(7)
these duties may be gauged from the fact that in
the course of a year between 400,000 and 500,000
emigrants pass turough this Port.
214
768 surveys were held on launches in
1928, some of these craft being licensed to carry
as many as 530 passengers.
We are responsible for the design,
construction, repair and upkeep of Government
launches, over 50 in all, the survey of land boilers,
the setting of examination papers and the examination
of Masters, Mutea and Engineers for Certificates of
Competency which have world wide recognition. Chinese
Marine Engineers are also ex:mined and certificates
granted which permit the holders to be employed on
launches using the Ports of the Colony.
Within the office the senior engineer
and senior ship survey or perform the functions of
the Consultative Branch of the Board of Trade, which
involve the examination of all main structural plans,
the investigation of the strength of hulls, boilers
and machinery, the checking of all important calcul-
ations, such as tonnage, loadline, stability, sub-
division etc., etc., together with the innumerable
details which fall udder these headings. The repres- entatives of shipping and shipbuilding companies,
etc. are advised as to the steps necessary to ensure
compliance with the regulations, all correspondence
conducted, survey work directed, and these two
officers, with the Government Marine Surveyor,
constitute a Consultative Committee to give final
decisions on the technical problems that arise.
In/