The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-18 00:00:00

MERCANTILE MARINE BILL.

Yesterday a numerously attended meeting of t},..
shipownen, shipmasters, and others interested in British
shipricg was held at the London T , tt for the purpose
of adopting measures fora postponement of the bills &fleet-
ing the British mercantile naarine recently Introduced into
parliament, until a full and impartial inquiry should have been
instituted into the laws sad rmulatioas now in force relating
toßritish marine commerce, with a view to its relief irom all
burdens and restrictions not absolutely necessary for the
pu,ilic interests; and for the estabashment of a system
adapted to the reining position of British naeigation."
Amongst those present were the following : Mr. Hume,
M.P. ; Mr Forster, K.P. • Mr. Anderson, M.P.; fitr J.
Johnston., Bart., M.P. • Sir 3. Dabs, Bat., M.P.; Mr. J.
T. Devertux, M.P. ; Lord John Chichester, M.P. ; Mr.
Hepworth, M.P. ; Mr. Hudson, M P.; Mr. Nestle, Y.P. ;
Mr. Car, M P. • Mr. Moffatt, M.P.; Mr. Roc Mangles,
M.l" • Sir MIA Lopes. Bart., M.P. ; Mr. Wilcox, M.P. ;
Mr. George F. Young ; Sir J. PeLly, Bart., &a.
Deputations were present from the following ports and
places :—Liverpool: Mr. Lockett, Mr. Bold, Mr. Grans,
Mr. Alin, Mr. Carson. Belfast: Mr. Dunn, Mr. Huri•
son, Mr. Grainger. Shields North: Mr. Suesker, Mr.
Dryden, Mr. B akar, Mr. Shellac. Shields South . • Mr.
Robinson. Ipswich s Mr. Sheppard end Mr. Baylty. Bcar.
bsrougb : Mr. Tyndale sad Mr. Buren. Plymouth : Mr.
Pops. Kingsbridge : Mr. Balk-ill. Brigham : M . Brown.
Barnstaple and 11,clekord Mr. Chanted. Letters were re-
ceived from the following places concurring in the views of
the rtguiaitionista :—Liverpool Chamber of Commerce,
Yarmouth Shipownen' ilascitation, Hull shipawners, Kir-
kaidy shipowners' Dublin skipawnirs, Aberdeen ship-
owners, and Ltithshipowners.
Oa the motion of Mr. Gm. F. Youxo—

