The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-04 00:00:00

TREATY BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN

AND .AMERICA.

The following contains the substance of the prin-
cipal articles proposed to be embodied in a treaty
of commerce between Great Britain and the United
States, and which was discussed before the execu-
tive committee of the New York Chamber of Com-
merce by Mr. Lindsay, M.P., on the 20th ult. :

" Liability of Shipowners : To secure national treatment
for the vessels of the respective countries, so that the ex-
tent of liability may be limited and governed by the law of
the country in which the case is tried.
" Rules of the Road and Lights at Sea : To obtain simi-
larity or indemnity in the practice and in the laws of Great
Britain and the United States with respect to the rules and
precautions to be observed by the vessels of the respective
countries, in order to avoid collisions at sea.
_ _

46 Offences Committed on the High Seas : To make pro-
visions for rendering more easy and more certain the
punishment of crimes committed on the high seas on board
a ship of one country when that ship arrives in the ports of
the other country.
" Settlement of Disputes between Masters and Crews :
To arrange so that the disputes which so often arise in the
ships of the respective countries may be promptly settled
on the arrival of those ships at the port of either country.
" Desertion of Seamen : To agree that the courts of the
vorectivv
summary jurisdiction over the seamen of the respective
countries who violate a contract into which they have
voluntarily entered and desert from their ships.
" Shipping Offices : To establish shipping offices at
the leading seaports of the United States similar to those
now in operation in Great Britain, and to grant to British
shipmasters the use of these offices, provided Great Britain
grant to American shipmasters the use of her offices, from
which they are now excluded. A suggestion is also made
whether the same code of signals might not be adopted by
the ships of the respective countries, and whether both
countries might not have one meridian for longitude. The
principles subjoined it is considered by Mr. Lindsay might
also be carried into practice by clauses in a convention.

" As to the Liitbility of Shipowners : The ships of Great
Britain and of the United States respectively shall be
placed upon an equal footing as to liability for loss of life
or personal injury, or loss or damage to ships, boats, or
goods ; and accordingly the liability of the owners of such
ships upon the claims made in the courts of either country in
respect of any such loss, injury, or damage shall be limiter'
in like manner, and to the same extent in each case, and
the mode of procedure in reference thereto shall be as
provided by the laws of the country where the claim is
made.

" As to the Rule of the Road and Lights at Sea : The
ships of Great Britain and the United States respectively
shall adopt one and the same rule of the road (as may be
hereafter agreed upon) for their guidance when meeting at
sea; and the ships of the United States shall adopt the
system of lights or signals at sea now established in Grer
Britain. The Courts, therefore, of either country, in de-
termining whether a vessel which has caused or suffered
damage is in fault, shall be guided by these rules, and the
adoption or otherwise of the system of lights or signals
which have been agreed upon.
"As to Offences Committed on the High Seas : In the
case of heinous offences (named in the extradition treaty
now in force between the two countries), it is agreed that
power shall, on the representation of the Minister or Consul
of the respective countries, be given to the federal courts of
the United States, and to the courts of Great Britain, to
apprehend the offender on proof being given such as would
justify his committal in either country. But such pri-
soner can only be delivered to the Minister or Consul of
his country, to be sent home for trial, by an order of the
Secretary of State of the country where the prisoner was
arrested. In all offences of a less heinous nature not in.
eluded; in the extradition treaty, the power of summary
jurisdiction shall, on the representation of the Minister or
Consul representing the country to which the ship belongs,
or in which the offender selves, be given up to the federal
courts of the United States and to the courts of Great
Britain.

" As to the Settlement of Disputes between Masters and
Crews : In respect to all claims and demands by owners or
masters, officers or seamen, against each other, of any ship
belonging to either country in the ports of the other which
shall ha- e arisen sines such ship last sailed from any port
or place of the country to which she belongs, and which
shall not have then previously heard and adj udicated upon
or in respect of any breach or neglect of duty, or non-per-
formance of any contract, all such cases shall (but only on
the representation of the Minister or Consul of the country
to which such ship belongs) be heard, tried, and dealt with
in a summary way by the courts of either country where
fhe ship at the time may be.
"As to the Desertions of Seamen : In cases where sea-
men who have voluntarily engaged themselves to the ships
of the respective countries, or apprentices who have bean
duly indentured to the owners or masters of these ships,
shall desert in the ports of either country, the magistrates
of the respective countries shall, on the application of the
Minister or Consul of the country to which the ship belongs,
grant a warrant for the apprehension of the deserter, and
ondue proof of the desertion cause the seaman or appren-
tice to be sent back to the ship from which he deserted, and
in case of refusal shall inflict such punishment as the law
of the country where the offence was committed would have
inflicted upon the subject of that country for a similar

offence.
"As to Shipping Offices : The Government of Great
Britain shall make provision for extending to American
shipowners the privilege of shipping crews for their vessels
in British ports on the same conditions as the crews of Bri-
tish ships are now engaged, provided the Government of
the United States establish somewhat similar offices at the
principal seaports of the Union, and grant to British ship-
owners similar privileges; and it shall not be lawful for
engagements to be entered into with seamen of either coun-
try in the ports of the other unless through the medium of
those shipping offices, or by shipping masters duly licensed
by the Government of both countries."

Various other subjects wore touched upon as to
the coasting trade, but the above contains all that
we deem of importance.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT BATHGATE.—On Friday
last, a woman, named Mrs. Jessie Gray, leapt from the
window of her dwelling-house, with her child in her arms.
Her head was cut in a serious manner, and the face of the
infant was also cut. It is said that the woman was under
the influence of drink at the time she took the mad leap
which might have proved fatal to both herself and her
infalkt.—Calegenian Mercury,