§ MR. GRANTsaid, he wished to ask the President of the Board of Trade, If he considers the late inquiry into the loss of the London steamer a satisfactory one; and, if so, to state what, in his opinion, are the causes alleged in the Report of the Court of Inquiry as having occasioned the said wreck, by which so large a sacrifice of life took place?
§ MR. MILNER GIBSONSir, the inquiry was so far satisfactory that every one who could give any information and who was competent to form an opinion as to the cause of the loss of the London was fully examined. I think that, although the mode in which these investigations are generally conducted may be improved, it is very improbable that in this case any proceedings different from those pursued would have enabled the Court and the public to arrive at any more positive conclusion on the subject than that stated by Mr. Traill and the assessors. With regard to the second Question of the hon. Member, 1 can only reply by referring to the Report itself, which states that the immediate cause of the loss of the London was entirely owing to the sea getting into the engine-room and extinguishing the fires; but it is not clear from the evidence, whether the water came in through the hatchway or from some unobserved injury which the ship had received in the gale.