Major HENDERSONasked the President of the Board of Trade why the Marine Department refuses to grant general approval for the use by passenger steamers of the Graham patent single davit; and when the official who is responsible for such refusal last saw sea service?
§ Sir A. GEDDESThis particular patent appliance has been repeatedly considered and tested by the Board of Trade, and the reason why general approval for its use on passenger steamers has not been given is that the Board of Trade are not satisfied on grounds of safety that such general approval should be given. This decision is based on the reports of several surveyors and technical officers of the Department and on the Report of the Boats and Davits Committee, 1913.
Major HENDERSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of lifeboats belonging to ships registered in the United Kingdom which have been upset whilst being lowered with manilla tackle, during shipwreck or other occasion of stress or emergency, during each of the years 1914 to 1918, inclusive, stating separately cases by which bodily injury or loss of life occurred.
§ Sir A. GEDDESI am afraid the material available at the Board of Trade is not sufficient to enable reliable statistics on this point to be prepared.