§ SIR EDWARD GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will be good enough to state how many seamen were paid off from British ships last year at the ports of Antwerp, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Dunkirk, and Havre, together with the amount paid in wages and the charges deducted by the Consulates; whether he is aware that in 1895, in connection with the discharge of seamen at the ports named, the charges of the Consuls amounted to the large sum of £4,600; and, whether he has yet decided to establish outdoor Board of Trade officials to assist seamen 1444 with advice at the ports of Antwerp, Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Havre, similar to the system now adopted at Dunkirk?
§ MR. RITCHIEThe number of seamen paid off from British ships at Antwerp in 1896 was 13,538. The amount paid in wages was £101,880, and the consular fees in respect of such discharges amounted to £1,353 16s. As regards the ports of Rotterdam, Hamburg, Dunkirk, and Havre, I have no figures for 1896, but the total number of men discharged at those ports in 1895–96 was 12,755, and the consular discharge fees amounted to £1,275. I have in these instances no authentic figures as to the wages. It has been decided to establish Board of Trade outdoor officers at Antwerp, Hamburg, and Rotterdam so as to extend the experiment introduced at Dunkirk. The officers are expected to be at their stations for duty in the course of next month.