§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI wish to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he can give the House any information with regard to the report in circulation that 1506 there has been a seizure of a large quantity of explosive material, and the arrest of persons in London to-day?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTYes, Sir. At 1 o'clock this morning a man was arrested in a house in London, and found to be in possession of a box which, I am informed, contained 1¾ cwt. of liquid, which was contained in indiarubber bags. These were immediately sent to Woolwich, and the Report is that the liquid is a highly explosive compound, believed to be nitro-glycerine. This man, who has been arrested, came from Birmingham. [Opposition laughter.] This is not a laughing matter. There has also been discovered a manufactory on a large scale, apparently of explosive material. A second arrest has been made this afternoon of another person, seen to be in the company of the former. He also had a very large quantity of material—the exact amount of which I cannot specify—apparently of the same character as that first seized. There has been arrested with the second man another man found in his company. He had a large sum of money upon him, a considerable portion of which is reported to be in American bank notes. These are the circumstances of the arrests. There have been three men taken into custody in London, and one man connected with the manufacture of these explosives is in custody in Birmingham.
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTHIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman satisfied with the state of the law with regard to the possession of explosives, and does he contemplate any legislation on the subject?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTNo, Sir; I am not at all satisfied with the state of the law on the subject. In my opinion, it requires very early amendment.