TRADE, BOARD OF. The department of the English government popularly known under this title is a committee of the Privy Council, and its proper designation, which correctly defines its principal functions, is—" The Lords of the Committee appointed for the con sideration of all matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations." This department is practically under the direction of a president and vice-president ; the other members of the Board or Committee are,— the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the First Lord of the Treasury, the principal Secretaries of State, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Paymaster of the Forces, the Treasurer of the Navy, the Master of the Mint, and such officers of state in Ireland as are privy councillor's in England ; but those functionaries do not ordinarily interfere with or assist at the delibera tions of the president and vice-president. The clerks of the council are, ex officio, secretaries of the Board of Trade, but that duty is performed by two joint assistant-secretaries.
The president and vice-president of the Board of Trade exercise, in effect, the duties which in other countries are performed by the minister of commerce. Their office is not indeed executive, but rather consultative, the orders rendered necessary by their decisions being given by the Lords of the Treasury or by the secretary of state, as the case may require. The functions of this board have been of late years considerably extended, its duties being some of them of a ministerial, and others of a judicial character. It has the general superintendence of matters relating to merchant ships and seamen, and the carrying into execution of the statutes in force relating to them. For that purpose it has to require and receive various kinds of returns as to trade and navigation, and originate and consider reports made to it by its inspectors and other officers. It has also a partial control over local marine boards, and may lay down rules as to the conduct of examina tions, and as to the qualification of applicants for tho posts of masters and mates of foreign-going as well as of home-trade passenger-ships. [Stars.] It grants licences to persona to engage or supply seamen or apprentices for merchant ships in the United Kingdom, adjudicates on claims for wages, and investigates cases of alleged incompetency and misconduct (17 & Its Vict. e. 104). The Board also appoints officers to report on the condition of steam-vessels and their machinery (14 & 15 Vict. c. 79).
The Board of Trade exercises a supervision over railways and railway companies, not only with respect to their original formation, but also as to their subsequent working. Railways were first placed under this control by the statute 3 & 4 Viet. c. 97. A few years afterwards the powers of the Board in this respect were transferred to a Board of Commissioners of Railways; but in 1851 all the powers of this latter board were transferred to the Board of Trade (14 & 15 Vict. e. 64). Notices of application for Railway Acts, accompanied by plans, must be deposited with the Board, before any bill can bo introduced into Parliament ; and before a line can be opened for traffic, notice must be given to the Board, and its permission obtained, on the report of an inspector, appointed by the Board for those and other general purposes. So, when accidents occur, notice must be given to the Board, and an inspector is generally sent to inquire into the circumstances, and on his report the Board may cause alterations to be made for the greater safety of the public.
The Board of Trade, through the medium of its registrar, is also charged with the registration of all Joint-Stock Companies (19 & 20 Viet. c. 47). By the statute giving a copyright in designs, their registration is effected by the Registrar of the Board of Trade (5 & 6 Viet. c. 100; 0 & 7 Viet. a 65 ; 13 & 14 VieL c. 104 ; 14 St 15 VieL c. 8 ; 15 & 16 Vice. c. 6). The Board also controls the proceedings of the Commissioners for regulating the employment of coal-whippers and the discharge of coal laden vessels in the port of London (6 & 7 Viet. c. ci. (local and personal); 9 & 10 Viet. a xxxvi ; 14 & 15 Viet. a lxxviii.) A department of the Board of Trade has the Immediate con trol of the Government schools and museums of science and art, as explained under SCIENCE AND ART, DEPARTMENT OP. Lastly, another departmeot of the Board of Trade is charged with the collection and publication of tables, containing information with respect to the revenue, trade, commerce, wealth, population, and other statistics of the United Kingdom and Its dependencies, as well as of foreign countries. The officers of another department collect and prepare the tables of the prices of corn, which formerly, and before the abolition of the corn-laws, regulated the amount of duty, and still govern the rent charge in lieu of tithe under the Tithe Commutation Act (131ackst. Comm.,' Mr. Kerr's edit.).