The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-29 00:00:00

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LONDON- :
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 29, 1842.

Mr. ROEBUCK'S Committee has ended in smoke for
the present. His Committee has authenticated the ex-
istence of the corruption and bribery, and thrown an
obligation on the House of Commons to take measures
to put them down. Last night, however, the House re-
fused to assent to ➢ir. BoEaucK's resolutions, by which
it has taken ,on itself the responsibility of shielding
the offences tbe Committee has exposed. The Commit-
tee inquired into an alleged criminality—the criminality
is proved, and the House refuses to punish the criminal,
or prevent future criminality. We did not anticipate
that Mr. Rotorcx would succeed, and we were more
surprised at the House granting the inquiry than at its
refusing to adopt his conclusions. A worse course it
could scarcely follow. The House is now branded by
its Committee as the offspring of bribery, and it is
branded by itself as resolved to shelter and protect the
hideous monster from which it springs.

It is so long since the plan of a compulsory exami-
nation for captains of merchant ships was first brought
under public notice, that we supposed it was given up,
and we therefore preserved a discreet silence concerning
it. Last night, however, Captain FITZROY obtained
leave to bring in a Bill to establish that species of exami-
nation. He is aware that it would be hopeless to attempt
to pass it this session, and therefore he only proposes to
introduce it, have it printed at the public expense, and
circulate it through the country, in order that the objec-
tions to it may be fully considered.
lie proposes that Boards be appointed in England,
Scotland, and Ireland, consisting of three examiners each,
and a secretary. The system they are to act on is to be
approved by the Trinity Board, and the whole placed
under the Board of Trade. The expense to be defrayed
by fees. All persons who wish hereafter to be masters,
or mates of ships, must submit to be examined by them,
and to pay for a certificate to command a ship in every
part of the world, 31.; to command a vessel or vessels on
short voyages, 21.; mates 30s. and 20s. The scheme in-
volves, therefore, r.o inconsiderable amount of patronage,
and no inconsiderable extension of taxation. As a gene-
ral rule, the country is already suffering from too much
of both, and ought to be thoroughly and completely satis-
fied that, to extend them, will be of certain and great
advantage before it approve of any such scheme.
"It may not," says Mr. JOT'S YEAncE, jun., Who is an
opponent of this scheme, " be altogether undeserving of
your consideration the inflicting on shipping a direct
tax, in addition to the indirect delays, obstructions, &c.
Taking the shipping of the Empire at 30,000, which is
not far from the mark, and the average fees at 31. 10s. '
for a master, and 11. ss. for a mate; the ow egate direct
tax, you see, is 142,5001. ! (less fur vessels under 60 tons)
and this not for once only, but constantly recurring, as
new masters and mates are required."
This expense is to be incurred because, as Captain.
FITZROY says, there is now no examination
ofaminati of any
and kind
with respect to the qualifications the captains
mates
the public
vessels.nCaampet.anaihteTrzeaOY
iZindefcaecttv,eas
himself of merchant
and
practical examination, as much superior to his proposed
examination, by Boards, as riding a horse every day to
ascertain his qualities is sureriorto seeing kim fora few