§ SIR DAVID WEDDERBURNasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been directed to the delay and difficulty frequently experienced in establishing communication with vessels stranded on a lee shore, when the rocket apparatus has to be used against a gale of wind, and the firing party, as in the recent case of the "Hotspur," may fire for hours before a line is carried over; and, whether he will consider of a regulation by which the loss of life caused by such delay might be prevented, obliging every vessel to carry a properly fitted apparatus, together with a copy of instructions as to its use, and as to landing the shipwrecked after communication with the shore has been established?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE, in reply, said, he had inquired into the subject, and he must say that he had no reason to think that much difficulty was experienced in communicating between the shore and a stranded vessel by means of the rocket apparatus, provided, of course, the stranded vessel was within range. But in the case of a rolling ship, if the rocket were fired from the vessel instead of the shore there would be a practical difficulty in sending the line on shore. Besides, if the suggestion of the hon. Member were adopted, an Act would have to be passed to compel all sea-going vessels to carry rocket apparatus on board, and in order to give proper effect to such a law it would have to be enforced by penalties; and it was no easy matter to 168 keep rocket apparatus in constant efficiency on board ship. Should, however, the hon. Member communicate with the Board of Trade, he should have every information given to him, and his suggestion would receive careful consideration.