§ MR. MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been called to the report of an investigation which appeared in the "Bristol Mercury and Daily Post," of the 22nd instant, in respect to the death of a cattleman named Crossley, on board the steam ship "Gloucester," on the passage from New York to Bristol, and also to a further charge against the Captain and the Mate for making a fraudulent entry into the log-book of the ship; and, whether it is customary for the Board of Trade to appoint a legal gentleman to watch such proceedings, and will he direct one to attend at any future diet of the inquiry?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINMy attention has been called to the case referred to, which is that of a cattleman named Crossley, who appears to have died during the voyage from New York from the effects of delirium tremens, and was buried at sea. The master and mate were charged with manslaughter, and, after careful investigation, the magistrates dismissed the case. As regards the entries in the log, the magistrates found that a technical offence had been committed; but they did not inflict any penalty. As regards inquiry, I have to inform the hon. Member that full and special inquiry has been made by the Registrar General of Seamen, whose general duty it is to report upon all cases of death amongst crews at sea.
§ In reply to a further Question,
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINsaid, that it was alleged in evidence, and not disproved, that Crossley had remained on deck during a great part of the voyage. The medical man who saw him did not think it necessary to make any special provision for him.