§ MR. C. H. WILSON (Hull, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he sees his way to recommend payment out of the public funds to deep sea fishermen who are continually, at great personal risk, saving the lives of the crews of sinking or abandoned vessels, and who are also at pecuniary loss in having to leave the fishing grounds and bring their vessels into port with those saved; whether, in the case of the crews of foreign vessels being saved, the claims for compensation or reward will be brought before their Governments; and whether a special medal or decoration, could be instituted?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BRYCE, Aberdeen, S.)Payments out of the Mercantile Marine Fund are made by the Board of Trade to deep sea fishermen, under Section 677 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, when they have saved life at sea from British vessels at great personal risk. The Board also grant medals in many cases, and, as the House is aware, Her Majesty, whose sympathy with acts of courage and chivalry has been so often displayed, has instituted the decoration of the Albert Medal for conspicuous cases of gallantry in saving life at sea. In the case of the crews of foreign vessels being saved, the circumstances are usually brought under the notice of foreign Governments by their local Consuls, and rewards are often bestowed.