GLASGOW. Consider that the proposal would be a dangerous innovation to carry out.

HULL. That there appears to be no objection, legally or otherwise, to a competent third mate, holding a second or higher grade certificate, taking charge of a watch or of the bridge in a steam ship if the Charter approved the same.

LEITH.-That if the third mate holds a certificate of competency they see no objection to his having charge of the bridge.

LIVERPOOL. That there is no objection to a third officer taking charge of a watch, providing he holds a certificate of competency. LONDON. That, as in most steam vessels the third mate is the holder of a certificate as second mate, or of a higher grade, the custom in such cases would be perfectly legal. In cases where the third mate did not hold a certificate the master, knowing the responsibility incurred by placing such officer in charge of the bridge, would be careful to select an experienced seaman, which, in the opinion of the Local Marine Board, would in itself be proper, but they doubt whether in the event of accident the master would be exonerated.

NEWCASTLE.-Provided the third mate is a certificated officer they have no objection to such a system. Upon the legal phase of the question they can express no opinion, such being, in their view, more a matter for the Crown lawyers than for a Local Marine Board.

NORTH SHIELDS.-That where a third officer holds a certificate from the Board of Trade they see nothing improper in his taking charge of a watch, but think it undesirable that a ship's company should be divided into three watches.

PLYMOUTH.-That if the third mate held a second mate's certificate, or has had three years experience of sea service, he should be allowed to keep a watch, so as to make three watches instead of the old watch-and-watch system, but not otherwise.

SOUTH SHIELDS.-Think it would be highly improper to allow a third mate to take charge of the bridge at night from sunset to sunrise, or in thick weather, or in narrow navigation, but see no objection to a third mate taking charge in the daytime in the open sea, at a distance from a coast, and can offer no opinion as to the legality of the practice.

SUNDERLAND.—That there can be no objection to three watches of officers if the third mate holds a certificate of competency.

THE THAMES TRAFFIC COMMITTEE.

In the House of Commons, on Friday, the 13th of December, 1878, Mr. GoURLEY asked the President of the Board of Trade "What measures he has in contemplation for the better security of life and property in the navigation of the Thames and other large rivers: And, whether it is his intention to give effect to any, and which of the changes suggested by the Commissioner's Court of Inquiry respecting the collision between the steamers Princess Alice and Bywell Castle?"

Lord SANDON said: "We are giving our most careful attention to the whole question of the traffic regulations as to the navigation of the Thames, which is in a totally different position from any other river as to the authorities which are responsible for the management, and as to the condition of its traffic. I have referred the report of the Wreck Commissioner's Court to the very able committee which I appointed during the autumn to consider the Thames traffic regulations. Until the first report of that committee is received, and we have had the opportunity of considering it, together with other information which throws light upon the subject, it is not possible for me to say what course the Government will propose to take next year. We have laid upon the table of the House the evidence which the committee have already taken, with the view of bringing before Parliament the points which have been already raised, and of thus enabling other evidence to be offered to the committee if in any quarter there should be a desire to do so. I shall present to Parliament all additional evidence as well as the committee's report, on this important subject. (Hear, hear.) "

OFFICIAL INQUIRIES AT HOME, 1878.

(This List is competed to the 18th of each Month.)

318. St. Clair, s.s.; iron; built at Dumbarton, 1876; owned by Andrew Ross and others, of Glasgow; tonnage 184; Tyne to

Glasgow; passenger and general cargo, and cattle, &c.; canted over on her side at Salen Pier, Loch Sunart, September 25, 1878. Inquiry held at Glasgow, November 12, 1878, before Millar and Coulborn, J.P. Forster and Ward, N.A. Master exonerated from blame, and certificate returned.

319. Maria, schooner; built at Granton, 1861; owned by Mr. Hickman, Hull; tonnage 87; Lyme Regis to Leith; lime; took the ground upon Boulmer Rocks, October 6, 1878. Inquiry held at South Shields, October 24, 1878, before Yorke, Stip. Mag. Pickard and Wilson, N.A. Master to blame for not verifying the mate's statement when he reported a light. Certificate suspended for three months.

322. Thomas, brig; built at Whitehaven in 1800; owned by William Kelly and others of that port; tonnage, 186; Charleston to U.K.; resin; abandoned at sea 40 miles east of Charleston, September 26, 1878. Inquiry held at Liverpool, November 6, 1878, before Raffles, Stip. Mag. Harris and Powell, N.A. Court found the master justified in abandoning the vessel. Certificate returned.

323. Essex, s.s. ; iron; built at Hull, 1869; owned by Bailey and Leetham; tonnage, 1,183; Pillau to Hull; engines disabled about 160 miles from Spurn Head, September 13, 1878. Inquiry held at Hull, November 7, 1878, before Twiss, Stip. Mag. Knox and Ravenhill, N.A. Chief engineer guilty of negligence. Reprimanded.

