The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-16 00:00:00

S1111)-0 WNERS' SOCIETY.

The Anniversary Meeting of this Society was
held yesterday at the City of London Tavern, to receive the
Reeert of the Committee, and to elect eight members in the
west of that number who go out by rotation. GEORGE LYALL,
Es q. haying taken the Chair,
The Assistant Secretary (Mr. FoonD) proceeded to read the
following Report :a
"Report of the Corninittee.of 'Ship-owners, presented to the
General Annual Meeting held at the City of London Tavern,
December 15, 1825. '
" In the last year's Report, the Committee enumerated vari-
ous Bills which Me. Herries, the Secretary 'to the Lords of the
Treaaury,•had brought into Parliament, or which were in a
state of preparation; having for their abject to repeal all the ex-
isting Laws of the Customs, and to re-enact that most extensive
Code in a collected and consolidated form: and the Committee
.have now the Satisfaction of stating, that; to this end, thirteen
.neweActs were passed in the last Session.
" For reasons—no doubt good—the operation of the repeal of
the old Acts is postponed 'six months beyond the commence_
ment of the new ones, which will take place on the sth of
January, 1826; and the general repealing clause, declaring
that no law of a date anterior to that of the new Code, is
to continue to have any force', which was described in the
last year's Report as being then in the Bill, has been left
out of the present Act : the Committee, however, trust that
this is only a temporary suspension of the completion of this
great measure.
The thirteen'nev; Acts are as follow T---
" I. An Act to repeal the general Laws relating to Quaran-
tine, and, to make other Provisions in lieu thereof, Cap. 78.
By this Act, the Shippinglnterest is relieved from the tonnage
• Duty formerly payable on Vessels subject to Quarantine, many
-restraints are rernoyede, the penalty of death for a breach of
."Quarantine is done away with; and the pecuniary penalties are
. considerably reduced. a recairtionary Regulations for the pre-
ven:ion of contagion-have been re-enacted, and the entire ma-
nagernent of the. quarantine system has. been placed, as here-
teftne, under the innnediate direction of- his Majesty's Privy
Council, who are empowered, from time to time, to issue such
• oralcrs as may be deemed necessary for the safety and protection
of the country.
- " On the 10th of July an Order in Council was issued, in
,avhich several additional stations fbr the performance of Qua-
- rant ine have been:appointed.
" Vesels from the Mediterranean arid West Barbary,- with
. clean bills of health, are to perform 15 days quarantine, and
.ttle cargo to undergo- the usual airings.
VeSsels with foul and suspected bills,must perform 30days,
and the cargo go through the usual firmigations; and if pestilen-
-dal disease should appear during such performance, the quaran-
t',ee is to commence anew.
" Vessels from the Mediterranean or Wrest Barbary,-not hay-
e•-iv, are-infectious disteMperon board, but withoutclean bills of
health, are to-repair to Standgate Creek, or Milford Haven, and
•. nowhere else.
'And vessels bound to this countrye oti board which the
- plague shall appear,-if to the Southward of Cape St. Vincent,
are to repair to some Lazaretto in. the Mediterranean; and
if to the Northward of Cape St. Vincent, to Milford Haven ;
and there perform quarantine. ' •
" 2. An' Act to repeal the several Laws of the Customs, cap.
• 105.-aßy this Act, 443 Acts, .or parts of Acta, have been ex-
pungethfrom the Statute Book.
An Act for-.the -Management of the Customs, cap.. 106:"
—This Act relates entirely to the establishment of that depart-
ment of the Revenue ; but in the section by which the prohibi-
tion on. the officers of the Customs in the United Kingdom • to
take fees, is renewed,'all ' officers serviog.under the Commis
• sioners of the Customs in any part of his _Majesty's dominions
are included ; so that all-fees in the Colonies will be abolished
froth the sth of January next. •
" 4. An Act for the Regulation of the Customs, cap. 107.
The plan of this Act is, .to embody, in a concise and well ar-
ranged form, all the regulations of the Customs which are of a
general and permanent nature, leaving to other Acts to give the
- peculiar regulations relating to particular subjects.
" The Act is divided into four parts Inwards,' Out-
wards,' Coastwise,' and Miscellaneous ' thoSe parts are
'subdivided into different subjects,- such as—'Manifest,' Re-
port,'• Entry,h&c.; and the whole is assisted by marginal no-
