LORD MUSKERRYMy Lords, I rise to call attention to the case of the steamer "Coomassie," owned by Greeks, flying the British flag, and trading without British officers or men, which recently formed the subject of a Question in this House; to ask the result of the inquiries which have been set on foot; whether the "Coomassie" is still flying the British flag; and whether His Majesty's Government propose to take any further steps in the direction of preventing foreign-owned vessels from registration as nominally British-owned vessels, and ensuring that merchant vessels of genuine British ownership shall be commanded and officered by British subjects.
LORD HERSCHELLI am afraid that I have had very little time to go into the question which the noble Lord has raised, but I will give him all the information I have been able to get. The vessel to which the noble Lord refers, the "Coomassie," belonged to the African Steamship Company (Messrs. Elder Dempster & Company) until February or March of this year, when she was bought by the Anglo-Ionian Navigation Company, Ltd., a company registered in London under the British Companies Acts. This Company applied to the Registrar of Shipping with a view to registering their title to the vessel, but, as it was doubtful whether the company was entitled to own a British ship, the Commissioners of Customs ordered. an inquiry to enable the company to produce evidence of the location of their principal place of business and their title to own a British ship, the Commissioners of Customs ordered an inquiry to enable the company to produce evidence of the location of their principal place of business and their title to own a British ship.
807 In May last Lord Musketry called attention to the case in your Lordships' House and he was given certain information as to the results of the inquiries which the Board of Trade had made as to the manning and officering of the vessel. At that time the question of the ownership of the vessel and her right to fly the British flag was under consideration by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, and the noble Lord was told that the Customs had ordered an inquiry into these matters under Section 51 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906. The inquiry, however, did not take place for a very good reason— namely, that the Company informed the Registrar of Shipping before the inquiry was begun that the vessel had been sold to Greek subjects and consequently her registry as a British ship was closed.
As regards the noble Lord's suggestion that steps should be taken to prevent foreign-owned vessels from registration as nominally British-owned vessels, it might be pointed out that the "Coomassie" was never registered as a British ship under the ownership of Greeks, as the transfer from her British owners to the company who owned her at the time of the occurrences to which the noble Lord called attention in his previous Question was never officially recorded. So far as the case of the "Coomassie" goes, therefore, it appears that the existing provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts were sufficient to prevent a company whose title to own British ships was doubtful from registering their title. I may add that if the noble Lord knows of any cases in which foreign-owned vessels have been registered as British ships and will communicate the facts to the Board of Trade, I can assure him that the Board will be fully prepared to consider whether any action is necessary.
With regard to the last part of the noble Lord's Question, the Board do not propose to take any steps to alter the law as to the officering of merchant vessels set forth in Section 92 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and Section 56 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, except in the direction indicated by my noble friend Lord Granard on May 31 last.
LORD MUSKERRYI have a further Question to put to His Majesty's Government—namely, whether it is a fact that a Greek bearing the name of Nicolas Bulgaris 808 passed the Board of Trade Examination as Only Mate at South Shields on January 26 of the present year, and was granted a certificate for that grade; whether it is a fact that this gentleman had previously seen no service whatever in British merchant vessels; and whether under such circumstances he was eligible for a certificate entitling him to act as an officer on British ships; and whether it will now be essential that he shall serve as an officer in British ships preparatory to obtaining his certificate of a higher grade under the Board of Trade enabling him to command British merchant ships. I submit that it is extremely unfair that an alien who has never previously served in a British merchant ship should be able to obtain a British certificate. This is not only unjust to British officers and British apprentices, but it is also a dangerous thing for this country to allow to go on.
LORD HERSCHELLMy Lords, in answer to the noble Lord's Question I have to say that it is the case that the Greek named passed an examination for a certificate of competency as Only Mate at South Shields on January 16—not January 26, the date given by the noble Lord—and that he had had no service in British vessels. He had served for over five years in Greek vessels, and was therefore entitled under the Board's Regulations to present himself for examination for the certificate in question. It is not essential that a candidate for any certificate should have served in British ships provided that he can produce satisfactory testimonials as to conduct and character, and that he is able to prove that the service has been in the required capacities, and that during the period of service he has held a British certificate of the rank required by the Regulations.
It may be of interest if I state that the number of certificates of competency of all grades issued to foreigners is very small indeed. Out of 4,351 certificates granted in 1910, only 78, or 1.8 per cent., were obtained by foreigners. Even this small total is decreasing. The annual average number of certificates obtained by foreigners in the period 1896 to 1900 was 107, or 2.2 per cent., while the annual average for the period 1906 to 1910 was 73, or 1.6 per cent. It is not possible to say how many foreigners do hold certificates of competency, but the following figures showing the number of foreigners 809 who were actually serving as master or mate on British vessels on April 4, 1906—the date on which a census was taken—may be of interest—
These figures refer to vessels engaged in both the home and the foreign trades, and therefore include a number of officers who hold no certificates of competency.
Total Number British and Foreign. Number of Foreigners. Percentages of Foreigners. Masters 10,017 120 1.2 Mates 13,481 352 2.6
LORD MUSKERRYAre we to understand that a man need not serve in a British vessel to get his First Mate certificate and his Master certificate?
LORD HERSCHELLI understand that that is so; but before he becomes a Master he must be able to produce a British certificate as Mate.
LORD HERSCHELLAs far as I know that is also the case where a foreigner becomes master, and they must be British certificates.