The discussion in Committee on Monday last on the Merchant
Shipping Bill turned chiefly on Mr. Plimsoll's amendment re- spiring the inspection and classification of all ships which are =permitted to go to sea, either by the Government, or by any respectable agency, such as Lloyd's. The Government, on -the contrary, maintained that to compel inspection and classi- fication would take away the responsibility of the ship- owner,—which is like maintaining that any State which punishes quacks who practise medicine without a licence or medical degree, strikes at the root of the responsibility of regular 'professional men who do hold a diploma, but who neglect their patients in spite of it. However, the Government beat Mr. Plimsoll by a majority of 137 (247 to 110). We fear that there is some foundation for the hint dropped by Mr. Plimsoll that the public interest on this subject is liable to marked fluctuations, which may at any time substitute for enthusiastic pity for our endangered seamen a cold fit of partial, if not complete indifference.
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