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 responsibilty, and that
the low rate of insurance does not allow the interests
of the shipowner to be completely identified with those
of the merchants and others who have an interest in
the safe conveyance of their goods, the proposal is
to establish hoards to test the qualification of
masters and mates, so that their appointment may
not he left solely to the inclination of an indi-
vidual. A deputation has come from G 1 tsgow
charged with the mission of holding confereuces
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 clearable. This deputation has held
a conference with the shipovi ners of Liverpool,
at which it was resolved that it would he desirable
to establ:sh boards 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, shoal
he raised by fees for examining capt tins, and also by
a charge 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 are
bringing forward this scheme, that by the legis-
lative enactment appotfitmg the proposed boards
ro patronage should be given to the Govern-
ment, nor, indeed, any right of interfering with the
boards ; but that their appointment should rest with
local bodie., such as the Town Councils of the place,
or, where such associations exist, the associations of
underwriters or shipowners. Tne 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 caleul ited on a basis according to which the mer-
chant ships in 1840 are 'letdown at 1,700, and th:ir
tonnage at 250,000, supposing an increase similar to
that of several preceding ye us." According to this
calculation, the duty of 3d. on the tonnage would
yield 3,125/.. besides the examination fees, which
would be two guineas for a captain, and one guinea
for a coasting master or a mate, and 103. 6d. fur the
mate of a coaster. The account of British shipping,
according to Mr. Johnson, who is one of the GI:,
gow Deputation, 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 of
course to he 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, aryl, moreover, supposing that 700 would be
supplied by old masters and mat?s, 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 3,150/. ; 1,500 mates of
coasters at 10s. 61. would give 787/. ;and the whole,
with the addition of C;e rate on tonnage, would
amount to 11,262/. ; while the expenses of the total
number of local boards are estimated to amount to
no more than 10,000/. The Central Board of ex-
aminers would be fixed in London, and be appointed
by the united committee of the general shipowners
and Lloyd's. This proposal being as yet in so early
a stage, it is impossible to tat what will be its
chance of success, especi,Py as that will in a great mea-
sure depend en a proof that serious evils arise from de-
fects in the present system. The calculations, at all
would seem to show that the plan has brea
thoroughly considered as to its practical working by
the parties who urge its adoption.