§ MR. O. V. MORGAN (Battersea)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether the question that a pilotage certificate only shall be granted to a British subject, as proposed to be enacted by "The Merchant Shipping Act (1854) Amendment Bill," will be considered by the Committee which was appointed on Monday last to inquire into the subject of pilotage; and, if not, whether instructions will be given to the Committee to do so; and, what course the Government propose to adopt with regard to those certificates at present held by foreign masters or mates, authorizing them to pilot their own ships, under the provisions of "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854?"
THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEAEH) (Bristol,W.)said, he certainly understood that this subject was included in the reference to the Pilotage Committee. In regard to the second part of the Question, existing certificates would, of course, hold good, pending the inquiry.