Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-08 00:00:00

RE PC RT

by Mr. Morgan, H.M. Consul at 13,11 a, on tho -trade of tba

port for the year, 1856.

Table No. 2 gives an accurate detail of the foreign and national
navigation of this port. British Shipping is, and has been
some time, at a d,st-onnt both here and at Rio de. Janeiro. No
merchant will charter a British vessel it they can find a foreign
one to load, and to the latter 2s to 5s is snore freely offered to
secure them. This arises from the little attention bestowed by
British shipmasters to the cargoes of produce entrusted to them.
Hence, therefore, the Swedes, _Norwegians, Danes, and Get-
man flags always command a prtfirenc3—even a Portuguese
will be chartered in prefetence to a British vessel.
This state of affairs is, unfortunately, only one side of the
qut3stion. In England Ihe same preference ob During
the last year no less than twenty-four foreign vessels arrived
at this port with cargoes taken in at home. At present one
British firm established here has six foreign vessels chartered
in England, conning out 19aded with cards to his consignrnr nt,
and the reason adduced for such a preference is, that foreign
vessels, being sure of commanding a freight homeward, or to
the continent, are willing to accept lower freights outwards to
the Braz.l,t, been's° they obtain higher frioghts when they
come into competition with British shipping. Another cause,
which perhaps is unknown to British owners at home, militates
strongly against the employment of British ships, anl that is,
some agents or shiphrokers generally charter vessels on their
own account, which having only a limited time to load, are
filled up to the main hatch to make it appear that they are
nearly loaded and ready for sea, When the lay days expire,
those sh;pbrolters, in order not to pay demurrage, fill up the
sides of the vessel, and cover valuable property with coals !
What is the consequence? Manufactured Fools shipped at
Liverpool, such as cambrics, musli,ss, &c., or fine articles are
all spoiled, a—el the consignees out here very naturally object
to their property being endangered either by the speculations
of a shipbroker, or by the carelessness of a firiti,h shipmaster.
These facts are notorious, and I regret my duty obliges me
to make mention of them, but if British shipowners at home
do not wish to see the important carrying trade with Brezil
growing every day more important, fall into the hands of our
rivals, they must bo more exacting with their brokers, and
more particular as to the manner in whirls the masters of their
ships load and discharge the property entrusted to their care.
There were letters also from the Law Amendment
Society, as to the approaching meeting at Birmingham, of
the National Association fir the Promotion of Social
Science ; referred to the Committee on Commercial Law ;
and from Messrs. Bonit and Co., on the Merchant Shipping
Act, referred to the Shipowners' Association for their
opinion. It was ordered that an adjourned meeting of the
Council be held on Wednesday, at one o'clock, to receive
a statement from Mr. J. Freeman, relative to the present
state of affairs in India.

WATERLOO AND SEAFORTH LOCAL BOARD