tices, in a manner never before practiced ; so that, although the
Act contains 144 sections, any'given subject may be referred to
with great facility.
• " Besides the advantage of this consolidation and arrange-
_mein, many and great improvements in the laws themselves
.have been made. It is most -gratifying to compare the new
tablas of prohibitions. with those which will only exist a few
days longer.
" On referring to the Prohibitions Inwards,' it will be seen
that Fearcely any are left (in addition to the Corn Laws) except
cattle and butcher's .meat for the protection of the.agrico/tural
interest; and the Prohibitions . Outwards' are almost Wholly
confined to tool's and implements (a subject whiCh, during the
last two Sessionse appears to have been taken out of the hands
,Of government.) . The restrictions with respert'to Pacleeges
.and. Tonnage,' are reduced within a very narrow compass; and
all those which owed their origin to Excise interference (from
"which the shipping interest is now happily relieved) are
entirely removed, and those which remain are much; ame-
liorated.
" Spirits May now'be imported in vessels of 70 tons, and in
casks of 40 gollata, or in cases of 3 dozen bottles.
a-
" British Plantation Runs in casks of 20 galloni.The•
Imperial Measure' (by the Act 5 Geo. IV., cap. 74.) is adopt,
ed, of course. •
" Wine may be imported in ships of 70 tons, and in casks of ,
21 gallons ; or in cases of 3 dozen bottles ; 'and wine manifests
(the fruitful source or vexation and troube to the shipowners),,
are dispensed' With.
•
". Tire Coasting Regulations—which, in the,preamble to sec:
`lOO, (with which they commence) are stated to have no other
object than the collection of the coast duties, and •to prevent
abuses in• the-foreign trade, are -so contrived as •to relieve the I
trade from all formalities not absolutely necessary to those'ob.-
jects being reduced to practice, it will be found that the master
of a ship may become his own Custom-house Officerehut under
perpetual liability to inspection ;for it will be seen, that he has
only to perform his own business correctly, and keep proper ac-
counts to exhibit to the Officers of Customs on demand.,
" The Committee do not deem it necessary to draw a minute
comparison between this excellent, Act and those which have
preceded it, which may be deemedthe fundamental Law of the
Cturl.-thrrs ;' but on a perusal it may be clearly seen, that of the
• great and confused mass of regulations of the Customs contain-
ed in the hundreds of laws. to he found upon the Statute Books•
those Whiela" 'ate necessary to the security of the•reienite have
been selected withigteat practical judgment, and are re-enacted
in the clearest end most concise language.
" 5.. An Act fOr the Prevention aStnegeling, cap..108.-a-.ln •
'laws of this description, the shi p-ownenhas two subjects to which
his attention should he directed • .
" First that in official zeal for the objects of a department,
regulations injurious to the shipping interest be not adopted.:
"And next, that by-clear and easy means afforded for ob..
taining ta perfect knowledge of the regulations in force, the owner
or master of a ship may be enabled to avoid the consequencesbf
unintentional infractions of them. • "
" The Committee conceive, that in this Act these two objects
are attained, asarearly as may hepractible.
" G. An Act for the Encouragement of British Shipping and
Navigation, cap.lo9.—This Act contains the whole law on the
subject of the importation of goods of different countries from
the several,parts of the world ; and should be in the possession
of she master of every British vessel:trading to foreign parts.
The principal provisions in this Act are
" First, the allowing the produce of foreign countries in Asia,
Africa, and America to be imported in their own ships.
"Secondly, the allowing all the produce of the Mediterra-
nean, and of the dominions of the Emperor of Morocco, to he
imported in -British ships, from any place in the Mediterranean.
"Thirdly, as formerly, British ships are to be navigated by
a master and crew, whereof 3-4ths at least are British ; but
every such vessel is to be deemed duly navigated which shall
• have one national. seaman to every 20 tons, whatever may be
the number of foreign seamen-
"To those parties, and numerous they are, who, with an
ample 3-4ths of a crew of national seamen, have unfortunately
had a fraction of a foreign seaman on board, exceeding 1-4th
of the whole number, the value of a fixed rule like this will be
felt.

