§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, with reference to the official statistics recently published, which show that the number of dead bodies found in the Thames during the last five years was 68 in the City of London district, and 1818 in the Metropolitan Police districts, 599 of which were discovered in the river without there being any evidence to show how they came there, any steps will be taken by Her Majesty's Government for securing better protection to human lives on the Thames Embankment and other roadways on the banks of the river?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT,in reply, said, this was, no doubt, a very important matter. Some time ago he ordered a large extra force of police to be put upon the Embankment. With reference to the general question, it would not be correct to regard these figures as giving an average at all, inasmuch as they included the Princess Alice year. Three years ago the number amounted to one-half. The matter was one that required further investigation, and he had directed communications to be made to all the Coroners, in order that he might see what suggestions they had to make on the subject.
§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSasked whether the right hon. and learned Gentleman would consider the question of erecting a central public Morgue?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTwas understood to say that he would.