§ MR. T. SUTHERLAND (Greenock)asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade, Whether it is possible, under the general powers of the Board of Trade, to amend the practice understood to exist at present of allowing the transfer of British ships to foreign owners to take place simply by cancelling the Register, without the production of a bill of sale, as required in the case of transfers to British owners; if so, whether the Board of Trade will consider the advisability of amending their instructions to the Registrar of Shipping in this respect?
§ THE SECRETARY (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)The question referred to by the hon. Gentleman was carefully considered in 1854 and 1879, and the Board of Trade and the Commissioners of Customs came to the conclusion that notwithstanding any difficulties which might occasionally arise through not examining and making clear previous title before transferring a ship from one nationality to another, yet the inconvenience to trade which would result from an alteration of practice would be such as not to render it desirable to make any alteration.