538 Correspondence on Magnetism of Ships, [Nov. 30, 



" What the scope of those functions is, and how they can be most usefully 

 exercised, are questions on which they must form their own opinion, and 

 they regret that the opinion they have thus formed is at variance with the 

 views which the President and Council of the Koyal Society have thought 

 fit to urge. 



" As regards the practice of the Admiralty to which you call atten- 

 tion, I am to point out in the first place, that there is a wide difference 

 between the relation of the Board of Admiralty to Her Majesty's Navy, 

 and that of the Board of Trade to the Mercantile Marine. This difference 

 appears to have been underrated, if not entirely overlooked by the Pre- 

 sident and Council of the Ptoyal Society. 



" The Admiralty are the owners, designers, and generally the builders 

 of the Ships of the Nation, and in these capacities are bound to use every 

 means in their power to construct the National Ships in the best manner, 

 to provide them with the best equipments, and to dictate and enforce, 

 upon all persons concerned in building, equipping or navigating them, 

 such arrangements and regulations as the most advanced science and the 

 latest experience can suggest. On the other hand, the Board of Trade are 

 not the owners, designers, or builders of Merchant Ships ; and if they 

 were to take upon themselves the responsibility of regulating the con- 

 struction of every Merchant Ship, and of requiring her to be provided with 

 what might appear to this Board to be necessary and proper equipments, 

 they would be usurping a power they do not possess, and which as a 

 matter of policy they ought not to possess. They would in so doing be 

 taking upon themselves a function which belongs to the shipowner, and 

 which it is his interest, as well as his duty, to perform efficiently. It can be 

 no part of the functions of Government to put a stop to the free and healthy 

 action of that self-interest, or to relieve the shipowner and his servants 

 from his responsibility for the performance of that duty. 



" The result thus arising from Government interference would, the Board 

 of Trade are satisfied, be injurious to trade in the first instance, whilst 

 it would in the end be no less prejudicial to the safety of the public, and 

 to the advancement of science. 



" But if, looking to certain precedents, the President and Council of the 

 Royal Society should still urge that in the special and exceptional case of 

 deviation of ship's compasses it is the duty of the Government to depart 

 from the principles generally admitted in this country, the Board of 

 Trade would reply that, so far as they can judge, the subject of compass- 

 deviation is one which in its present condition is peculiarly unfit for legis- 

 lative or administrative interference. Where a precautionary measure 

 is capable of being reduced to fixed, simple, and intelligible rules of prac- 

 tice, it is possible, even though it may not be advisable, to enforce it 

 by legal and administrative process. But this subject is, so far as the 

 Board of Trade can judge, far from being in that condition. 



" It appears from the papers submitted to the Board of Trade in this 