Mr. HUHE was voted into the chair, and said that he was
of opinion that the registration which was forced on the
British shipowners with the view of providing a supply
of ab'e seamen, had worked the reverse of what was
intended, for hy sousing ingrained expenditure, and throw-
ing impediments in the way, it prevented the great
and important improvements which might otherwise have
been cape:tad if proper and fair relief bad been afforded to
the shipping interest. (Hear.) On the present °nation they
should a I have one object inview—noion amongst themselves.
(Hear) Of tonne in an interest so varied and extensive it
was impossible to expect that diversity of opinion should net
exist, when they found that in much smaller interests each
differences prevailed. Bit they should not allow those dif-
ferences of opinion to prevail so far as would enable those
parties who profited by their divisions to prevent the govern-
ment from affording that relief which would be beneficial to
the whole body. (Hear.) It was of the utmost importance,
if they wished to have their interest properly attended
to, that each party should, however correct he
inight deem hie own individual opinion, yield something
order to be able to effect what all allowed to be foe the
g I advantage, and that biuntd action they might be
' able sincentully to prom their claims upon the government,
and to °nein that relief which they had not hitherto re-
ceived. (Hear, hear.) It was with that view and intention
that he attended the meeting that day. (Hear, hear.) He
found that the shipping interests—the shipbuilders, the
shipowners, the owners of steam and sailing vessels, repre-
senting the general shipping interest of London, had come
te the opinion that union was necessary. (Hear, hear.
There were also deputations from the principal ports of the
kingdom present, and there were letters from several
portant associations, stating that they concurred is the
views of the requisitionists. He had received a letter from Mr.
Pollock of Glasgow, in which he stated hie objection to the bill
introduced by the government gad called his (Mr. Hume's)
attention to the fact that he (Mr, Hume) had publicly
stated in parliament that when he voted for the repeal of the
navigation laws, he did so oa the understanding that the go.
vernment were pledged to take the earliest opportunity to
relieve the shipping interests of this country from all those
burdens and restrictions which were borne by them, and
from which the mercantile mariae of other °onenss wee
free. He (Mr. Hume) acknowledged the correctness of that
statement, and before they ever came to a divisin en the
I navigation laws, he told Mr. Lthouchere that such were hie
views, and that however honestly and sincerely he desired to
see the removal of the navigation laws, he could not consent
I to have the shipping interest of the Gantry, which was of
Inch consequent, and importances to its well being subjected
to a competition wish the whole world, if they were not re-
tigeni from all those burdens and restrictions which would
I prevent them from worming on fair and equal terms with
foreign nations. (Hear, hear.) Now, under then circum
stances, they were aitiliorised to call upon the somnolent
for relief to that great interest. (Cheers.) But he mast say
that the government had not manifested that readisese to
relieve them from the light dues and other charges which
they ought. (Hear, hear.) And as an anxious friend of the
shipping interest, he mast say that he considered the bill
now introduced into parliament to be a very wade measure
—(hear, hear)—one fraught with so many difficulties—one
liable to. so away valid objections.. that it mimed to him to
be impossible to reconeile OM by any mere statement made
in the House of Commons. It appeared to him that it'
I would be utterly impassible to recounts the objections against
the measure is the short tints that was now left for that pur-
pose or by means of deputations going up to the Board of
Trade. (Hon, hear.) A better man did not exist than
Mr. Labouchsrt, or one who was more willing to do justice
to all parties; but the &I/cultist' surroundiag this
question were too great to be overcome by any
individual. (Hear, hear.) The Board of Trade,
constituted se it wag of two individuals, and being
ex ever detonating body could do very little in opposition ti
the Trinity Board, which was composed of twenty men who,
however he valued them as individuals, were banded
together, and claimed to be under no control. (Hear, hear.)
He believed what they wanted was a national board to
manage the mercantile marine of the country, to be composed
of persons whose talents should entitle them to be appointed
members of it, and who could give their aucil-
Tided time and attention to the administration of that great
interest. (Cheers.) Freed from the shackles which had
heretofore bound that Janine, and relieved from the
taxes oa the raw materials which constituted the ship, he
believed it was
j onl at the commencement of that prosperity
to which it was ustly untitled. (Hear, hear.) Let only
union and good feeling prevail amongst them, and he would
&semiannual for the present, and prosperity for the future,
to that interest to which the country owed le much. (Cheers )
Mr. LOCKETT, chairmen of the Liverpool Shipowners'
Association, moved

Teat trem is rieremes sins by ben, Mojesty's semenmest, more
similly iris the Minim d perliamset oa the mist of the
=r kiwi Or WW2. Winn of the ULM* Ileibra sone •
id ea is mese eemerst et the may laremleg taped!.
voissuai exiesserfei Minim le mid& staiseems are
hem the awake Meehan, lave sad regulation, maims=

Mr. STREAKER, of North Shields, serradird the reso-
lution. lie said ass a publics siseting 011ie shipping in-
terest is North sad South Shield had base held on this

subjoin, sad they same to the determination of adopting
the resolutions which had been wired into by the lon-
ians* is London. He could not help stating that they felt
sensibly dssppoisted that the premises which had bees held
out to them whoa the saunter= laws were under dismis-
sion had sot been carried out. (Hear, hear.) He
did not think it fair that the British shipowner should
be subject to the duties on foreign timber, espeeially the
Umbers of the north of Europe, whilst they extended the
privileges of British registratios to ships manufactured in
these foreign construe. (Hew, hew.) If they wasted to
have their artisans and ship builders employed, they sh mld
sot at the same time cempel the British shipowner to pay
the duties on foreign Umber, and give the foreigner the
benefit of British registration. (Kean hear ) These were
the stows entertaised at the general meeting of shipowner
is Math Shields, and having gives expression to them, ha
would surely second the reso'stion which had been just
read. (Hear, hear.) The resolution was then put and atria
unanimously.

