§ MR. GRIEVEasked the President of the Board of Trade, How many of the 550 vessels surveyed by the Board of Trade between 5th August 1873 and 30th June 1875, for alleged defects, and that 515 were found unseaworthy, were stopped for the placing of their lamps, and matters not imperilling life and property; and if he will consider the desirability of classifying similar future Returns, say into coasting and foreign, causes endangering life, &c. directly, such as overloading and radical defects, and minor causes, such as crew accommodation, ventilation, placing lamps, &c.?
§ SIR CHARLES ADDERLEYAll the 550 ships which appear in the Re-turn as detained were alleged to be unseaworthy. Though some may have been first detained for defective lights, &c., they would not appear on the Re-turn unless there were also allegations of unseaworthiness imperilling life or property. The Returns are monthly, in two tables, one showing the number of ships detained for defective hull or equipments, the other for alleged overloading—none for minor causes. The classification may perhaps be somewhat improved in the way suggested by separating coasters from foreign-going ships.