NORMAN HILL, Chairman.
R. W. MATTHEW, Secretary.
Sir WALTER J. HOWELL, K. C. B.,
Assistant Secretary Marine Department,
Board of Trade.
This letter was acknowledged by the board of trade on May 10, 1912, as follows:
Board of Trade, Marine Department,
7, Whitehall Gardens,
London, S. W., May 10, 1912.
SIR: I am directed by the board of trade to acknowledge the receipt of, and to thank you for, your letter of April 27, stating that their letters of April 16, 20, 24, and 25 have been considered by the merchant shipping advisory committee.
The board observes with satisfaction that, in view of the entirely new situation which has arisen, the advisory committee have decided to reopen the question of the revision of the table in the life-saving appliances rules in so far as it governs the boat accommodation in vessels over 10,000 tons gross. The board are further glad to observe that the question of a general revision of the life-saving appliances rules is also under consideration by the committee, and in this connection they presume that, in considering the question of a general revision of the rules including the table, the committee will consider the principles on which the requirements as to boat accommodation should be based, including, inter alia, whether the table should continue to be based on tonnage. Any conclusion reached by the committee on this question would naturally affect the revision of the present table as applying to vessels of more than 10,000 tons, upon which the committee has already been engaged.
The board agree with the view expressed by the advisory committee that the appointment of another committee on the spacing and construction of water-tight bulkheads is desirable. Steps have already been taken by the president to form such a committee, and he hopes to be able to announce the names within a few days. A further communication on this point will be addressed to the committee in the course of a few days.
The board are glad to note that subcommittees have been appointed to deal concurrently with the subjects requiring detailed consideration in connection with the revision of the life-saving appliances rules.
The board desire me to add that they assume that the committee, in considering the matters referred to them, will have regard to all important aspects of the question of life-saving appliances, whether expressly dealt with in the statutory rules or not, and in particular to the essential question of the adequacy of the provision for lowering and manning the boats and rafts carried by vessels.
I am, etc., WALTER J. HOWELL.