§ MR. HAYTERasked the President of the Board of Trade, What steps he proposes to take in order to carry out the recommendations of the Court of Inquiry held at Greenwich into the burning of the Emigrant Ship "Cospatrick," specially with regard to the proper stowage of the boats and the weekly exercise of the crews of both emigrant and passenger ships at fire and boat stations?
§ SIR CHARLES ADDERLEYSir, the Court which inquired into the loss of the Cospatrick by fire made three recommendations. The first was, that in wooden vessels there should be bulkheads to cut off communication with the hold as in iron ships, and that has been 859 seen to as far as possible. The second was, that there should be better stowage of boats, and that they should not be stowed keel upwards. That point is under consideration of a Departmental Committee; but its decision has been delayed by the illness of Captain Forster, the chief Emigration Officer of the Board of Trade. The third was, that there should be a boat drill on board emigrant ships. To these recommendations we have called the attention of shipowners throughout the country; but, at the same time, I beg to state that we do not think it desirable that imperative orders should be issued for compliance with them, and much less that compliance with them should be enforced by special legislation directed to that end.