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2 June, 1911.] Navigation Law. [43h Day. Mr. BUXTON —cont. with British ships by foreign subsidised ships; (3) to secure to British ships equal trading advantages with foreign ships; (4) to secure the employment of British seamen on British ships; and (5) to raise the status and improve the condition of seamen employed on such ships. To all these points we agree in principle. (1) Uniformity of Treatment to British Shipping.—Uniformity in the safety regulations is one of the most important matters in which uniformity of treatment to shipping is desirable. Uniformity in the safety regulations enforced in the different parts of the Empire is one of the main objects of the Board of Trade, and whenever any proposed Colonial legislation is submitted to the Board it is considered by reference to the Imperial Merchant ShippingActs in so far as the latter deal with the subject-matter under reference, and the legislating authority is advised to frame the legislation in accordance with the principles of the Imperial Acts. In so far as this is done, the safety regulations, or at least those of them which affect oversea vessels, will become uniform in essentials, and the object aimed at will be attained. (2) The passing of the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act of 1906 has had a very remarkable effect in bringing foreign safety regulations into harmony with those in force in the United Kingdom. The Act enforced on foreign ships trading to the United Kingdom the safety regulations applicable to British ships, but made provision for the exemption of such vessels as had complied with the regulations in force in their own country, provided these were equivalent to the British regulations. The result has been that a large number of foreign countries have revised their safety regulations or adopted new regulations, with a view to securing exemption for their ships in the United Kingdom, and the regulations as to load-line, life-saving appliances, and survey of passenger steajners in many countries are now regarded as equivalent to those in force in the United Kingdom. In few of these countries is any serious attempt made to enforce safety regulations on non-national ships, but where such an attempt is made the exception of British ships is insisted on as a condition of exempting the foreign ships in the United Kingdom. In so far, therefore, as Colonial and foreign safety regulations are assimilated to those in force in the United Kingdom, international uniformity is attained as regards these regulations. (3) Uniformity of treatment of British vessels in different foreign countries need not be discussed in detail, for in so far as foreign regulations are assimilated to British regulations (a process which is now going on) they are assimilated to each other. (4) As regards uniformity of treatment as between the various sections of British ships, it may be presumed that to the foreigner all vessels sailing under the British Flag are British ships, and that there is no likelihood of any foreign authority making a distinction (so far as the enforcement of safety regulations is concerned) between, say, vessels registered in the United Kingdom and those registered in Australia, Similarly the Imperial Merchant Shipping Acts do not distinguish, so far as the safety requirements are concerned, between United Kingdom and Colonial vessels, but deal with them all alike if they come to the United Kingdom. Provision is, however, made for the recognition of Colonial passenger certificates and load-line certificates if issued after a satisfactory survey and in accordance with satisfactory regulations (sections 284 and 444 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894), and a number of Colonies have received recognition in this way. This arrangement is directly advantageous to Colonial ships visiting the United Kingdom, and encourages the Colonial Governments to frame their legislation and regulations in harmony with those of the United Kingdom. (5) So far as is known, no complaint has been made of the enforcement in any foreign port of more stringent safety regulations on British than on foreign ships. In ports of the United Kingdom, British and foreign ships must now, in accordance with the Merchant Snipping Act, 1906, comply with the same regulations. Prior to the passing of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, one or two of the Dominions expressed a grievance that their ships, if they came to the United Kingdom, were compelled to comply with the Merchant Shipping Acts, while foreign ships were allowed to go free; but all grounds for this complaint have now been removed. It has been suggested to the Dominion Governments that they should initiate similar legislation, so that throughout the British Empire the foreign ship shall not be allowed to compete