‘File 12/16 Merchant Shipping Acts and instructions to Consuls’ [‎100r] (199/272)

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Engagement or embarkation
(g) In reporting an engagement or embarkation in a ship for Con
veyance, the name, rating and Dis.A No. of the seaman, the names
of the ship from which previously discharged and that in .which the
engagement or passage is taking place should be stated, together with
the date of engagement or departure, and allotment particulars. The
previous Sealot cable referring to the seaman should always be quoted.
(h) Particular care should be taken to include particulars of allot
ments in Sealot cables as indicated in the section dealing with allot
ments (paras. 17-21).
(32) Recovery of Health .—Seamen discharged from their ship from
sickness or injury will in the majority of cases revert to Merchant Navy
Reserve Pool pay, as from the date they become fit for sea service
again (see paragraph (13)). It will be appreciated, therefore, that a
cabled report of fitness must be made in all cases and when made,
must state, without reservation, that the seaman Concerned was, on
the date named fit, i.e., capable of at once resuming sea service.
This means that if a Consul or Officer receives a medical report of
fitness possibly qualified by a period of convalescence or need for
weekly treatment, and even in the case of unqualified reports of fitness,
he should withhold the information until, as indicated above, he
himself is satisfied that the seaman is, in fact, fit and capable of
resuming his calling. The necessity for imposing these discretionary
powers on Consuls or Officers has arisen owing to the number of
seamen who have arrived in this country as D.'B.S. some considerable
time after a report of fitness has been made, but in a condition which
leaves no doubt that they have remained continuously unfit for sea
service from the date of commencement of illness, or injury. The
effect has been that wages, etc., have been borne on public funds,
when, in fact, they should have remained the Shipowners' liability.
( 33 ) In Circular 1751 of April, i943> it was stated that, if a seaman
is repatriated without a report having been made that he has
become fit for service, he would be assumed to have been repatriated
while unfit. In practice this has not operated as expected, Ship
owners and Shipping Federation preferring a positive statement, and
in reporting the repatriation of a seaman, it should, therefore, always
be stated whether he is being repatriated fit - or unfit fo.r
sea service. In the case of a seaman travelling on a Conveyance
Order who is landed at an intermediate port, the reports of his arrival
and subsequent departure should state whether fit or unfit
on the same basis.
(34) Consuls and Officers should reix>rt through “ Sealot ” channels
any instances of fit seamen in their charge who refuse offers of
reasonable employment, including employment in a Pool outside the
United Kingdom, and the dates and grounds of such refusals, A
reference should be made in the cables to the immediate previous
" Sealot ” cable report on each case.
(35) In the event of the death at a port of a seaman (subsequent to
his discharge) from a British ship or of a British subject serving as a
member of a crew of an Allied or foreign ship chartered or requisi
tioned by H.M. Government or otherwise under the control of H.M.
Government, the date and cause of death should be reported throug
Sealot channels. This will supersede the cable referred to in para
graph 336 of the Instructions to Consuls, 1930, and paragraph 227
of the Instructions to Officers in British Dominions, Colonies, etc., as
amplified by Circular I7 2 3 M a Y> I 94 °-
(36) Sealot cables should, so far as possible, be kept to reasonable
length, but it is desired to make it clear that it is better to cable