MERCHANT SHIPPING (LINE-THROWING APPARATUS). (Hansard, 27 June 1928)

§ Mr. AMMON

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for a line-throwing appliance on certain ships. The Bill which I ask leave to bring in is a three-Clause Bill intended primarily 527 to amend Section 427 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894. That Section has reference to compulsory provisions for safety at sea, but provides only for buoys, rafts and other things for use when a ship is no longer safe. There is no provision made for the casting of a line from ship to ship or from shore to shore as a means of assistance during times of distress or wreck. The proposal is, that every ship exceeding 500 tons gross register shall be compelled to carry an appliance approved by the Board of Trade to throw a rope of not less than half an inch in circumference, and with a breaking strain of 350 lbs., for a distance of at least 150 yards. The necessity for this appliance was first brought prominently to the notice of the public on the occasion of the wreck of the "Berlin" at the Hook of Holland, in February, 1907, when it was found upon inquiry that a great many lives could have been saved had the ship been equipped with the appliance for which I am now asking that authority should be given. Following upon that wreck, a sub-committee was appointed by the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee. They went into the subject, and made strong recommendations for the prevision of some such appliance. The main Committee agreed, and afterwards reported: We are convinced that nothing short of the compulsory carriage of line-throwing appliances will be completely satisfactory. This year the Board of Trade have raised the question with the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, and have put before them the choice of either voluntarily putting on a line-throwing appliance, or else eventually being compelled to do so. I would remind the House that during last year there were no fewer than 262 launches of lifeboats belonging to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and that no fewer than 354 lives were saved in that connection. But this in no way tells the whole story of the amount of distress and the number of wrecks which take place at sea. A good deal of help could be given and a great many valuable lives could be saved if ships were equipped with an appliance enabling them to throw a communicating cord, either to the shore, or to other ships. I feel confident that the House will give 528 authority to bring in this Bill, and I trust that the Government will provide facilities for its future progress.