HC Deb 30 July 1896 vol 43 cc1038-40
MR. A. F. WARR (Liverpool, East Toxteth)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the operation of the revised Regulations for preventing collisions at sea, referred to in the notice published in the London Gazette of 14th July 1896, will be delayed until it has been ascertained that the principal foreign maritime nations are prepared to adopt similar Regulations, so as to avoid the confusion and danger which would result from ships of different nationalities approaching one another in such manner as to avoid risk of collision not being bound by the same regulations.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) Croydon

The principal foreign maritime nations agreed to the Regulations in question before Rule 15, dealing with fog signals, was modified in order to meet the views of the English shipowners. I have no reason whatever for supposing that they will refuse to agree to those modifications, or to put in force the Rules on the 1st July 1897, when they will become operative in this country.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade—(1) whether he will lay on the Table of the House the terms of the draft Order in Council relative to the regulations for preventing collisions at sea, which the London Gazette of 14th July announces, will be submitted to Her Majesty in Council after forty days from the 14th July; (2) whether this draft Order has been submitted to and approved by the Admiralty; (3) whether the new Regulations to be imposed by the draft Order have been submitted to the Governments of any foreign countries; and, if so, which of such Governments have approved and which have disapproved of them; (4) whether he has received a copy of the protest against the proposed new Rules signed by the representatives at New York of the great steamship lines, including the Cunard, the White Star, and the North German Lloyd lines; and (5) whether he proposes to afford to shipowners and ship's officers in general or this House any opportunity of expressing an opinion on the proposed new Regulations before they are imposed on the mercantile marine by Order in Council?

MR. RITCHIE

I will consult the noble Duke the Lord President of the Council with regard to the first paragraph of the hon. Member's Question. As at present advised, I see no objection to laying on the Table the Regulations in question, which will be embodied in the Order in Council to be submitted to Her Majesty. These Regulations have received the concurrence of the Admiralty. They were agreed to by foreign Governments with the exception of the amendment to Article XV., in respect to which we have no reason to believe that there will be any disagreement with the material concessions which have been made to British shipowners. The answer to the fourth paragraph is in the negative, and, as regards the fifth, the fullest opportunity has been given to shipowners and ships' officers for expressing their opinion on the Regulations, and Article XV. is now framed in order to meet as far as possible the views expressed by those persons.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the German Government or the Norwegian Government have agreed to these regulations?

MR. RITCHIE

The question was not put to foreign Governments in the first instance, but to the United States by England. We have now communicated the regulations to all foreign Governments, Germany included, and we have no reason to doubt they will agree.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

Then, as a matter of fact, only the United States have agreed to adopt them?

MR. RITCHIE

Yes.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

And no other Government?

MR. RITCHIE

Before communicating with other Governments, we considered it necessary to obtain the assent of the United States. It was necessary that these Rules should be settled, and the United States Government required to pass a law through Congress to give effect to them. After having obtained their assent, we communicated with foreign Governments.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

I will only ask further whether this House will be allowed an opportunity of discussing these Rules?

Mr. RITCHIE

No, Sir, I believe it is not usual, and there will be no opportunity of doing so, so far as I know.