Hr. W. PHILLIPS, of lAndon moved:
I That it Is with extreme disappoint/sent that they have viewed
the introductim into parliament of the Mercantile Marine Mul, which
so far from extending relief to the chipping interest, is oak mated to
Increase Its Witham and embarassments, and further to disqualify
tptg;holfp27er for
etaa attet maintenan
ices which te.ol that co
new =tils with the
I while
many of its providers, are opposed to an sound principin, and are in-
'dental to improve the chancier and condition of the Braids seaman
—en object which UM meeting cordially and anxiously desires to
gr:nsidered that the measure wk.& had been in-
troduced into parliament, so far from giving any relief to the
British shipowners, would increase the burdens and hard-
ships to which they were already unjustly exposed. It was
amused that the 'MUMS of the shipowner and the seaman
was different; bat he maintained, and any man
of common sense must see, that it was the intense
of the master that those who were engaged in • his
service should be well of. (Hear, hear.) Previous to the
paseing of Sir 1. Graham's measure there were far fewer
incipient, against masters than since that period. There
was less litioation, better discipline, and good order. main-
tained beton that bill than since. (Hear, hear.) The bill
new under discussion did not abrogate that eet. It left the
British shipowners under the restrictions of which they
complained. It even went further, for professing to have
the object of benefiting the men, it increased the netrietions
en the marten. (Hear, hear.) It originated in complete
ieaoranee of the subject and many of sts clauses would be
quits inoperative. He iad known instances of British vessels
being detained for six weeks from the dillicalty of making
up their crews, se as to comply with the law, whilst
the Dutchman, the Americas, or the Swede stepped in
in the mean time end got the benefit of the freight. (Hear.)
Mr. Labouchere smuggled the repeal of the navigation laws
through the House of Commons, on the plea that they should
be relieved of all the restrictions which pressed on British
shipping. (Hear.) That wee the pledge. How did bends/ins
I'. He compelled them to men then ships with British sta-
men notoriously the dearest in the world. (Hear, hear.)
He engaged them in • 11,0111 of competition with furs igee
anions, whilst at thinune time he hemmed them round with
restrictions to which foreigners were not liable. (Hear,
hear.) The English shipowner was subject to
an expense of 1,0001, for the payment of men
and provisions in the Calcutta voyage. The Henchman
wanted only 4001. for the same purpose. Was that fair
nompetition or free trade ? (Hear, hear.) The American,
the Done, and the Swede eau:d get his crew from any part
of the world. Bat the Englishman was obliged to employ
British seamen. And were they better than others ? ide
maintained that they were worse than ever they were, be-
cause they had been cuddled and nursed too much. (Hear.)
When there wee no interfennes between the muter, aid the
men there was harmony on both sides, but things were now
changed in consequence of the unite c!.4ary interference of the
legislature in mitten which they did rot understand.
He also had to objet to the system which allowed her kia-
jetty's men of war to strip the metohant ships of their crews
in foreign pone, and to leave them bare and unmanned.
He met with • wage in a leading article of a fete-trade
organ—the Daily News—which very aptly characterized the
bill of the government as a" bill of restrictions, obstructions,
feet, penalties, and expense on British shipping, from all of
which foreign bottoms will be free ; and it is at a time when
our shipping is entering on a new era of rivalry and compe-
tition with foreigners that all these new fetters and restric-
tions are to be imposed, and by a free trade minister on the
exertions of ship-owner." (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HARRISSON (of &Past) seconded the resolution.
He felt it donee, nary to offer any observations after the
very able statement of the chairman as well as the other
gentlemen who had followed. The Belfast Shipping Society,
which he, with tw.i other gen!knien, represented at that
meeting, :Lilly concurred in the proceedings of that der, as
also in those of the London Shippicit Society, and would be
at all times happy to give tteir cordial co-operation. (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN then put tae resolution, which was
curia.

