Mr. F. HALLasked the President of the Board of Trade if a final decision has yet been come to as to the minimum provision for life-saving to be made on all British registered boats, and if effect has been given to such requirements; and if any arrangements have been come to or are proposed to secure the adoption of a common practice in this matter as regards foreign vessels?
Mr. BUXTONRevised rules relating to the life-saving appliances to be carried on British vessels were made on 17th January, and will come in force on 1st March. Negotiations are in progress which it is hoped may result in the adoption by foreign countries whose ships visit our ports, of rules which can be regarded as substantially equivalent to our own.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Boats and Davits Committee made any Report as to the use of a single-wire fall for lowering boats in the case of ships whose boat deck is a great height above the water; and, if so, why is there no regulation in the new Life-Saving Rules enforcing the use of single-wire falls in this class of ship, in view of the great difficulty of rounding up five or six hundred feet of rope fall in order to lower a second boat?