Sessional_Paper_1924 — Page 59

M. 15015/23.

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Appendix A.

SIR,

MERCANTILE MARINE DEPARTMENT,

BOARD OF TRADE,

3, Sanctuary Buildings,

Great Smith Street,

London, S.W. 1.

4th October, 1923.

I am directed by the Board of Trade to transmit to you herewith a copy of a letter which has been received from the Department of Navigation, Sydney, New South Wales, respecting the Chinese steamer Ling Nam which arrived at Sydney for the purpose of embarking passengers. The Board observe that the vessel held a Hongkong Passenger Certificate but was not provided with boat accommodation sufficient for all persons which it was intended to carry and they, therefore presume, that the Life Saving Appliances Rules at present in force in Hongkong do not provide for boats to be carried on foreign- going passenger steamers sufficient to accommodate all persons on board, as do those which have been in force in this country since 1915.

In the opinion of the Board of Trade the provision of boats in this case falls very far short of what is necessary in the interest of the safety of life of passengers and crew, and I am accordingly to suggest that the Hongkong Government might consider the advisability of revising the Life Saving Appliances Rules in force in Hongkong so as to require foreign-going passenger steamers to be provided, if practicable, with boat accom- modation for all persons on board, or if this is not practicable, with as many lifeboats as can be effectively stowed and launched.

A copy of the Rules in force in this country is enclosed for your information with a copy of a report by the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee which has recently been considering the question of life saving appliances on foreign-going passenger vessels. The Board are now considering that alterations should be made to the existing Rules in view of the recommendations made by this Committee and a copy of the new Rules will be forwarded to you as soon as available.

The Colonial Secretary,

Hongkong.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Sd.)

G. E. BAKER.

Appendix B.

The Hongkong passenger certificate is based generally on the Board of Trade requirements but falls short of such by the omission of a Wireless Telegraphy apparatus—the modification in the life saving appliances Rules. It is highly important that the Hongkong passenger certificate should be recognised by the Board of Trade and be valid in the United Kingdom and throughout the British Empire.

Hongkong is one of the largest ports in the World, a port of Registry—a ship building centre with large docks, big repairing Yards-the terminal port of many ocean going passenger vessels where they dock, overhaul and refit and in the interests of this large port and the shipping companies concerned, we consider that it is most desirable