MR. SULLIVANasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, If his attention has been drawn to the recent occurrence of a shipwreck attended with loss of life at Bray near Dublin, owing to the Captain of the vessel mistaking for the Kish Light the light marking Her Majesty's Ship "Vanguard;" and whether he can hold out hopes of speedy measures being taken to remove the cause and prevent the recurrence of such a lamentable casualty?
§ MR. HUNTSir, the facts which I have ascertained in reference to the affair are these—In last September a Nova Scotia vessel was making her way to Kingstown when the master mistook the light on the Vanguard for the Kish light. When he discovered his mistake he signalled for assistance, and the life-boat came out and took off the crew, but on the way to land it capsized and three men were drowned. The master or owner was at fault in the wreck not being marked on his chart. The light over the wreck is a green revolving light and the Kish light is a white revolving light, therefore there could be no mistake as to their identity. Twelve months' notice was given to mariners o: the light over the Vanguard. The light is not under the jurisdiction of the Ad- 728 miralty, though they pay for it. It is under the jurisdiction of the Irish Lights Commissioners. It is not certain what will be done with reference to the Vanguard, as the Admiralty are negotiating a contract for raising her; but supposing that contract is completed, the light must remain so long as the works connected with the raising are being carried on.