§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDAs I do not see any of the hon. Members for Liverpool in their places, and as I represent a neighbouring town, perhaps I may be allowed to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has received any information as to the report of an explosion at the Town Hall at Liverpool?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, I have received a telegram from the Mayor of Liverpool, dated 12.25 this afternoon. It is to the following effect:—
At 4 o'clock this morning a police-constable on duty discovered a lighted fuse close to the side door of the Town Hall, perceiving at the same time two men apparently watching. The constable followed them, giving the alarm to a brother officer of what he had seen at the Town Hall. The second officer proceeded to the Town Hall and saw a package having the appearance of a sailor's bag, with something making a fizzing noise inside. He began to open the outside cover, but, finding it smoking and very heavy, lie dragged it into the centre of the roadway and, becoming alarmed, he left it there. He had not got more than ten yards when it exploded with a loud report, breaking the windows of the Town Hall and the windows opposite, and destroying a piece of the iron palisade, some pieces of the bomb passing over the buildings and breaking the windows in the adjoining streets. Pieces of iron picked up showed that the bomb was of the same material as was used in the attempt made lately on the police-station. The first policeman followed the two men, and, with assistance, captured them. Both were armed with loaded revolvers. Both are Irishmen, and one has recently arrived from America.