§ MR. W. H. JAMESasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been called to a serious landslip which occurred near the Abbot's Cliff Tunnel of the South Eastern Railway, on the night of the 20th instant; whether landslips in the neighbourhood of the tunnels between Shorncliffe and Dover have not in recent years been of frequent occurrence, and, on more than one occasion, with loss of life; if the Railway inspectors have at any time reported the construction of this part of the line as dangerous to the travelling public; and, if he can state the nature and extent of the precautions habitually taken by the South Eastern Railway Company to protect their passengers from the risks of these accidents?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINThe South-Eastern Railway Company have informed me that a considerable quantity of the side of the cutting near the Abbot's Cliff tunnel came away on Sunday night, but that they were able to clear the line sufficiently to allow an engine and trucks to go through on Monday, and that on Tuesday morning the ordinary traffic was resumed. There were two landslips between Dover and Shorncliffe in January, 1877, within three days of each other; and on one occasion two servants of the Company were, unfortunately, buried in the landslip. The Railway Inspectors have not reported that this portion of the line is dangerous to the travelling public; but Major General Hutchinson, in his Report on the landslips to which I have referred, stated that it was necessary that the line should be carefully watched. The South-Eastern Railway Company inform me that all possible and necessary precautions are taken, and that the portions of the line above referred to are constantly and carefully watched.