MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether it has been brought to his notice that the barque Carrie L. Smith was inspected by the Board of Trade surveyor at Appledore one month since, and was then passed by him; and that, on being recently loaded at Barry, the same barque was again inspected by the Board of Trade surveyor at Barry, who condemned and ordered alterations in the arrangements approved of by the first surveyor; and whether there is any provision in the Board of Trade Regulations to prevent the confusion, expense, and uncertainty that must arise from conflicting decisions by different surveyors in regard to the same vessel? My information is founded upon a statement in the newspapers.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. MUNDELLA, Sheffield, Brightside)The hon. Member should have some better authority than the papers. I have made inquiry into the case to which the hon. Member refers. I find that, so far from the vessel in question having been "passed" at Appledore, the surveyor there more than once called the attention of the master to the fact that his boats were not carried in compliance with the law, and the master distinctly undertook to make the necessary alterations before finally going to sea. The surveyor at Barry simply took care that those alterations were 930 duly made, and no difference of opinion whatever appears to have arisen between the officers at Appledore and Barry. Every possible care is taken to secure uniformity of practice at the different ports so far as that can be done without unduly interfering with the discretion and responsibility of individual officers.