§ MR. FIELDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the reason for the delay in not carrying out the improvements and alterations at the Maiden Rocks, near Larne, by the Irish Lights Commissioners, as arranged with the Trinity Board, and with the Belfast applications to have the lights and buoys at these rocks completed.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am informed by the Commissioners of Irish Lights that the improvements as to the light and buoys at the Maiden Rocks have been delayed owing to the need of making certain experiments. It is not anticipated that there will be any 739 further delay as regards the light. As regards the buoys, the Commissioners hope to place a buoy at the Highland Rock as an experiment in June next; while a decision as to the buoy at the Hunters Rock has been deferred pending the consideration of a suggestion made by the Advisory Committee on New Lighthouse Works, that a lighted buoy should be placed there.