Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/77

 abroad, while foreign vessels were subject to considerable control.

"3rd. That there was no system of regular education for the merchant service of Great Britain, but that, in foreign countries, this matter was much attended to.

"4th. That the sort of education which a British subject receives, when training for the higher grades of the merchant sea service, does not suffice to qualify him to represent with advantage to the merchant by whom he may be employed that merchant's interest; and that he may often neglect those interests and the merchant not be aware of the fact."

"What was wanted," Mr. Murray continued, "was not merely a study of navigation and seamanship, but a thorough knowledge of ship's husbandry, and a thorough knowledge of stowage of cargo, of exchanges, and other commercial information which would qualify a master to act, if necessary, as the representative of his employer in the character of merchant; the commander of a ship being in law considered the representative of the owners of the property on board. It was further urged that a merchant had no means of accurately ascertaining the character and capability of shipmasters or of seamen, and really depended for the safety of his property upon his insurances."

For these reasons, with a view to maintain the supremacy of Great Britain in commercial navigation and enterprise, Mr. Murray proposed to establish "a Board or Department of Commercial Marine," at the same time pointing out that the want of such a department was greatly felt in the preparation of