The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-03 00:00:00

CHANT SERVICE.

Sir J. ELPHINST ONE, in rising to call the attention of
the house to the report of the select committee which sat
last year on chains and anchors, observed that all the state-
ments he had made in moving the appointment of that com-
mittee had been borne out in evidence. It was proved, in
the first place that the cables supplied to ships belonging to
her Majesty's service were seldom or never found fault with.
They were subjected to tests so very effectual that on very
few occasions were they discovered to be defective. It
was proved by the evidence of manufacturers that the state
of matters was so bad that nothing but an authorised com-
pulsory test would be of any use. It was proved that a very
large proportion of cables were made of inferior material and
workmanship. No less than 821 per cent. of those brought
to Liverpool to be tested failed under a comparatively light
pressure. At Sunderland, where there was a test, the cables
were of a better quality. All the chain cable manufacturers
concurred in the necessity of a proof. So bad were some of
the cables that an instance was mentioned in which a cable
broke by simply falling out of a cart in which it was being
conveyed along the street. A great number of most inef-
fective chains were manufactured and sold with forged cer-
tificates. Iron in Staffordshire not fit for any other purpose
was manufactured into chains which were principally used
for small vessels, of which sem ethinglike 1,000 were wrecked
on our coasts every year. Yet no inquiry took place as to
the soundness of their ground tackle. The chain which
swung the coals out of the mines was subjected to a test,
and if that chain broke and a coal miner was thereby killed,
the owner would be found guilty of manslaughter; but it'
a coal brig were lost from the defective nature of her ground
tackle, no inquiry took place, and there was a very con-
siderable annual loss of most valuable lives, which was due
to defective cables. It might be said that it was not the
duty of the Government to prescribe in what manner ship-
owners should furnish their ships ; but Government did
interfere where human life was concerned ; and there were
various ways in which, without going too far, the testing of
chain cables might be placed in thg category of Government
interference. The committee came to the resolution that
good grounds had beeen laid by the evidence before them of
the absolute necessity of public tests, and especially that all
vessels employed in the conveyance of emigrants or Govern-
ment stores should be obliged to furnish themselves with tested
cables. The committee were unanimous intheir findings. Pub-
lic companies—such as dock companies—might safely be in-
trusted with some supervision in this matter. A ship could
now procure a cable which would hold her under any ordi-
nary circumstances of wind and weather of a cheaper descrip-
tion than those which ships were formerly supplied with,
the weight of the one cable being much less than the other.
His object on the present occasion was not to force on the
Government any abstract resolution, but simply to find out
whether it was their intention, with such a mass of evidence
before them, to take up and deal with this question. He
know the difficulties which attended the efforts of private
members in endeavouring to pass a bill on such a subject, or
be should have undertaken the task himself. When the
matter was of so much importance to the country in every
respect, he thought it was the bounden duty of Her
Majesty's Ministers to take it up and make it a Government
measure.
Admiral WALCOTT, as a mexuber of the committee, cor-
dially concurred with his hon. friend as to the necessity,
propriety, and imperative duty of the Government in taking
measures to satisfy themselves that all vessels leaving the
ports of this country, especially those carrying passengers,
were properly supplied with anchors and chains duly tested
by proper authorities.
Mr. M. GIBSON said the hon, baronet had succeeded in
eliciting a great deal of valuable inforraati n on the sub jest
of the chains and anchors supplied to merchant vessels
through means of the committee for which he had moved
last session, and in calling the attention of the Ishipovater.

LOIS DON : Printed and rublished by IaURDO YOUNG, 01
• No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIIE SUN ()Mee, No. 112,Strand,
in the Precinct of the Savoy, In the County of Middlents,
Wedneschiy, July 3, isu,