The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-20 00:00:00

• Inverness. We belong to the port of Inverness. You
know that numbers of our poor boys gain their liveli-
hood by fishing, and it is monstrous to suppose that they
should be required to go to Inverness to get a ticket. If
a ticket was to cost them one shilling, it would be a vast
hardship ; and I believe many go out fishing who are
not fit to go such a journey, both old and young."
To the wisdom or policy of consolidating the va-
rious laws relating to merchant seamen, it is by no
means our intention to except; and we can readily
enter into the statistical as well as political views
which may render the " Keeping a Registry of Sea-
men" as object of paramount importance under many
possible exigencies. But we are satisfied that in
framing the machinery of the Act before us the par-
ties who drew, and the Legislature which passed it,
must have overlooked the extravagant injustice which
its unmodified application to the most distant and
inhospitable shores of the British islands, and between
the most widely-separated points on those stormy
coasts, their land-locked archipelago, and the wide oc-
casional tracks of barren country on the neighbour-
ing main, will inflict. From points thus remote, how-
ever, to the nearest port which can boast a custom-
house ; or from some secluded creek on the unfre-
quented west, across the wildest districts of the
Highlands, to some luckier and more favoured
locality in the east which possesses a trade and
a revenue station, to look after the duties to be
collected on it, the unfortunate fisherman of the " far
Lewis, or of any part of the rugged coast line be-
tween Far-off-Head and Loch Broom, must find his
way, be it by land or by water, 60, 70, or 80 miles,
to pay his hard-earned shilling and obtain his certi-

ficate, with which he may then return, at this the
most inclement season of the year, over the same
prolonged and dreary track, to the point from whence
he set oat ; for the Act is imperative as to the time

within which the certificate must be obtained. The
preamble declares that " from and after the Ist day
of January, 1845, this Act shall take effect." Clause
3 enacts, among other things, that the owner or
master of " every ship under the burden of 80
tons, employed as last aforesaid, shall, before

employing any seaman or other person in the service
of his ship, receive from every such seaman or other
person his register ticket ; and shall retain the same
until the service of such seaman or other person shall
have expired, and, at the expiration of such service,
the master shall return the register ticket to the per-
son entitled thereto." In a subsequent clause a heavy
penalty is inflicted on a master who shall fail to ex-
plain the meaning of such ticket and receive it, sub-
ject to be returned as aforesaid, from the seaman or
other person so employed by him. And clause 20
expressly enacts that, " every person being a subject
of her MAJESTY, intending to serve on board
any ship, subject to the provisions of this
Act (except as master or physican, or sur-
geon, or apothecary), shall, and he is hereby re-
quired to provide himself with a register ticket for
that purpose to apply personally at the General Re-
gister and Record Office of Seamen in London, or at
the custom-houses of the several outports of the United
Kingdom." This clause imposes a rather heavy pe-
nalty on the sailor or seaman for noncompliance with
its conditions. Did the framers of the Act think at
all of Scotland—of the Western Highlands and Isles
—of their intrepid, frugal, and enterprising, though
poor, fishermen ? If they did, did it never occur to
them that to make their Act take effect from the

Ist of January on such coasts, and on such seas,
was to put to needles hazard and fatigue the
lives of a noble set of fellows, whose lot has been
already cast as one of laborious toil, and of incessant
peril ? How are these fishermen, for example, of the
Western Highlands and Isles to make their way from
their rude homes to the nearest custom-house, in
search of these certificates, when, for that purpose,
they may have to traverse the whole distance
between, say Tobermory and Stornaway, or
Stornaway and Wick, or between Thurso and
Inverness ? 11l can they afford the fee, albeit but
one shilling; but still worse can they afford the sacri-
fice of time and occupation entailed by such long
journeys or voyages after these certificates, to say
nothing of the tempestuous weather and difficult

