§ MR. BIRKBECKasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether, in view of the strong opinions expressed by the owners of trawling smacks before the Select Committee of last Session, and their serious objections to the red and white lights as proposed by the Departmental Committee in a Return dated 11th February 1881, he will recommend the continuance of the use of the well known one white masthead light as carried for many years by trawling smacks when trawling?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEY,in reply, said, that the Departmental Committee had again met at the Board of Trade and re-considered the subject. With every desire to meet the view of the Committee of the House of Commons they were unanimously of opinion that there was an insuperable objection to 873 the adoption of their recommendation. They had, however, made a small modification in the details, and the Department had sent out a Circular Letter to shipowners asking questions on the subject, and they would do the same in the case of the foreign Governments who had joined in the Convention.