§ MR. SEXTONasked the President of the Board of Trade, with regard to the impediment and danger to navigation caused by the wreck of the steamship Rockabill lying since the 25th of last July in the fair way of the river entrance to the port of Ballyshannon, "Whether he has been made aware that the Town Commissioners of Ballyshannon refrained from taking earlier action in the matter because a Company, having purchased the wreck, were making efforts to float it, and, after these efforts had failed, because time was occupied by the owners in clearing the wreck of what it contained, and because communications were proceeding between the owners and the Board of Irish Lights, with the view, on the part of the Board, that they should get control of the wreck; whether, having obtained control, the Board did nothing further; whether, there being no indication on the part of the Board of Lights of any intention to remove the wreck, the Town Commissioners, on the 8th of April, urged the Board to proceed, and, on the 10th of April, memorialised the Board of Trade to the like effect; whether it is a fact that the Board of Lights gave no reply to the letter of the Town Commissioners; whether, in reference to the statement of the Board of Lights, that they intend to await a report from their Inspecting Committee, after the ordinary annual tour, upon the ground 470 that they "have been given to understand that steps were being taken to constitute a local harbour authority for the port," the Town Commissioners have informed the Board of Trade, by letter of the 7th instant, that "there is no likelihood of such an authority being formed," and that "any further delay in the removal of the wreck would be highly detrimental to the interests of the port;" whether the wreck will now be removed; and, whether, with regard to the statement of the Board of Lights that they" have no knowledge "of the wreck off Mount Charles," it having never been reported to them," they will treat the question put in this House on the 4th instant as information upon which they should proceed?
§ MR. J. HOLMS (for Mr. CHAMBERLAIN),in reply, said, a letter was received by the Board of Trade on the 11th instant from the Town Commissioners of Ballyshannon on the subject, informing them that, the wreck of the Rockabill having been abandoned by the owners, tenders had been invited for effecting its removal. As there was no prospect of the harbour works being proceeded with, it was purposed by the Local Authorities to apply to the Board of Trade for a moiety of the cost of removing the obstruction. He was informed by the Irish Lights Commissioners that boné fide tenders had been given to the Company referred to for the work.