SAVING LIFE AT SEA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 816, 21 October 1887, Page 20

SAVING LIFE AT SEA.

The Times says :—The Select Committee on Saving Life at Sea has issued its report. The Committee believe that something considerable may be done. Their first recommendation is that ships should be more accurately classified, and that names and numbers should be given to them according to their various duties and the various kinds of weather that they might be expected to have to face. This is a general provision Intended, doubtless, to guide the public, whether passengers or owners of freight, as to the vessels which they may safely trust for different voyages. As to the -appliances carried on board for saving life .in case of accident, the Committee finds that, from the nature of the case, it cannot give precise recommendations. It is convinced fiiat the regulations with regard to lifebuoys are very insufficient, and it advocates the American system—a system voluntarily adopted on most of our best passenger ships—which compels the. captain to carry a lifebelt for every passenger. Boats and the gear by which they are suspended and lowered ought to be periodically inspected and tested. As to the number and nature of the boats required, that is a point the committee would wish to refer to a standing committee of experts, whose business -it would be to draw up rules and regulations from time to time, which should be confirmed .by Parliament. The proposed regulations and legislation to which the Select Committee somewhat vaguely points will do something on the one side ■to diminish the total of casualties, and on the other we shall doubtless before long have Borne more sweeping legislation on merchant shipping in general, if not on the lines which Mr Chamberlain laid down when he was in (office, then on some, others.