§ Mr. G. Palmerwished to put a question to the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade respecting a subject of vast importance involving the lives of British sailors; and as it was now getting late in the Session, he wished to press that subject the more earnestly upon the attention of her Majesty's Government. The right hon. Gentleman must be aware that a committee had sat to consider the means that should be taken to preserve the lives of seamen, and to prevent, if possible, the frequency of shipwrecks; that committee had made their report, which was laid on the Table of the House last Tuesday week, but he believed that the printer had not been able to send a copy to every Member yet. The right hon. Gentleman, however, had no doubt possessed a copy for some days, and he wished to ask him, therefore, whether he thought of bringing forward any measure upon this subject in the pressent Session?
§ Mr. P. Thomsonsaid, the very state of things to which the hon. Gentleman alluded rendered it almost impossible that any measure could be proposed this Session. The report had been laid on the table, but not printed, and of course it was necessary that it should be circulated amongst the Members of that House, and that the important facts it contained should go forth to the public before they could well proceed to legislate on this subject. He very, greatly doubted, therefore, that 1063 it would be possible to bring forward any such measure this Session.