instances to that cause, and where the smoking has been discontinued the sight has improved.

Question-You said, I think, that in deciding for colours candidates have to arrange coloured wools?-Yes, they have to arrange greens, reds, &c.; they are all mixed up, and the candidates have to pick them out, compare them, and sort those of the same colour. It is really the Holmgren test.

Question-After a candidate has been passed and admitted into the service, are there any tests subsequently applied ?-Not unless he is reported by his commander. We have found some men colour-blind after being some years at sea and in possession of Board of Trade certificates. There was one instance of an officer who was found to be quite colour-blind, and was consequently tranferred to a clerkship in the office. He had been passed by the Board of Trade, but not by us, as at that time we accepted Board of Trade certificates, and did not have our own examinations for sight. Since we have found these various cases, we have realized the necessity of having our own examination, and have called the notice of the Board of Trade to the fact. I have with me copies of correspondence which passed between Mr. Barnes and Sir Thos. Gray pointing out the fact to him that we have to reject so many young officers for defective sight. The Board of Trade admit the test should be more severe.

Question-Have you never heard of cases in which the failure of the eyesight of officers has led to accidents?-I cannot say that I have. The case of the gentleman I have mentioned who was colour-blind was discovered, I suppose, simply from his being on the bridge of the vessel with another commander. He rose to be a chief officer before it was discovered. His weakness might have led to accidents.

Question-Have you any statistics drawn up with regard to these cases?-Not beyond these facts that we are rejecting young officers. In a letter dated the 9th April, 1889, to Sir T. Gray, Mr. Barnes referred to the many painful interviews with candidates who have wasted six or seven years learning their profession with the expectation of entering our service, and who, when the height of their ambition is about to be realised, find we are compelled to reject them on account of defective vision. In one case a young fellow, with a new Board of Trade certificate, who seemed a desirable man, could not read letters 2 to 15 inches long 20 yards from the window. In the last two years a considerable percentage of the candidates passed by us, as in other respects satisfactory, have failed in the sight test for colour or distance vision; mostly the latter.

Question-Do you find any improvement in the Board of Trade examinations since you have written to them upon the subject of colour-vision?—I think they are getting more particular, from what I can learn from young officers.

Question-Another branch of our enquiry is as to what precautions are taken as to the vision of seamen ?-We accept

With

the Board of Trade certificate which they have to obtain. out that we do not admit them. We have no test for Lascars. Some of our ships are manned by them; but the look-out men are always Europeans.

Question-That leads to the question of what are the responsibilities of look-out men ?-It is a very important position, as they have to report everything seen by them to the officer in charge of the bridge; though often he sees objects before the look-out man, because he is in a higher position. It would be a bad thing if a look-out man was colour-blind.

Question-Does he only have to report "light ahead?"-Yes, or on one bow or the other; but he usually gives the signal with a gong, striking once if the light is right ahead, twice if it is on the port bow, and three times if on the starboard bow. He would very likely sing out, "green light," or whatever it might be, after striking the gong.

Question-Do you think the question of colour for the seaman important?-Not so important as for the officer.

Question-Supposing a vessel suddenly emerged from a fog, and a green light was seen on the port side and a red one somewhere else, would it be necessary for the look-out man in that case to say where the green and red light was?-Yes, it would be of great importance if he could.

Question-Supposing you had a foreigner, say a Welshman, who only knew Welsh, if he sang out the Welsh for red, which I believe is very like green, would it not be nearly as bad as if he were colour-blind?-Quite.

Question-And then take the case of a German seaman, for instance?-They all understand the colours. We should not ship him unless he had sufficient experience to know port from starboard and red from green, and was familiar with the English expressions for them.

Question-If you rejected him he could probably be shipped somewhere else; I presume you think the company or vessel might be at a disadvantage by shipping a man who was colourignorant although not colour-blind?—Yes.

Question-There seemed to be some doubt as to whether it was necessary for the look-out man to have perfect vision for colour and form ?-It is most necessary (especially when in close proximity to a light, and the vessel perhaps altering her course). The look-out man should sing out immediately red or green light, as he may see it before the officer on the bridge, should a sail, for instance, happen to hide it from him.

