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cases feel too much confidence in the master's decision to allow him to set it aside, but we think that in some cases, probably very few, a fair hearing would result in the seaman's receiving the character to which he thought he was entitled, or at least relieve his sense of injustice.
84. We think it most desirable that shipowners should instruct their captains not to employ seamen who cannot produce continuous discharge certificates, and we venture to express a hope that they will pursue this course.
(iii.)
85. We regard both failure to join and desertion as serious evils, and as. often causing inferior seamen and foreigners to be shipped at the last moment in order to meet a pressing emergency.
86. We feel that it is impossible to revive the former law inflicting summary punishment by way of imprisonment for failure to join, but we think it most desirable that, short of imprisonment, the most effective possible remedy should be applied, and we recommend that in a proved case of wilful failure to join the Board of Trade should be empowered to withhold the seaman's continuous discharge certificate for such period as might appear just.
87. As regards desertion, we can look for a remedy mainly in. the improved condition of seamen. There is no doubt that in some foreign ports, notably in San Francisco, as to which we have had clear and valuable evidence, desertion is encouraged not only by the prospect of higher wages or profitable employment on shore, but also by the direct action of crimps. We see no way in which the nefarious proceedings of these persons can be prevented, except by stringent administration of the American law and perhaps by some amendment of that law, and we do not feel ourselves competent to recommend what, if any, steps could be taken to achieve such results.
88. As regards discipline generally, we do not think that any alteration in the existing law as to offences and thee penalties is necessary.
(iv.)
89. We think that an increase in the number of British seamen in the mercantile marine may be looked for rather in the improvement of their conditions than in the increase of facilities for training boys for the sea. At the same time, we think that the system of such ships as the Indefatigable deserves every commendation and such assistance as can properly be given. We think that the efforts of shipowners might be profitably devoted, as to a considerable extent they are at present, to the support and extension of the system of training-ships. It is a difficulty connected with such ships that the boys trained in them do not invariably take to or remain in the merchant service, and we think that a keen interest taken in them by shipowners would be the most hopeful means of ensuring such training as would be practically useful, and also of ensuring the employment of boys on leaving the training-ship.
40. We have received interesting evidence from representatives of the Navy. League on the advantage of connecting the training of boys for the sea with the county councils as a branch of technical education, but we greatly doubt if such education would do much to provide a supply of ordinary seamen,
41. We think, however, that there is a better prospect of obtaining an increase of British seamen by means of the employment of boy sailors than by means of training-ships, and we recommend shipowners to take boys of good character on their ships with a view to their becoming seamen. Steps in this direction have been taken by the Shipping Federation, and we should be glad if their efforts are continued arid extended. We believe that there
