§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he had received any information with reference to the attempt to murder Lord 1616 Ashtown by blowing up his residence at Glenahira, county Waterford, on Tuesday night; whether he knew that the explosive was placed directly beneath the room which Lord Ashtown was occupying; what number of police were stationed in the vicinity, and what personal protection did the police afford Lord Ashtown while he was at Glenahira.
§ MR. BIRRELLI have received a telegraphic report, but full details are not yet to hand. It is the fact that an explosion took place yesterday morning at Lord Ashtown's shooting lodge at Waterford. The explosive was contained in a metal pot placed on the sill of the window immediately below the room in which Lord Ashtown was sleeping. The window was blown in and the furniture damaged, but I am glad to say that Lord Ashtown and the servants escaped injury. Some paraffin bottles containing oil were found by the police, who are pursuing their inquiries. Lord Ashtown has declined to receive personal protection, but the police are affording him protection by means of patrols. The question of extending the protection is being considered by the police authorities.
§ MR. BELLOC (Salford, S.)On whose evidence was this information—on Lord Ashtown's?
§ MR. BIRRELLIt is derived from an inspection of the spot made by the police.
§ MR. JOHN O'CONNOR (Kildare, N.)asked whether the inquiries would be continued, bearing in mind the revelations as to a certain Constable Sheridan, so as to ascertain that the outrage was not committed by some such agent provocateur.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGasked whether the damage caused by the explosion was so great that the mantelpiece in the bedroom of Lord Ashtown was detached from the wall.
§ MR. MACVEAGHasked whether Lord Ashtown had not stated in an interview that he knew it was an outrage before he left his bedroom.
§ MR. BIRRELLsaid that he would road the telegraphic despatch, which was as follows:—"The injury to Lord Ashtown's lodge was caused by placing a metal pot 1617 containing, it is believed, a large quantity of blasting powder on one of the window sills of the drawing-room directly beneath his lordship's bedroom. The pot had a metal cover which was flattened down by an iron band with nuts on end. There were four holes in the cover for the purpose of inserting a fuse. Three broken bottles, which contained paraffin oil, were found on the ground. The window and the shutter of the same where the pot was placed were blown into the room, curtains, etc., caught fire, and some articles of furniture were broken, as well as a quantity of the woodwork. The glass of three other windows was also broken, walls were slightly cracked in many places, and the mantelpiece in Lord Ashtown's bedroom partly torn from the wall. Lord Ashtown and four servants were sleeping in the lodge, but none were injured."