§ LORD MUSKERRY rose to ask His Majesty's Government whether, in respect to the composition of the Boats and Davits Committee, there is only one member who has had experience in command of a merchant ship, and, if this is so, whether he has had any experience in this capacity in large passenger vessels engaged in the Atlantic trade; also whether it is the case that the representative societies of captains and officers are entirely unrepresented on this Committee, and whether it is the intention of the President of the Board of Trade to so amend the composition as to include members of proved experience at sea in matters relating to life-saving on board ship.
§ The noble Lord said: Since I placed my Notice on the Paper this Committee has, I believe, received a new member in the person of the captain of the "Lusitania," but with the exception of this gentleman I think there is no member of the Committee who has been in command of an Atlantic liner. As this Committee has chiefly to deal with boats and davits for Atlantic liners, I suggest to His Majesty's Government that it would be well to appoint to the Committee one or two more officers who have served on such ships.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPThere are two members of this Committee with recent sea experience in command of foreign-going ships, and one of them is Captain Charles, the master of the "Lusitania." It should be pointed out that Captain Charles was appointed a little time after the Committee was originally constituted, and that he was specially relieved by the kindness of the Cunard Company from his services on the "Lusitania" for as long a time as the Committee should last. We are indebted to the Cunard Company for being so good as to put the services of Captain Charles at the disposal of His Majesty's Government. No society representing captains and officers, or shipowners or underwriters, or any other interest connected with the sea service was asked to nominate representatives to sit on this Committee. The Committee was appointed by the President of the Board of Trade, and the selection of gentlemen who were invited to serve on the Committee was made by the Board of Trade. The Board naturally attach very great weight to representations made to them by any of the associations connected with shipping, and it is their practice frequently to consult these associations as occa- 876 sion requires. But a Committee consisting of delegates of different associations, which may or may not have pronounced views on the subject at issue, may not always be the best arrangement for obtaining advice on a particular question. In the present case the Boats and Davits Committee is an expert body and not a collection of representatives of different interests, and the President cannot see his way, therefore, to amend the composition of the Committee in the direction the noble Lord desires.