§
*SIR DONALD CURRIE (Perthshire, W) moved:—
That a Select Committee be appointed to consider the objections which have been raised to the adoption by Order in Council of Rule 15 of the Revised International Regulations for preventing collisions at sea, dealing with sound signals in fog, as suggested by the Washington Conference, and considered by the Maritime Powers.
He said that he wished to press the hon. Member for Lynn Regis to withdraw his block, in view of the declared opinions of the shipowners and shipmasters of the United Kingdom.
§ *MR. T. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis) moved, as an Amendment, to leave out all after "been raised to the," and insert "Order in Council of the 30th day of January 1893, relative to the fixing and screening of ships' side-lights, and to the adoption by Order in Council of the sound signals prescribed by Article 15 and Article 28 of the revised regulations for preventing collision at sea, as set forth in the Board of Trade Circular to shipowners of March 6th, 1894." He said that he moved this in accordance with the wishes of the most important meeting ever held in Liverpool. He was extremely anxious that the Committee should meet, but he was also anxious that it should deal with all the subjects of complaint, and not with part of them only.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. J. BRYCE,) Aberdeen, S.said, that since the meeting in Liverpool, to which the hon. Member referred, he had received a deputation at the Board of Trade of the bodies represented at the meeting. He stated to the deputation that the Government would be willing to refer the question of sidelights to a Departmental Committee appointed for the purpose, and the deputa-were quite satisfied with the answer. It was much better that a question which could only be understood by those possessing technical knowledge should be considered by such a Committee. The matter was entirely within the province of the Government to deal with, and the reasons which existed for 1687 referring the other questions to a Committee of the House did not exist with regard to it. There was a general wish on the part of the shipowners that the Committee should be appointed.
§ MR. J. H. WILSON (Middlesbrough)said, that as the representative of a large body of the seamen of this country, he supported the motion of the hon. Member for Perthshire. If a Committee were appointed to inquire as to fog signals some good might be done. As to screening side lights, the seamen were willing to leave the matter to competent men who had thoroughly investigated it.
§ MR. C. W. CAYZERand SIR A. K. ROLLIT (Islington, S.)appealed to the hon. Member for King's Lynn to withdraw his amendment.
§ *MR. T. GIBSON BOWLESreplied, that in the absence of any reason being assigned for withdrawing his amendment, he should persist in it. He hoped the President of the Board of Trade would see his way to adopt it.
§ *MR. W. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)and SIR D. CURRIE joined in the appeal to the hon. Member to withdraw.
§ *MR. T. GIBSON BOWLESsaid, he held that he had in some sort a mandate from one of the most important meetings that ever met in Liverpool, and no word had reached him from Liverpool asking him to reconsider his amendment.
§ *MR. SPEAKERDoes the hon. Gentleman withdraw?
§ *MR. T. GIBSON BOWLESNo, Sir, I must maintain my amendment.
Further consideration adjourned until March 6.