§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S. E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, as owing to the deposit of London sewage in the vicinity of the Nore Sand the fishing grounds of the Thames Estuary are being injured, he will arrange for the station of a Government ship in the neighbourhood, in order that the sludge may be deposited according to agreement east of, and no higher up the river than, the Knock Buoy?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD or TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.No agreement such as is suggested by the hon. Member has come officially to my knowledge, and there seems some difficulty in taking any action in the matter until it has been under the consideration of the Committee of the recently created Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries District, who will have power to deal with it.
§ MAJOR RASCHArising out of that answer may I ask the right hon. Gentle man if he is aware that the sewage of the City of New York is taken 20 miles out to sea, and that a Government vessel is employed to see that it is not put upon the fishing grounds?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHThis is not the United States.