Mr. WATSON, of Dublin, prayreet ...-
That in the present nneatlafcetory, en:Ousel, sad defective state of
our maritime law, it is of the hlphe.t imporance that a comprehen-
sive and impartial inquiry should be forthwith inatiteted into the
various legialaUve enactments end regulatioiir now in force affecting
Mush shipping• with a view to the.r Fortsiadisim ar.d siroy:thcatioa
as far as practicable, and to the e4,lY.stment of a system adapted to
the present times and to the present position o: the navigation of the
empire.
Mr. ROBINSON (of South Shield') seconded the resolu-
tion, and said that toe measure of Mr. Labouchere had been
submitted to the Shipping &laity of South Shield", and
disapproved of by them, with the exception of the provision
that applied to the examination of =eaten of vessels.
Mr. G. F. YOUNG said the fact was, the merchant
seaman was brought up as a child, reared in swadlling
clothes,and taught to reject that most menial of principles,
the principle of self reheats. (Hear, hear.) No wi..hstand-
ing, they were then called upon in lttO, to pass a law, telling
the sailor not to depend upon his own exertion., a, he was
not able to take care of himself, and th-refore the law would
step in and primer. him from the rspeeicius hands of his ems
oloyer. (Hear, hear.) Was that the way to cultivate a
good spirit between the employer and the employed—(hear,
hear)—or was it consistent with the principles on
which legislaion should be based? N +w, one word
as to the burdens under which they laboured. There
was a law on the statute hook—a vary pro.ar
one, which be (Mr. Young) bad 'slimed hie friend, eh: fate
member for Estee, to carry into effect, probibitfng British
"'lips from carrying on deck timber, after the Ist of S • btu's-
bar, when enrniog from America. Now, the foreign ships
could go to Quebsc and carry one third cargo more than an
English vessel, trebles having timber on deck, yet he was to
be exposed, as a British shipper, to competition with the
owner of that foreign v.esel. (Hear, hear.) He ask- I was
that fair or consistent, or was it right that Mr. L sir-unbent,
on pretence of freeing them hem the burdens nod restric-
tions under which they laboured. come down with a
bill of pains and penalties the effect of wnich would be still
more crushing than the legislation under which they previ-
ously laboured. (Hear.) They were asked to place confidence
in the measure of the government because they had
been assured by Sir D. La Merchant that M. Labouchere
would do something, which, by the way, he had not
explained, to modify and improve that measure. It they, se
men of rents and business habi's, were prepared to swat-
low such a gilded pill as that, why they were less sensible
men than he took them for. (He ar, hear.) He hoped that
meeting sad the country at large would keep their eye on
the fact that it was not from political or factious motives
they wished the bill to be withdrawn ; but because they
eel:minded, as their right, fair dealing and justice ; and, by
bringing justice to beer on them, they would be able to
open the eyes of government to a courre which free trade
statesmen would desire to follow.

.... .
Captain MANGLES said be did not come there prepared
to discuss the question of light dues, or the quantity of
timber a vemel might be permitted to carry oe her deck.
However, he should say that, in his opinion, there were
elements of good in the present bill. He regarded it as an
element, first, that there would be a Rood saran of dis-
cipline ; secondly, that if a ship captain misbehave himself
be ghoul I be liable to punishment; and thirdly, that the
seam ta should be taken care of. (Hear, hear.) His advice
to the meeting was that they should urge the alteration of
the bill in committee, bat not require the government to
throw it out altogether. (Hear, tear.)
The CHAIRMAN then pat the rteolatioc, which wu
carried.