"Fourthly, the penalty for an excess of foreign seamen iv
101. for each man. A ship is no longer liable. for a trifling or
unintentional fault, to be dragged by a cruiser thousands of
mil's out of her voyage, there being no forfeiture of the ship
throughout the Act.
"7. An Act for the Registering of British Vessels, cap. 110.
—The Committee need not remind the ship-owners that the
Registry Laws underwent consolidation and'amendment in the
Act 4 Geo. IV, cap. 41. The present Act may be considered
to` be a transcript of the former. The Cotmnittee, however,
observe, that a doubt as to the necessity of recording the bill
of sale at the port from which the ship is to be transferred has
been removed, by a slight alteration of the 37th sectiou. In
this Act temporary provision, is made for the. relief of ship-
,owners who may he, prevented by combination among the ship-
wrights and seamen front ohtairung the necessary repair of their
ships, or procuring parer crews. His Majesty in Council is
empowered, in Such cases, to dispense with the restriction of
the Navigation and register Acts.
"B. An Act for the granting of Ditties, cap. 111.—An im-
portant feature in this Act, as affecting ship-owners, is the
-omission of all distinctions of ditties between British and Fo-
reign ships in the table, and the substitution of a general

clause, sec, 5, empowering his 31:-..sty to impose additional
duties on goods when imported in the ships of foreign countries,
which do hot place British ships in their ports upon a footing
of equality with their own. This authority, however,; is limit-
ed toone-fifth of the duties in the table; and as they are in
man instance; very low, and ate Object to be further reduced,
itis greatly to be feared that,
_as a question of freight, the dif_
ference of duty will often found inadeqoate to the protection
of Brim!' shipping ; and it may be fairly .apprehended that the
countries which concede thd point of reciprocity,' will be those
only which have nothing to fear from British competition. -
"9. An Act for the Warehousing of,..Goods, cap. 112.—8 y
sec. 30 of this ct permission is given to draw off rum in casks
of 20 gallons, for stores of ships. By sec. 44 the required ton-
nage of the exporting ship, which, for East India goods, was
formerly 100_tof.s, is now fixed at one amount of 70 tons for all

• - -
10. An Act forgiving Bounties on certain goods esported,
cap. 103.—1 n this Act the higher bounty en' sugar exported in
British ships is still preserved, but treaties appear to be makirne
with foreign countries by which this advantage is relinquished':
``11: A Act to regulate the Trade of the British Possessions
abroad, cap. 114.—The Committee have to observe, that prior
to the introduction of the Bill for this Act, Mr. Huskisson. the
President of the '•-•Bsard of Trade, had introduced a BM (wl'ith
finally passed. into a law, cap. 73), for the purpose of first ob-
taining the sanction of Parliament for these alterations in the
colonial system, which it was the desire of Government to effect.
The provisions of this Act became, therefore, a part of the law
relating to the colonies, prior so the passing of the Consolida-
tion Act, cap. 114, in which those provisions are embodied.
" 12. An Act to regulate the Customs of the Isle of Man,
cap: 115.—This Act appears to be intended only to provide the
regulations which are peculiar to that island.'
" 13; An Act for ,regulating Vessels carrying Passengers,
cap. 116.—This Act appears to have been erawn with a care-
ful attention to some objections of a minor description in• the
provisions of the former Act.
" Upon these several Acts, passed in the last Session of Par-
liament, the, Committee have to observe, that the profased and
important object fors which they .were undertaken, appears to
have been accomplished in a manner far exceeding their hopes..
A consolidation of the laws of the customs had long been urged
upon his Majesty's Government by this 'Committee, as a mea-
sure of great importance to the shipping interest, but they did
not expect to see all the-enactments of that extensive code com-
pressed within the compass of one moderate sized volume of the
Acts. . .
" The Committee, in concluding their remarks upon them,
think it right to apprise the shipping interest, that the Lords of
the Treasury have given directions for the publication of an
authorised edition of the Lew of the Customs, in an octavo
volume, with an India, andsthe necessary Notes ; and the Com-
mittee recommend that the mastersof vessels, particPlarly those
going upon distant voyages, should be stupplied with the work.
" An Act for regulating the payment of the Salaries and Al-
lowances to British Consuls at Foreign Ports, and the Dis-
bursements at such ports for certain public purposes, cap. 87.
..:—This Act authorizes hid Majesty in Council to grant sales
ries to Consuls-General and Consuls, in lieu of former salaries
and " tees of office and gratuities heretofore. demanded from
the masters of British ships and vessels-;' -and from and after
the Ist of. January, 1826, it prohibits Consuls from taking any
other fees or gratuities than those mentioned in tables annex-
,ed to the Act, marked A and Is, but which are subject to be
varied' by his Majesty's Order in Council, -as occasion may
:require,
`• Copies of these tables are to be hung up in a conspicuous
place, tp the public offices of- all Constils-General or Consuls
abroad, and the Collectors of the Customs at the several pests
of the. United Kingdom are to furnish every master of an out-
ward-bound vessel with a copy, who shall. demand one, ,anti
this without fee or reward.
" Clearing of Vessels at Gravesend. On a complaint by
Committee of the great inconvenience which occasionally arose
from the detention of vessels at-Gravesend, the Commissioners
of Custoths have directedethat the practice ofclearing outward-
bound
vessels at that place shall be discontinued.
" Charges in Cuba.—ln the Report of•.last year, the Com-
mittee stated, that measures were taking by his Majesty's Mi-
nister at Madrid, for securing the admission of British ves-
sels into Cuba, on terms as favourable as the ships of other
nations; find they have now the satisfaction of reporting the
complete•success of those measures.
" It has however recently come to their knowledge, that the
authorities at Ilavannah exact, a duty of •2i dollars per ton,
front all ships which visit the colony; although it maybe only
to obtain some necessary repairs or- supplies ; and that in the
event of a vessel requiring repair, and part of the cargo be-
ing landed for that purpose, a duty of .2 per cent. upon the
whole of the cargo is exacted,, in addition to a tonnage duty on
the vessel.
- . " The Committee have represented the matter to his Ma-
. jesty's Government, and encourage the hope that measures
will be adopted for secuiing to vessels which put' into the Ila-
vannah—not
,for the "purpose of trading, but merely for neces-
sail repair or supplies—an exemption from charges, which are
without example in any other part of the world.
" Fees on Mediteranean Passes:—Directions have been given
to the Commissioners of Customs, not to charge the Admiralty
Office rea of 31.'55. on -Mediterranean passes, in the case of
tessels requiring to be registered de novo, under the Act 4 Geo.
IV.•cap. 41:
" An Act for the Amendment of the Law repecsing Pilots
' and Pildtage, 'and 'also for 'the better PreservatiOn of 'Floating
Lights, Buoys, and Beacons, cap. 125.—A1l the laws and re-
gulations regarding pilOts are consolidated into this Act. Al-
thOugh, the rates of pilotage have'not been reduced to the extent
which the Report of the Select Committee of the noose Of ,
Commons had given reason to expect,—those of the Trinity_
house pilots being reduced only about 8 per cent., and no re-'
dnction haVing yet taken 'place in those of the • Cinque Ports,
except in respect of the boarding-money,—yet the Act contains
sonic important regulations.
" Section 9..--Ship'-owners may, appeal to the Privy Coun-
cil, if dissatisfied with the rates established by the Trinity.
Corporation. -.
." Section 13 —Not less than 18 Cinque Port pilots are,
without intermission, to ply at sea, between the South Fore-
land and Dungeness.
- " Section 23.—N0 addition is to be made to the Cinque
.Port pilots, until their number shall be reduced -by death, or
Otherwise,' below 120.
" Seetion 26.—The rates of the Cinque Ports and TrinitY_
houie pilots may be varied by the Lord Warden and Elder
Brethren of the Trinity-house respectively.
"Section. 32.—Pilot-boats are required to carry a distinguish-
ing flagonid to be painted' in a particular manner.
" The boarding-money has been considerably reduced,.
and a. graduated scale of charge adopted, iii proportion to
the tonnage of the vessel ; and when the number ofTinetue
Port pilots shall be 120, the rates of pilotage are to be reduced
5 Per cent.

