§ SIR EDWARD HILL (Bristol, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has recently been called to the dangers to navigation consequent on the defective lighting of the southern part of the Red Sea; whether any special reason exists for the long neglect of this question; whether there is airy prospect of lights being placed on or in the neighbourhood of Abu Ail and Mocha Shoal; and whether Her Majesty's Government will use their best endeavours to hasten the action of the Turkish authorities?
§ MR. RITCHIEIn reply to my hon. and gallant Friend, I can only repeat the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for North-East Manchester, on 25th March, by my right hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who said that Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, acting under instructions from Her Majesty's Government, had addressed a circular to the representatives of the Great Powers inviting their co-operation in a joint representation to the Turkish Government for authority to reconstruct a number of fresh lights at the southern end of the Red Sea, including lights at Abu Ail and Mocha Shoal. Her Majesty's Government must await the result of these communications before considering any other possible arrangements.