§ MR. BIRKBECKasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his 670 attention has been called to the evidence, as it has appeared in the newspapers to have been given before the Trawling Commission, in favour of the universally-adopted white mast-head light for trawling smacks when trawling, so strongly recommended by the Select Committee of 1880 on fishing vessels' lights, and supported by Members who took part in the Debate on this question in May 1881; and, whether, taking into consideration the fact that the representatives of the trawling interest who were appointed to the Joint Committee on trawlers' lights in 1882 entered their protest against the proposal of red and white mast-head lights, which they regarded as dangerous, and in view of the strong opposition to the red and white lights being made compulsory, he will agree to abandon the idea of these lights, and sanction the present well-known system of one white mast-head light?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINA very great deal of attention has been directed to the subject of trawlers' lights referred to by the hon. Member. Trawlers are required when trawling to carry the same side-lights as other vessels in motion; but they have been in the habit, contrary to law, in many cases of carrying a single white light only, which is the distinctive mark of pilot vessels all over the world. Endeavours have been made to find for trawlers some special light which should at the same time be acceptable to them; and, after consultation with the representatives of the fishing interests, a red light above a white light was adopted by the authorities, and has received the approval of most Foreign Governments. It does not, however, appear that the trawling interests are so far satisfied with the proposal as to warrant a hope that it would be at once willingly and generally adopted; and the Board of Trade propose, therefore, to communicate with the various authorities concerned in order to procure the postponement of any alteration.