Page 213 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 19 - 22

22657. That is all I wanted to get at. Now what I want to ask you is this. I want to ask you several questions as to the extent, character, equipment, and competency of the Board of Trade for this purpose, and I want to ask you this question first of all; who are the Board of Trade for this purpose? - You are asking me to answer an antiquarian question, I think. 22658. I think we know that constitutionally the Archbishop of Canterbury is a member of the Board of Trade? - I will do my best to answer you, with pleasure. I may say that legally I believe the Board of Trade is a Committee of the Privy Council. 22659. (The Commissioner.) Mr. Edwards said, “For this purpose.” I do not think that is what Mr. Edwards means? - I was going on, my Lord, to say what practically it consists of. 22660. I think he wants to know who are the persons - give their names, so that we may know who take these matters under their special care? - You mean in the Marine Department? 22661. I do not know where they are? - Am I to begin with the President, the Cabinet Minister? 22662. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) For the purpose of the Merchant Shipping Act has the Board of Trade any other meaning except the Marine Department of the Board of Trade? - As controlled by its political officers, of course, it means the Marine Department of the Board of Trade, certainly. 22663. So that for all practical purposes of responsibility, when we are talking of the Board of Trade in connection with this Enquiry it is the Marine Department? - Yes, but subject to what I have said, controlled by the Parliamentary Officers and the Permanent Secretary. 22664. Then for this purpose it is the Marine Department, plus the Legal Adviser, plus the Permanent Secretary, plus the President, plus the Under-Secretary? - The Parliamentary Secretary - it is the same thing. That is so. 22665. Now of whom does the Marine Department consist? - I think most of this is in the evidence. 22666. Will you kindly answer my questions unless you are stopped from answering by my Lord? - Well, it consists first of all of the headquarters staff and the Chief. 22667. You are the Chief? - Yes. I am assisted by a professional member of the Marine Department who is a sailor. Then there is a staff of consultative officers, the principal Surveyor for tonnage, the principal ships’ Surveyor, who is a naval architect, the chief inspector of ships’ provisions, and the Engineer Surveyor-in-chief. I think I have given you all of them. Those are the principal consultative officers. 22668. Then in addition to those you have a body of Surveyors? - Yes. 22669. And they are divided into Shipwright Surveyors and Engineer Surveyors? - I might complete my list of the consultative officers. There is also the principal examiner of masters and mates and the chief examiner of engineers. I think that completes the list now. 22670. Now as to the Surveyors; they are divided into Shipwright Surveyors and Engineer Surveyors? - Shall I tell you what they are? 22671. Yes? - There are the principal district officers - there are nine of those; 80 Engineer Surveyors; 34 ship Surveyors; 17 nautical Surveyors, including one assistant to the principal examiner of masters and mates; five sanitary Surveyors; 31 clerks, assistant clerks and boys; and 72 boat-men; a total of 273 officers. 22672. Does that include the emigrant officers? - Certainly. 22673. What are the qualifications required for the Chief District Officer? - Some of the Chief District Officers are sailors; others are engineers. 22674. Are there any qualifications laid down in writing for these different positions? - Yes, I could give the form of application for each of those posts, beginning at the bottom, showing exactly what the qualifications are, if necessary. That is all set out in printing. 22675. Will you kindly let us have those? It does not matter now, but we would like to have them some time? - You want to know what the qualifications are for each class of officer?