§ MR. GIBSONasked the President of the Board of Trade, Did the Irish Lights Commissioners agree to the proposals of the Board of Trade as to the constitution of the Committee on Lighthouse Illuminants?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether Professor Tyndall, D.C.L., resigned his position as Scientific Adviser to the Board of Trade because a Committee was forced on the Commissioners of Irish 521 Lights which they repudiated, and on which, in consequence of its constitution, he refused to serve; and, whether any effort will be made to prevent the services of this eminent man being lost to the Country?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINSir, in reply to these Questions I would refer to the Correspondence which has been presented to-day, and which will show very fully the circumstances attending Professor Tyndall's resignation. In the meantime, I may say that it is not true that any Committee has been imposed upon the Irish Light Commissioners. A Committee was suggested, and the three Lighting Boards were all asked to send representatives to it. They were requested to nominate their own representatives, and they all agreed to do so. The Irish Light Commissioners made some objection to the constitution of the Committee; but they now state that they will abstain from pressing their objections, and have acceded to the request of the Board of Trade to appoint two members to serve on the Committee. I may add that in the course of these proceedings I had a personal interview with Professor Tyndall, in which I endeavoured to overcome his objections to serve on the Committee, but without success.