Question-Do you know of any accidents that have been traced to absence of colour-vision?-I cannot say we have traced one actually to it, but we have had suspicions about it, and they naturally have led to special enquiry. In addition to the case I have mentioned there was another officer, a second officer, who, upon being questioned, was found to have his sight affected. In all such cases we insist upon their leaving.

Question-With regard to shipping Lascars, you say they do not take look-out duty?-They are a sort of assistant look-outs ; they have no responsibility, as that always rests with a European. There are generally two on the look-out together, one European and one Lascar. As a rule they pick up a certain quantity of English, and they have very good eyesight, though I do not know as to their colour-vision; they do not go through any examination. Between the two, that is to say the European who has picked up a certain amount of Hindustani, and the Lascar a certain amount of English, there is an understanding between them.

Question-Do you think the precautions taken by the Board of Trade with regard to seamen are sufficient?—I would not say they are stringent enough. They examine by means of coloured lights in a narrow passage, and the man has to call the colours. The naming of colours I consider to be a right test, as well as matching colours, on account of cases of colour-ignorance. Seamen might not know the names of all colours possibly; but as long as they name red and green without mistakes, that would be sufficient.

Question-Have you ever met anybody who called a light a black light?-No.

Question-Do you consider that the coaching for the Board of Trade certificate, which is known to be practised, might be the cause of the comparative ease with which defective colourvision men get the certificate?—I do not think the coaching is sufficient to account for it.

Question-Does your examination include coloured lights?— No, coloured wools only; the Board of Trade use the coloured lights.

Question-We may take it that you examine all the officers, and you accept the Board of Trade shilling certificate for the men? Yes, we always insist upon that. All officers, from the first to the fifth, go through our tests.

Question-Have you any suggestions you would like to make with regard to the tests?-I think not, except that the Board of Trade cannot be too severe with their examinations, and a little strong pressure might be brought to bear upon them in this direction. We should be glad to have the examinations made sufficiently reliable to relieve us of the necessity of doing what they ought to do.

LETTERS RECEIVED BY THE COMMITTEE BEARING ON THE ENQUIRY.

7680

"No.

1602

"Pall Mall,

"27th May, 1890.

"SIR, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 20th instant, and to acquaint you in reply, that tests for Colour Vision are invariably used in the case of all candidates presenting themselves for Commissions in Her Majesty's Service.

"Holmgren's wools being the most convenient, are employed in a systematic manner to detect any defect.

"The plan consists in making the candidate match certain test colours from the heap of wools.

"I am to add that recruits are not tested for Colour Vision. "I have the honour to be, Sir, "Your obedient Servant,

Sir,-I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge your letter of 2nd instant, and in reply to acquaint you that there are no statistics regarding Colour Blindness compiled in this Department.

"I have the honour to be, Sir,

"Your obedient Servant,

"RALPH THOMPSON.

"The Secretary to the Committee,
"The Royal Society,
"Burlington House, W."

"(Modified after the Regulations issued from the Horse Guards, by Prof. Longmore, in 1868.)

"Each test dot on this card is one-fifth of an inch square, and corresponds, at a distance of 15 feet, with the bull's-eye, 2 feet square, at 600 yards, required by order to be distinctly seen by every acceptable recruit.

"Men. With perfectly acute vision these test dots ought to be clearly visible in full daylight at 19 yards.

"1. Expose the card in full daylight at a distance of 15 feet from the candidate.

"2. Examine each eye separately, taking care that the unused eye be merely covered, not pressed upon or closed.

"3. Vary the number and position of the dots by covering some of them and moving the card.

"4. Test each eye as to recognition of colour."

"Civil Service Commission,
"Westminster,

"28th May, 1890.

"SIR,-In reply to your letter of the 20th instant, I am directed by the Civil Service Commissioners to inform you that in the medical examinations conducted by them no tests of Colour Vision are employed, except in the case of the examination for the India Civil Service, where the tests used are of the simplest character.