§ Mr. MORTONasked what is the establishment of British and native seamen maintained on the fleet of Peninsular and Oriental ships, and the rates of pay by ratings; whether, under existing law, a steamship could proceed to sea with a certificated master and one certificated officer only; whether, if trading round British coasts and not carrying passengers, it is necessary to enforce carrying either a certificated master or a single certificated officer; and whether, if outside the three-mile limit when sailing from a port abroad, there is any obligation to carry any certificated men on board whatever, although carrying passengers, His Majesty's mails, and manned by a crew of 200 or 300 men?
Mr. BUXTONI will endeavour to obtain the information specified in the first part of the question, and the result will be communicated to my hon. Friend. Under existing law a steamship can proceed to sea with one certificated officer in addition to the master, and a vessel employed in trading round the coast of the United Kingdom and not carrying passengers is not required to carry any certificated officers. I hope, however, to introduce very shortly a Bill to require certificated438W officers to be carried on vessels employed in the home trade. As regards the last part of the question, I am advised that the provisions of Section 92 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, which relates to the carrying of certificated officers, apply to a British foreign-going ship as defined in Section 742 of the Act from the time she leaves a port in the United Kingdom until her next return to such a port.