LORD HENRY BRUCE (Wilts, Chippenham)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether he is aware that for some time past tank steamers have been unloading at the Herculaneum Dock, Liverpool (as in the case of the tank vessel Marquis Scicluna), and that, there being no tanks in which the oil could be pumped direct from the vessel, the petroleum is pumped into barrels on the quay by ordinary dock labour; whether his attention has been called to the risk which is incurred of even more serious explosions than those which lately took place at Bristol and Calais, owing to the fact that a quantity of oil is spilt during this operation, and that at the time this oil is swimming on the quay the tank steamer is moored in the dock quite close to where the barrelling operations are going on, surrounded by very large quantities of full and empty barrels, and that numbers of the largest steamers are entering and leaving the dock; and, whether, having regard to the danger thus caused to Liverpool, he will consider the advisability of limiting the unloading of petroleum to places where (as is the case at Birkenhead) tank vessels can be discharged by pumping direct through underground pipes into tanks at some distance from the dock?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)On this subject I have communicated with the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, who have sent me the following statement:—
It is quite true that tank steamers have discharged petroleum at the Herculaneum Dock. The petroleum is not, as is represented, pumped by labourers direct from the ship into barrels; but is pumped by machinery into three portable tanks which are placed on the quay of the said dock. Each of these tanks is provided with 10 taps on each side, by which the oil is drawn off into casks which are placed under each tap. The operation is carefully watched, and there are men in attendance to superintend the filling of the tanks, and others are appointed to turn off the taps when the barrels are filled. Under each row of barrels a draining pan is placed for the purpose of collecting any small occasional overflow that may take place, and the pans are emptied as often as may be required. The barrels filled with oil which cannot be removed from the quay at once, either by carts or by ship, are placed in the Board's casemates, which have been excavated in the sandstone rock, and 834 especially constructed for the storage of petroleum. Experience shows that the leakage on to the quay is inconsiderable, and not more than from barrels when the petroleum is imported in that form. The berth in which the tank steamers discharge is a considerable distance from the nearest dock entrance, and is situated in a portion of the dock which is set apart for the petroleum trade. I may add that, as regards the explosion at Bristol to which reference is made in the Question, the article in that case consisted of naphtha, which is highly inflammable; and in the case at Calais, which is also referred to, the cargo consisted of crude petroleum, which is also a highly inflammable article, containing, as it does, a large quantity of naphtha; whereas in the case of the Marquis Scicluna, which discharged in the Herculaneum Dock, the oil was Russian petroleum, which is considerably over the Government flashing test, and is, therefore, much less dangerous than the articles above-mentioned, and is not petroleum within the meaning of the Act of Parliament.
§ In answer to a further Question by Lord HENRY BRUCE,
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH saidThe powers vested in the Government under the Explosives Acts are vested in the Home Secretary; but, as far as the Harbour Authorities are concerned, the Board of Trade is responsible.