§ MR. MARKS (Kent, Thanet)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade if he can state how the number of British seamen employed in our mercantile marine in 1903 compares with the number employed in the same service in 1888; also if he can give similar information with reference to foreign seamen employed in our mercantile marine.
§ SIR HARRY SAMUELI beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade if he can state the present number of foreign seamen employed in our mercantile marine, and the number of British seamen employed in the same service.
§ MR. BONAR LAWIn 1888 the number of British persons, not including lascars, employed in vessels belonging to the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, and Channel Islands engaged in the home and foreign trades was 179,969, and in 1903 the number was 176,520. The number of foreign persons so employed was 196 25, 277 in 1888, and 40,396 in 1903. This information answers also the Question put by my hon. friend the Member for Limehouse.
§ SIR HARRY SAMUELIs it not the fact that a large number of the seamen in the British mercantile marine are engaged in British ports?
§ MR. BONAR LAWI should like to have notice of that Question.