The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-15 00:00:00

OVERCROWDING OF STEAM- VESSELS.

The master, wardens, and other officers of the Water-
man's Company having appeared to be sworn before the
court. __ _ _ _

Vv
Alderman COPELAND *a he hoped the gentlemen at
the. bar would do all in their power to prevent the steam-
vessels from admitting more passengers than could be
safely conveyed to and from. London. He regretted to
be obliged to acknowledge that, notwithstanding the
passing of the bye-laws expressly for the regulation of
steam-vessels, the appearance of no regulation at all was
much more apparent than ever.
The LORD MAYOR said he had just noticed the circum-
stance in a few observations which he had made at the
Mansion-house, rather as an appeal to the public, and
for their protection through their own co-operation,
than for any other purpose. He had been given to un-
derstand that the steam-vessels, casting aside all appre-
hensions as to the effect of the operation of the bye-laws,
admitted passengers until they stood up completely
wedged together.
Alderman HUSIPHERY said, the overcrowding was not
at all to be w)ndered at when the magistrates themselves
were personally instrumental to that very fact. He had
seen some of the gentlemen who considered that the
steamers were in so much danger of going to the bottom,
actually forcing their way on board.—(Langhter.) So
mnch for the consistency of those who inveighed against
alleged nuisances. He was very desirous of preventing
danger or inconvenience in adapting rules to the public
accommodation, but the gentlemen to whom Alderman
Copeland addressed himself possessed no authority
capable of being exercised as regarded steam-vessels.
They were part of a body appointed before any steam-
vessels
were thought of, and nothing had taken place
since the application of steam to navigation to give them
any additional power. As for the bye-laws they were
ineffective altogether.
The RECORDER said, that steam-vessels were certainly
responsible in penalties for receiving more passengers on
board than they syere licensed to carry.
Alderman COPELAND said, the bye-laws had been made
by the company, confirmed by the court of Aldermen,
and sanctioned by the judges. There was nothing else
to be done but to carry them into execution, and it was,
he considered the duty of the Waterman and Lighter-
men's Company to take measures for giving full effect to
them. He was sure that they had cost the court of Al-
dermen trouble enough.
Alderman WILSON was surprised at the difficulty
which was complained of. The court had taken the
greatest pains to establish a system of regulations cal-
culated to benefit the steam navigation of the Thames.
They had heard all parties on all sides of the ques-
tion, and had agreed to bye-laws which had received
the necessary judicial sanction. All then that was
required was, that these bye-laws should be carried
into effect.
The LORD Mayon—The steamers can afford to pay
the penalties of overloading.
Alderman HIIMPHEILY supposed, if it were in the power
of the court of Aldermen to inflict a penalty of 40s. for
overloading, it would be in their power to inflict 10s. for
the same offence.
The RECORDER said there seemed to be some misun-
derstanding upon the important bye-law particularly
alluded to. By that bye-law a penalty of 40s. was in-
flicted for every passenger above the regulated number.
Alderman WILSON thought the master and wardens of
the company were bound to employ persons to see that
the bye-laws were effectually carried out.
The Clerk to the Waterman's Company stated to the
court, that every one of the convictions for violations of
the bye-laws had been appealed against successfully. All
of them had been quashed.
The conversation ended, after some of the Aldermen
stated that the quashing of the convictions ought not
to prevent further experiments upon the efficacy of the
bye-laws.

RATES OF PILOTAGE IN CHINA.
A. copy of the following proclamation issued by her
Mai sty's Vtaperiatortasut of Trade in Chins has been
transmitted to Lloyd's from the Board of Trade:—