HC Deb 08 May 1900 vol 82 cc1095-7
MR. HAVELOCK WILSON

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the circumstances attending the discharge of the crew of the British steamer "Britannia" at the Port of Pensacola, United States of America; whether he is aware that the crew objected to sail in the vessel in consequence of having an excessive deck load of nine feet of timber, the vessel having a list of eight degrees, that the court, consisting of the British Consul and two British shipmasters, ordered the men to be discharged, and that the men refused to sign their release from the ship; whether he is aware that, when the men went on board of the vessel to remove their clothes and effects, the captain caused the ten men to be arrested and imprisoned, he afterwards proceeding to sea without prosecuting any charge against them, and taking the whole of the men's clothes and effects; and whether it is the intention of the Board of Trade to take any proceedings against the captain of the "Britannia" for taking his vessel to sea in an unseaworthy state.

MR. RITCHIE

My attention has been called to the case of the "Britannia," and the Board of Trade have received the report of a properly constituted Naval Court held at Pensacola to investigate it. Prior to the holding of the Court the vessel was surveyed and found to be seaworthy. The result of the survey was communicated to the men, but they still refused to proceed with the ship. A Naval Court was then summoned, and as a result the men were ordered to be discharged from the ship, and to forfeit the balance of their wages to the owners by way of compensation for the detention of the vessel without due cause. With regard to the subsequent proceedings referred to in the question, the Board of Trade have no information, but a report has been asked for. In reply to the last paragraph of the question, I certainly do not intend to prosecute the master of the "Britannia" for taking the vessel to sea in an unseaworthy state, for, as I have said, she was on survey declared to be seaworthy.

MR. HAVELOCK WILSON

Has a Naval Court power in such cases to order the forfeit of seamen's wages?

MR. RITCHIE

I am informed that the Court has that power.

MR. HAVELOCK WILSON

Does it not rest with the shipmasters?

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! Notice must be given.