§ MR. RANDLES (Cumberland, Cockermouth)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any official information showing the percentage of breakage of rails on railways in the United Kingdom made from steel manufactured by the basic and the Bessemer acid processes, respectively; and, if not, will he institute inquiries as to the comparative safety of rails made by the two methods.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) I have no information as to the percentage of breakage of rails manufactured by the basic and the Bessemer acid processes respectively, and I do not think such an inquiry as is suggested would lead to any useful result. I may add that accidents from broken rails are of rare occurrence. The hon. Member is no doubt aware of the Report of a Committee on Steel Rails (1900, C. 174).