Accommodation: minimum requirements for merchant mariners in 1854

Source: An Act to amend and consolidate the Acts relating to Merchant Shipping: General Public Statutes; 17^th & 18^th Victoria; 1854; Cap. CIV

[10^th August 1854.]

This Act may be cited for all Purposes as “The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854…”.

CCXXXI. The following Rules shall be observed with respect to Accommodation on board; (that is to say,)

1. Every Place in any Ship occupied by Seamen or Apprentices, and appropriated to their Use, shall have for every such Seaman or Apprentice, if they sleep in Hammocks, a Space of not less than Nine Superficial Feet, and if they do not sleep in Hammocks, a Space not less than Twelve Superficial Feet, measured on the Deck or Floor of such Place:

2. Every such Place shall either be Six Feet in Height from Deck to Deck, or shall have for every Seaman and Apprentice, if they sleep in Hammocks, a Space of not less than Fifty-four Cubic Feet, and if they do not sleep in Hammocks, a Space of not less than Seventy-two Cubic Feet:

3. Every such Place shall be kept free from Stores or Goods of any kind, not being the personal Property of the Crew in use during the Voyage:

4. Every such Place shall be properly caulked, and in all other respects securely and properly constructed and well ventilated:

And if any such Place in any Ship is not in the whole sufficiently large to give such Space for each Seaman and Apprentice as herein-before required, or is not properly caulked and in all other respects securely and properly constructed and well ventilated, the Owner shall, for every such Failure to comply with the Provisions of this Section, incur a Penalty not exceeding Twenty Pounds; and if any such Space as aforesaid is not kept free from Goods and Stores as aforesaid, the Master shall for every such Failure to comply with the Provisions of this Section incur a Penalty not exceeding Ten Pounds.

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