The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-16 00:00:00

THE MERCANTILE NAVY.

The persons connected with the shipping of the out-
ports seem generally to be making a movement towards
the selection of competent persons as masters and
mates in the merchant service. At present the ap-
pointment rests with the shipowner alone, and con-
sidering the great risk to which persons and pro-
perty are exposed by the employment of improper
persons in an office of such responsibil!y, and the t
the low rate of insurance does not allow the interests
of the shipowner to be completely idest;fied with those
of the merchants and others who have an interest in
the safe conveyance of their goods, the proposal is
to establish boards to test the qual;fication of
masters and mate?, so that their appointment may
cot be left solely to the inclination of an indi-
vidual. A deputation has come from Glisgow
charged with tie mission of holding conferences
with the different bodies connected with the shipping
of the United Kingdom, with a view to the esta-
blishment of a Legislative enactment for such a test
as they consider desirable. This deputation has held
a conference with the shipouners of Liverpool,
at which it was resolved that it would be desirable
to establish hoards for the examination of masters
and mates in the merchant service, such boards to be
established in London, Liverpool, Bristol, Newcastle,
Dublin, and Glasgow (or Leith), and to examine
as to qualification in navigation, seamanship, stow-
age of cargo, and knowledge of principal ports,
with a power of re-examination is the event of a
ship being lost. 'The funds, it was resolved, shoull
be raised by fees for examining captains, and also by
a cha-ge of 3.1. per ton on registering new ships,
or id. per ton annually on all 'British shipping.
It is the great desire of the persons who arc
bringing forward this scheme, that by the legis-
lative enactment appointing the proposed boards
no patronage should be given to the Govern-
ment, nor, indeed, any right of interleritig with the
boards ; but that their appointment should test with,
local bodies, such as the Town Councils of the place,
or, where such assoc:ations exist, the associations of
underwriters or shipowners. The duty of 3d. per
ton, which is proposed to be levied on a prin-
ciple according to which the shipowners should
bear part of the" expenses, as well as the examined,
is calculated on a basis according to which the mer-
chant ships. in 1840 are set down at 1,700, aed their
tonnage at 2.50,000, supposing an increase similar to
that of several preceding years. According to this
calculation, the duty of 31 on the tonnage would
yield 3,12.51., besides the examination foes, which
would be two guineas for a capta;n, and one guinea
for a coasting master or a mate, and 10s. 6d. for the
mate of a coaster. The account of British shipping,
according to Mr. Johnson, who is one of the Glas-
gow Dsputatior, gives as the number of vessels 16,000,
which would require as many captains, and about
24,000 mates, altogether 40,000 officials. Allowing
10 per cent. of these to fall off annually, and o
course to be renewed, the number of examinations
would be 4,000. Taking in the increase, as given
above, and allowing the vessels to be 1,700 in num-
ber, and, moreover, supposing that 700 would be
supplied by ell masters and mstes, 1,000 vessels
would be left, requiring 2,500 masters and mates.
Now 2.000 Capt tins for foreign voyages, at two gui-
neas, would give 4,2001. Masters of coasters and
mates of foreign voyages, in number 3,000, and at
the same rate, would give 3,1501 ; 1,500 mates of
coasters at 10s. 61 would give 737/.; and the whrlc,
with the addition of the rate on tonnage, would
amount to 11,262/. ; while the expenses of the total
number of Inc tl boards are estimated to amount to
no more than 10,000/. The Centre! Board of ex-
aminers would be fixed in London, and be appointed
by the united committee of the generel shipowners
and Lloyd's. This proposal being as yet in so early
a stage, it is impossible to tsll what will be its
chance of success, especially as that will in a great mea-
sure depend on a proof that serious evils arise from de-
fects in the present system. The calculations, at
el cute would seem to show that the plan ha 3 been
thoroughly considered as to its practical working by
the parties who urge its adoption.

THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN.
U IDER the MANAGEMENT of MADAME VESTRIS.
THIS EVENING, MARCH 16,
Will be repeated the New Comedy, in Five Acts, entitled
LONDON ASSURANCE.

Sir Harcourt Courtly, Bart, Mr. W. Farren ; Max Hark-
away, Mr. Bartley; Mr. Charles Courtly, Mr. Anderson ;
Mr. Adolphus Spanker, Mr. Keeley; Mr. Dazzle, Mr. C.
Mathews ; Mark Meddle, Mr. Harley ; Grace Harkaway,
Madame Vestris; Lady Gay Spanker, Mrs. Nisbet ; Mrs.
Pert, Mrs. Humby.

• After which,
THE BEGGAR'S OPERA.

Captain Macheath, Mr. \V. Harrison ; Peachum, Mr. W.
Farrcn ; Lockit, Bartley ; Filch, Mr. Harley ; Mrs.
Peachum, Mrs. C. Jones ; Polly Peachum, Miss ltainforth;
Lucy Lockit, Madame Vcstris
To-morrsw, Lor.den Assurance, with Patter versus Clatter,
and Twice Killed.

Doers to opened at ball-past Six—the performances 42..
co _r_reenr.! at Seie o'clock.

Dress Boxes 7s. ; Secend Price, 33. 6d.; First and Second
c'ircles, ss. ; :second Price, 2s. 6d. ; Pit, 3s. ; Second Price,
3:.; Gallery Is.
Tickets and places for the BOEI.I to be taken of Mr. Grogan,
at the Box-office, from Ten till Four, where Season Tickets
mty se had upon application.
Private Boxi. to be had so'ely of Mr. And; :ors, bookseller,
.67, New Bond-street.