CO129-271 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1896 [1-4] — Page 555

German, Norwegian and Lwedish vessels trading in these waters, and competition promises to be keiner in the future than in the past. Huder Kese circumstances, we submit that it

unsive to handicap

would be

very British shipping which has hitherto held its own, by carrying out the proposed veterations in existing Regulations. The increase in the mercantile fleet of Japan is also watched with some un=

easives.

we

d as the same.

In writing the foregoing,. traversing old ground suggestions were made some

are

but on

years ago,

British

the representations. of Merchants here, they were eventually dropped, the Colonial Authorities recog, nising

the harm that would be done

to the British trade thereby.

While the rules enforced here

flags, it is a

are the same

matter

open

Lo

for all

very great douth whether

the

the presence of life rafts and life belts on board passenger steamers affords any greater security to life.

From our

ki

552

knowledge of the Chinese, gauch by experience, we think that few, if any, of the life belts would be availed of, either from prejudice. from want of knowledge in regards

them on. It is

His n

many years

or

A steamer

puthing since any serious accident, involving loss of life, happened' to an mmigrants leaving this port, and it is that steamers offer greater security thank junks, by which the Chinese would

beyond denial.

otherwise be obliged to travel.

In conclusion, we

beg

mostres.

dio.

pectfully to submit, for the consideration:

of His Excellency, the advrivability of pensing with the present regulation that passenger skamers carry life Rafts and Beets, or, if he cannot see his

do this, we

way to

:ext that the present

suggest

condition of things be allowed to remains

unaltered