§ MR. LEAMYasked the President of the Board of Trade, If he is aware that by several Royal Charters, commencing in the time of King John down to and including the Charter granted by King Charles the Second, known as the Great Charter of the City of Waterford, the foreshore of the River Suir, extending from high water mark to low water mark, was granted and confirmed to the Corporation of Waterford for ever; if it is true that the Board of Trade has lately demanded from the Waterford Harbour Commissioners, and from the Waterford and Limerick Railway Company, sums of money for permission to erect buildings, piers, &c. on said foreshore; and, if so, whether he will direct that in future no such interference with the rights of the Corporation of Waterford shall be made by the Board of Trade?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAIN, in reply, said, he was aware that the several Royal Charters referred in the Question of the hon. Member were alleged to have been granted and confirmed. It was also true that the Board of Trade asked for sums of money for permission to erect buildings on the foreshore. The sums they asked for were merely nominal considerations in order to preserve rights which the Board of Trade claimed on behalf of the Crown. The Question about the Waterford and Limerick Railway Act was a legal one upon which he could give no opinion.