HC Deb 29 March 1878 vol 239 c204
MR. PLIMSOLL

asked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been drawn to the Memorial signed by more than fifty pilots of Cardiff, which states that the Cefn-y-wrach shoal at the entrance of the port of Cardiff constitutes a danger to ships of large burden leaving or entering the port, many vessels having grounded since the channel originally cut through the shoal has become useless, in consequence of its having silted up in at least three places; and, whether, under these circumstances, he will comply with the prayer of the Memorial, praying that he would send down a surveyor to examine and report upon the state of the shoal?

MR. E. STANHOPE

Sir, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has received, both from some Cardiff pilots and also from certain shipowners and shipbrokers at Cardiff, a request to send a competent surveyor to examine the Cefn-y-wrach shoal at the mouth of the Taff. It appears that the Bute Trustees, who originally cut the channel through the shoal, have given orders that the obstructions which have grown up in it should be forthwith removed by their engineer; and, therefore, until the result of the proposed operations of the Trustees is known, my right hon. Friend proposes to defer further consideration of the representations of the pilots and ship-owners.