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is a large supply of boys willing to go to sea if effective means for their doing so can be provided.
42. The system recently introduced of allowing an abatement of light dues in consideration of the employment of non-premium apprentices or boy sailors appears to us to have worked fairly well. We find that from April 1, 1899, to Sept. 30, 1902, 1,864 boys have been enrolled in the probationer class of the Royal Naval Reserve under this scheme {Appendix M, No» 16). But we cannot think that we can look with any degree of confidence to greatly increased numbers as a result of an extension of the present abatement.
48. For convenience, we summarise our principal recommendations as follows:
(1) The employment of a properly certificated cook on every foreign-going vessel of 1,000 tons gross register and over.
(2) The extension of the present system of inspection of ships* provisions by power being given to the Board of Trade to inspect, in any case in which they think fit, the provisions of any vessel whose probable voyage exceeds twenty-one days' duration.
(3) Power to be given to superintendents to forbid the engagement of any foreign seaman who does not possess a knowledge of the English language sufficient for the understanding of orders.
(4) Power to be given to the Board of Trade to withhold the continuous discharge certificate of any seaman who wilfully fails to join a vessel after signing articles.
(5) Efforts to be made to increase the numbers of the Royal Naval Reserve, especially of stokers, on foreign-going vessels by improved inducements and more active recruiting.
(6) A reference by way of appeal to a superintendent to be allowed to seamen in cases in which the master gives a bad character on discharge, or "declines to report."
(7) Facilities to be given to foreign seamen who have served for four years on British merchant ships to become, by an easy process, without expense, British subjects by naturalisation.
(8) The establishment of a system of voluntary examinations and certification of masters and officers in the elements of medical knowledge.
(9) The universal adoption in British ships of the scale of provisions recommended in this report.
(10) The provision of as comfortable living quarters as can practically be given to seamen on board ship.
(11) Every encouragement to be given to training-ships and to the training of boys on merchant vessels with the object of increasing the number of British seamen in the mercantile marine.
We think that the first four of these recommendations will require legislation, and that effect could be given to the succeeding recommendations without any change in the law.
We desire to express our most grateful thanks to the secretary for his invaluable services to us.
| We have the honour to be. Sir, | |
| (Signed) | Your obedient Servants, |
| F. H. Jeune, Chairman. | John M. Denny. |
| W. F. G. Anderson. | Walter J. Howell |
| H. Acton Blake. | Rodney M. Lloyd. |
| Thos. Burt. | Wm. Milburn, jun. |
| Alfred J. G. Chalmers. | J. Havelock Wilson. |
| May 7, 1903. | G. E. Baker, Secretary. |
