§ MR. FFRENCHI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, formerly, there were large sounding bnoys placed at the approaches of Rosslare Harbour, and that those have been removed and replaced by much smaller ones that can scarcely be seen by navigators; and whether, seeing that within the past fortnight a steam yacht went aground on the banks owing to the captain not seeing the buoys, he will take steps to have the large buoys restored.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI understand from the Commissioner of Irish Lights that one automatic whistling lighted buoy was placed on the South Sheer, Rosslare, on April 20th, 1900, as an experiment. It was found impossible to keep this constantly alight, and the Commissioners removed it on March 1st, 1901, but without replacing it by any other seamark. I have already explained the objection to placing gas-lighted buoys here at the expense of the General Lighthouse Fund.
§ MR. FFRENCHCan the right hon. Gentleman say why the buoys were removed and smaller buoys put in their place.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI have already given the hon. Member the explanation furnished to me by the Irish Lights Board—that it was found impossible to keep this constantly alight.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the seriousness of the matter, and that ships are frequently wrecked here, and cannot he have something done to have buoys put there?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEThe matter was seriously considered by the Irish Lights Board, Trinity House, and the Shipping Committee. Shipowners objected seriously to lights being placed there, and I should think that they were the people primarily interested, but they resisted very strongly. They resisted putting lights there at the expense of the Lighthouse Fund, and after going into the matter very carefully, it was considered that they had made good their case.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDWill the right hon. Gentleman draw the attention of the Commission about to be appointed to the lighting of this particular harbour?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI do not know that I can do that, but it will, of course, be open to the hon. Member to bring any evidence he may wish before the Commission. Indeed, I think it is one of the things that they would have to consider.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDsaid that he hoped his hon. friend (Mr. Ffrench) would do that.