The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-29 00:00:00

O
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cation.
While, however, the sailors are bound by such
strict rules, they should be protected by the most
efficient and binding enactments against any abuse
While we would express our gratification at the
of the extraordinary power conferred upon the
honourable course adopted in several of the English master. The present law is altogether one-
constituencies, we would most emphatically protest
sided in its operation. There is no reciprocity
against the dishonesty already evinced by certain
whatsoever. The seaman who, goaded by a continued
factious individuals. Finsbury has acquired for itself course of ill-treatment and annoyance, for a moment
the undisputed credit of returning the two first re- forgets his position, and revolts against his tyrannical
presentatives to the Parliament of 1847—those repro- oppressor, is banished for ever from his native land,
sentatives being the very impersonation of liberality. and doomed to toil as a slave for the remainder of his
Tamworth has been actuated by an enthusiasm quite existence, while the master is suffered with impunity
in accordance with the prevailing sentiments of the to utter the most frightful imprecations, to use the
community ; the constituents have proclaimed their foulest and most abusive language, and to teaze and
h
sympathy with the great cause of commercial eman- harass his crew in every possible manner; and, if
cipation by their ardent reception of Sir R. PEEL. occasionally brought before a magistrate for some
or, at the most, upon
'They have proved themselves competent to appreciate
gross and outrage, he generally escapes
the policy of that great statesman by declaring in either without punishment,
their printed address to the Right Hon. Baronet, that payment of some small fine. Shipowners, too, sp-
in the estimation of his constituency his mercantile pear perfectly indifferent to the character of the
innovations must promote " the benefit, the prosperity, man whom they select for the discharge
and the glory of the British dominions." In his of such important duties, and there is no test
electioneering address from the hustings of Tamworth
of character or qualifications which :he is com-
the ex-Premier admirably refutes the charges levelled
against him on the ground of inconsistency. He was polled to undergo before he is invested with the au-
thority. A trifling knowledge of navigation is all
accused of having betrayed his supporters, of having
iexpectedng ,
calculateat his hhaenrd sp.o s
ilt heifnn ,
andcan
deceived the party of which he was the acknow-
of having flagrantly broken his
lodged leader, ty‘h,oartkis t
hl looked ks
he
idp
,s forr
reckoning,
o n
navigate her from port to port, nothing more is
pledges to his own electors in particular, and to his
political followers in general. He emphatically
boat on the Thames
desired. A person is subjected to a heavy fine for
acting as master of a twopenny
denied the accuracy of those imputations. Formerly
without a certificate of his competence, but he would
be had protested his devoted loyalty to the Crown : be p
permitted to circumnavigate the globe, to take
bad ha done anything to trench on the just preroga-
• f the SOVEREIGN ? Formerly he had declared charge of the lives of the crew and assengers, and
byes o
of the property contained in the vessel, without the
his anxiety to aid by every legitimate means in the
slightest proof of his fitness for the task. In
maintenance of the established religion : had he in
ti:e present instance the master was tainted by previous
any manner depreciated the influence of the Church
illconduct, which should
have prevented any persons
Establishment ? Formerly he had announced his from
again placing him in so responsible a position.
:solicitude to preserve to the House of Lords all the
He had been just liberated from Newgate, where he
rational authority which had hitherto been associated
had been imprisoned for six months for a serious
with the hereditary peerage ;assault upon the steward of the vessel he had pre-
had he diminished even
the prestige of the nobility by any of the proceedings
viously commanded ; he had been fined Z. at Madras
of his administration ? Had the liberties of the for another assault ; and on another occasion he had
people been trifled with ? Had populftr opinion been charged his crew with mutiny and taken them to
depreciated ? had the freedom of the Press Hong- Kong, where the magistrates held them free
been assailed? had any efforts, either overt
t. from blame, and ordered their wages to be pl
or insidious aid in
, been made for the restraint of
:all. He had been so frequently engaged in dispuwithtesthat thought or action in the multitude ? On
the contrary, whatever reforms had been adventured
upon by his Government had been reforms of a con- twenty complaints had not been preferred against
course, he was perfectly blameless
stitutional character ; such reforms as were consonant 1 II- c )11:d ; ot believe anvthiets
,cf:e.sion _ - . 0
' le , --,e,,, '. cl •., VittiNisNigrineip s‘ , e .ma ~ ass, is : .71S as vscre lon evti. 1
,:io.tic,e, .uci-A him, although, .of
ie Tory,who wouldappear
a'asaau4ed by reason and
I,,irstion, and his c
is eon-.olitia7l ti: 4,,-, ~ ' :-;:- an :.:Ij-i tfl-.liF„int:.:.,t -.; “
against (-aptain sic.,-,s:so.::-,,0r ti
s• are, ss u.
and disseminated the advantages n fie nas juss I,: ungiit to trial was
1 to the persons wnoi
h.sitation
'e constitution. Through the 1 such' that thejury, without the slightest ,

LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 29, 1847.

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and without hearing the several counsel for the
defence, stopped the case, and declared that the crew
were justified in what they had done, and that they
were in danger of their lives or of some grievous
bodily harm from his violence. It is not possible to
sympathise with the owners of the vessels for any loss
they may have sustained in consequence of employing
such a person. But we hope that the case may not
be suffered to rest here, but that it may attract the
notice of the Legislature.

An important inquiry has been carried on
during the past session into the effect and
operation of our navigation-laws, and whether
any and what changes therein are desirable.
This constitutes one of the most serious topics
to be submitted to the consideration of the
new Parliament. Whatever may be the result of
that investigation or the future legislation on the sub-
ject, it must be defective and insufficient unless the
grievance of incompetent and tyrannical captains is
remedied. This can only be done by requiring that
every person should be licenf ed by the Trinity House,
or some other competent board, before he is permitted
to take the command of a vessel, and such license
should only be granted after a strict examination as
to his qualifications as a seaman, and an investigation
into his previous character and conduct, and should
be revocable on any proof of subsequent impropriety.
By such a regulation, and also by punishing with the
utmost severity any misconduct of a captain at sea,
we can alone place our mercantile navy on a proper
footing, and render justice to the gallant men whose
services are so valuable to the country.

The Swiss Diet, on the 23d, considered the motion
of the Deputies of Geneva for striking out from the
rolls of the army of the Confederation the names of all
officers who shall continue to serve in the forces of
the Sonderbund. The motion, although strongly
opposed by the Deputies of the seven cantons forming
the Sonderbund, was carried by a majority of twelve
votes and two half votes, and the Diet was instructed
to draw up a list of such officers.

According to the German papers, negotiations
have been commenced for the pu'rpose of securing
the succession to the Duchy of Brunswick to the
family of the reigning Duke WILLIAM.

Madrid papers of the 22d have arrived.
The Espanol contains an article, warning capi-
talists against the new loan, which it declares is
illegal, while the security offered is illusory. In
five out of the six electoral districts of Madrid Pro-
gressista candidates have been elected. The QUEEN, it
is said, is about to make an excursion to Segovia.
On the 21st the treaty for the recognition of the re-
public of Bolivia was signed by, the Minister.