1874.] ( 465 ) 
mi LOSS OF LIPE =Al SEA. 
By Rear-Admiral FISHBOURNE. 
HE loss of life and property on the high seas having 
grown to such enormous proportions that it became 
the duty of the Government to enquire whether much 
of this did not arise from preventable causes, we were not 
surprised therefore that a Royal Commission should have 
been appointed, or that they should have presented us with 
an instructive and highly valuable Report.* 
Notwithstanding that, on the whole, the Commissioners 
have arrived at wise conclusions, their Report bears the 
marks of having been produced under pressure, the Com- 
missioners working against time, and that some aspects of 
the subject were new to them. We are glad to give promi- 
nence to some of their recommendations, which we think 
cannot be too strongly insisted on :— 
That ‘“‘the Board of Trade should interfere only when 
there is ground for suspecting some gross mismanagement, 
and, whenever the case for detention may appear doubtful, 
to direct the attention of the ship-owner or manager to the 
circumstances which have attracted official notice.” 
“That the Marine Department of the Board of Trade 
should be revised and strengthened.” 
Some additional nautical assistance ‘‘is requisite for the 
due performance of the duties now entrusted to the Board. 
A legal adviser exclusively belonging to the Department is 
also essential.” 
‘It will be the duty of the Board of Trade to check the 
negligent and to punish the culpable ship-owner, but it is 
desirable that these fun¢étions should be performed without 
harassing the great body of ship-owners, who, by their 
ability and indefatigable energy, have contributed to the 
prosperity of the Empire.” And while they wisely deprecate 
any transference of responsibility from the ship-owner to 
the Executive Government, they add—‘“ It is the duty of 
the ship-owner to keep his ship in a seaworthy condition, 
and to select competent officers and crew.’ 
While the Commissioners insist upon the propriety of 
ship-owners being exempt from vexatious and injurious in- 
terference, they recommend that their natural and just 
responsibilities should be enforced, and even made more 
* Report of Royal Commission on Unseaworthy Ships. 
