The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-16 00:00:00

MEETING OF SHIPOWNERS_ (Tkus DA.y.)l

At the George and Vulture tavern, Cornbill, a
-Meeting of Shipowners was held to-day, Mr. Geo.
Palmer in the Chair, but at so late an hour that we,
cannot give so full a report of what passed as we
could have wished. The Meeting was, comparatively,
but thinly attended.
The CHAIRMAN stated, that no public advertise-
ment had been inserted in any of the public Papers of
the. present Meeting, which probably might in
a manner account for the rather vcanty num-
ber present. The object of the Meeting was to
consider the interests of Shipowners, .and particu-
larly to take into consideration ether or not
it would be advisable to convene a more general meet-
ing of the shipping interest of this country, to,
know what measures if any should be taken to
further the interests of Shippers at large ; and likewise
to.watch the progress ofthe measures now taking.—
This much he stated, and this much only he would
state, with a view to manifest that, at this season,
nearly the close of the Session of Parliament,
he, and several Gentlemen with whom he had
consulted, had not the slightest wish to discuss any
thing, or to do any thing from private feelings, or
to further private interests, but with a view.to forward
shipping objects at large.
Mr. YOUNG, in rising to propose the first resolu-
tion, said, .that for some years back, great changes,
were operating on the commercial interests. Whether'
they were calculated to promote the interests of the
community, or only as experiments prejudicial to
certain interests, he did not mean to discuss.—

Certain it was, that in progress of these measures
every part of the commercial community was materially
affected. When any attempt was made in Parliament to
introduce measures affecting other interests, they were
efficiently opposed ; whereas, the British Navigation
which, as a body, was inferior to no other in magni-
tude or importance, was entirely unrepresented, and
their interests neglected. He would mention one
instance illustrative of •this position. During
the discussion in the House of Commons on Fri-
day last, on a question respecting the shipping
interests which seemed to Government of great im-
portanCe, though the House had been previously
full on an agricultural subject, yet, at the
conclusion of Mr. Huskisson's speech there were
but twenty-five in the house, and. at the termi-
nation of the debate only eleven.----(Hear, hear.)
He did not mean to say that the Legislature were in-
adequate to those duties for which they were delegat-
ed, but that their attention was- not sufficiently drawn
to the shipping interests. The interests of the com-
munity would be better consulted, if each separate part
had been represented in the House, so that where any
measure affecting that part should be introduced, its
merits would be fairly examined into, a competition
•would arise, which, in the result, would prove bene-
ficial to the community at large.—(Applause.)--7-He
,concluded by moving the first resolution.
Ist. That it was the opinion of the Meeting, that the present
state of Parliament, as it regarded the Shipping Interests, de-
manded the most serious consideration of every Shipowner through-
out the Kingdom.
Mr. MARSHALL, in seconding the resolution, said
that he had no doubt that the measures introduced by
Government would, in the result, prove beneficial ;
but that at present they materially affected the ship-
ping interest, and that some means ought to be adopted
to protect it.
Mr. URQUIIART said that had the Shipping So-
ciety conducted itself with the same independence as
other societies,—they would be listened to, but
the fact was, they endeavoured to cajole Ministers.
He here alluded to a speech of Lord Liverpool, at the
dinner of the Society in 1824, and said that they had
lowered themselves in the eyes of the community,
which was evident from the fact of only twenty-
four having attended at their last annual Meeting.
He admitted that many of Mr. Huskisson's pointswere
correct, and would ultimately prove beneficial, but the
Society ought to have some persons who would
go up to Ministers and represent their sufferings to
them. No persons knew of this meeting, it was only
got up to promote the interests of a certain individual.
--(Order, order.)
. The CHAIRMAN here said, that they had not in
view the interests of any particular individual—their
object being to devise measures for the interests of

•
After some discussion, the following resolutions
•
were agreed to :-
9d. That the successive legislative enactments had been in-
troduced to give effect to the changes and progress of Politi-
cal, Commercial, and Agricultural Interests, by sound and
able Legislators, while the interests of Shipowners have been
almost entirely overlooked, or attended with very, little effect,
arising altogether from the conduceadopted.
Sd. The third resolution disclaimed all private and party feel-
ings, and attributed the present state of shipping representation to
the want of men in Parliament practically acquainted with ship-
ping interests.

4th. The fourth Resolution was, that for the purpose of
awakening public attention, to adopt expedient measures for

the interests of Shipowners, a Public Meeting► of the Ship-
owners throughout the Kingdom should be celled on Tuesday,
the SOth of May, instant, at the City of London Tavern,
and that any Owner should be at liberty to invite the attendance
of any Members of the Shipowners' Society.
These resolutions were put to the Meeting, and
carried unanimously, and that they should be pub-
lished in such Papers as the Shipowners should think
proper. The thanks of the Meeting were voted to
the Chairman, and the Meeting broke up at three
o'clock.

One of the savings' banks at the west end of the
town, the deposits in which amounted to 240,000/. in
December last, has had them reduced, by calls, below
200,0001. since that period. This being the case in
London, where comparatively little distress prevails,
the proportion of diminution must be much greater in
some of the manufacturing districts. The money called
for in this way is provided for, it is said, by an issue of
Exchequer Bills.

" A male elephant has arrived in London, on a visit
to Mr. Cross, of Exeter 'Change ; it is imagined his stay will be
of some duration, for he has brought a large trunk with him.
A gentleman whose name we could not learn, was
thrown from his horse on Friday, in Hanover-square, and serious-
ly injured. The animal took fright at two of the flapping straw-
bats, now so very fashionable and so extremely ridiculous, with
which a couple of young ladies were thatched, who were walk-
ing in the square.
If any lady or gentleman wish to get a pig into a
boat, it is only necessary to put his fore-feet upon the plank lead-
ing to it, and pull his tail violently—the natural obstinacy of
piggy induces him to rush into the boat with all possible speed.—
We are not aware whether this system of pig-driving forms .any
part of Miss Mason's Calisthenic Exercises—but we are quite sure
it would be u very worthy addition to those delicate and thininine
exhibitions,

We are requested to state that the gallant Colonel
Arthur, and the dissatisfied Col: Bradley, are in no way related
to Arthur O'Bradley, about whom Arr. Wore and the Irish vo-
calists ring so much. _

The Ministers, who pin their faith upon Mr. Jacob's
Report, are called Jaeobites—nohody, however, presumes to call
that gentleman a Pretender.—John