§ Mr. WILKIEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the disappearance at sea, on 24th February, 1909, of an Asiatic fireman named Namdar Hossen, whilst serving on the steamer "Umkuzi," of London; whether the seaman was medically ex- 538W amined before joining; how long he had served on the vessel and whether he had any previous service; whether he was on duty at the time; what was the temperature of the engine room; whether the engineer's log book has been produced to the Board of Trade surveyors; how much coal the engine-room hands were required to work each 24 hours; and whether any previous cases of disappearance, suicide, or supposed suicide have occurred on this vessel?
Mr. TENNANTThe fireman Namdar Hossen disappeared from the "Umkuzi" between Colombo and Port Natal. He had been in hospital five days, apparently suffering from malarial fever, and is supposed to have got out through the porthole without being noticed by the man placed in attendance on him. I am not aware whether the man had been medically examined before joining; the voyage from Calcutta had lasted a fortnight, and he had had six months' sea service as fireman; he was not on duty at the time of his disappearance; the temperature of the engine room was 98, and of the stokehold 117. As the vessel has been trading abroad since the occurrence the surveyors have not yet had an opportunity of seeing the engineers' log-book; the consumption of coal was 18 tons per day, and the number of firemen and trimmers was 14. No other case of suicide, supposed suicide, or disappearance has occurred in this vessel during the last three years.