S.S. "FATSHAN" O.N. 88843 & S.S. "KINSHAN" O.N. 109872.
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It would appear from the correspondence and prints attachec that the space between the Main and Saloon decks of each of these vessels is covered by a complete deck and closed in at the sides for the full. length of the vessel, but having an opening at the stern half the height of the between decks, scuppers being fitted in the waterways to free the deck of mater. In addition there are certain doors and windows in the sides provided with permanent means for closing them. From the letter of the Government Marine Surveyor at Hong Kong dated 1st February, 1921 to the Harbour Master it appears to have been the practice of the former to exempt the space between decks from tonnage measurement as a "Shelter for Deck Passengers".
The Second Schedule to the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 Rule 1 (5) provides that no adition (to the tonnage) shall be made in respect of any building erected (on the Upper deck) for the Shelter of Deck Passengers and approved by the Board of Trade. Section 285 (3) of the M.S. Act 1994 requires that a Home Trade Passenger steamer shall be provided with such stelar for the protection of deck passengers (if any) as the Board of Trade, having regard to the nature of the passage, number of deck passengers to be carried, the season of the year, the safety of the ship and the circumstances of the case, require.
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I think there is little doubt that these humane provisions of the M.S. Acts were originally made in the interest of the poorest class of passengers who took deck tickets on short voyages because they could not afford to take cabin tickets and that they then bestowed themselves on deck as best as they could in the absence of any. regular shelter set apart for their protection.
It would appear from the plans of the two vessels attached that in each case three distinct classes of passengers are carried and that the lowest class of passenger is accommodated in the space between the Main and Saloon decks, the 1st and 2nd Class passengers being accommodated in the two tiers of erections above the Saloon deck. It is presumed that the 3rd or lowest class of passenger carried pays for the borthing and other accommodation provided in the between decks and that there are no passengers who pay for deck passages only. In
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