" On the principle which seems to have been adopted by
Government, that the number of Cinqic Port pilots should
be greater than is required' during a time of peace—other-
wise there alight be a deficiency on the
,breaking out of
war, which it would require a great •length of 'time to
supplyit appeared by the evidence given by the pilots, as
to the average earnings of each respectively, that the exist-
ing rates would admit of but little. reductiOn, consistently
with a due regard to the importance of securing by adequate
reward, a sufficient number of competent and respectable men
to act as
" Classification of Ships in Lloyd's Books.—The Committee
have the pleasure to state, that the special committee of mer-
chants,nnderwriters, and ship-owners, who were appointed in
January, 182.3, to consider of the'alterationS required in the
mode of classing merchant shipping in the hooks at Lloyd's,
and to-suggest such-rules and icgulations in the system as may
be required; have nearly terminated their labours, and are on
the point of making their report on this most interesting
subject.

31 aritime Code; and Desertion of Seamen.--Artiong the
iMportant subjects wnich at present engage the attention of the
Committee, is a Bill for the Consolidation of the laws regarding
merchant seamen. •' The existing laws being found insufficient
to prevent insubordination and desertion, the Committee are
most anxious to submit, for the consideration of his Majesty's
Government, such regulations as may be ade.quate to those ob-
jects, particularly a more summary and less expensive mode of
enforcing the laws; and they there,tbre invite the suggestions of
ship-owners and masters of such measures as, in their judg-
ment. it may be proper to recommend for the adoption of the
Legislature.
" Corporation for the Relief of Merchant Seamen.—The
Committee have also devoted their attention (in conjunction
with the Committee appointed to corsider of the best means of
increasing the funds of the Corporation for the Relief of Sea-
men, &c. in the Merchant Service) to the obtaining the consent
of the Legislature that the 6d. pee month payable by merchant
seamen to Greenwich Hospital, shall go in aid of the funds of
the Merchant Seamen's Corporation, the present means of
which, it is well known, are, from the great increase of claims,
very inadequate to the objects of its original institution.
" Seamen's Hospital.—The Committee are extremely sorry
to have to add, that the funds of the Seamen's Hospital are at
so low an ebb, as to excite the most painful apprehensions lest
the practice of receiving on board the Grampus every seamen in
want of medical or surgical old, who may solicit admission
M ,ust, from necessity, be discontinued."
•The CtrAntataN hoped the Report would meet the approba-
tion of the meeting, and convince them that the Committee had
not been inattentive to the interests of the ship-owners. In
allusion to that part of it which stated that the attention of the'
Committee was engaged upon the subject of a Bill for the con-
solidation of the laws regarding merchant seamen, he
begged to inform the meeting that Mr. Hume, whom

