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67
He invited the Committee to substitute a clause which he had drafted, for
that moved by Sir Gilbert Parker, which provided that in future 120 cubic
feet and 15 superficial feet should be the minimum accommodation for
seamen and apprentices.
In estimating the space so apportioned, there may be taken into account
the space occupied by any mess.rooms, bath.rooms or washing.places
appropriated exclusively to the use of seamen and apprentices, provided
always that the space set apart for sleeping shall not be less than 72 cubic
feet and 12 superficial feet.
This new clause was then added to the Bill.
In does not apply to any ship (a) registered before the passing of this
Act ; (b) any ship of not more than 200 tons burthen ; (c) fishing boats ;
(d) space occupied solely by lascars and appropriated solely to their use.
The Section (64) will be found quoted on a subsequent page.
It will thus be noted that largely as a result of the action of the Port
Sanitary Committee, Section 64 was added to the new Bill, and subsequently
became law.
Although the superficial area is much below what should be allowed, and
what could be allowed to seamen, yet there is no doubt it will effect considerable
improvement in the conditions on board ship, and may be taken as an instalment
on account of additional accommodation and comfort to be provided by
future legislation.
I append some extracts from the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, which
should have the effect of improving the hygienic conditions on board ship.
Section 13.—A "passenger steamer" shall include every foreign
steamship, whether originally proceeding from a port in the United
Kingdom or from a port out of the United Kingdom, which carries
passengers to or from any place, or between any places, in the United
Kingdom.
Section 14.—Defines a " steerage passenger,'' which shall mean all
passengers except cabin passengers, and persons shall not be deemed
cabin passengers unless—
" (a) the space allotted to their exclusive use is in the proportion
" of at least thirty.six clear superficial feet to each statute adult ;
" and
" (b) the fare contracted to be paid by them amounts to at least
" the sum of twenty.five pounds for the entire voyage, or is in the