§ MR. GILHOOLY (Cork, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the condition of the lightkeepers on the Fastnet Rock; whether it is a fact that those men were left for days in peril of their lives owing to the vessel in attendance on the lighthouse being unseaworthy; whether the light keepers were signalling for aid during those days, and they were ultimately rescued from their perilous position by a local fishing vessel; and whether he will have a sworn inquiry instituted into the circumstances referred to?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.The Commissioners of Irish Lights inform me that they have inquired into the circumstances referred to in the hon. Member's question, with the following result:—(1) That it is not a fact that the keepers were left for days in peril of their lives owing to to the attending vessel being unseaworthy; (2) communication with the rock was cut off between January 10 and 24 through severity of weather, and during that period the keepers signalled that food would be required in a few days; (3) on January 24 the rock was communicated with by a local fishing vessel, but the attending boat also went to the rock on the same day. I have directed further inquiry to be made as to the system of provisioning the Irish lighthouses and the manner in which it was carried out in this case.