The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-25 00:00:00

SECOND REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON
EMIGRANT SHIPS.

Lea second report recently issued by the Committee
on Emigrant ships the conclusions arrived at from the
evidence are' fully detailed, and the ;committee make
several recommendations which will be of considerable
importance to owners and charterers. Their inquiry
was a laborious one, its difficulty being increased by
anything like complete returns of • the condition in
which emigrant vessels arrive in the ports of the United
States, and hence one of the recommendations most
urgently insisted upon is that negotiations should be
opened with the Government at Washington for an
effective co-operation in some system for the mutual
enforcement of sound regulations. Among the causes
of disaster to emigrant ships iron cargoes are the most
serious, and more strict general provisions are conse-
quently recommended against bad or dangerous stow-
age. With respect to sanitary arrangements, the com-
mittee propose that the number of passengers allowed
to be carried without a medical officer should be re-
duced from 500 to 300, even this extent being regarded
as improper, since, as a general rule, all ships with
passengers should carry sur„; eons, and a different prac-
tice is only justifiable by the difficulty of finding
them. Improved arraneements are at the same time
suggested that might induce competent men to offer.
Power is also proposed to be given to the Government to
prevent emigrant ships from leaving ports where cholera
or other dangerous epidemics prevail, and, in case of any
exception being permitted, the vessel is at all events to
b.. required to carry a surgeon, even though the number
of passengers may be below 300. It is likewise consi-
dered that every vessel bringing emigrants across the
Irish Channel for embarkation should be compelled to
protect them from the we,ither. At present, on board
these boats the cattle and live stock are screened, while
the deck passengers are left without shelter of any kind,
and often arrive in a state that lays the foundation of
permanent disease. In reference to space it is recom-
mended that no ship should give less than 14 feet in the
between decks to each emigrant, and the committee
likewise refer to the opinion of Mrs. Chisholm and others
that the practice of allowing two children under 14 years
of age to be counted only as one person should be
greatly modified. They next touch on various points
connected with ventilation, cleanliness, &c., and also re-
commend that an addition should be ade to the dietary
scale in the Passenger Act of 1852. On the subject of
the size and seaworthiness of ships, the evidence against
large ones is general, and it was stated that the Emigra-
tion Commissioners have resolved for the future not to
charter vessels with two passenger decks, the ground of
objection being the difficulty of thorough ventila-
tion. The committee recommend that, except in spe-
cial cases, the number of passengers allowed in one
vessel should not exceed 500, and that all vessels should
be brought within the scope of the Passenger Act where
the number carried is in the ratio of two persons to the
100 tons; likewise that the exemption of steam-vessels
carrying mails from the operation of the act should be
done away with. In relation to manning, it was stated
that the Emigration Commissioners insist upon four men
to the 100 tons in their vessels ; but great objections
would be made to this by private charterers, and the
committee limit themselves to the suggestion that in-
creased vigilance should be used to ascertain the effici-
ency of th crew, apart from the mere question of num-
ber. It is further considered that it might be an advan-
tage if masters were bound, under penalty, to put back
in those cases where vessels are found to be unsafe for a
long voyage before losing sight of land, and that it should
be rendered compulsory on owners and charterers to
resort in the fullest manner to all the means in use for
testing the compasses. Finally, the committee make
some general observations respecting the regulations
necessary with regard to lodging-houses, &c., the capa-
city and readiness of boats and the other appliances for
saving life, and also as to the _desirableness of carrying
the requisite supply of water in metal casks. As re-
spects the detention-money allowed for the support of
emigrants when the sailing of a ship is delayed, an
opinion is expressed that it should be increased from ls.
to ls. 6d. per day.