§ Mr. HAVELOCK WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the disappearance at sea on 31st December, 1908, of an Asiatic fireman whilst serving on the steamer "Sutherland," of Newcastle; whether the seaman was medically examined before joining the vessel; whether he had any previous sea service; whether the Board of Trade surveyors have satisfactorily reported on the ventilation of the stokehold; whether he can state how much coal was required to be worked each 24 hours by the stokehold hands; and whether any previous cases of disappearance, suicide, or supposed suicide have occurred on this vessel?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe man referred to disappeared in the Indian Ocean on a voyage from Calcutta to Port Said. He had been medically examined before joining the ship, and had had previous sea service. As the vessel has not been in this country since the man's disappearnce, the Board of Trade surveyors have not had an opportunity of reporting on the ventilation at the time of the occurrence, but a favourable report was made by them in 1907. The owners state that the steamer burns 24 to 25 tons of Indian coal per day, and that her engine-room staff consists of three engineers and one donkeyman, Europeans, and 22 natives. No other case of suicide, supposed suicide, or disappearance has occurred in this vessel.