Mr. John, who gave so much valuable evidence on the
subject of the ' Atalanta' and its construction, writes to Monday's Times to say that the ' Atalanta' Committee kept back from him the Constructor's report upon his. evidence, though many of the criticisms on that evidence were quite new, had never
been submitted to him, and could easily have been answered by him, had they been submitted to him before the report was published. In fact, the Committee first ordered him to make laborious and responsible investigations for them, and then gave him no chance of hearing the answers made to his evidence by Mr. Barnaby, the Constructor of the Navy. This is hardly fair. And as regards the main matter in dispute, Mr. John insists not only that the heavy roasting of the Atalanta' rendered her likely to capsize in any heavy squall, but, what is now of still greater importance, that the remaining training- brigs are more dangerous in this respect than the Atalanta,' and more likely to capsize at sea. Evidently, Mr. Barnaby was anxious to have the last word before the report of the Com- mittee was drawn. Perhaps, however, that may not prove so advantageous to the public service, as to the impression which the Committee's report will produce of the value of Mr. Barnaby's opinion.
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