§ MR. H. B. SHERIDANasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether the officers of the Board of Trade have tried the rope communication placed under the carriages of the Great Western Railway Company's express trains; whether they think that such a mode of communication with the guard is a "good and sufficient mode," and a full compliance with the Act of Parliament; whether the accumulation of slack rope in a long train does not make the mode of communication insufficient; and, 780 whether in the case of women and children the means of communication is sufficient?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE, in reply, said, he was not aware of any Report having been made respecting the rope communication adopted by the Great Western Company. Two recent cases had, however, happened on the London and North-Western line, in which it was alleged there had been a failure in the means of communication. The Board of Trade had sent an Inspector to make inquiries upon the subject.