HC Deb 09 March 1860 vol 157 cc225-8
MR. W. S. LINDSAY

said, he rose to ask the President of the Board of Trade when Her Majesty's Government intend to introduce measures to carry into effect the recommendation of the Harbours of Refuge Commission. It would be remembered that a Committee of that House was appointed some years back to inquire into the subject of harbours of refuge, and they arrived at the conclusion that on national as well as commercial grounds such har- hours ought to be constructed at as early a period as possible; and they finished by saying that with regard to the welfare of the nation, and the dangerous and unprotected state of our coast, there was no object to which the public money could be more usefully and more properly applied. After that a Royal Commission, of which he was a member, was appointed to make a similar investigation; and the members, after devoting five months to the inquiry, reported unanimously in favour of the establishment of harbours of refuge. On a former evening he understood the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state that the President of the Board of Trade had under consideration the best mode of carrying out the recommendations of the Commission; and he (Mr. Lindsay) wished to know when the right lion. Gentleman intended to introduce a measure on the subject.

SIR FREDERICK SMITH

said, he was on the Committee in1858, and subsequently was a member of the Royal Commission on the subject. The estimated amount proposed by the Commission as necessary for the construction of harbours of refuge, and the consequent safety of life and property, was £2,000,000, which it was proposed to spread over ten years, at the rate of £200,000 a year. He had the honour of attending a deputation to the Prime Minister a short time ago. The matter was then laid very fully before his Lordship, who conceded the necessity of taking some steps in the matter. When it was borne in mind that we lost 850 mariners annually, as well as property of the value of £1,500,000, chiefly owing to the want of harbours of refuge along our coasts, it could not be denied that the question was one deserving the attention of Her Majesty's Government. If a war should break out with the northern Powers we had no available harbour of refuge along the whole of our eastern seaboard. Sailing vessels were now decreasing, steamers increasing, and this caused a greater necessity for having our ships, which were the nursery of seamen, adequately protected by harbours. Therefore he hoped that Government would state the steps they intended to take; and he might observe that the first year they probably would not require to carry out the recommendation of the Royal Commission a greater sum than £100,000.

SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONE

said, this subject had undergone more inquiry during the last two years than any other which came before the House. Two years ago a Committee was appointed on the harbours of refuge; they examined every harbour, and they agreed to a report which was afterwards adopted almost entirely by the Royal Commission. When the enormous loss of life and property was considered, and the trifling sum of money which would be required to secure the shipping from such loss, it was a matter of very great importance that the works recommended by both the Committee and the Commission should be at once proceeded with. There were four or five principal points—the turning points of the coast—which were particularly in want of protection, and Filey Bay was one of them. In the Committee on Merchant shipping the other day, Lloyd's List for February 29 and March I were produced, and the statements it contained would astonish and grieve the House. It proved that very many of the losses at sea on those two days would have been prevented had proper harbours of refuge been in existence along the const. There were often 400 or 500 sail dodging about Flamborough Head, and in the event of a north-east wind springing up they could clear the Yorkshire coast. It was of great importance then that a beginning should be made in this great work. It was a matter of national importance:—it was also a matter of national defence. It was a fact that there was not a place on the whole east coast of Great Britain between the Mora Frith or the Frith of Forth and Yarmouth Roads, in which a fleet could be maintained. He therefore impressed most strongly on the head of the Government that he should not be deterred by the sum the works would cost. Depend upon it few questions came before the House that more urgently demanded the attention of the Government than that of preventing the annual loss of life equal to the crew of a first-rate man-of-war and of money to the amount of a million and a half on the lowest estimate.

MR. MILNER GIBSON

replied, that in consequence of the inquiries that had taken place before the Committee of the House of Commons, and the Commission to which the hon. Member had adverted, the Government felt it to be their duty to give this subject a very careful consideration. Undoubtedly great expectations had been excited by these several inquiries. The Government had formed opinions as to the proposals that ought to be submitted to Parliament consequent upon them. Their views would be stated when the course of public business would permit it; but at present he must claim the indulgence of his hon. Friend if he declined to go into the details of any plan that might have been under the consideration of Government. All he could now say was that when the course of public business would admit the views of Government would be stated; and he assured the hon. Gentleman that the importance of the subject was duly appreciated by them.