§ MR. W. KENNYI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received from the Chamber of Commerce of Dublin a document entitled, Evidence respecting the Electric Eight as a Lighthouse Illuminant, referring to a trial between the electric light and Mr. Wigham's new gas light, proposed to be made by that gentleman at his own expense; whether he will inform the House how the matter stands as to the application of the electric light as a "fixed" light at the Old Head of Kinsale; whether the Board of Trade and Trinity House have given sanction to that application; and whether, considering the important evidence in the paper above referred to, including reference to the loss of the Eider at St. Catherine's Point, and the opinions expressed in Parliamentary Paper, No. 92, 27th February last, he will give instruc- 1342 tions that nothing further be done until the trial proposed by Mr. Wigham shall have been completed?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI have received the document referred to, which I presume has also been sent to the Commissioners of Irish Lights, with whom will rest the decision whether in this instance experiments which do not involve the expenditure of public money should be carried out. In March, 1891, the Commissioners applied to the Trinity House for the requisite sanction to the establishment of a fixed electric light at the Old Head of Kinsale, and the Trinity House declined to give their statutory approval, a course which was concurred in by the Board of Trade.
§ * MR. W. KENNYHave not the Board of Trade the power to make experiments themselves?
§ MR. MUNDELLANo, Sir.