§ CAPTAIN PIMasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been called to the Return, No. 316, of this year (Ship Surgeons), being a continuation of Return, No. 240, of Session 1875, by which it appears that since the issue of the Circular in September last by the Board of Trade, addressed to Superintendents of Mercantile Marine and Emigration Offices, no less than thirty-six non-registered persons are still permitted to proceed to sea in medical charge of passengers and crews contrary to Law; whether he has noticed the articles on the subject in the professional papers; and, whether he will take steps to compel compliance with the Law?
§ SIR CHARLES ADDERLEYThe cases of ships with non-registered surgeons referred to in the Return as having occurred since the Board's Circular are 36 in number. In 25 of these the total number of persons on board, passengers and crew together, did not exceed 100, and therefore the provisions of Section 230 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, and of the Passenger Acts, do not apply to them. Ten cases occurred at Liverpool, at which port, as I stated in reply to the hon. Member's Question in May last, there was a misconception of the meaning of the Act, since rectified. The remaining case occurred lately in London, and the Board of Trade are at present in communication with the owners about it.