§ Mr. BRACEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of British vessels which have signed on Chinese crews at Barry Docks since 1911; the respective positions filled by Chinese upon these vessels; whether they passed the language test, and the number rejected because they failed to do so at this port since the above date; what food scale they were placed upon, British or Chinese; and what action is he taking to discourage the employment of Chinese upon British vessels?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Tennant)The number of British vessels which signed on Chinese crews at Barry in the period 1st April to 18th May, 1911, inclusive was 22, and the total number of Chinese engaged was 345. Of these 46 belonged to the stewards' department, 82 142 to the sailors', and 217 to the engine-room department. All the Chinese who signed agreements in the presence of a superintendent passed the language test, and 79 Chinese in all were rejected as having an insufficient knowledge of the English language. There are no legal restrictions on the employment of foreign seamen in British ships beyond that imposed by Section 12 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, which requires that a foreign seaman engaged at a port in the United Kingdom or on the Continent within home trade limits shall possess a sufficient knowledge of the English language to understand the necessary orders which may be given to him in the course of the performance of his duties. I have given instructions that this requirement is to be strictly enforced.