Certification of
Engineers
Whilst
the evolution of the static steam engine which provided power for great leaps
in industry ashore in the 18th century to its subsequent later
efficient use in transforming sea transportation of people and goods is
fascinating, it is only peripheral to this piece. However, a few salient points
need making.
In
spite of experimentation early in the 19th century, it was not until
the compound engine became efficient enough to transport not
only its own weight and that of its fuel (which was not a consideration in
sail, apart from extra canvass and cordage aboard) and carry cargo profitably, that
steam power became a serious rival to sail. This only really began in the 1860s
and even then, was patchy. Wrapped up with iron production, steamships were
almost exclusively built in the heavy industrialised areas such as the Clyde
(which incidentally did not have much of a traditional wooden shipbuilding
industry). And, it was not until the triple expansion engine came into being in
the 1880s (along with steel as a replacement for wrought iron in cylinders)
that steam was really in the ascendancy. However, as already
stated in the section on certification of seamen officers, iron and steel,
along with other technical improvements kept sailing vessels competitive in
some trades for a surprisingly long time.
So,
a scheme of certification for engineers as of 1862 can be seen as being, if not
visionary, a sensible action. It was, however, rather a long time in coming if
one considers the conclusions of a number of House of Commons Select Committees
of the 1840s into serious accidents and losses of steamships. Also, as with
seamen, certification in the colonies began for engineers with the passing of
The Merchant Shipping (Colonial) Act, 1869.
Anyway,
the bureaucratic systems employed were identical to that of seamen officers,
there being certification by competency, or service. Therefore, the bulk of the
records are held at the T.N.A. The application forms for engineers are once
again held by the N.M.M. However, Lloyd’s of London took no interest, so there
were no ‘Lloyd’s Engineers Registers’.
However,
there were very real differences in application. Firstly, it is important to
realise the scale of operation, as compared with the certification of seamen
officers, as this has a direct effect on making searches. While not directly
comparable, in the first seventeen years there were approximately 20,000
foreign-going masters’ certificates of competency issued; but approximately
only 11,000 of both 2nd and 1st class engineers’
certificates of competency issued. While this is easily explainable by the
limits of technology, if anything this disparity grows as time goes on. This
then could be regarded as surprising, as in the 20th century there
were generally more engineering officers employed in running vessels than
seamen officers: especially in large vessels where there could literally be
dozens of engineers, but only a handful of seamen.
The
answer is that an unknown but great number of engineers, either did not hold
certificates at all (in all likelihood far more prevalent in the 19th
century), or were ‘under’ certificated. I know that the former definitely still
happened in the 1920s and the latter in the 1960s. Recourse to the original
amending legislation of 1862 makes this all too understandable though.
Foreign-going steamships of over one hundred nominal horse power were required
to have one engineer possessing a 1st class certificate of
competency or service and another with a 2nd class certificate of
competency or service. Foreign-going and home-trade steamships carrying
passengers of lesser engine capacity were required to have one engineer only
with a 2nd class certificate of competency or service. My
understanding is that this aspect was never updated and many companies merely
adhered to the minimum requirements. And, as the penalty for infringing these
regulations was a maximum fine of fifty pounds for each offence (which was
identical to employing unqualified seamen officers), this was hardly a
deterrent considering the sums involved in the shipping business (even in the
1850s and 1860s).
There
were some updates however. In time an extra grade of ‘extra engineer’ was
instituted. And, when diesel engines finally became more popular in British
vessels ‘motor vessel’ tickets came into force.
In
finishing the historical aspects, I would like to point out one other
similarity with the system for seamen and one difference. Not only were the
standards of examination not uniform, but in engineering circles it was claimed
that bribery could be employed in order to gain certification at Falmouth at
one time. Also, in the earlier decades at least there was no formal training
for aspiring marine engineers, overwhelmingly
application forms show apprenticeships ashore: sometimes in trades where it is
difficult to imagine transferable skills.
In
many respects these ledgers are similar to those of certificated seamen
officers. Here too there is a great disparity to the standard of information
recorded. However, at best this can be highly impressive.
Recently
I have realised a point that researchers may find useful and
relates to those holding service certificates. Apparently there were no such
certificates issued with numbers 4,219 to 4,999. This can be useful in trying
to decypher entries cancelled with a line through
them.
For
those interested in the earliest period, in the 1864 edition of the Mercantile Navy List there is a .listing of certificated
engineers.
Additionally,
one Board of Trade precedent book (TNA: PRO BT 167/168) includes engineers
cautioned between 1927 and 1955. These can be useful, because often such
professional errors are not mentioned elsewhere.
Again
much of the historical background to this section was gained from study of the
original legislation. Similarly, an excellent account of the technical
evolution of steam-powered merchant shipping can be gained from Robert Gardiner
(Editor): The Advent of Steam - The
Merchant Steamship before 1900 (London: Conway Maritime Press, 1993).
Additionally, an older publication, K.T. Rowland: Steam at Sea - A History of
Steam Navigation
(Newton Abbott: David & Charles, 1970) gives a longer and wider overview of
this subject and includes warship propulsion.
The
following gives some idea of what can be found in these forms:-
Example of an early Board of Trade register entry for
a 1st class Engineer’s Certificate of Service
Go to Certification of Engineers: rules 1862
Go to the Certification of Seamen Officers