§ THE EARL OF BANDONsaid, it would be recollected that some time ago a large Indian steamer had been wrecked on Daunt's Rock, at the entrance of Cork Harbour. Several influential parties suggested at the time that the rock should be blown up, but this had not been done. Subsequently, however, a buoy, with a bell attached to it, was placed on the rock, and an alteration was also made in the lighthouses on the other side of the harbour. Neither of these schemes had proved successful. He wished to call the attention of the noble Duke the First Lord of the Admiralty to the circumstance that the wreck of the Inman steamer had been allowed to remain on the rock up to the present time. In June last a brig laden with sugar was wrecked upon that rock through coming in contact with the remains of the Inman steamer. The vessel was got off, but the valuable cargo was lost, and the owners were put to considerable expense before the brig was fit to go to sea again. He believed, too, that very lately a vessel connected with the Manx Fishing Company had sustained serious damage through coming in contact with the mast of the steamer. The difficulty in the case was that three separate Boards had jurisdiction in the matter, and the consequence was that it was not easy to get anything done at all. He thought the matter was of sufficient importance to deserve the attention of Her Majesty's Government, and he therefore asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether the attention of the Government has been called to the fact of any other wreck having taken place on Daunt's Rock, at the entrance of Cork Harbour?
§ THE DUKE OF SOMERSETsaid, that do official notice of any wreck on the rock had been received since March, 1864. He had seen the wreck of the Inman steamer himself some time ago, and he did not believe that it had since been removed. The Admiralty, he might remark, did not undertake to remove wrecks.
§ THE EARL OF BANDONsaid, Daunt's Rock was beyond the three mile limit, and consequently the Cork Harbour Commissioners had no jurisdiction in the matter. His object in putting the Question was to bring the subject under the notice of Her Majesty's Government and of the Board of Trade, which was not at present represented in their Lordships' House.
§ THE EARL OF MEATHsaid, that the Ballast Board of Dublin had placed buoys at the place referred to by the noble Earl. If the Board of Trade sanctioned a larger expenditure, something more might be done; but the fact was, that if those in charge of shipping only kept their eyes open, they were perfectly safe at that spot. As to the proposal to put a light vessel there, it was monstrous, as there was no holding ground.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past Six o'clock, to Thursday next, half past Ten o'clock.