HL Deb 05 June 1913 vol 14 cc516-8
LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH

My Lords, I rise to ask His Majesty's Government whether operations have commenced in connection with the proposed naval defence works on either side of the entrance to Cromarty Firth; whether any representations have been made to the Admiralty as to the risk of damage to earthworks and mounds and other features of archæological interest in the district in question; and whether the most careful instructions will be given to those who are engaged in the operations to avoid such damage.

I was under the impression when I put this Question on the Paper that it would come appropriately after a stage of the Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Bill, which is in the charge of the noble Earl the First Commissioner of Works; but that Bill, the Report stage of which was down for to-day, has been postponed. I did not think it wise, however, to postpone this Question, for fear proceedings were more advanced than I had any actual knowledge of, and that damage might be done in the meantime before the attention of those concerned was called to the matter. At the entrance to Cromarty Firth there are two well known hills, one on the north, called the Hill of Nigg, and one on the south side, generally known as Cromarty Hill. The latter, from an archæological point of view, is, I believe, the more important of the two hills. Those who know much more than I do of the matter—I need not tell your Lordships that I am proceeding largely upon information communicated to me—say that from an archæological point of view Cromarty Hill is of the highest importance; that indications are not wanting that it contains great treasures for the archæologist, dating back, some go so far as to say, to the Stone Age; that it is one of the few spots in Scotland remaining unexplored which have connections with that period, and that nothing should be done in this particular locality rashly and without due consideration. I am assured that much research work remains to be done on and in the vicinity of Cromarty Hill, and that apprehensions have been aroused that operations which are foreshadowed might be conducted without due care. My informants go further and say that the whole district, which we know it. Scotland as the Black Isle, is, like any other peninsula, of great importance from the point of view which I have endeavoured to indicate.

If anything is necessary from a strategical point of view for the defence of an important harbour like Cromarty Firth, no one for a moment would pretend that the interests for which I am speaking could be compared with that. I am not such a fanatic as to suggest that nothing should be touched if by leaving it alone serious disadvantage would be caused to the defence works necessary for the purpose of the Admiralty. Into that I do not for a moment enter, and I would be the last person to suggest that the two interests were comparable. The plea which I put forward is this, that nothing should be done carelessly or unnecessarily or without due examination, and this seems to me in all the circumstances to be quite a reasonable plea to advance, especially if put forward in reasonable time.

Since I put the Question on the Paper I have been urged to add a representation in regard to the light railway which is being made down that side of Cromarty Firth. That is not, I suppose, a matter under the control of the Admiralty; but I think I might take an opportunity of calling attention publicly to the whole question in order to make sure that nothing will be done which is not absolutely necessary, and that when any mound or other place of archæological interest is disturbed care will be taken that it is done under competent advice and supervision.

LORD ASHBY ST. LEDGERS

The answer to the question whether operations have commenced at Cromarty Firth is in the affirmative, for works are already in progress on both the north and the south sides of the Firth. The noble Lord has stated that he is quite aware that archæological interest could not come before the question of the defence of the harbour. He admits that the latter is a much more important thing, and I have no reason whatever to complain of the Question which he has asked. As a matter of fact, up to the present time no representations have reached the Admiralty on this subject, but, in accordance with the usual practice which the Admiralty have always pursued, attention is being paid to the matter, and should any discoveries be made they will be noted and any articles found in the process of excavation will be preserved.

I do not know whether the noble Lord or his informants may have to some extent confused the works on Cromarty Firth and the proposed works at Scapa in the Orkneys. In the latter case representations have reached the Admiralty, and I have to state that in the event of any work being carried out at Scapa—that matter has not yet been decided—instructions have been given to ensure the preservation of anything that is found and the recording of all particulars of interest. But whether or not there has been confusion as to the two places, the noble Lord can rest assured that the Admiralty are fully alive to the importance of injuring as little as possible, if indeed it is necessary to injure it at all, any mound or object of archæological interest.

House adjourned at twenty minutes before Five o'clock, till Tomorrow, half-past Ten o'clock.