§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the drowning of a seaman from the British s.s. "Madawaska" at Galveston, Texas; whether he is aware that the seaman in question was handcuffed and locked out in the chart room and, after the vessel left the port of Galvaston, this man was missing from the chartroom, and his body was picked up in the water with the handcuffs upon him; whether any inquiries have been made by the Board of Trade with regard to this matter; and whether any other complaint has reached the Board of Trade with regard to the master of the "Madawaska" placing men in custody in irons on board of the ship on previous voyages.
§ (Answered by MR. Lloyd-George.): My attention has been called to the disap- 114 pearance of a seaman from the "Madawaska" at Galveston, and inquiry has been made into the matter. The facts of the case appear to be as stated in the Question. The seaman had attempted to desert, and, having been brought back to the ship by the police, was handcuffed and locked up to prevent his repeating the attempt. No other complaint appears to have reached the Board of Trade with regard to the master of the vessel placing men in irons.