§ MR. HARRY FOSTER (Suffolk, Lowestoft)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the very serious injury to the coast of Southwold by the recent gales, which threatens disaster to the town unless prompt and adequate means of protection are provided against the further inroads of the sea, and of the inability of the town to provide the whole of the expense, he will cause immediate Inquiry to be made as to the extent of the danger and the best means of obviating it?
§ MR. RITCHIEThe Board of Trade have been in communication with the Corporation of Southwold with regard to the steps to be taken by them to protect their coast against the inroads of the sea. I am not prepared at present to say that those steps will be inadequate, or that the Corporation will be unable financially to carry them out. Having regard, however, to the fact that there is some difference of opinion as to what should be done, and that any action taken at one part of Southwold may possibly have effect upon other interests, I have directed Sir George Nares to proceed to Southwold at the earliest possible date, to hold an Inquiry as regards the proposed works.