JOHN MURRAY ROBERTSON, examined by Mr. Smyth, stated: I am an engineer, employed as second engineer on the P. S. _Ozone_. I have been about twenty-six years at sea, and I hold a chief engineer’s certificate. I know what the dimensions of the _Alert_ were, and I know where her machinery was. It was placed aft. She had only one mast. The grating over the stoke-hole should have had a covering on it of iron, wood, or tarpaulin. In my opinion it is not right to have a window in the front of the poop in a sea-going vessel going outside the Heads. It should be blocked up with a door, or shutter opening outwards. If below the level of the bulwarks, it was not safe to have such an aperture in a vessel like the _Alert_. I knew the covers for the coal bunkers. They should have been fastened down. I think a second mast would have been an advantage to the _Alert_. Cross-examined by Mr. Purves: The _Ozone_ is a very fast boat, and we often have heavy weather going down the Bay. Sometimes we have a lot of water on the deck. Our bunker lids have something that fastens them down when they are turned round a bit. The _Ozone_ could not jump them off, because they fit in a socket. I should think the _Alert_ was a sea-worthy ship if she had been further at sea. It is often the case that a captain has to bring the head of his steamer to the wind and lay to; when that is done, we steam easy ahead just to keep steerage way on her. I presume the _Alert_ was sea-worthy when the Board of Trade gave her her certificate. Re-examined by Mr. Smyth: I would not say the _Alert_ was an ocean going vessel. I would call her a coasting steamer. Occasionally there is worse weather near the land than out on the ocean. I did say there are means by which a man could batten down the window in the poop. _Q._—How would a man batten down on the iron frame-work? _A._—In the iron I should put some small holes and put a plate over it. I would make the holes with a hammer and chisel. It would take half an hour. _Q._—Where would you get the iron plate? _A._—It is a queer ship if there is not a bit of iron on board. Of course it would be better to have an iron door outside fastened on hinges.