THE MERCANTILE MARINE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 37, 12 August 1918, Page 2

THE MERCANTILE MARINE

A NATIONAL UNIFORM.

WAR SERVICE BADGES.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 14th June,

■ The inestimable services rendered to the nation dux-ing the war by the Mercantile Marine have already been recognised in the 'closer feeling of comradeship with the Royal Navy and in various concessions made both by owners and by the authorities in favour of seamen and officers. The question of a- national uniform for the Mercantile Marine instead of the medley of owners' uniforms which have obtained in the past has now been well advanced, as a Parliamentary White Paper (Cd. 9030) shows. ■ A committee appointed in March, 1917, to report to the Board of Trade on the subject found that the great majority of Mercantile Marine officers strongly favouredl a standard uniform, for the"'following reasons: —(1) It would raise the status of ! the wearer; (2) the Mercantile Marine | had earned its right to a ..national mil- j form ; (3) that their certificated status ! •would be more clearly indicated by a ' standard uniform ; (4) that no distlnc- ! tion should bs made between passenger j and' cargo ship officers; (5) that many of the present badges were unsuitable; (6) that the multiciplicity of uniforms | caused confusion. Even amongst the I owners a large majority favoured the ] standard uniform, but many wished to retain their cap badge. The- committee recommended the adoption of a national standard uniform for the Mercantile Marine. Officers might retain the company's cap badge while employed on boardship or on the ship's business ashore, but any officer desiring to wear uniform ashore for other business should wear the national uniform in its entirety with the standard cap badge. The King is to be asked to sanction the naval crown for the cap badge, it being understood that the Admiralty are willing to transfer this crown to the Mercantile Marine, The uniform will be limited strictly to holders of Board of Trade certificates (whether deck or engineer) to surgeons, pursers, and cadets, and uncertifi-cated junior officers qualifying for a. first certificate. The rank stripes to be worn will be determined by the rank held on board the ship and not the certificate, and an officer not employed afloat may wear the uniform corresponding to the highest rank in which he has ever been employed. The-uniform proposed has cuff stripes in gold lace or black mohair varying according to the rank. Masters and chief engineers will wear an interlaced chevron on the cuff, and other certificated officers a diamond 1. FOR TORPEDOED SEAMEN. Sir Albert Stanley announced in the House of Commons the other day that there had not come to hie attention one single instancb where either officers or men of the Mercantile Marine had failed to take their ship out when it was ready to sail. The record had been one of unexampled heroism and" devotion to duty. The deaths in the Mercantile Marine from enemy.action numbered over 12.500, and in. February dependents were being paid pensions at the rate of about £170.000 a year. The matter of recognising tile gallantry, of officers and men who continued to go to sea after being torpedoed had been laid before the King, and he approved of badges being awarded through the Board of Trade to any who had been on the articles of any British merchant or fishing vessel sunk or damaged during the war by torpedo or mine, and who had afterwards completed a further voyage on the art-ides of a British "vessel. The badge will be in the form of a torpedo won on- the cuff of the Jeft sleeve and a. bar will be awarded for every additional torpedo. The scheme will of course be retrospective and will apply to all employees, including stewards.