country that interpose their formidable obstacles at
this season. There will doubtless be numbers whom
physical difficulties of this kind, as well as others,
will effectually prevent from obtaining the document
required; but the Act is imperative, and they will
therefore be subject to the penalty. Surely, on a
proper representation of this case in the proper
quarters, an Order in Council might be ob-
tained, either suspending the levy of the
penalty until the re-assembling of Parliament and
the passing of a remedial Bill, or providing a more
practicable and considerate channel for the procuring
these certificates, by authorising the officers of Cus-

toms, always traversing some part or other of the
districts in question, to issue them, on application
to fishermen or others. Such a relief is no more
than is due to the bold seamen of the coasts of Ross-

shire, Inverness-shire, and Sutherland, of the Ork

neys and the Western Isles, from whom both our
navy, and our mercantile marine, at all times draw

some of their best and most undaunted sailors.

Madrid papers of the 11th instant have been re-
ceived. The report that the lives of REUGIFO and his
comrades had been spared is confirmed, but we regret
to find on the condition that they be banished for
life. After such a mock trial, and the decision of
the Supreme Military TAgtmal, this sentence, so far
from showing the royal clemency, is an act of savage
cruelty. We placed no confidence in the reputed
clemency of NARVAI32, and have not, therefore been
disappointed.

-MADRID BOUNSE, DECEMBEIZ 11.—There were

110,900,000 reals done in the Three per Cents. to-
day; closing prices, 32 3-16 cash, and 324 at sixty
days. Five per Cents. 21i at sixty days. Floating
Debt, 77 cash. Coupons, 26i at sixty days.

Though the opening of the French Chambers will
take place within a week, we find not one note of pre-
paration in the Opposition journals for an attack on
the " Man of Ghent," or the discussion of any great
political measure, which may endanger the Cabinet.
For many years there has not been, at this season,
such a monotonous dulness in the radical and war
journals. The state of Spain, and the part which
Louts PHILIPPE and his Minister have taken in
placing Queen Cuitisrmi, and INTAity.tez in power,
will form a good subject for conteution, but even that
now is scarcely alluded to. Enough is said in the
National and Conslitutionnel about the military execu-
tions, and the other atrocities of the Government, but
the responsibility of France for the wretched and
lamentable condition of her near neighbour
is kept almost entirely in the back ground.
The only question at present that appears
to excite the slightest interest is the election of Pre-
sident of the Lower Chamber, and even that is of the
most trifling description. Last year the Opposition
preferred M. DUPIN to M. SAUZET, but were opposed
by the Government, and SAUZET was elected. Now
he is out of favour with the leading organ of the
Cabinet, and with some reason. Most of our readers
will remember the disgraceful scenes in the Chamber
last session when the " pilgrimage to Belgrave-
square," the right of search, and some other pplitical
questions were discussed, and the utter inability of
M. SAUZET to preserve order. The -Journal des
Debate admits the fact, and would, therefore, now
have a President like M. Durex, who though not al-
ways obedient to the Court and Cabinet, is a
consistent and constitutional politician, and moreover
has a firmness of character which peculiarly fits him
for preserving order in a popular assembly. The
contrast between these two members is thus drawn
by the Journal des Debate :—" The session is on the
point of being opened, and the political discussions
which have lately been so devoid of interest are about
to be renewed. For our part, we have not been in-
clined from the mere pleasure of battling with the
Opposition to fill our columns with eternal repetitions
upon Mogadore and Otaheite. Everything must
come to an end, even polemics; for when a question
is exhausted, and is not revived by any new incident,
the best thing that journalists can do is, in our opinion,
to be silent. Why should not politics have a vaca-
tion ? All matters in difference will come into
discussion in the Chambers. We are ready for the
debate, and dread it not upon any one point. The
thundering aspect assumed by the Opposition does
not frighten us in the least degree. There is, how-
ever, one previous question upon which we wish to
say a word, although it has not yet been broached;
because, perhaps, in the present state of things it can
scarcely bear the character of a party question.
We mean the question of the Presidency. Who
for this year is to be President of the Chamber of