The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-03 00:00:00

SCARCITY OF SHIPWRIGHTS AT LIVERPOOL.

The insufficient supply of mechanics to meet the
demand of the ship-builders of this active port was again
the subject of deliberation at a meeting of the Liverpool
Ship-bailden' Association, held on Tuesday last. To meet
the want of men Mr. Grayson proposed that the journey-
men be in the first instance called upon to increase the pre-
sent number of abipwrights from 1,700 to 2,000. But here
a difficulty arose, inasmuch u while in most ports of the
kingdom the termed apprenticeship is limited to five or six
years, the Liverpool apprentices are bound according to the
old and stupid custom requiring seven years' servitude. In
this way the Liverpool apprentices nearly out of
their time, would see youths of no longer stand-
ing than themselves taking wages while they were
serving their masters without. This it was thought might
be easily remedied, if it were made a provision that for a
g:Doer two, as the ease might be, these men should pay the
, men's society a per centime of five or ten per cent.,
'easy other amount they might fix upon, towards the sup-
rathe society, for when all was said and done, he be-
the operatives' society had kept to its legitimate
obPeet, to mist the poor, sick, aged, and for the burial of
the dead. Mr. Grayson further proposed that every master
in the emaciation should give up his apprentices who were
now in their seventh year, that is to pay, that all from six
years upwards should be at once made journeymen, they,on
their own part, also paying &contribution, which he would
entirely leave to the journeymen themselves to settle, but
paying a contribution towards the support of the society.
This would show the men that the masters were prepared
In make their share of the sacrifice required by the pressure
of themes. The speaker then developed a plan for nicer-
:Vag& the wants of the trade as tar as labour was con-
, and further, to introduce a system of arbitration by
appointing a committee of masters and men to regulate the
introduction of new labour.
After a brief discussion, the motion was carried, and the
consideration of the propriety of advertising for strangers
deferred. In the course of the conversation, a doubt was
expressed as to whether there were 1,700 shipwrights in
Liverpool, and it was suggested that not only the number of
men required by each master should be ascertained, but also
the number of men in each master's employ.
The CHAIRMAN read an application trout the ship joiners
for an advance of Is. per day.
A conversation followed, in which it was stated that the
ship joiners had been paid Is. per day less than the ship-
wrights, and as the wages of the latter were now 7s. per
day, they were entitled to the increase. A motion for an
increase of 61. per day was carried.
In reply to qucidiocs from the CHAIRMAN,
Mr. M'Eceoy stated that Bs. per day was being pail hr
Mr. Milligan, on a ship hi the Sandon Dock ; acd that a
Dutch master was paying at the same rate. Mr. Sotherbury
was also paying the saint wag .6.
Mr. JONES suggested that the latter gentleman should be
written to, and if he did not give a satisfactory answer that
he should be fined R.
I Mr. CROSBY reported that Mr. Sotliorbury sae carted
man down to his ship.
I • &erosion then followed as to a larger allowance rate
far apprentices, but eventually the subject was referred Ur
the consideration of the committee.
A vote of thanks w'as then passed to the chairman, and
the proceedings terminated.