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GENERAL SURVEY
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The only special observations in the replies which should be noted are: (a) that France proposes that the Draft Convention should further define and amplify the three general conditions for the granting of certificates, and (b) that two Governments (Belgium, Italy) consider that a fourth condition should be added, viz. the passing of a test of physical fitness (both Governments), especially as regards sight and hearing (Italy), and proof of good character (Belgium).
As regards (a), the French Government considers that it would not be sufficient for the purposes of the Draft Convention merely to impose in general terms the three conditions mentioned in the Question and leave the details of their application to national law, but that, in order to ensure that vessels are not officered by too young or inexperienced persons, the draft should go further and lay down a definite minimum age or ages, and a minimum period of sea service. It accordingly proposes, as a basis for discussion, that 24 years might be fixed as the minimum age for masters, skippers and chief engineers, and 21 years for navigating and engineer officers in charge of a watch, and that four years' service at sea, including two as watch-keeping officer, should be required for the first group of persons, and two years' service for the second group. The Spanish Government, it may also be noted, suggests a minimum age of 23 years for both groups of persons.
The French Government further proposes that the Draft Convention should give some indications as to the minimum programme of the examinations to be organised and supervised by the public authorities. The draft might indicate, for example, that candidates for certificates of master or skipper or navigating officer should be required to have certain practical knowledge of navigation, which would consist of knowledge of the international rules as to lights and steering and their application and of the rules for the practical application of the Brussels Convention on assistance at sea and the Washington wireless telegraphy Convention, while engineer candidates should be required to be familiar with the operations of starting, stopping and reversing ship's engines and with the precautions to be taken in these circumstances.
QUESTION ₤
It is appreciated that these proposals are made with. a view to increasing the efficacy of the Draft Convention as an international instrument. It may well be, moreover, that at the Conference itself an endeavour to strengthen the Draft Convention on these lines might secure the support of Governments which have not expressed any similar views in their replies to the Questionnaire. It is difficult for the Office, however, at this stage to form any opinion as to what the attitude of most of the other Governments would be in this matter. For present purposes the Office has to note that the other Govern- ments either appear to take it for granted that, as the Question put to them in the Questionnaire suggested, the detailed application of the three general conditions mentioned in it should be left by the Draft Convention to national laws or regulations, or explicitly express this view.
So far as (b) is concerned, viz. the addition of a fourth condition as to physical fitness and proof of good character, the value of such a further condition needs no emphasis. Such a condition, in fact, is already widely imposed in existing national laws or regulations, and may in any case be assumed to be strictly applied in practice at any rate by the shipowner. As there was no mention of it, however, in the Questionnaire prepared by the Thirteenth Session of the Conference and the other Governments have not made any reference to it, it would perhaps be preferable to leave it open for the consideration of the Conference itself, which will be better able to form an opinion as to whether it is necessary to include it in the Draft Convention. On the basis of the replies as a whole, therefore, the Office considers that the proposals to be submitted by it to the Conference on the Question here under review should for the present be kept within the limits of the Questionnaire. It accordingly proposes to include in its preliminary draft for a Convention a provision stipulating that certificates of capacity for employment as master or skipper, etc. are not to be issued unless the three condi- tions of a minimum age, a certain period of professional experience, and the passing of one or more examinations organised and supervised by the public authorities for testing the possession of the requisite qualifications have
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