[Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Search] [Feedback]
	Northern Irish Legislation
You are here:  BAILII >> Databases >> Northern Irish Legislation >> MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT 1894

[Index] [Table] [Search] [Notes] [Noteup] [Previous] [Next] [Download] [Help]

MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT 1894 - SECT 7

Marking of ship.

7.(1) Every British ship shall before registry be marked permanently and
conspicuously to the satisfaction of the Board of Trade as follows:

(a)Her name shall be marked on each of her bows, and her name and the name of
her port of registry must be marked on her stern, on a dark ground in white or
yellow letters, or on a light ground in black letters, such letters to be of a
length not less than [one decimetre], and of proportionate breadth:

(b)Her official number and the number denoting her registered tonnage shall be
cut in on her main beam:

(c)[In the case of every such ship registered before the 1st day of January
1974] a scale of feet denoting her draught of water shall be marked on each
side of her stem and of her stern post in Roman capital letters or in figures,
not less than six inches in length, the lower line of such letters or figures
to coincide with the draught line denoted thereby, and those letters or
figures must be marked by being cut in and painted white or yellow on a dark
ground, or in such other way as the Board of Trade approve:

[(d)In the case of every such ship registered on or after that date, a scale
of decimetres, or of metres and decimetres denoting a draught of water shall
be marked on each side of her stem and of her stern post

(i)in figures at two-decimetre intervals, if the scale is in decimetres; and

(ii)in figures at each metre interval and at intervening two-decimetre
intervals, if the scale is in metres and decimetres:

(d)the capital letter "M" being placed after each metre figure; the top figure
of the scale showing both the metre and (except where it marks a full metre
interval) the decimetre figure; the lower line of the figures, or figures and
letters (as the case may be), coinciding with the draught line denoted
thereby; the figures and letters being not less than one decimetre in length
and being marked by being cut in and painted white or yellow on a dark ground,
or in such other way as the Secretary of State approves:

(e)In the case of every such ship registered after that date but before the
31st day of December 1974 a scale shall be marked either in accordance with
paragraph (c) of this subsection, or in accordance with paragraph (d) of this
subsection.]

(2) The Board of Trade may exempt any class of ships from all or any of the
requirements of this section, and a fishing boat entered in the fishing boat
register, and lettered and numbered in pursuance of the Fourth Part of
this Act, need not have her name and port of registry marked under this
section.

(3) If the scale ... showing the ship's draught of water is in any respect
inaccurate, so as to be likely to mislead, the owner of the ship shall be
liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

(4) The marks required by this section shall be permanently continued, and no
alteration shall be made therein, except in the event of any of the
particulars thereby denoted being altered in the manner provided by this Act.

(5) If an owner or master of a British ship neglects to cause his ship to be
marked as required by this section or to keep her so marked, or if any person
conceals, removes, alters, defaces, or obliterates, or suffers any person
under his control to conceal, remove, alter, deface, or obliterate any of the
said marks, except in the event aforesaid, or except for the purpose of
escaping capture by an enemy, that owner, master, or person shall for each
offence be liable to a fine not exceeding [#200], and on a certificate from a
surveyor of ships, or Board of Trade inspector under this Act, that a ship is
insufficiently or inaccurately marked the ship may be detained until the
insufficiency or inaccuracy has been remedied.

© 1894 Crown Copyright

BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback
URL: http://www.bailii.org/nie/legis/num_act/msa1894185/s7.html