CO129-129 - Sir MacDonnell - 1868 [1-3] — Page 463

of the Merchant shipping Act and

Know the effect

and object of

Bottomry bonds, Charter Partys, Invoices

Bills of Lading,

8. The

ter

only difficulty experienced

Carelessness

here is from the great coulseness

by

evinced Candidates in preserving

their certificates of servitude and no means exist for verifying the verbal statements that

are made. Candidates

whose service at sea has been in foreign ships

required

are (in the absence of certificates ) to take oath before their respective consuls. It is therefore apparent that great latitude has to be allowed in the matter of production of certificates, but it is better that the applicants qualife. : cations should be tested than they should love the opportunity of

$

461

advancement for want

for want of documentary

evidence of the time served at sea;

And as

the Board

of

Frads insist

on a re-examination in England, the question of time becomes rectified by the Registior Feneral of seamen, whilst this Government

ensures

that none but competent men

the Articles or Pregisters

are placed

azz

of ships at this Port.

9.

In some instances the

compulsory service at sea in subordinate grades

es as a

qualification

for the attainment of a higher

rank is attended with some

inconvenience to applicants. I

motance

may

the

Case

of the

Peninsular and Oriental Steam

Navigation Company,

whose rule

is that their officers shall possess