§ Mr. H. WILLIAMS(by Private Notice)asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the recent hurricane has caused serious damage in any of the British West Indian Islands and if he can furnish the latest official news on the subject?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)The only information that has reached the Secretary of State at present is contained in the following telegram from the officer administering the Government of the Bahamas:
21st October. Another hurricane passed over the Bahamas last night Wednesday causing slight damage to Nassau but I am afraid Bimini Grand Bahamas Abaco suffered heavily. Wireless communication with those islands interrupted. Relief will be sent as soon as weather permits.The Secretary of State has asked me to take this opportunity of expressing the 560 very deep distress with which he has learned of the disaster to His Majesty's Sloop "Valerian" off Bermuda. "Valerian" rendered invaluable assistance to the Bahamas Government after the hurricane of July, and her services were again placed at the disposal of the officer administering the Government during the early part of this month to enable him to visit the out-islands devastated by the September hurricane. It was while on her return to Bermuda from this errand of mercy that she met her end.I should like to add a personal expression of my own deep regret, as it was on this vessel that I had the privilege of travelling when accompanying Lord Irwin on his visit to the West Indies in 1922.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether there is any news from the Cayman Islands?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORENo, I should not think so. They are not likely to be in the line of this particular hurricane, as they are south of Jamaica, and we have had no communication from them.