Report of the Committee on Colour-Vision. 337 



peculiarity of vision, but I believe, in most cases, the first passing 

 was a fluke. 



Question — I suppose that if it is possible to pass by a fluke, the 

 method of examination is not satisfactory ? — I am not prepared 

 to say that I think the colour test, as conducted at present, is 

 unsatisfactory, if properly applied. If I have any doubt I 

 always make a man repeat the names of the colours in his own 

 language. 



Question — I think you said something about crammers. If 

 they cannot develop colour sense, how do they help the candi- 

 dates ? Is it by showing them the lamps, or using the apparatus ? 

 — I believe they provide themselves with a set of colours as 

 nearly like ours as possible, or the same. I know one case of a 

 teacher with a similar set. He would show a colour to the man 

 who would say, perhaps, "it is red," and tell him that whenever 

 he saw that which appeared to him to be " red " he was to call it 

 " green." I am not quite satisfied as to the proper names to be 

 given to all the coloured glasses we use. There are some you 

 might perhaps be in doubt about if you had not been told the 

 names. These are the confusion tints. 



Question — Do you think there is anything beyond colour, any 

 kind of perception, which would enable a man to distinguish 

 colour? — No, I think not. I sometimes use the wool test, which 

 consists of different coloured wools with a number attached to 

 each. I give him a test skein, and tell him " to toss over all of 

 this sort of colour." I apply this test to perhaps three cases in 

 a year. I think the ignorance in naming colours is getting less. 

 I believe many of the first failures were recorded because a man 

 did not know the names of colours. I think it of supreme 

 importance in our business to ask candidates the names 

 of colours, and it is better than asking them to match colours, 

 because the man must transmit the name of the light he sees 

 to the officer of the watch, and if he gives the wrong- name it 

 might mean disaster. 



Question — Your impression is that colour hnoivledge is as prac- 

 tically important as colour vision ? — Precisely ; only that the one 

 can be acquired, but not the other. Something ought to be done 

 as to vision ; we have no authority to test for that. 



Question — Do you take a man with weak eyes ? — We cannot 

 stop such a man going to sea, though he would not see in a heavy 

 wind or rain. 



Question — Do you think fog interferes with the lights ? — 

 Certainly ; it takes from the carrying power, and turns a green 

 light to white. 



Question — Have you any means of explaining as to this to men 

 joining the service ? — No, it is not within our scope. 



Question — Could you make any suggestion as to what should 

 be used as a test for acuteness of vision and power of seeing at 

 a distance ? — Not beyond standing by the man, and ascertaining 

 how he can see things at a distance. It would not be sufficient 



