§ 30. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the tug boat men on Admiralty boats who rescue torpedoed ships receive any special remuneration or recognition; whether the men of1 the chartered tugs receive salvage or prize money; and whether the Admiralty will consider the desirability of treating the men in the service of the Navy in the same way as the men employed on chartered tugs?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAWhen tugs are chartered on conditions not amounting to a demise to the Crown, salvage claims can be made by the owners and crews on their own authority, Admiralty consent not being necessary. When Admiralty-owned tugs and tugs chartered on conditions constituting a demise to the Grown perform salvage services, the Admiralty may make a claim in respect of, or give 1224 their consent to, a claim being made by the crews. If the vessel salved were a vessel under Government requisition, salvage would not be allowed if the Government took both war risks and marine risks. If the damage were from marine risks and not covered by the Government, then a salvage claim would be allowed. But where the crew is not allowed to make a claim for salvage and the services are exceptionally meritorious, the practice is to consider the crew for a special grant from Navy Votes.