§ 3. Mr. STEWARTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Danish 2414 steamer "Kentucky" was salved near Frazerburgh by naval ratings in December, 1914; whether the ship and cargo were valued on leaving New York at £180,000; whether any salvage money was earned by the salvors; whether the list of salved merchant ships recently drawn out for which salvage grants have been made can be made public; whether the Admiralty will also publish a list of merchant vessels salved during the War by naval ratings upon which no salvage money has been paid; and will he state why salvage claims are permitted in some cases and not in others?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)The Danish steamer "Kentucky" was salved by a party from His Majesty's yacht "Corycia." The value was reported to be as stated. The Admiralty did not allow a claim to be made, as the "Kentucky" at the time was being sent to Leith under the charge of a naval armed guard for her cargo to be examined. In these circumstances, it was considered undesirable to add a naval claim for salvage. There is no objection to the list of ships to which salvage grants have been made being made public. No list has been kept of cases where naval crews have not been permitted to claim salvage, and it would be extremely difficult to compile one.
As regards the last point of my hon. Friend's question, the matter is by Statute one for the discretion of the Admiralty, but in general claims by the crews of naval vessels are allowed if the salvors are considered to have rendered any special service over and above their ordinary duty of assisting ships in distress and their special duty of protecting the property of the Crown.
§ Mr. STEWARTIf this is entirely in the discretion of the Admiralty, is there no Court of Appeal to which salvors can apply?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI do not know of any, except that they can ask the Board for representation.