§ MR. GILHOOLYI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether there is any intention to remove the buoys at either end of Horse Island, in Bantry Bay, which were placed there in pursuance of a promise from the First Lord of the Admiralty; whether, he is aware that, previous to the laying down of these buoys, many accidents occurred from time to time to Her Majesty's and other ships by grounding on Horse Island bars, while no such accident has occurred since the buoys have been placed there, and, if any orders have been given to remove the buoys, will they be countermanded?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONPerhaps the hon. Member will allow me to reply to the question. As I understand that the Commissioners of Irish Lights have no objection to the retention of the buoys in question, they will not be removed for the present. It is, however, a question as to how long these buoys can be maintained within the jurisdiction of the Commissioners, who alone have charge of the lighting and buoying of the coast of Ireland.