The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sri,—Considering that correctness on the follow-
ing query is the foundation-stone of our prosperity,
I beg leave to submit it to the reflection of the
public :
The Query—Why or wherefore, for what causes
or reasons, on what basis or bases, ground or founda-
tion, did the Bullion Committee, in 1810, fix our
standard of value at 3/. 17s. 10d. per ounce of gold
at 22 carats pure and 2 carats of alloy ?
I am, Sir, yours respectfully,
EDMUND TAUNTON,
An old Manchester Man of 1802 ;
An old Foreign Merchant of 1807 ;
An Ardent Lover of Old England.
Oct. 6, 1847.

RESPONSIBILITY OF SHIPOWN-
ERS AND COMPANIES FOR PASSENGERS'
PROPERTY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The great loss of life and property which has
occurred within the past few years demands attention
to a subject of much importance to the public, and to
whom sufficient protection has not yet been afforded.
I allude to the owners of ships, and more particularly
to the Steam Navigation Company's, and their re-
sponsibility or non-responsibility for property be-
longing to passengers.
Trace back the frightful sacrifice of life and pro-
perty involved in the loss of many of the finest steam-
ships in the world; then let us inquire bow they
were lost. The most partial advocate for the interest
of the companies will not venture to reply, " that
they were all lost by the acts of God." There does
not exist a doubt in the minds of men that several
were lost through want of knowledge or inattention
on the part of those in command.
I am travelling by coach, and through the igno-
rance or carelessness of the driver it is upset. lam
injured, and my luggage lost; I come upon the pro-
prietor for the damage done ; they make it good.
I have embarked on board the William, bound for
Spain ; we are run down by the John, which vessel,
at the time of collision, through the ignorance or
carelessness of the captain, lay on her wrong tack.
I come upon the owners for damages, and recover the
full value of all the property lost which belonged to
me ; but I embark on board a company's " great"
steamer, navigated by naval officers, men of ex-
perience, who have passed through the Gut, and
have crossed the Atlantic "I don't know how
many times ;" well, I am on board one of these
great steamers, and we have a fine time of it.
No impediment in the eyes of the captain appears
at all likely
.to prevent our making the haven of
our wishes in "an extraordinary quick passage."
The passengers are all happy in this anticipation. No
contrary winds, no treacherous calm, no furious gale,
to depress our hopes, or raise our fears. Ability and
attention on the part of the captain and the crew is
alone requisite to bring us to' our port, when, lo
and behold, it is discovered, that well-known rocks on
the Spanish coast—or the little island of Ireland,
obstructs our further progress ! The ship is lost, and
my property follows. I represent my case to the
directors of the company, and I call upon them to
makelood my loss ; but directors are " boards,"
and their hearts are turned to wood. In-
dividual responsibility for opinions, acts, or perse-
cutioni; is unknown, and the collective wisdom of the
" tour," backed by the wealth and influence of the
compdhy, becomes a powerful instrument to resist an
individual appeal, or to crush a public claim when
only advocated by a single sufferer:
Insurance is, doubtless, an advisable protection, but
this is',not the question. There are thousands of poor
men who with their little all rely upon the contract
they make with owners of ships (and steamers in
particular) or their servants, being fulfilled, calcu-
lating upon no loss other than that arising from
" God's acts." Few out of the thousands possess the
knowledge, and many lack the ability to insure.
Should these have no protection against loss arising
from the ignorance or carelessness of servants em-
ployed by the owners or companies ? Take the case
of the Cricket. A party embarked on board that
boat, and had upon his person apparel, &c., value 401.,
which in the explosion was destroyed. The igno-
rance or carelessness—or, as the great companies
would term it, the error in judgment on the part of
the servant causing the accident, is clearly recog-
nised. Are not the owners of the Cricket injustice
bound to make good the loss of 401., and all expenses
entailed upon the party personally, in consequence of
the accident ?
If companies in these cases are to shelter themselves
behind the " usages" of insurance, let the public
look to it. So that the ship and her stores are fully
insured, the talent and ability of the officers are a
secondary consideration to the directors. The pas-
sengers, the crew, and property may go to the bottom,
but the ship is insured, and the loss to the company
trivial. But put it the other way. The company
shall be responsible for all losses under the circum-
stances alluded to. What zeal would be evinced by
the directors in selecting efficient officers, and what
care and attention would be displayed by those ser-
vants in navigating their ships; and, oh! what a
saving of life and property would be effected I But
this will not be until the law gives such protection
and redress to the public which it is justly entitled
to.—l am, Sir, yours very obediently,
JUSTITIA.
[We believe that tie • proprietors in every
case of crassa negligentia are responsible for all da-
mages ; and it would be a question for the jury to
say, whether the damages were occasioned by the act
of God, or through the default and negligence of
their servants. If the jury found the latter, there
should (as we conceive) be a verdict for the plain-
tiff.—ED. Sun.]

H
TO THET
EEDICTOHROOLFERTHAE.
SUN.
your able remarks on this awful Subject
a few days ago, you noticed the purifying qualities
of "the disinfecting liquid." Maybeg I know,
for the information of numerous parties here, wha
liquid you refer to, whose make it is, if it can be
purchased or made, and how used ? You can put
your reply at the foot of this letter in your very
valuable paper.—Yours, &c.,
A CONSTANT READER.
Liverpool, Oct. 5, 1847.
[Our reference was to the "Disinfecting Fluid"
of Sir William Burnett, upon the efficacy, uses, and
application of which a Parliamentary Paper (No:703)
has just been published. The paper is a copy of re-
ports upon the employment of Dr. Burnett "Dis-
infecting Fluid," called for by the Secretary to the
Admiralty, and ordered, by the House of Commons,
to be printed, on the 20th of July, 1847. These
reports comprise communications from many eminent
medical inspectors, assistant-surgeons, officers in the
Royal Navy, &c., &c., each of whom testifies to the
advantage of this inestimable liquid.—ED. Sun.]