Report of the Committee on Colour- Vision. 355 



the Board of Trade certificate which they have to obtain. With- 

 out that we do not admit them. We have no test for Lascars. 

 Some of our ships are manned by them ; but the look-out men 

 are always Europeans. 



Question— That leads to the question of what are the responsi- 

 bilities of look-out men ? — It is a very important position, as they 

 have to report everything seen by them to the officer in charge 

 of the bridge ; though often he sees objects before the look-out 

 man, because he is in a higher position. It would be a bad thing 

 if a look-out man was colour-blind. 



Question—Does he only have to report " light ahead ?" — Yes, 

 or on one bow or the other ; but he usually gives the signal 

 with a gong, striking once if the light is right ahead, twice if it 

 is on the port bow, and three times if on the starboard bow. 

 He would very likely sing out, u green light," or whatever it 

 might be, after striking the gong. 



Question — Do you think the question of colour for the seaman 

 important ? — Not so important as for the officer. 



Question — Supposing a vessel suddenly emerged from a fog, 

 and a green light was seen on the port side and a red one some- 

 where else, would it be necessary for the look-out man in that 

 case to say where the green and red light was ? — Yes, it would 

 be of great importance if he could. 



Question — Supposing you had a foreigner, say a Welshman, 

 who only knew Welsh, if he sang out the Welsh for red, which 

 I believe is very like green, would it not be nearly as bad as if 

 he were colour-blind ? — Quite. 



Question — And then take the case of a German seaman, for 

 instance? — They all understand the colours. We should not ship 

 him unless he had sufficient experience to know port from star- 

 board and red from green, and was familiar with the English 

 expressions for them. 



Question — If you rejected him he could probably be shipped 

 somewhere else ; I presume you think the company or vessel 

 might be at a disadvantage by shipping a man who was colour- 

 ignorant although not colour-blind ? — Yes. 



Question — There seemed to be some doubt as to whether it 

 was necessary for the look-out man to have perfect vision for 

 colour and form ? — It is most necessary (especially when in close 

 proximity to a light, and the vessel perhaps altering her course). 

 The look-out man should sing out immediately red or green light, 

 as he may see it before the officer on the bridge, should a sail, 

 for instance, happen to hide it from him. 



Question — Do you know of any accidents that have been 

 traced to absence of colour-vision ? — I cannot say we have traced 

 one actually to it, but we have had suspicions about it, and they 

 naturally have led to special enquiry. In addition to the case 

 I have mentioned there was another officer, a second officer, who, 

 upon being questioned, was found to have his sight affected. 

 In all such cases we insist upon their leaving. 



