§ Mr. MORTONasked the President of the Board of Trade how many fifth officers were employed on the P. and O. Company's steamships in the year 1904; what steamships now carry fifth officers; what was the complement of executive officers on the mail steamship "Macedonia" on the voyage terminating last December and during the present voyage, exclusive of quartermasters; what is the establishment of British and native seamen maintained on the P. and O. steamships and the rates of pay by ratings; and do the mail steamers as at present manned meet the requirements of the Board of Trade?
Mr. BUXTONThe number of deck officers carried by the s.s. "Macedonia" on the voyage terminated in December last was seven, and on the voyage now in progress six, inclusive of the master but ex-1182W clusive of the quartermasters in each case. The information available does not enable me to give all the particulars asked for by my hon. Friend, nor could I easily give them within the compass of an oral answer to a question in this House, but I can assure him that the manning of these vessels fully complies with the requirements of the Board of Trade, and these requirements do not include the carrying of a fifth officer.