he might describe as a very able and indefatigable coneelidater
of their commercial regulations, had drawn up the Bill in
question, which formed the basis of- any improvements that
might be suggested to :Government, Who, he might take
upon himself to Nay, were at all times ready and anx:ous to
adopt any suggestions that- could be made to them for the be-
nefit of the cominerciel interests 'of this country ; and he dirtnot think a stilei,ect of greeter importance cOuld, by possibility,
engage the attention of ship-owners than the enforcing the
laws regarding the duties of seamen. The provisions.of the
Bill went to afFerd amore summary and less expensive mode
of carring into effect the laws. The existing systeM induced
much fraud and chicanery, and had a pernicious influence on
the shipping interests.
Mr. 41 ocket, in rising to propose that the report which had
Leon read be approved, could not refrain from congratulating
the Committee-upon the completion of the great object which
had so lone= engaged their anxious attention, and lie was truly
.happy to learn that another most important one was in progress.
'One subject only did he find in the report upon which he
felt disappointment, and 'that was the non-reduction of the
rate of the Cinque Port pilots. lie hoped the Committee had
not abandoned the endeavour to obtain a reduction or those
rates, of which in time of peace they certainly. had much to
complain. What had been done he highly approved . of;
although it hadnot gone the length of the report of the Foreign
Trade Committee, and which .report itself did not embrace all
that was expeCted front it. A correspondence took place six
or seven -years ago upon the subject of the rates, when a re-
duction of 411 per cent. was offered, but it was not considered
sufficient.
The CHAIRMAN felt obliged to Mr. Buckle for having
drawn the attention of the meeting, to the subject of the pilots
rates, the reduction inswhich had certainly been inadequate.—
But in justice to the Cinque .Port piloee, lie should mention
that when the subject of reduction was under the consideration
of Government, it appeared that the number of Cinque Port
pilots was 135, and that they took turns by rotation, and by
evidence offered to the Select Committee on foreign trade, that,
according to these' rotations, the amount of each man's earning
was from 1101. to 11.5/. and the most 1201. a year; and the Corn
-mittee of Ship-owners were then esked wheiner it would be Safe
that men competent to pilot a ship should not be made to earn
this sum by their exertions, to which they replied, it did not
appear to be too much, but they contended there ought to be a
reduction. in the number of pilots—(Hear!)-which would
enable them at reduced rates to realize the same income.. The
Committee were told that if they reduced the number of pilots
in time of peace, there would not he sufficient in time of war
to carry on the navigation and commerce of the country ; but
he thought that the shipping interest ought not to be subject to
this-expence, but that as it was for the benefit of the. public the
extra number of pilots should be maintained at the public ex-
pence. - The number at present was 135, and it proposed to
reduce them to 120 ; by the falling off of the pilots, when a
reduction of fire per cent. would take place, • but some time
would necessarily elapse before-this benefit would accrue to the
altip.eWners. The state of 'the Trinity House pilots was very
different, as there were-not more than.Bo or 85 of them, so that
they. .consequentlyeeceived much more money than the Cinque
Port pilots, as much, perhaps, 5e.200/. a year. Upon the whole
he'thought a great reduction might take place.
Mr. UnctuttanT wished to say a few words in consequence
of what had been said respecting the new law regarding sea-
men. He was of opinion it was not the consolidation of eiist-
ing laws that would benefit them, but a total revision of the
system. The present laws.were not at adapted for the pur-
poses required. Gentlemen presumed to take upon themselves
to make regulations, who were not at all acquainted with the
duty-of seamen. He had one set of regulations put into his
hands, one of which-was quite. detestable ;it .proposed putting
the seamen under the entire' management of the Captain, who
was to have the power of -punishing them as he pleased. He
approved, however, of the report as far as it went; but he was
still convinced that it was only one general and entire revision
of the laws that would ever bring back the seamen of this
country to what they once were.
Mr. YOUNG- was sure that there was no Gentleman who did
not readily believe that Mr. Urquhart was a sincere and zealous
friend to the general cause of the ship-owners, although it hap-
pened sometimes that his opinions and views were not in ac-
cordance with the rest of the -meeting. He had no doubt,
however, that the Committee might enjoy the concurrence of
that gentleman and the assistance of his talents, in bringing
the question respecting the regulation of seamen for Ward before
his Majesty's Government, to obtain the object which was
generally desired by the whgle'body of ship-owners.
Mr. UntiinttAtter would just mention to the meeting a fact,
which would show the strong feeling that prevailed on the sub-
ject. He had been absent from London four months, and as
soon as he came to town lie received four or five manuscripts
from captains of ships, all of them expressing the great neces-
sity that existed for some.better and more efficient regulations
to be adopted.
-The Cuesnewt begged to say, that the Committee always
consulted with men well conversant with the subject ; and in
no instance, since he had been a member of it, did he remem-
ber that the decision of the Committee bad been contrary to the
opinion of the-nautical men who had been consulted. Ile-had
himself, in the first year that he was appointed Chairman,
brought the subject under the consideration of Sir. Huskisson ;
lie had repeatedly spoken to men of nautical experience to make
suggestions for the guidance of the Committee; and he shauld
he most happy to receive those of Sir. Urquhart, who, the
Chairman had always been most ready to admit, ever-acted
with an earnest anxiety for the general good of the Society.
Mr. Uncetreuner had no hesitation in saying, that it was
not in the power of any one person to come 'forward and state
what ought to be the law on the subject; but they must begin
at one point (such, for instance, as the impressment of seamen
in time of war), and that point must be fixed, and to it every
thitn, else must he drawn.
Maesteeet., in adverting to that part of the Report
which alluded to the Special Committee of Merchants, Under-
writers, and Ship-owners, appointed to consider the classifica-
tion of ships in the books at Lloyd's,- said the Committee lied
contemplated being able to make their Report prior to this
time ; but, in investigating the subject, they found it necessary
to consult men in. his Majesty's Navy, and which -occupied
much longer time than was expected. The result of the inves-
tigations and correspondence of others had been. collated, and
compared with their own observations; and he had no doubt
they would soon make out a report. He hoped they were
seeing the dawn of a better system of things.in this country._
There was another point on which he begged to make an ob-
servation ; it was with respect to the discontinuance of clearing
of vessels at Gravesend ; but he did not think that this ar-
rangement was anything at all, coupled, as it was, with the
obnoxious regulations now in operation at the Custom-house.
lie hoped this subject would engage.the attention of the Com-
Mittee.
•The Ctraxameer had understood that these grievances were
removed.

