§ MR. PEEKasked the First Commissioner of Works, If the intention of placing an electric light on the Tower while the House of Commons is sitting has been given up; and, if so, why?
§ MR. AYRTON, in reply, said, the proposal to exhibit the electric light on the Tower while the House of Commons was sitting was very fully considered, and it was found that to erect and maintain the light would involve an expense larger, perhaps, than the circumstances would justify, as the number of occasions seemed to be diminishing on which the House ceased to sit before 1 or 2 o'clock in the morning; in fact, it only ceased to do so when it found that time was being occupied by Motions that were irrelevant or unimportant. Therefore, he was considering some more economical plan by which a sufficient light could be exhibited, and if this inquiry were more successful than the former one he might adopt the plan.