The Sun.
London, England, 1836-04-01 00:00:00

STEAM NAVIGATION.

Yesterday a meeting was held of the owners of steam
boats, and others interested in steam navigation, at the
City of London Tavern, for the purpose of considering
what measures should be adopted successfully to oppose the
Bills now before Parliament, extending the capital of the
City of Dublin Steam Company, on the ground that the
public interests would be injured by giving a monopoly to
that establishment, and to. the General Steam Navigation
Company.
Mr. MARTIN took the Chair, and, after stating the ob-
jects of the meeting,
Mr. E. TENNENT, M.P., submitted whether, at a meet-
ing like the present, the agent for the Bill they had met to
oppose ought not to be present ?
Mr. MAHONT said he attended as agent for the City of
Dublin Steam Company, to prevent any misrepresentations
being made, and to give such explanations as the meeting
might deem proper. On the part of the Dublin Company,
he could not see any good reason why those who were in-
terested in the steam navigation of the Clyde should op-
pose the Bill. The Dublin Company were anxious to
compete for the carriage of the mails, and were now build-
ing vessels for that purpose. The Company asked to be
incorporated as the General Steam Navigation Company
had been, in order to prevent the Members of Parliament
who were connected with it from being ousted from their
seats, should the Company obtain the contract. The
City of Dublin Company required no peculiar privileges,
and desired no monopoly, being anxious that all the Steam
Companies should have the same privileges which they
asked.
Mr. PEARSE, as agent to the General Steam Navigation
Company, said neither that establishment nor the Dublin
Company desired a monopoly.
Mr. M. ATTWOOD said, as, belonging to the General
Steam Navigation Company, he considered the Bills be-
fore Parliament would benefit the public, and that there
was no ground to oppose them. If the opposition arose
from private circumstances he thought there was also
no ground for the opposition.
The CHAIRMAN said the Scotch Companies feared that
the facilities which would be given to the Dublin Company
by a further increase of its capital of 300,0001. might be-
come injurious to the Clyde navigation.
Mr. MAHONY referred to the Bills which had been
passed by Parliament for establishing steam communication
with much larger • capitals than that possessed by the
Dublin Company., The public would be benefitted by the
competition which would arise for the carrying of the mails.
Mr. C. O'DWYER objected to such gigantic power being
given to the Company as would be created if the Bill were
passed. A monopoly would be established which would
impede commerce instead of promoting it, and the Com-
pany would be enabled to run down the small proprietors.
P. STEWART, M.P., spoke against the Bill ; and, as
a representative of the Clyde steam proprietors, he thought
such a monopoly.ought not to be granted, especially as the
BfillTcroandteaihnaedd
tporliavilbegimes
swhichhould
the President of the Board
o never be granted to any
other Company.

Mr. TENNENT said the opposition to these Bills was not
confined to the Proprietors of the Clyde. There had been
many Petitions presented against them from Ireland. Bel-
fast had petitioned them ; an Cork, as well as other places,
upon the ground that if such powers were given to the
Dublin Company private enterprise would be destroyed.
In the present state of steam navigation no such powers
ought to be given to one Company. He referred to
ad
aftert
conduct of the St. George's Steam Company, whitd had
opposing the smaller Steam-Packet Proprietors, a

.-

reduced the freight of cattle from 55.‘,14-. s.-per head, rose
^
it to 155., after they had beaten their:Ovals out of the field.
He felt as deeply as any one for the piosPerity)er,ireland,
and especially for the improvement of ttis\.4a,vitigkitt of the
Shannon ; but he thought that giving m-(04;(43_411--t9.-Ier
Dublin Company, would prove injurious v. Vac
especially as therc was only a limited liabili the
shareholders. _ _

Mr. ATTWOOD said the St. George's Company was not
chartered, and the effect of competition must be advaii.
geous to the public.
Mr. P. STEWART moved a resolution to the effect, that
the Bill brought in by the city of Dublin Steam Navigation
Company to extend their capital to 600,0001., retaining the
exemption from all liability for their debts beyond their sub-
scribed stock, which exemption had been originally obtained
on the express condition of their capital being restricted,
contained privileges extremely unjust to persons engaged in
a similar trade and highly prejudicial to the public at large,
and that, so far from such privileges being enlarged, they
ought to be abrogated.
The resolution having been seconded,
Mr. MAHONY moved an amendment, that the explana-
tions given on behalf of the City of Dublin Company and
the General Steam Navigation Company i❑ support of the
Bills, were satisfactory, and that it was inexpedient to op-
pose them, &c. &c.
A long discussion took place as to whether the gentlemen
present connected with the two Companies were entitled to
vote, the Chairman declaring that he would not be a party
to putting the amendment, as in calling the meeting he had
intended it only for those who were opposed to the Bills.
He therefore left the chair, and the opponents of the Bills
quitted the room. Mr. P. Stewart had been previously
asked to take the chair, but refused ; and Mr. O'Dwyer
also objected. The opponents of the Bills having left the
field to the supporters of the measure, Mr. Attwood was
called to the chair, and the amendment was unanimously
carried.

The chief reason why Mr. Martin objected to put the
amendment was the determination of the supporters of it
not to give their names, as demanded by him, the opponents
of the Bill having done so.
The meeting then adjourned.