---Mr.OOILBY moved the fourth res:Jution for appointing
, a committee to prepare • prititioa to perliameit founded
on the foregoing resolutions, to be signed by the chairman
on behalf of the meeting, to wait upon .the president of the
Board of Trade, for the purpose of representing the views
now exprersed, and by the shipping interest in general, on
the bill in question ; to urge on her Majesty's government
the postponement of the bill, end their immediate inetituticn
of the proposed inquiry, and to adopt such other reps as
they may deem expedient for giving effect to the important
object of the meeting.
The names of the prepared committee were :—Matthew
Foster, ht P., Arthur Anderson, M.P Geo. F. Young, Sir
J. Duke, Bert, M P., Si, J. Petty, Bart., George Moffat,
M.P., Wm. Phillips,Wm.Wareon, Captain Offbnour, Capt.
Mangles, W. L. Ogilby, G. Riche/dime, with power to add
to their number.

~Mr. ANDERSON,
K P., seconded the resolution. He
felt it Decease:a to state that he attended the meeting, not as
a member of parliament. but as a shipowner. and he would
add, a disappointed shipowner. (liter, hear.) He was one
of those who differed with the great bray of shipownen on
the question of the repeal of the navigation laws, and he
considered as soon ma the law was passed, they had a right eo
Cl .fin relief from every burden that obstructed them in
the carrying on of thaw basisen. (Hear, bear.) He felt
disappointed that suck had not bean the case; and for
that reason he came forward to co-operate with Ms brother
shipowners, with a view to get rid of the grievances com-
plained of by them all in common.
Mr. AIKEN (of Liverpool) said it would appear from the
tone of certain leading articles in • portion of the press, whisk
bore the smack of official logic—(laughter)—that the ship-
owners had some ob.ect in view different to that entertained
by the masters and mates of vessel,. (Hear, hear.) Now,
he had no hesitation in laying that any measure brought
forward to improve their condition would meet this willing
and ready concurrence of the shipownert, and for the best
remit, that in doing so they were improving their own
interest. The government said that the present sys-
tem did not answer that the sailor is imposed or
by crimp.. But the government legalised those very
crimps. At the present time there were at least
100 persons in Liverpool who pursued that occupation at the
expense of the shipowners, and at the expense of the sailors,
because those swindlers were legalised by the 11.tarslot Trade.
(Cheers.) He maintained that if the *talent of the govern-
meat was the improvement of the masters, mates, and men.
I something more was required thin • mere knowledge of sea-.
manahip. (Hear.) All that they woull gain by the casual-
' nation and certificate was that a man was able to take the
command of • ship. No such examination was
required in America, bemuse eddcatioa was so widely dif-
fused there that such en examination would be unnecessary.
Mr. CLAY, M.P., mid that, lest it might be considered
they wen discussing at that meeting their own interests, and
not the improvement of the sailor, he wished to say that the
reason was, that they could not God in this bill anything that
was likely to be for the improvement of the sailors. (Hear.)
Bar J. PELLEY said that though he wee no shipowner, or
In any way interested with shipowns be should be very
ungrateful if he did not do all in his power to promote the
prosperity of an interest by means of which he possessed all he
had. (Hear.) Bat he merely rose to ear that he thought it
weuld be best for those who were practically acquainted with
the subject to consider in the first place what they required,
and to lay • statement of the means of carrying it out before
the p cot. (Hear.)
fir J. DUKE concurred in the obse rvatiina which had
jut been sada by the hon. baronet, bat he thought It
would be dangerous if the shipping interest accepted at the
bands of goverutaenl, now that the country was roused upon
tbi bllhiret, any partial sameare.
The ',volution was then pat and carried unanimously. A.
vote of thanks woe pared to the chair ',tan, and the meet-
lag separated.