§ MR. FITZWILLIAM DICK,said, he wished to ask the President of the Board of Trade, Whether he has any objection to give a Return of the number of Vessels lost upon the East Coast of Ireland, particularising those between Kingstown and Waterford, between the years 1845 and 1865, both inclusive; stating the date of each wreck, the estimated value of the vessel and cargo, and the number of lives lost in each case?
SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEsaid, in reply, that as he had already informed his hon. Friend, he could not give him the information asked for, not from any indisposition to do so, but because so much information as could be given was already before the House. It was inadvisable to be frequently extracting information contained in papers before the House, because it led to confusion and expense. It would 2095 be impossible to give any reliable information between 1845 and 1850, or, indeed, 1855, and it would be impossible to give any really accurate estimate of the value of the vessels and cargoes which had been lost. The Wreck Register, laid annually on the table of the House, contained in great detail all the losses for the year, and the Returns made in 1864 gave for five years all the particulars that could be given with regard to losses on the different coasts of the Kingdom. He would place in his hon. Friend's hands marked tables, showing all the information there was at the disposal of the Government. Communications were, however, going on between the Board of Trade, the Trinity House, and the Ballast Office, Dublin, with a view of improving the lights on the coast of Ireland, more especially with the view of preventing the numerous wrecks which unfortunately took place on that part of the coast to which his hon. Friend referred.