The Sun.
London, England, 1835-09-02 00:00:00

VETO OF THE LORDS..

Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice of his interation, next Ses
sion, to move for leave to bring in a Bill to take away the
veto of the House of Lords, and to provide, in the event of a
Bill passing the House of Commons being rejected by the
House of Lords, and again passing the House of Commons in
the same Session, it should be in the power of the King to make
that Bill law.---( Cheers.)
Mr. H UAIE also gave notice of his intention in the next
Session to move for the appointment of a Select Committee to
inquire into the number of Peers, their privileges, and how
they had performed their functions as legislators.
STEAM VESSELS.
Mr. G. F. YOUNG presented a petition from the owners
of a Gravesend Steam Boat, which had been run on board of
by a King's Ship on the .sth of last November, by which
damage was done to the amount of 4001., praying for
relief. He cited the case of the owners of property in the
Dublin Custom-house, which was destroyed by fire ; the House
was called upon not long ago to vote 68,0001. for the payment
of it ; in that case the Government of that day had acted
most properly, for they waived all technical points of law, in
order to have the question fairly tried before a competent
tribunal. That was all he wanted the Government to
do in the present case ; let the Board of Admiralty waive
all technical points, and let the owners of this destroyed pro-
perty go before a jury, and try the question by the proper
legal tribunal of the country.
Mr. C. WOOD said the two cases were very dif-
ferent. The fire in Dublin was a very extraordinary cir-
cumstance, but the one now complained of, a collision
at sea, was a matter of almost daily occurrence. During
the last twenty-five years there had not been a case brought
against the Admiralty, and he had heard no reason stated for
departing from the usual practice pursued by the Board--that
of letting the Officer in command be answerable for the da-
mage done.

kr. AGLIONBY would like to inquire whether there had
been no complaints made to the Admiralty, when they had
paid the amount claimed. The owners in this case had no
remedy but against the Master or the Captain, and the case
cited by the Hon. Gentleman of the owners, &c. being non-
liable to any damage when they had a licensed pilot on board
was not far under the statute which gave them that protection.
They were bound to take a pilot on board, and having done so,
they and the Master or Captain lost all command in their o cvn
ship.

Mr. C. WOOD explained, but in so low a tone as to be
Lnaudible.

Dr. L USHING TON rose for the purpose of supporting
the petition. The practice in cases of this kind was,
that when a collision happened between two private ships, an
action lay, unless there was a licensed pilot on board, against
the owner, the master ; and even the ship, were liable for the
damage ; but where a King's ship was engaged in the collision
an action lay only against the officer who was in command, he did
not see why either the ship, or the Crown, should not be substi-
tuted for the individuals. It was not just to skreen the Crown pro-
perty while that of private individuals was rendered so fully lia-
ble, and some measures ought to be taken to give the ship-
owners that equity which was their due. The Admiralty, in
this case, were judges in their own cause, and they would not
even grant a reference—they refused all investi„,,-ation. The
Admiralty ought to put the case into a fair course of adjudication.
Sir E. C ODRI NG TON was once sum,snOileil W attend a