MR. A.K.LOYD (Berkshire, Abingdon)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether the Board has made any investigation as to the efficiency of the apparatus invented by Mr. Drummond for preventing the escape of sparks from railway locomotives without material reduction of the air draught; and, if so, can he state the result of the investigation.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI have seen accounts in the public Press of the apparatus referred to by the hon. Member, but the Board of Trade have not made, nor have they any authority to make, an investigation as to its efficiency. If officially invited by those interested in the invention, the Board would be happy to instruct their Senior Inspecting Officers of Railways to report to them upon it, but such a report must be for Departmental guidance only. It is not desirable for a Public Department to express an opinion upon the merits of a particular invention.