Mr. MAnsuALL said that the regulations under which ships
were cleared a few weeks ago were such as now existed, but he
had no doubt the Government -would- listen to every thing that
was necessary for the interests of the ship-owners of the present
day. He rejoiced extremely at the prospect of having a sepa-
rate Board, to .which all quextions between seamen and ship_ might be referred; no subject 'could- more worthily
and properly engage .the. attention of the Commjttee. In con.
firmation of the necessity of it, he- would mentlon a circum-
stance that had happened to himself. -He. had two ships at
Demerara a short time ago; two men on board one of them
were extremely rebellious, and having got on shore, the master
was obliged to refer to the authorities to enforce their return,
their services being absolutely required to navigate the vessel
home. They came down to the beach, and promised to come.on
board, but did not, and the master sailed without them. They
had since come to England, and bad now bronebt actions
against him for IX each, as balance of wages due to them, when
in point of fact they owed him la each. He resisted this claim.
on the ground of its being a public ditty to do so, but in addij
lien to this Ite.itad_be.en put to 60/. expence from the want of
these men's services on board.—( Hear, hear !)
The Report was then unanimously approved and adopted.
• Mr. BUCKLE, in moving a resolution of thanks to his Ma"
jesty's Ministers, said, if he miebt.be allowed at the same time
to allude to the labours ofa particular individual, it would have
been a very pleasing task. It could not be misunderstood that
he meant Mr. J. D. Hume, whose attention and talents had
been most carefully and ably. directed to the consolidation of the
commercial code, and to whom all commercial men were much
indebted. As he was not, however, one of his Majesty's Mi-
nisters, it was not practicable to include him in the resolution
which he, with much satisfaction, proposed to the meeting.
Mr.thictuHAnT had known Mr. Hume for many years, and
he could testify to his great integrity, ability, and zeal in the
cause of the commercial interests of this country.
Mr. MAnsirm.r.. heartily joined in the vote of thanks, and
did not think there ever was an Administration in this country
that deserved greater attention and gratitude than the one they
now possessed.

The CHAIR 3IA2i said it was impossible that greater attention,
skill, and anxious solicitude, could be evinced for the welfare
of the shipping and commercialipterests in every respect, than
had been shown by his Majesty's Ministers. It was merely
common justice to those able men who composed his Majesty's
Government to sty this.
The Resolution w.ts unanimously agreed to.
Mr. YOUNG said, it was known that Mr. Hume had com-
piled the laws relating to Customs, and published them in one
volume, which was at once creditable to himself and of evident
advantage to all ship-owners. Ile thought a Resolution,
strongly recommending that work to all ship-owners, would be
a delicate mode of conveying a compliment to that gentleman,
while it was at the same time a dry matter of business to them-

sclres, as it was clearly to their own benefit to be possessed or
such a book.

A liesolutionto this effect was then adopted..
Mr. MARSHALL said, the Society was. at present without
funds, a circumstance Which was highly_ unbecoming and dis.
creditable to. so important a body as tiley'in their collective
capacity folioed. Feeling the great benefit of this Society, he
should move a Ptesolution,',thatit wavexpedient to create a
fund adeqUate to the accomplishment of those objects which
the Society contemplated.

