CO129-329 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [7-12] — Page 767

6.

763

United Kingdom.

The steamer tonnage which enters and leaves these

restricted waters is the largest of any port in the

World.

In addition we have a number of steam launches

it engaged privately and as ferry boats, from one prt of the

Harbour to another. There are nearly 300 launches

registered in the port of which 100 are constantly en-

ployed as passenger boats.

The consequence is that the noise from steam whistles

is almost continuous during the day, and often during the

night hours.

It is imperative therefore that, while reasonable

use of whistles by steam vessels is not interfered with,

the abuse be reduced to a minimum. It is to meet this

which in a great measure is to be attributed to

the small passenger boats, that the existing regulations

were framed.

nuisance,

It would appear from the facts of the cases (80 far

as they are understood by the Committee of the Chamber)

cibed by the Merchant Shipping Juild, the steam whistles

were being blown, not in the ordinary course of naviga-

tion, but merely to attract the attention of people on

shore.

It is precisely to meet like abuses that the regula-

tions referred to were brought into force and the case

against the masters of vessels in question having been

proved to the satisfaction of the Court the Commituee of

the Chamber are glad to observe that in the interests of the

Community at large a fitting penalty was imposed by the

Magistrate. The terms used by the Guild as "Captains

"of British Merchant Ships" though technically correct is

calculated to convey to the uninitiated a somewhat erroneous

impression

2.