§ MR. FERGUSONasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether in view of the Railway accidents that have recently occurred, and are always liable to occur, from cattle straying on the line, he would recommend the Railway Companies to adopt something of the nature of the American "cow-catcher," a simple and inexpensive contrivance, which has proved itself effectual, not only in the case of cattle, but also of obstructions of all kinds?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAIN,in reply, said, that in four years only 13 persons had been injured in consequence of accidents arising from obstructions on the line of any kind. The Act for the regulation of railways required that very strict precautions should be taken for fencing off lines; and, under those circumstances, he did not think it desirable to make any official recommendations to the Railway Companies, particularly as the Board of Trade had no legal authority to enforce any recommendation they might make.