§ 73. Colonel YATEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, considering the fact that the number of masters and mates of foreign nationality employed in British-registered trading vessels is decreasing so slowly, only from 472 in 1906 to 397 in 1911, he will now, having regard to the difficulties that might arise in time of war, reconsider the question of bringing in legislation to prevent alien officers in future from acquiring certificates of competency under the British flag?
Mr. BUXTONThe position does not appear to me to indicate the necessity for legislation. I may point out that the number of masters of trading ships registered in the British Isles who are not British subjects number eighty-seven out of 7,995, or only 1.1 per cent.