HC Deb 05 June 1883 vol 279 cc1744-6
COLONEL KING-HARMAN

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is true that Sir James Douglas, having been excluded by the Board of Trade from acting on the Committee on Lighthouse Illuminants, on the ground of his having a direct interest in the matters to be investigated, was afterwards appointed a Member of the said Committee; whether, about the same time, the brother of Sir James Douglas and Doctor Hopkinson, Optical Engineer, who is in the employment of Trinity House, were also appointed to the said Committee; whether the proceeding of the said Committee practically came to a dead lock; whether, in consequence of the constitution of the Committee, Professor Tyndal retired; whether the Commissioners of Irish Lights, after having made strong remonstrances as to its constitution,, have withdrawn their representatives from the Committee on Lighthouse Illuminants; and, whether he will have any objection to place before the House, in addition to the Papers he has already promised, the whole of the Correspondence between Professor Tyndal, the Board of Trade, the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, and the Commissioners of Irish Lights, which has taken place since the inquiry was first instituted in 1881, and also the proceedings of the Illuminants Committee, up to the time of its last sitting on the 18th instant?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

Sir, the hon. and gallant Member seems to be misinformed as to some of his facts. This Committee, although nominally appointed by the Board of Trade, consists chiefly of representatives who have been selected, at the request of the Board, by the several lighthouse authorities. It was originally proposed that both Sir James Douglas and Mr. Wigham should be excluded from voting on the Committee, as first constituted, on the ground of their having pecuniary interest in the matters to be investigated; and they were, consequently, not regarded as Members of the Committee. The Chairman of the Committee, early in the present year, represented that this had led to complications tending to hinder the progress of the arrangements for the experiments; and asked, in addition, that the Committee might be enlarged, as the small number of Members, and the distance from London at which some of them resided, caused a difficulty in obtaining a quorum. The Board of Trade consequently agreed that both Sir James Douglas and Mr. Wigham should be Members of the Committee, and that each of the three Lighthouse Boards should be represented by one of their own body and by their engineer. Mr. William Douglas is the Engineer of the Irish Board, and is a brother of Sir James Douglas, who is Engineer to the English Board. Dr. Hopkinson was added to the Committee, as having given special attention to the electric light and its most recent developments; and I am informed that there is no ground for the suggestion that he is in the employment of the Trinity House. Mr. Vernon Harcourt was to represent the Board of Trade. All the Members were to be on an equal footing as to voting; and as the names of Members voting were to be recorded, any interest which individual Members might have would be duly weighed. I have before stated that, to my regret, Professor Tyndal retired in consequence of his dissatisfaction with the constitution of the enlarged Committee. Since the enlarged Committee have commenced their deliberations, the Commissioners of Irish Lights have made to the Board of Trade two complaints of the proceedings, in the last of which they intimated that they would withdraw from the experiments. These complaints have been referred to the Committee for their observations, which have not yet been received. I cannot think that it is advisable that the proceedings of this Committee should be published piecemeal. All the Correspondence in my Department—112 letters—which has taken place since the inquiry was first instituted in 1881, up to the day the House rose for the Whitsun Recess, has been printed and circulated.

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

said, that, without the slightest wish to say anything against Dr. Hopkinson, he would wish to know whether Dr. Hopkinson did not manufacture the whole of the optical apparatus for the Trinity House?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

That is not the case. He is the scientific adviser of Messrs. Chance, Brothers, glass manufacturers in the neighbourhood of Birmingham; and Messrs. Chance were the contractors to Trinity House.

MR. LEA

asked whether the labours of the Committee had concluded, or would conclude by the close of the Session?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

I think it is extremely improbable. What I hope is, that the Committee will continue its work, and the Irish Lights Commissioners will not withdraw from the Committee; and if then the experiments are carried out they will necessarily involve a considerable time.