326. Esther Smeed, barque; owned by George Smeed, of Sittingbourne; tonnage, 519; stranded on the island of Gottska Sand, September 30, 1878. Inquiry held at Westminster, November 15, 1878, before Rothery, Wreck Commissioner. Pickard and Nicolas, N.A. Master and mate both to blame for negligent navigation. Certificates suspended for twelve and six months respectively.

327. Macedon; wood; built at Quebec, 1866; owned by Robert Richardson, of Gateside, Paisley; tonnage, 1,237; Quebec to Greenock; timber; death of a seaman caused by the shifting of the deck load, in consequence of taking a very heavy sea on board. Inquiry held at Greenock, November 9, 1878, before

Neill and Ross, J.P. Grant and Nicolas, N.A. Master entirely exonerated from blame.

327. Margaret Boyd; wood; built in the United States, 1854; owned by Hugh Boyd, of Ardrossan; tonnage, 420; Miramichi to Ardrossan; deals, &c. ; abandoned at sea by master and crew, but afterwards taken charge of and brought safely into port by the third mate of the s.s. Ohio, which vessel took the crew and master off. Inquiry held at Glasgow on November 9, 1878, before Coulborn and Hamilton, J.P. Forster and Ward, N.A. Master exonerated from blame. Mate's certificate cancelled for not aiding the master when the crew were in a state of mutiny. The mate, boatswain, and one seaman ordered each to pay £5 towards costs of the inquiry.

331, Victoria; wood; built at Shoreham, 1859; owned by A. Buckwell, of Brighton; tonnage, 272; bound to Trinidad; coals; stranded on the Cannon Rock, county Down, October, 18, 1878. Inquiry held at Belfast, November 12, 1878, before Orme, Stip. Mag. Holt and Castle, N.A. Master guilty of careless navigation in leaving the deck in charge of an inexperienced person when in close proximity to a dangerous part of the Irish coast. Certificate suspended for three months.

333. Ely Rise, s.s. ; iron; built at Sunderland, 1878; owned by Hurley and Mathew, of Cardiff; Cardiff to Tybee; water ballast and patent fuel; stranded on Hats Rock, Crow Sound, Scilly. Inquiry held at Cardiff, November 23, 1878, before Jones, Stip. Mag. Aplin and Castle, N.A. Casualty due to reckless navigation on the part of the master in attempting to take his ship into the anchorage without a pilot. Certificate suspended for six months.

335. Enterprise; wood; built at Quebec, 1875; owned by the Arvon Shipping Company, Limited, of Carnarvon; tonnage, 1,494; London to Cardiff; ballast; stranded on Hope Point, near Kingsdown, October 26, 1878. Inquiry held at Westminster, November 16, 1878, before Rothery, Wreck Commissioner. Grant and Beasley, N.A. Master exonerated from blame, as was the master of the Scotia, the vessel which was towing the Enterprise.

387. Celurca, barque; built at Montrose, 1870; owned by

Robert Gibbons and others; tonnage, 356; Alloa to Demerara ; coals; stranded on the Middle Cross Sand, North Sea, October 28, 1878. Inquiry held at Yarmouth, November 14, 1878, before. Bracy and Brown, J.P. Harris and Hight, N.A. Charges made against master not proved.

Certificate returned.

Inquiry held at

338. Leader; schooner; built at Bideford, 1858; owned by Messrs. Bate and Curtis; tonnage, 99; Randees Cattegat to London; barley; abandoned in the North Sea, but eventually salved by fishermen, October 29, 1878. Westminster, November 14, 1878, before Rothery, Wreck Commissioner. Pickard and Nicolas, N.A. The Court decided that the shifting-boards were insufficient in depth, but that otherwise the cargo was properly stowed, and that the abandonment was not wholly unjustifiable. Master's certificate returned. 341. Helena and Electryon; the former a schooner, built at Aberyswith, 1862; owned by Richard Lumley, of Aberdovey; tonnage, 98; Duddon to Middlesbro'; iron ore; the latter a brigantine; built at Prince Edward Island, 1862; owned by R. H. Randall and R. Cooper; tonnage, 190; Yarmouth to Newcastle; ballast; in collision 7 miles south of Newarp light, November 9, 1878; one life lost. Inquiry held at Westminster, November 27, 1878, before Rothery, Wreck Commissioner. Harris and Holt, N.A. Master of Electryon in default in not having kept a proper look-out, and in not having taken proper and active measures to save those on board the Helena. Certificate suspended for three months.

OFFICIAL INQUIRIES ABROAD.

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales; put into Port Elizabeth, leaky. Inquiry held at Port Alfred, September 5, 1878. No blame attached to master or mate.

Britannia, ketch; lost at the entrance of the Nambuccra River. Inquiry held by Marine Board of New South Wales, September 9, 1878. No evidence to found charge against master.

Melrose, barque; stranded on the beach, near Timaru, New Zealand, September 1, 1871. Inquiry held at Timaru, September 11, 1878. No blame to be attached to officers and crew.