On Tuesday in the Commons Major Archer-Shee opened a debate
on the Board of Trade's attitude towards life- saving at sea and charged the Board with being hopelessly out of touch with modern conditions. Lord Charles Beres- ford said that the great pioblem was not the provision and management of boats but the attainment of the greatest possible power of flotation in ships. Bulkheads should not be weakened by doors. This is true enough, but passengers would have to make up their minds to climb and descend steps at every bulkhead in the ship. There would be no thoroughfare. Every walk through the interior of the ship would be a mountainous expedition. Mr. Buxton said in his defence that he had taken expert advice in all that he had done and had not done. In 1906, when there were conferences representing the whole mercan- tile marine, the question of boat accommodation had not been raised. But now nothing would be left undone to ensure safety. The Government were in negotiation with Germany with a view to summoning an international conference.
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