§ Colonel Sibthorpsaid, there was a subject of melancholy interest to al the Members of that House, but especially to him (Colonel Sibthorp), for he had lost two relatives on the occasion to which he was about to allude, to which he was 402 desirous to call the attention of his Majesty's Government, and particularly that portion of it which was connected with the management of the Home Department. He wished to call their attention to a melancholy circumstance which had occurred a few days since—he meant the loss of the Rothsay-Castle steamer, on its passage from Liverpool to Beaumaris. He was sure that it was only necessary to point the attention of his Majesty's Government o this subject, in order to ensure a proper degree of attention to the investigation which must take place with regard to it. He was certain that his Majesty's Ministers would pay every attention to any statements which might be forwarded to them on this subject, and especially to the facts which would come out at the Coroner's Inquest, which would, no doubt, be held on the bodies of the unfortunate deceased. He would also take this opportunity to express a hope, that his Majesty's Ministers, in whose hands he was inclined to leave the matter, would bring forward an enactment, for the purpose of preventing the occurrence of such circumstances in future, by summarily punishing the proprietors or owners of steam-vessels, by fine or imprisonment, where such accidents were the result of wilful negligence, and also enacting that the Captain or any of the crew who should survive in such cases, should have a summary punishment imposed upon them for drunkenness, or any other wilful error with respect to the management of the vessel.
Mr. George Lambsaid, that his Majesty's Government had derived no information with regard to the very melancholy circumstance to which the gallant Member had referred, beyond that which was to be found in those channels of information to which the public generally had access. The Home Office, with which he was connected, had received no exclusive intelligence on the subject, though he was willing to admit, that it deserved the attention of the House. The necessary steps would be taken to secure the report of the Coroner's Inquest, and an accurate account of what should take place on that occasion; and if it should appear, that any further inquiry or investigation was necessary, it should be instituted. With regard to any enactment of the nature spoken of, the hon. Member must see, that it would require very deliberate consideration; but he begged to assure the hon. 403 Member, that his Majesty's Government would give the subject the fullest possible consideration.