Bare-Faced Messiah (PDF) - Apologetics Index

Mary Sue Hubbard's letter to Sir John Foster
(From the Foster Report, 1971, chapter 8, pages 167-9)
In a letter to me dated 6th November 1969 Mrs. Hubbard complained as follows: -
"In 1967 the Board of Trade made two dangerous stipulations with regard to a vessel we had
purchased. The first of these was that the scuppers on the main deck be fully welded shut which
would have prevented the drainage of water if the vessel had taken any seas over the side.
The second was that the forward and aft hatches be welded shut which would have prevented us
from using the kedge anchor and from handling any emergency situation which might have
developed in one of the holds.
When we could not get these two restrictions lifted, we were forced to safeguard the vessel and the
lives of those who sailed in her by placing the vessel under foreign registry thereby circumventing
the necessity to comply."
216. The Board of Trade is of course responsible for the safety of United Kingdom registered ships
under the relevant legislation. According to its records, the sequence of events was as follows: -
(1) On 7th November 1967, they received a telephone call from the Solicitor to the new owners of
the Motor Vessel called the "Royal Scotsman" (but now re-named the "Royal Scotman") which had
previously been used as a passenger / cargo ship on the Irish Channel service. The purpose of the
enquiry was to ask whether the vessel could be re-registered as a pleasure yacht and cleared for a
voyage to Gibraltar. He was told that re-classification would require considerable modification of
the vessel, and that clearance for such a voyage would require (under the Safety of Life at Sea
Convention 1960) valid load line, cargo ship construction, safety equipment and radio certificates.
(2) The vessel thereupon put into Southampton, where the owners attempted to clear her with the
Port Authorities as a whaling ship. In response to that application, and having regard to her
condition, the Deputy Principal Officer there issued a provisional detention order on 24th November
1967 to prevent her from putting to sea until the necessary safety provisions had been complied
with.
(3) The owners next requested clearance for a single voyage to Brest, saying that they intended to
have the repairs carried out there. Such a voyage would of course have been comparable with the
short runs on which the vessel had previously been engaged.
(4) Surveys for load line and safety construction certificates are in such cases delegated by the
Board of Trade to approved Classification Societies, and in the present case these were referred to
Lloyd's Register. By 28th November 1967, Lloyd's surveyors were in a position to give the relevant
certificates, but limited to a single voyage to Brest and valid until 6th December 1967 only. By that
date also, the Board of Trade had been able to satisfy itself that the safety equipment and radio
were sufficiently in order for such a short cross-channel run. The vessel would not in her then
condition have been cleared for a voyage to Gibraltar.
(5) Accordingly, the "Royal Scotman" was cleared on 28th November 1967 for a single voyage to
Brest, and she sailed on the same day. She did not however put in to Brest, but continued to
Gibraltar and beyond.