A Gentleman suggested that -this Resolution ought to be
preceded by one expressive of the conviction of the meeting
that the Society tended greatly to the benefit of the shipping
interests throughout the kingdom, and deserved to be supported.'
Mr. You.liG said no Society with such small means had ever
effected so %Mich good. It was the only recognized medium of
communication between the (Efferent departments of his Ma-
jesty's Government and the shipping interest. If the'Society
should fail for want of funds, Acts of Parliament would pass
prejudiCial to their interests, the provisions of which would
only be known to each individual ship-owner after they had
become a law.

Resolutions were then adopted agreeably to the suggesticn
that had been made.

On the motion what William Manning, Esq. MX., should
be appointed Vice-President in the rootn. of Mr. ltoweroft,
deceased, and which was agreed to,
The CHAIRMAN said he had received a letter from Mr.
Manning, stating that he was unable to attend this meeting in
consequence of his engagements elsewhere. The Chairman
then read the letter, which was to this effect :
" SIR—I have received a few lines from, Mr. Foord, request-
ing that I would attend a meeting of ship-owners to-day. It
would have given me particular pleasure to have done. so, but
I have been every moment for the last few.days in attendance
with my colleagues, in endeavouring to support public and
private credit, and to expel this very extraordinary and un-
founded panic Which has gone abroad. I am happy to add,
that every account from the country today is in every way
highly satisfactory."
Disastrous as the panic'had been, the Chairman really be-
lieved there never was an instance in which it was so unfounded,
and where it had originated from a trifling cause. The .ship-
ping interest had never been in a better state than it was at
present.

Several Gentlemen expressed their assent to this last obser-
vation, by repeating the words--" It •never was."
Mr. MAitstrALl, hoped the contents of the letter which had
been read would find its way into the• papers, as it was emi-
nently calculated to allay the ferment which atpreserit existed.
The CHAIRMAN said, he had consulted with two or three
Gentlemen previous to his reading the letter, who thought it
ought to be read, and he had no doubt the Gentlemen
_who at-
tended for the press had taken down •the substance of it; but
he did not feel himself at liberty to give the letter itself for
publication.

Some Gentlemen thought, that as .the letter bad been read,
it could no longer be considered' a private one ; while _others
were of a different opinion, though they approved of its sub-
stance being published.
Eight Gentlemen were then elected on the Committee, in
the room of that number. who went out by rotation; after
which a resolution of thanks to the Chairman and Committee
was unanimously passed, and the meeting broke up.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT Or QHANCERY, -DEC. 15.
WILLIAMS Z. GOODCHILD.—TITHES or ILEKnoN.
31r. Sergeant BOSANQUET was heard for the respondent in
this appeal, and the further hearing was postponed.
CRA:WSIIAW v. COLLINS—.DROWN v. DE TASTET. •
The Loan CIIA.NCELLOit had fixed upon this day for giir
ing judgment in these two cases, which, differing in circum.
stances, referred to the same principle:namely, the extent to
which ;he claims and responsibility of parties after the dissolu-
tion-of partnership went. Upon the point which the two cases
possess in common, his-Lordship has professedly been engaged
fyr a considerable time in settling some permanent rule tin- tile
future guidance of the Court. Accordingly he proceeded ita his
purpose, so far as a general and minute recapitulation of the
circumstances in the first case, but postponed the decision, and
the reasons of it. --
COURT OF RING'S BENCH, DEC. 15.
TOLEMAN v. BRITToN.

