_London, S. W., April 16, 1912_.
SIR: With reference to your letter of the 4th July last respecting
certain questions raised in connection with the proposed revision of the
Life-Saving Appliances Rules, I am directed by the board of trade to
state, for the information of the advisory committee, that they have
given very careful consideration to the report of the life-saving
appliances subcommittee which was forwarded with your letter.
As regards the recommendations with reference to the proposed extension
of the table (appendix to the Life Saving Appliances Rules) showing the
minimum number of boats to be placed under davits, the board are glad to
observe that the committee agree that alterations and additions are now
necessary to meet the changed conditions due to recent developments in
the size of passenger steamships and in the number of persons which
these vessels can accommodate.
The board of trade note that the gradations of tonnage in the extension
of the scale suggested by the advisory committee are not the same as
those in the form of scale submitted to them by the board; while the
increase in the number of boats is not in the number to be placed under
davits, but in the number of additional boats required to be readily
available for attachments to davits. It is observed that the committee
hold the view that "it is questionable whether it is practicable to
increase the number of davits," and "that any increase in the number of
lifeboats to be carried can probably be best effected by providing for
the launching of further boats from the existing davits."
The board presume that, in arriving at these conclusions, the committee
have had regard to ships already built rather than to new ships, as they
see no reason why there would be any difficulty in having more than
eight pairs of davits on each side of the ship, provided that the
requirements of Life-Saving Appliances Rules were known before the plans
were prepared.
The board are of opinion that a very careful and thorough revision of
the table should now be made, and I am to transmit herewith a copy of a
memorandum and tables prepared by the professional advisor to the marine
department, containing a full and considered opinion on the subject of
the extension of the boat scale and cognate questions.
As regards the proposed amendment of the rules, so as to admit of decked
lifeboats of an approved type being stowed one above another, or under
an open lifeboat, I am to state that this question is now under
consideration, and a communication will be addressed to you shortly on
the subject.
With reference to the advisory committee's recommendation regarding the
amendment of rule 12 of the general rules, the board desire me to state
that the questions raised in the recommendation are of wide application
and of such importance that the board do not think that they can be
adequately considered except by a committee of equal standing to the
committee which reported in 1891 on the spacing and construction of
water-tight bulkheads in the mercantile marine. The board have the
question of the appointment of a committee under consideration.
In connection with the advisory committee's recommendation that the
depth of lifeboats shall not exceed 44 per cent. of their breadth, I am
to transmit herewith, for their consideration, a draft amendment of
rules Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of the general rules with reference to the
construction of ships' boats.
The board have made full inquiry into the question of the construction
of ships' boats, and obtained some useful information as to the average
depth of boat which is deemed desirable for safety and utility, and the
ratio of that depth to the breadth, and they attach so much importance
to this element of boat construction that they think it should receive
the careful attention of the committee. The board think that the
committee, in the light of this additional information, may reconsider
the opinions expressed on this point in their letter of July 4.
I am therefore to transmit herewith copies of memoranda by the
professional adviser to the marine department and the acting principal
ship surveyor.
The board desire me to state that they would be glad to be furnished
with the advisory committee's views as to the application of the
proposed new rules and boat scale, e. g., whether they should apply to
ships already built, and if so, to what extent. They regard it as of
great importance, on the one hand, that all British vessels should be
provided with a proper and sufficient equipment of life-saving
appliances, and, on the other, that regulations should not be enforced
without notice which would necessitate important structural alterations
and consequent heavy expense in vessels already built.
I am to add that in order to make the constitution of the committee,
when considering this question, agree with that of the statutory
life-saving appliances committee indicated in the seventeenth schedule
to the merchant shipping act, 1894, the board have followed the course
adopted on previous occasions, and have invited Lloyd's Register of
British and Foreign Shipping and the Institute of London Underwriters to
select a representative who will be available to sit on the advisory
committee when the question is under consideration.