17 APRIL 1915, Page 13

THE POLICING OF DISASTER.

[To ram Emma or xes “Srsc-rrroa."] Slit,—Referring to the interesting article in the Spectator of April 3rd, allow me to say that the Nederland Company of Amsterdam and the Rotterdamsche Lloyd of Rotterdam, who in normal times despatch a steamer weekly from Southampton to the Dutch East Indies, calling at a number of ports en route, affix in each cabin a notice giving the number of the boat to which the passenger is appointed to go in case of accident. On the first or second day out of port each passenger is requested to put on a life-belt and to go to the boat indicated by the notice in the cabin. There the boat roll is called over by the purser and the simple drill ends; but it is quite effective, especially in a steamer in which a large number of the passengers are unacquainted with the Dutch language. The officers speak English and German, and the steamers are in the average as large and as clean and well equipped as those of the Norddeutscher Lloyd, though perhaps a little lees lavish in some of the appointments and the table.—I am, Sir, &a.,

VOYAGEUR.