VISCOUNT BURYwished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department a Question of which he had given him private Notice. He did not know whether the attention of the right hon. Gentleman had been directed to a letter which appeared in The Times a few days ago signed by Mr. Lambton Young, the secretary of the Royal Humane Society. The members of that society had reason to entertain grave apprehensions that the state of Hammersmith Bridge was such as might lead to a fearful accident on the occasion of the forthcoming boat race between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It might not, perhaps, be generally known that the bridge was built fifty-two years ago, and was intended to be a specimen of lightness and elegance. The Humane Society had reason to believe that the chains of that bridge were not of such a form or description as would guarantee stability and strength, and that, moreover, the iron employed in the construction of the chains had become granulated. Now, hon. Members were aware that any sudden strain on iron was very apt to cause it to snap, whereas it would bear the same weight if spread over it uniformly with perfect security. Everyone who had witnessed the Oxford and Cambridge boat race knew that great numbers of people assembled on Hammersmith Bridge, and when the boats passed under it they swayed from side to side and made the bridge oscillate in a manner frightful to behold. Before the ensuing race, which was fixed for the 17th inst., he thought the Government ought to take some steps in order to ascertain whether the bridge was safe or not. He would therefore ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he had any objection to send an engineer officer or civil engineer to examine and report upon the condition of the bridge; and if it were found to be insecure, whether the right hon. Gentleman would take steps to replace 641 the iron rods by others which were perfectly safe. If, however, this were impracticable, he would suggest that policemen should be stationed at the bridge to prevent a very large crowd from going upon it on the day of the race. If immediate action were taken, it was possible that new rods might be placed so as to strengthen the structure and remove cause for apprehension?
MR. BRUCEI think my noble Friend is quite justified in bringing this matter forward, in order that precautions may be taken to prevent what would be a great public calamity. I will undertake to communicate immediately with the Board of Trade, who, I believe, have at their disposal an engineer who is competent to make an inquiry; and such inquiry shall be immediately made.
§ Motion, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," put, and agreed to.