MR. CARTER (for Mr. PLIMSOLL)asked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been called to the case of the "Westdale," a large vessel which left West Hartlepool recently for Stockholm so excessively overloaded with railway iron that her scuppers were rather less than six inches only above the surface of the water as she was lying in the dock; and, if so, whether he intends to take any steps in the matter?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEin reply, said, that the Board of Trade had received no information respecting the vessel to which the hon. Member's Question alluded. It appeared that the crew did not make any complaint with regard to her being overloaded. Had they chosen to make any such complaint, they would have had a right to demand a survey; but, as they had omitted to do so, the Board of Trade had no power to stop the ship.