§ 11. Mr. WATTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty why it is necessary to have as many as nine certificated engineers, six possessing chief engineers' Board of Trade certificates, in addition to other uncertificated engineers, on board vessels under Admiralty requisition, seeing that on the same ship when running for owners' account only seven engineers in all were employed?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs regards the first part of my hon. and learned Friend's question, I cannot say whether the facts are as stated, unless he will give me the name of the vessel or vessels he has in mind. Generally, I may say that it has been found necessary to increase the number of engineers in many vessels owing to the closing up of water-tight doors, thus isolating machinery compartments. In consequence of this, for the proper supervision of the working of the machinery and boilers, additional engineers have been found necessary. But the whole question of the proportion of certificated to uncertificated engineers to be borne in these vessels has for some time been under consideration, and it has been arranged that an engineer-commander and a marine engineer of experience shall advise the Director of Transports and Shipping on this and other matters.