37
should be on a voluntary basis.
Inspection
would of course be obligatory before a
certificate was granted and the cost of the
scheme would have to be borne, in some way
or other, by the companies.
3.
The conference agreed that such
system as that outlined above, if suitably
represented to the British shipping companies
concerned, might well meet with their approval
and would probably, through force of competition,
result in a widespread improvement in the
protective measures taken. Before approaching
the oɔapanies, however, and in view of the
possible existence of difficulties which could
only be appreciated locally (such as, for
exaăple, the lac. of adequate surveying staff
at Changhai, and the possible need for legisla-
tive sanctions in order, for instance, to
prevent the misuse of certificates) it was
considered desirable that the British
authorities in China and Hong Kong should be
consulted