IT
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other
requirements as to the Survey of Life Saving Appliances 1920 pr. 160 are as follows "Proper provision must be made for access of "passengers to the embarkation deck and for controlling and "martialling them and finally onbarking them in the lifeboats in "the shortest possible time. The present requirements under the Pracy Prevention Regulations re to koop 11 pissengers than those of first class bulɔ the bridg, deck, which in all river steamers is also the boat deck. In the c of river steamers 11 access from the main or lower dock is cut off from the next dock above or from the saloon deck by means of looked spor gratings hcross the companionway. Passengers in the second class accommodation on the saloon diez aft are separated from the first class passengers forward and from the duck above by means of looked gratings and grills. No officers or guards are bolow the bridge deck, that is the deck abov. those on which the majority of the passengers (in many instances over 1000) are carried. In the event of a panic arising from fire collision or other maritime casualty the peopl. below decks would be unable to reach the bont deck because of the locked grilles. The ships offieurs in the event of a collision would be fully occupied with their respectiv duties and therefore unable to attend to th. unlocking of tho grilles. If the guards had kuys it is unlikely that they would have sufficient presence of mind or sufficient initiative to do anything of uac. In some st.amers which com within the purvior of the Regulations ther ir something lik. 30 locks to unfiston before all the grilles cm be opened. No mons of releasing bolts simultaneously is fousible in ships of the class conc.rned. Furthermore owing to the grills the crews of these vessels would have the greatest difficulty in getting to the bonts themselves. In the event of an outbreak of fire or a collision and a serious loss of life coqurring owing to passongurs buing penned below, who would be held responsible: the Hongkong Government who framed tho Regulations or the Owners and their Officers who were compelled to carry them out?
INDIAN GUARDS. There are approximately 900 Indian Guards employed at a cost to the shipping comp mis of some $270,000 per annum.
4.
(Neither)
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