68. Mr. MONTAGUE BARLOWasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the circumstances of the abandonment in the North Atlantic of the steamer. "County of Devon" have been brought to his notice; whether at the time the vessel was carrying a heavy deck load of timber; whether the carrying of a deck load of this nature to ports in the United Kingdom is forbidden at this time of the year; whether any of the crew were washed overboard or injured; whether the vessel sustained serious structural damage through the carrying away of her deck load; and whether a Board of Trade inquiry is to be held in this case?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Burns)The Board of Trade have received reports as to the abandonment of the s.s. "County of Devon" while on a voyage to Rotterdam, and from these reports it appears that the vessel was at the time carrying a deck load of heavy timber. Deck loads of this nature may not be brought to the United Kingdom during the winter months. The master and some members of the crew are reported to have been injured; and the vessel is stated to have received serious structural damage through the deck load going overboard. A formal investigation has been ordered.