Page 167 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

MR. C. ROBERTSON DUNLOP watched the proceedings on behalf of the owners and officers of the s.s. “Californian” (Leyland Line). (Admitted on application.) Mr. H. E. DUKE, K. C., M.P., and MR. VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (instructed by Messrs. A. F. and R. W. Tweedie) appeared as Counsel on behalf of Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon. (Admitted on application.) MR. F. LAING, K. C., and MR. ALFRED BUCKNILL appeared on behalf of Messrs. Harland and Wolff. (Admitted on application.) Sir WALTER J. HOWELL, Recalled. Further examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL. 22268. I propose now to pass to the consideration of the Board of Trade’s activities with regard to boats and other life-saving appliances. I think it would be more convenient to deal with what has happened on the Report in July, 1911, after bringing the history up-to-date for both boats and life-saving appliances. In March, 1886, the Board of Trade appointed a small Departmental Committee to consider the subject, that is life-saving appliances? - Yes. 22269. There were certain requirements in the earlier Acts, in the Merchant Shipping Act and the Passengers Act of 1855, but they are not of sufficient importance to call his Lordship’s attention to them. I do not think they assist, even historically. But in March, 1886, there was this Committee, and they reported that the existing requirements, such as they were, were obsolete and inadequate? - Quite so. 22270. Some reference was made to this matter - it is not easy to see what, without examining it in detail - by the Royal Commission on Loss of Life at Sea in 1887? - Yes, quite incidental. 22271. Yes, so that we get no assistance from that. By that time I think the subject had already been discussed at the Colonial Conference of that year? - That is so. 22272. And then a Select Committee of the House of Commons had been appointed to deal with it, that is the Select Committee of which Lord Charles Beresford was the chairman, to which you referred in connection with bulkheads yesterday? - Yes. 22273. They reported in 1887, and recommended that the Board of Trade should appoint a committee to frame rules as to life-saving appliances? - Quite so. 22274. That that committee should consist of shipowners, shipbuilders, persons acquainted with the navigation of vessels and the recognised Association of Seamen, Lloyd’s Register and kindred societies? - Exactly. 22275. It was of selections from those persons that the committee was to consist? - Quite so. 22276. Then I see, in 1888, there was a Bill passed, which was the Merchant Shipping Life- saving Appliances Act, 1888? - Yes. 22277. That was passed in consequence of and in accordance with the recommendations of the Beresford Committee of 1887? - Yes, it followed the lines of that Committee almost exactly. 22278. And under that Act power was given to the Board of Trade to make Rules as to boats and other life-saving appliances? - Quite so. 22279. Under that Act also provision was made for a Committee to be formed to advise the Board of Trade on the Rules which were to be formulated? - Exactly. 22280. The constitution of the Committee was provided in the Schedule to that Act; it was reproduced in the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and forms the 17th Schedule to the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894; and under that it says that the constitution of the Committee shall consist of - “(1) Three shipowners selected by the Council of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom; (2) One shipowner selected by the Shipowners’ Association of Glasgow, one shipowner selected by the Liverpool Steamship Owners’ Association and the Liverpool