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Hon. Colonial Secretary,
0.0.
2434
504
I have received the attached letter from
Major Evans, R.M.L.I., Naval Intelligence Officer attached
to H.M.S. "Tamar" together with correspondence of which I
also attach a copy.
The point of view put forward in this corres -
-pondence has my entire sympathy for, up to the present,
the vast majority of ship owners sêt no particular value
upon extra certificates, such as "Extra Master", "Passed in
staan" &c., &c., and the same appears to be case in respect
of signaling certificates. It follows, then, that the
individuals who, for their own satisfaction, pass these
extra (voluntary ) examinations, and receive appropriate
certificates, derive no benefit, either pecuniary or other-
wise, from holding such papers: they are not even preferred
by ship owners, for engag ment, as aginst officers who hold
but an Ordinary Master's ticket.
On the other hand, our local regulations are
derived from the Board of Trade, whose regulations impose a
fee and I do not think we have the power to abolish it
without the sanction of that Department.
Up to the present, though the new regula-
tions came into force five months ago (1st.July),no candi-
date has yet presented himself for examination in signalling
though the masters of many steamers on the coast have taken
up the matter seriously, and insist upon their officers
learning both the semaphore and Morse systems. Prominent
among these are the ships belonging to Messrs.Jardine,Mathe-
-son & Co., Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, and the China
Manila Company's vessels.
It is, of course,open to the Admiralty to
open schools or signalling, and to grant their certifi-
cates of proficiency, as they do in the case of Naval Reserve
Officers in Gunnery, Torpedoes,&c. But such certificates
cannot be recognised by us, nor can the fact of their poв-
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