§ MR. FRASER-MACKINTOSH (Inverness-shire)asked the Lord Advocate, Whether any official inquiry has taken place into the circumstances under which the late Rev. Dr. Mackay, of Hull, mot his death last September by stumbling over the pier at Portree, Isle of Skye; and, if so, will there be any objection to 790 lay the Papers upon the Table of the House?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR) (, &c.) ClackmannanYes, Sir; a careful official inquiry was made by the Procurator Fiscal at the time, seven witnesses having been examined, whose evidence extended to nearly 40 pages; and the evidence thus obtained, along with a Medical Report by Dr. Ross, was forwarded to the Crown Office, and considered by Crown Counsel in the usual way. It appeared that Dr. Mackay had been a passenger by the steamer Clydesdale, which arrived at Portree about 10 o'clock on the evening of August 19, and that he had gone ashore to take a walk. On returning to the steamer he fell into the water between the quay and the steamer, but was immediately rescued and conveyed to an hotel, and carefully attended to there by Dr. Ross. He had suffered two severe scalp wounds in falling from the quay; but his death, which happened on the followed Saturday, resulted from acute congestion of the lungs, due to his immersion in the water. There were two gangways between the steamer and the quay; and from Dr. Mackay's statement it appeared that he had been going on board by the forward gangway, which was being used for shipping lambs, and was requested to go by the after gangway, and that in proceeding from the one gangway to the other he had tripped and fallen into the water. I fear I cannot lay the Papers upon the Table, as, according to Scottish practice, such inquiries are not published.