§ 56. Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the decision of the Court in the case of the steamship "Hydro," which foundered on the 22nd January last with a loss of fourteen lives, due to the carriage of a deck cargo which broke loose in bad weather, tearing away the covering of the after-hatches and causing the vessel to fill; and whether he proposes to initiate legislation rendering the carriage of such deck cargoes illegal and preventing the loss of merchant steamers urgently required for oversea trade?
Mr. ROBERTSONWhen the report of the Court of Inquiry in the case of the steamship "Hydro" is received the Board of Trade will give it careful consiedration, but I do not see any immediate prospect of initiating legislation dealing 580 with the carriage of deck cargoes. I understand that the deck cargo of the "Hydro" included barrels and drums of oil. The Board of Trade have already issued a notice to shipowners and masters calling attention to the danger involved in carrying such a cargo.
§ Mr. PETOIs any penalty incurred if no attention is paid by the shipowners and masters to the representations of the Board of Trade?