546 NICHOLLS'S SEAMANSHIP AJSD NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE
The certificate of registry is inspected by Custom House officers
at home and abroad every time the ship is entered inwards or
outwards at a port. The Shipping Office routine with regard to
depositing the Register, the crew's articles of agreement and
recorduig changes m the crew as carried out at a homo port in the
Mercantile Marine Office is transacted abroad by tho British Consul.
Anchors and Chain Cables Act.—A certificate is granted by
a Lloyd's Proving House licensed by the Board of Trade for the
testing of anchors and chain cables according to this Act. Refer
back to pages 122 and 123.
The Freeboard and Load Line Certificate is granted by
the Board of Trade, or by one of the three assigning authorities,
and subsequently ratified by the J3oard of Trade. Refer also to
pages 376 to 378.
Life-Saving Appliances Safety Certificate.—The* Marino
Department of the Board of Trade is charged with the responsibility
of ensuring that the Rules and Regulations relating to the Safety
of Life and Property at Sea are complied with. The surveyors
are departmentalised as Engineer, Shipwright and Nautical
Surveyors ; the engineers attend to the engines and boilers; the
wrights to the hull and structure ; the nauticals to the navigational
and life-saving appliances. The duties of each may occasionally
overlap.
Cargo Vessels are granted a L.S.A. Certificate by the Board
, of Trade after inspection of life-saving appliances, lights, sound
signals, etc. The Surveyors are at liberty to board British ships
at any port in the U.K. to make this inspection or they may be
called in for the purpose. The period of validity of this certificate
is not specified, but they are renewed from time to time,
Passenger Vessels.—When a passenger vessel is to be surveyed,
the hull is examined in dry dock and cables ranged, shackle pins
removed and replaced, and her certificate of cables and anchors
verified. All holds and bilges are thoroughly cleaned and examined
Boats, davits and equipment, life-saving appliances, lights, signals,
compasses, lifebelts and lifebuoys, fire-extinguishing apparatus, £te.f
all inspected and passed; boats lowered into the water and