CO129-346 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [1-3] — Page 37

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Merchant Shipping Act) to register under a penalty of

£500 for neglect to do so. No vessel unless registered

may fly the British flag. The only ports of registry in

these latitudes are Hongkong and Shanghai. A vessel

registered as British is compelled by the Act to carry

three certificated European Officers, and a sufficient

number of life-saving boats. To the former condition the

Act makes certain exceptions, which again have been

extended by local Ordinance.

3.

These rules are impossible of

observance by small steamers (often of not more than 8 tons

burden) plying on the West River, since the cost of main-

-taining certificated officers would exceed their profits,

while the risks in navigating an inland river (where in

case of accident a vessel can be quickly beached) are not

parallel to those of ocean-going steamers and consequently

the same number of life-saving boats are not required. The

enforcement of the Merchant Shipping Act rules would con-

-sequently result in the practical disappearance of the

British flag on the inland waters since vessels flying

other flags are not subject to these restrictions.

4.

In 1886 His Majesty's Minister at

Peking authorised the Consul-General at Canton to issue a

certificate