Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-09-12 00:00:00

TRADE

Sir,—Amongst the various grievames uucw'
which British Shipping is -labouring, theta is one
you have not alluded to in any of the valuable
l
leading articles which have lately been decoL
by you to the advocacy of the just claims 9f t'a
great Interest to freedom. •
Linder the 214th section of the Merchant Shir
ping Act, any seaman is empowered to break
contract, and leave his ship at hOme or abroao!,
for the purpose of entering on board any of her
Majesty's vessels.
It is well known that on distant stations, wherhe
seamen are scarce, the arrival in port of a BritPi
Man-of-war is accompanied by a- break-up °r
discipline. On board British merchant ships; r,
is it restored till the vessel of war takes he
departure ;, and if any attempts are made to
enforce order, up goes the red shirt, and awaY g
part of the crew

The Accountant-general of the navy is e 93-
powered to reimburse shipowners for any nwrie'
loss, arising from the providing of substitutes
suchloss. bing the smallest portion of the ille011;
verilence. Yet the recovery of this loss is
,t
hedged about with difficulties and trouble,
very little of it is. ever claimed or got bacly;
while, any money due to the sailor leaving c a
serting is the proper_ term). his ship, is demanded,
at the time by the officer: taking him away.
The Marseilles 'Correspondent of the Ti/i,le,;
having recently witnessed this .one-sidediust''
called public attention to the annoyance. ger°
are his words :

I believe that, according to the Merchant ShiPP,/7
Act, the master is entitled to claim from the AdmiPo
in cases where any of his crew
Queen's service, the difference between- tueir wages
what he has to pay to- replace them. Unfortuata
the formalities are so intricate and dilatory, that oo"

Ai-Lacer iut° toy

prefer losing their money to losing their time and, tePry
per in dancing attendance at Somerset House, it.cia
not be the , wish of the nation, when the sliP.ca
chews itself So willing to aid in gicod
councils of

interes
force

and authority to th

in the present emergency, by 'sending itch u`7,
hands into the navy, that peouni•iry loss sh°l‘'
11nNsr -)! • - • CO
patriotic duty., The 111_,

goof a

Under these' circumstances it would prevent a good' if
of heart-burning, smooth many difficulties, and- ethe
facilitate the, entry of men in foreign ports, if
zat
Admiralty *ere to give notice,thatthe reimbursetteir
of losses arising to merehantmen, from any of t tif
crews volunteering into the navy,-would be proillY

-
made. -
hat
Such is one instance of the „free trade t
shipowners are blessed with.—Your obedient
yaut, A VICTIM

Liverpool, Sept. 10, 1859,

TILE -GR-EAT
• DREADFUL

EASTERN'
ACCIDENT.

PORTLAND, Saturday, l 0 A•3l;ile
The Great F-Igtern has just anchored. 03 `
passage froth, the Nore, of Hastings, at six
a terrific explosion occurred in the funnel CO'l-,L
of the forward.boilers • the fittings of the g' to
saloon and. lower deck_ cabins were blow3jea
pieces ; thirteen firemen and stokerswere scald
or burnt,. two.. are since dead, one jumped <ea
board, and was drowned. Five are not expect

to recover. -
By an almost miraculous interposition, 110
senger was inku:ed..
The names of the men .killed: are John 13°.
Millwall, fireman ; Michael Mahone, LiverP.,o:
ditto (jumped overboard); Edward Patrick . s,
mon. Those. severely hurt are. Michael 3111:1°,a,,-
E.. Edwards,. J. Yoxon, Liverpool ;
Rotherhithe ;. :William Sparks,. Mile-end ;
William RH, Peebles. The slightly injured
tiff illiam Bristow. Rawlinson. ft)
The ship and. machinery with the exception
the burst. funnel are all right..

PORTLAND HARBOUR, September I°'oo
Yesterday,. at. six p.m., an. accident occurredia
board the Great: Eastern. The feedwater c3OO
of the foremost chimney collapsed,, owing to s°,l;
neglect. Several stokers are seriously injill'ej.
three since dead. No passengers are init. pt
The ship, and machinery are uninjured, enile
main. cabin fittings, which are damaged. hip
working. of the engines continued.,. and the rt.
proceeded. uninterruptedly on her voyage to -1-°
coned) J. SC.OTT RUSSELL'

six other d

irectors

IMPROVEMENT IN GENTLEMEN'S

nd SIMPSO:
.e Hat yiu

St. Geo:

rhe Hat you made for me fits
ble, tna

Messrs. KIN EAR AND SLIIPSO
Diu Str.s,—l have great 13

windy weather
Tours truly.

Messrs. KINNENR AND SI'MYSCIN L.
GE.NTLEME'N,---1 have much pleas
the Hat which I received from you tb

me m every respect. The ije
renders it, in my opinion; one of
venient Hats ever yet produced
I can confidently recommend it
t fully,

The ah