§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the number of firemen and trimmers employed on the steamship "Lucania," owned by the Cunard Company; whether he can state the number of places provided for the use and accommodation of such men; whether he can state the number of cubic-feet of space provided for each man, and whether each man is provided in such places with not less than twelve superficial feet of space, measured on the deck or floor as provided by Section 210 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894; and whether such places are provided with the means for obtaining sufficient natural light so as to enable the men to read the print of any ordinary newspaper in any part of the space provided for their accommodation.
§ MR. RITCHIEI am informed that the number of seamen and firemen employed on the Cunard steamer "Lucania" is 171. This includes three electricians who sign as firemen. The number of places provided for the use and accommodation of such men is sixteen. The number of cubic feet of space provided for each man is 107, as against seventy-two required by the Act. In fifteen of the spaces rather over the number of superficial feet required by the Act is provided for each man. In the sixteenth space there is a slight deficiency, which will be remedied. I understand that three of the spaces are deficient in natural light, but all are fitted with the electric light under the control of the men themselves.