The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-22 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

AAG,normAA...
RISTILICTIONG ON EMIOMATION TO AMEN ICA.—Yeder.
day (Wednesday) a meeting of shipowners and others
Islemialed in doe seamen* el suiee ego held in the
liediseeditem'essem aC lie liforpeell Modemige, for the pu-
mmel 4s,ldeg mew 1111renweiy a PiIIOMMIT to which Sae
GSM IoT W4SON4 dB, imMIMILiot the recent Americas
law. IL G. Cbsymae, Seq., urea called to the
chair. The act in quedss, he said, would curtail seriously
indeed the number of permitted to be taken benee
in merchant ships to U ted States. There could not be
a doubt, lie considered (u the act would be oppreceive to
American u well ado British shipping) that the objectof the
congress in pulsing it was to prevent any alarming influx of
pauper grants • from Ireland. But as the act was only
in arch, and has to come into operation on the
=oaf May, it had taken the shipowners of this country
unawares; and therefore it was for the meeting to consider
the steps which should be taken to procure as extension
of the time fixed for the operation of the act, to ships
which bad entered into arrangement' for the conveyance .af
ensigrenta before news of the passing of the set arrived.
The law required a specs of 14 superficial feet for each par
senger ; and the consequence was, that it would abridge, he
believed, the number of peseengers to nearly half the present
amount. Mr. Coulborn thought the act, instead of being
injurious, would be advantageous to the British shipownery.
bemuse it would have the effect of doing away, in a great
measure, with emigration to New York, and swedes
ray induce it to our possessions in Canada. He
agreed in the desirability of the object sought by the ereseni
meeting; but as there was a shipowners' association in
Liverpool, ke thought any representation would have more
strength if it came front them.—Mr. Leesport, the bon,
secretary, thought it was better for the individuals affected
to take the matter up. The parties convening the meeting
did not object to the United States government making
what arrangements they thought proper, but did object Us
their giving so short a notice of the pawing of an act im-
posing heavy penalties, as to inflict a hardship on individuals
who bad made arrangements in ignorsoce of its provisions.
—Mr. Shute moved a resolution to the effect that the provi-
sions of the new act, of which positive intelligence arrived
only by the Hibernia, are seriously oppressive is the case of
shipowners who had entered into engagements tor the con-
veyance of passengers prior to that dye.—Mr. CllllOOO
seconded the resolution, which was maid.—Mr. Lamport
then moved that a memorial should be presented to Lord
Palmerston, praying him to make such representations to
the ministers at Washington as to exempt from the opera,.
don of the act vessels which had entered into arrangements
before the arrival of the Hibernia, and that a deputation el
three be appointed to present the memorial.—Seconded by
Mr. Anderson, and carried.—After some conversation, the
draft of a memorial for this purpose was agreed upon ; and
with a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting separated.
BRORT•TIME WORKING AND STOPPAGM Or Id ILLS.
Many mills in this town, says the Manchester Courier, closed
on Saturday, and at others notice was give* that they would
be closed at the end of the prevent week. At Rochdale, from
fifteen to eighteen mills are standing at the present tints,
with a weekly accession to their number. At Oldham, two
of the largest concerns in the town that have hitherto worked
full time, have adopted short hours. At Ashton and Staly-
bridge, individual firms now working *bedtime intend closing
entirely, as soon as they have exhausted their present stock of
• cotton. At Stockport a final deci.iun will be oome to to-morrow,
: but the unanimous closing will, out of consideration for the
, operative", only be adopted on the last emergency. At
Blackburn many firms have stopped their mills entirely, and
,at Pr. !ton ••tote t•as been given to the hai,te. T.i roMitieg

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