The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-07 00:00:00

THE PASSENGERS ACT.

The following is an abridgment of the Colonial
Land and Emigration Commissioners Bill, adapted by
Lord Stanley, for the amendment and enlargement of
the existing
Passengers Act :
The number of passengers to be carried in each
vessel is limited. Vessels proceeding from the
United Kingdom or the Channel Islands to any place
out of Europe, not being within the Meditteranean
sea, shall carry no more than one passenger for every
two tons of the registered tonnar. In the lower
deck or platform, ten clear superhcial feet are to be
allowed for each passenger; or if the ship pass within
the tropics, the voyage not being computed at more
than twelve weeks, twelve feet are to be allowed ; at
more than twelve weeks, fifteen feet. One passenger
may be carried under the poop for every thirty
passengers. The master incurs a penalty of 51. for
every passenger in excess of the proper number.
Every ship must have a lower deck or platform
above, or level with the top of the lower beams,
properly secured to them, and of an inch and a half in
thickness. There must be a height of at least six feet
between the upper and lower decks. There must be
only two tiers of berths, the lower six inches from the
deck.
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supply of not less than three quarts of water
must be issued to each passenger per day, and seven
pounds of bread-stuff per week ; of the latter, one-
third may consist of potatoes, reckoned at the rate of
five pounds for one of bread-stuffs. No ship to be
cleared out without having on board sufficient supplies
of provisions and. water...
The length of voyages is to be computed according
to the following rule :—to North America, 10 weeks ;
West Indies, 10 weeks ; Central or South America,
12 weeks ; West coast of Africa, 12 weeks ; Cape of
Good Hope, or the Falkland Islands, 15 weeks ;
Mauritius, 18 weeks • Western Australia, 20 weeks;
other Australian Colonies, 22 weeks ; New Zealand,
24 weeks.

1 Two children under 14 years of age to be reckoned
. as one adult passenger. The emigration agent at the
port which the vessel leaves, or, in the absence of such
a functionary, the officers of the customs are to ex-
amine the provisions and water, as to quantity and
quality, and•the allotment of space ; and to ascertain
that there is an ample supply of water and stores for
the crew of the ship or other persons on board, over
and above what is provided for the passengers.
The Commissioners of Customs or the Colonial
Land and Emigration Commissioners to have the
power to detain vessels until rendered sea-worthy.
Every ship of 150, and under 250 tons must carry two
boats ; under 500 tons three boats ; more than that
four boats.
Masters to carry two copies of the act, open to the
perusal of passengers.
With every ship carrying 100 passengers a medical
practitioner is to sail ; in every ship carrying a
smaller number medicines of sufficient amount and of
a proper kind_to_be carried.
Spirits are not to be laden on board by way of
stores, except for the master and crew and cabin
to any passenger during the voyage is absolutely pas-
sengers, or as medical comfo.-ts ; but the sale of spirits
pro-
hibited, under a penalty of not less than 501. nor more
than 2001.
Written receipts for passage-money to any place in
North America are to be given to steerage passengers,
according to a
given form, under a penalty of 2/.
Passage-brokers contracting for passages to North
America are to be licensed by justices thei petty or
quarter sessions of their district ; and incur a
penalty of 101. for every passage contracted without a
licence.
In case vessels are detained beyond the appointed
day of departure, lodgings and rations are to be pro-
vided for each passenger, or he is to be allowed is. a
day as Subsistence money. At the close of the voyage,
persons are to be entitled to remain on board for 48
hours after the arrival in port, and arc to be provided
for in the same manner as during the voyage ; " unless
in the ulterior prosecution of her voyage, any such
ship shall quit any such port or place within the said
period of 48 hours."
The 25th clause enumerates many of the foregoing
regulations, to the breach of which special penalties
have not been affixed, and enforces them under a pe.
nalty of not less than 5/. nor more than 50/.
Vessels not carrying more than twenty passengers,
and ships in the service of the Admiralty or East
India Company, ships of war, or transports, are ex- ,
empted from the operation of the Act.
The Act is extended to the carriage of passen-
gers by sea from any of the British West Indies (in
whith term are included the British West India