This was an action-of covenant by the father •of an appren-
tice articled to a surgeon at Bristol, on The engagement to in-
struct, or cause and procure his son to be instructed, in the art
of medicine and surgery,• and to provide him with board and
lodging for-seven years. The breeches assigned were, that the
defendant had not instructed the apprentice, or caused him to
be instructed, and had not provided him with sufficient board
And lodging; to which the defendant replied, performance. •
Mr. BROUGHAM (with whom was M. BOSIPASs), for the
plaintiff; stated the principal ground of complaint to be, that
Mr. Britton, after the young man had served about half his
time, retired from business, and left a Mr. Jacques in his stead,
who was far less qualified to instruct him.
Mr. CAIMETT (with whom was Mr. CHITTY) stated,
that Mr. Britton, being in ill-health; -was obliged to retire
from the labour of an extensive business, and had resigned
his charge to Mr. Jacques, who was fully competent to instruct
the plain tiff 'a son.
To establish this case, Dr. Porter, a physician of Bristol, was
called, who proved that Mr, 'Britton relinquished business by
his advice, and that, according to his judgment, Mr. Jacques
was fully competent to teach the apprentice. Mr. Jacques
himself. stated that the young man never expressed dissatis-
faction during the ten- weeks . which he remained after Mr.
Britton's removal. And Mr. Jacques gave evidence to the same
effect, adding that the plaintiff came one day suddenly and
took his son away.
Mr. 'lw trGrt.Sat cross.examined Mr. Jacques, with a view
to chew that the apprentice had been employed in -making out
and delivering bills.
Mr. SCARLF.TT, upon this, said to the witness—" I do not
mean any thing disparaging to your business; but is not the act
of making out bills a very important part of it ?"
The witness—l consider it,so, Sir.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE—SureIy an apothecary ought
to know how to charge ?—(A laugh.) •
The defendant's case being closed,
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE told Mr. Brougham that he
thought, unless it were answered, the issues must be' found
against him,
Mr. BROUGHAM.—My Lord. I -should have wished to ad-
dress the jury on' the question of Mr, Jacques' competence to
instruct.
The LORD CHIEr JITSTICE.—Oh I pray do not let me pre-
vent you : address the jury if you pleam •
Mr. BROUGHAM (after looking at the jury, whose. opinion
was tolerably obvious.)—Why, my Lord, I would not, after so
decisive an opinion of your Lord—
The LORD 'CHIEF JUSTICE.—And perhaps you have
looked .at the jury, Mr. Mr. Brougham.—(A laugh.)
The Jury declared themselves satisfied, and
Mr. BROUGHAM said he must bow to such a concurrence of
opinion, and would be called.
The plaintifF was accordingly nonsuited.

THE THAMES TUNNEL COMPANY V. SHELDON.
This was an action by the Thames Tunnel Company against
the defendant, as a subscriber, to recover two calls of SP. each
on eight shares which they contended he held. It appeared
that 111 r. Sheldon had paid the deposit of 2/. on each share ;
but. he never signed the contract, nor the petition to Parlia-
ment for the bill incorporating the Company. The question
was, whether he might withdraw from further liability, or
Whether he was liable as a subscriber under the statute.
The lAORD CHIEF JUSTICE, suggesting that the question
was one of considerable importance and nicety, proposed that
he should abstain from exprossing any opinion at Nisi Prins,
and that the subject should be brought under the consideration
of the Court by a special case.
This suggestion being agreed to, the Jury returned a verdict
for the plaintiff—Damageftita, subject to the opinion of the
Court in a special case. .
OUTLAWItY.--lIIIYANT V. %CASKET.
This was an issue joined on an assignment of error in fact
upon an outlawry. The defendant, who.was the uncle of the
plaintiff,-had sued him and proceeded to outlawry, and the
plaintiff bringing error to ri-verse the outlawry, assigned that
he was beyond seas at the time the exigent was awarded. To
this the defendant replied, that the plaintiff went beyond seas
from fraud and covin, to avoid process of outlawry, on which
issue was taken.

Mr. SCARLETT and Mr. CHITTY, for the defendant, on
whom the affirmative of the issue was cast, proved clearly that
Bryant went abroad to avoid an arrest at the suit of his uncle ;
but the process then issued was not that on which he was out-
lawed, though it was process on which outlawry might be ob-
tained.

Mr. CAMPBELL, for the plaintiff; after contending that the
replication was no answer in law to the plea, urged that there
was no evidence to show that his client went and. remained
abroad to avoid the effect of outlawry, though he certainly
went to avoid being arrested.
The LORD CHIEF Juvrscg, observing that the legal effect
of the finding would be matter of decision in another place,
left the question of fact to the Jury.
The Jury returned a verdict for the defendant in error—That
the plaintiff did go and remain beyond seas to avoid process of
ou tl awry.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, DEC. IS.
Several actions of accounts were tried during the day, not
one of which possessed the slightest interest, except to the re-
spective parties.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK
Bank Stock 200 103 200 i 198 ' Old Annuities ............
3 pct. Cent. Bed. 80 79Th 9y4 New Ditto ............
3 per Cent. Cons shut lix. Bills 10001. 10.25 65 dis.
3i per Cent
84A 6 j Dittosoo/.l2id. 22155010 (Es.
Ditto Red B3 21 4, 01 Ditto Smalll4d. 1051510 dis•
4 per Cent. New shut I
ank 1,6- Ann
India :Stock It)l8
hark
. .. ......,. .
dis.
.... .
B . .
India for A...............
Dit
utth o
Sea 8ana1.... 68 80 70 dis. I Cons. for Acct.
So Stoa

PIZIrI:4 OF FOIZ.I:IGfsI

A untrian Ws, 5 per cent,
Brazilian Lids

Scrip
Buenos ilyres Bds
Cid IJJs, 6 per cent —
Wow 11ds
Do. do. 1824 53; 6:1 7 5 6
Danish, 6 per cent 9B; 9
Do. 18''5
Greek Ws
Do. 1825
6 uatiwala
31exican lids 5O
Do. 1325

AnnTrEn,'

......
.....

00