND THAMES CANAL BILL [LORDS].

TYNESIDE TRAMWAYS AND
ROADS BILL [LORDS]

TRAM

BRISTOL WATER BILL [LORDS].

Read the first time; and referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills.

PETITIONS.

EDUCATION (ENGLAND AND WALES)
BILL.

Petitions against: From Yorkshire;
Halifax; and Bedworth; to lie upon the
Table.

LICENSING BILL.

worth; Brighouse and Elland; and Petitions in favour: From WandsColne; to lie upon the Table.

PUBLIC HOUSES (HOURS OF CLOSING) (SCOTLAND) ACT (1887) AMEND MENT BILL.

Petition from Coupar Angus, in favour ; upon the Table.

to lie Bill [Lords], without

That they have passed a Bill, intituled, "An Act to confer further powers upon the Rhymney Railway Company for the construction of railways; and for other purposes," [Rhymney Railway Bill (Lords).]

Also, a Bill, intituled, "An Act to incorporate a company, and to empower such company to construct a canal

SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON
SUNDAY BILL.

Petitions in favour; From Retford; Southampton; and Harrogate; to lie upon the Table.

SUNDAY TRADING (SCOTLAND) BILL. Petition from Dingwall, in favour; to lie upon the Table.

RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC. Series, No. 17, 1900.) Signed at Wash

MINES AND QUARRIES.

Copy presented, of General Report and Statistics for the year 1901, Part I. (District Statistics), Statistics of the Persons employed, Output, and Accidents at Mines and Quarries in the United Kingdom, arranged according to the Inspection Districts [by Command]; to lie upon the Table.

PENAL SERVITUDE ACTS (CON-
DITIONAL LICENCE).

Copy presented, of licence granted to Mary Boyle, a convict under detention in Aylesbury Prison, permitting her to be at large on condition that she enter the Elizabeth Fry Refuge, Hackney, E. [by Act]; to lie upon the Table.

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ington, 13th January, 1902. Ratifications exchanged at Washington, 2nd April, 1902 [by Command]; to lie upon

the Table.

TRADE REPORTS (ANNUAL SERIES.) Copies presented, of Diplomatic and Consular Reports, Annual Series, Nos. 2,786 to 2,789 [by Command]; to lie upon the Table.

Paper laid upon the Table by the Clerk of the House:

LUNACY.

Copy of Report to the Lord Chancellor of the number of visits made, the number of Patients seen, and the number of miles travelled by the visitors of Lunatics between 1st October, 1901, and 31st March, 1902 [by Act].

CIRCULATED WITH THE VOTES.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Naval Store Department Employees.

CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.): To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it has been brought to his notice that the first and second class store

housemen of the Naval Store Department receive considerably lower wages than those employed in the Naval Ordnance Department, although the former deal with stores of greater value and with far larger stocks; and whether he will give this matter his attention with a view to greater uniformity of treatment as regards these two classes of employees.

(Answer.) The staff of the Naval Ordnance Department does not include any such grades as first and second class storehousemen. The hon. Member the Naval Ordnance storeholders, first is probably referring to his Question to and second class, who correspond approximately, as regards duties and pay, to

the foremen of storehousemen in the Naval Store Department. It is quite a mistake to compare them with the ordinary storehousemen.-(Admiralty)

Chatham Dockyard Employees. CAPTAIN NORTON: Το ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he can state the number of men at present employed as storehouse labourers in his

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