The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-07-26 00:00:00

MEETING OF SHIPWRIGHTS.

The working shipwrights who have struck for wages in
the several flock-yards on the river Thames. held a met tin 4
last week wit:t a view of adopting such resolutions as might
facilitate an amicab'e arrangement with the masters, and
from the tone of the discussion which took place, we should
think it would not he difficult to settle the diKrences that
at present exist. The suspension of labour in the-dock•
yards is calculated, if continued much longer, to do a
serious injury to ship-building in this country, and even
in a great measure to banish it from the island. In
Mr. Cock's " Case of the London Dock Company," it
is stated that in the short time which has elapsed since
the passing of Stat. 4, George IV, c. 77 (the 18th of
July 1823), by which Act foreign ships nese allowed to
import and export to and from the countries to which they
belong, on the came terms as British ships, " a vast in-
crease has already taken place in the number and ton-
nage of foreign vessels arrived from the North of
Eu-
rope, and a very general opinion still prevails among
ship-owners, that unless the registry laws ba repealed,
to admit of their building their vessels abroad, or that
great reductions takes place in the price of materials
for building and victualling, accompanied with a re-
duction of wages in this country, British shipping will,
'in a very few years, be wholly superseded in every
trade in which a foreign vessel can be employed." An
account is subjoined, the result of which is, that in the
trade with Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Prussia, anti Ger-
many, comparing 1824 with 1822, there was an increase of
688 foreign ships, comprising 123,323 tons awl 5,117 mu,
and a decrease of SS British ships, comprising 12,201 tons
and 313 men. In the trade with Russia and Belgium,
increase of 321. foreign Airs, 30,361 tons, 1,279 men ; de-
crease of 161 British ships, 16,060 tons, and 877 men.
In both trades together, an increase of 1.012 foreign ships,
153,584 tons, 6,396 men ; and a decrease of '219 British
ships, 28,261 tons, and 1,390 men.
These circumstances certainly deserve the serious consi-
deration of the English working shipwrights, especially as
there is a clause in the New Ship Registry Act, which em-
powers his Majesty, by Order in Council, to allow persons
who may not get their ships repaired in the river Thames,
to proceed for that purpose to foreign ports. We are sure
that the Ministers would very reluctantly advise his Ma-
jesty to resort to such a measure ; but the interests of com-
merce will demand it, unless the diff•renees between the
shipwrights anti their masters are speedily adjusted. Both
are interested in preventing Government front being driven
to such an alternative ; and we trust they will take the
subject into emir most serious considerztion.

In the sitting of the Swiss Diet on the .sth inst. the cre-
dentials pres,•nted by the Duke of Calvello were read, in
which he is authorised, as Minister Plonipotentiory, to
negociate, in the name of the King of Naples, a military
capitulation with the SWiss Cantons.
The Enterprise East India steam-vessel has been re-
cently trying her rate of passage up and down the river
Thames, laden with her immense freight of coal ; and it
seems that she can make about ten miles per hour, though
she now draws about fifteen feet. It is, however, ru-
moured that some private gentlemen have engaged Lord
Yarborough's ship-built strainer, and intend to try their
chance against the Enterprise, and vain the 10,0001. by
arriving Crst at Bengal. Lord Yarborough's vessel is sold
to go to Batavia, so that they may as well make so laudable
an effort.

HORItOR or CoNseirNcr.—Thc Salem Messenger, al
New Jersey paper, contains an account of the confession of
a man who calls himself William Sayre,aild says he lived
in Philadelphia, where in 1810, on a sudden unaccountable
impulse, be choked bis wife to death, without being sus-
pected of the fact, and has wandered over different parts of
the country, in the army and otherwise, perpetually
haunted by remorse for his crime, until his agony of mind
has compelled him to make the dlsilasure, and submit to
justice.
e•ItNITOROVP Pt INT.—The Aroma flotundifolia
may now be found on Hampstead Heath ; ibis unobtru-
sive but interestin,g plant, appears to require animal mat-
ter for its nourisruent, and is furnished with an apparatus
for catching flies ; the leaves are radiated with hairs, on the
end of each of which is a brilliant drop of viscid fluid,
which, if a fly touches, it becomes entangled ; the filia-
mews then curve towards the antre of the leaf, bringing
their prisoner withatbt keptem,an free from fliesdboldirnghimt vegetatedher
till lie
swtraosntkg'slya,wbauyt
.A p ln
never bloomed.—This, and the 1). Lctifolia
,are the only natives of this country that have this•pro-
perty ; but several exotics require this sort of food, and
ionic have beta successfully supplied with beef!