LORD MUSKERRYrose to ask His Majesty's Government whether their attention had been drawn to the report of the steamer "Nebraskan," that when steaming in the North Pacific, she encountered a vast field of drifting logs, forming a dangerous impediment to navigation; and, whether, having regard to the serious dangers likely to arise through the practice of towing gigantic rafts across the waters of the North Pacific, His Majesty's Government could see their way clear to place themselves in communication with the proper authorities with a view to these dangers being avoided in the future.
The noble Lord said: My Lords, this Question has reference to the practice of towing gigantic rafts across the waters of the North Pacific. Drifting rafts form as dangerous an impediment to navigation as icebergs or rocks, and I think it is not unreasonable to ask His Majesty's Government, having regard to the serious dangers likely to arise from this practice, to place themselves in communication with the proper authorities, with a, view to some regulation being adopted to minimise the danger.
§ THE EARL OF GRANARDMy Lords, no report has yet been received by the Board of Trade with regard to the steamship "Nebraskan," but there can be no doubt that the towing of logs across the North Pacific does constitute a very great danger to shipping. The United States Government have had the matter under their consideration on several occasions. In 1900 they brought forward a Bill in Congress to limit the towing of these rafts across the Pacific, but the Bill did not get through. I can assure my noble friend that the matter is having the attention of the Board of Trade, and as soon as the report is received with regard to the special case of the steamship "Nebraskan" we will forward the report to the United States Government.