§ SIR GEORGE BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the can now state the decision he has come to with regard to new International Regulations for Sound Signals for Vessels at Sea in Fogs?
§ MR. W. F. LAWRENCE (Liverpool, Abercombie)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether it is the case that the Government purpose to submit to Foreign Powers the new Rules of the Road at Sea without further delay; whether it is the case that the British Mercantile Marine are practically united in opinion against the rules in question; and if he will submit them to the Chambers of Shipping before taking action regarding them?
§ MR. RITCHIEPerhaps the hon. Member for the Abercrombie Division of Liverpool will allow me to answer his Question at the same time. I have invited 10 of the chief Associations of Shipowners and Shipmasters to send two representatives each to confer with me as regards Rule 15 of the Rules of the Road at Sea which has been the subject of consideration by a Committee of this House. I propose to hear their views before finally determining what representation is to be made to Foreign Governments, and I am anxious, as far as possible, to meet those views, but it is necessary that any action which may have to be taken should be taken at the earliest possible moment.
§ In answer to Mr. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis),
§ MR. RITCHIEsaid that he could not at that moment give the names of the associations to which he referred, but he might say that they were representative bodies. ["Hear, hear!"]