The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-23 00:00:00

THURSDAY, MAY 18.

Numerous private bills having been read a third time
and passed; after which petitions on a variety of subjects
were presented, among which were two against the sale of
intoxicating liquors on Sunday, one from St. Luke's dis-
trict, and the other from the Presbyterian Church, Mount
Pleasant, Liverpool ; they were presented by Mr. Holm=
FALL, who also presented one from the Chymists' Society
of Liverpool, in favour of a decimal system of currency.
Sir JAIIES GRAHAM, in answer to a question by Mr.
FRENCH, denied that the Great Britain had been offered
to Government for the conveyance of troops to Constanti-
nople oftener than once, and stated that the reason for
declining the offer was, that the terms demanded by the
owners were greater than had been claimed for any other
vessel. He also asserted that the capacity of that vessel
would not enable it to convey more than 160 horses, in-
stead of 300, as had been insinuated in the question.
After the transaction of some routine business, the ad-
journed debate on
CONVENTUAL AND MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS.
The debate on the question of the appointment of a com-
mittee was resumed by Mr. NEWDEGATE, who, adverting
to the position in which this question had been placed,
and to the course, of action taken, as he said, by a domi-
nent minority, recommended Mr. T. Chambers to chance
his mode of proceeding, and abandon his motion.
Mr. BRIGHT defended the course of action adopted by
the minority, and implored Mr. CHAMBERS, if he with-
drew his motion, to wash his hands of the subject for ever.
After some remarks by Mr. COLLIER, Mr. J. BALL, and
Mr. FREWIN,
Mr. T. CHAMBERS explained the reasons which in-
fluenced him in withdrawing for the present the motion.
He consented not to press for the appointment of the
committee only because, in the position in which the
question was placed, it was a literal and almost physical
impossibility for him to proceed, having been met by a
factious opposition, aided by the government. In with-
drawing his motion it remained open to him, he observed,
to consider what ulterior course he should take.
Lord J. RUSSELL rejoiced that the motion was with-
drawn, believing that its success would exasperate one
part of the nation against another; that inquiry was in-
expedient, and legislation unnecessary.
Sir J. PAKINGTON did not say that the Government
had been a party to the precedent of a minority prevailing
over a majority ; but thought the aourse taken by Mr.
Chambers was right. •
Mr. CRAUFORD insisted that the question for discharg-
ing the order for the appointment of the committe be put
to a vote, and the motion for discharging the order was
'carried by a majority of 100 against 1.
MERCHANT SHIPPING BILL.
On the motion, by Mr.- CARDWELL, for the second
reading of this bill, Mr. HOUSFALL said, he did not
rise to oppose the bill, upon which great care and,
attention had been bestowed by the right hon. gen-
tlemen, but to point out one or two mistakes into
which he thought the right hon. gentleman had fallen by
interfering with the Mercantile . Marine Act of 1850,
although he would not go into any details on the subject
until the bill went into committee. One of the most im-
portant points of the measure was the transfer which it
proposed to effect of the power of the various local marine
boards to two magistrates. He had been for several years
a member of the Liverpool Marine Board, and he could
bear testimony to the efficiency with which it had been.
conducted. He thought that no board could be more per-
fect or complete than that board, constituted as it was
under the act of 1850. It was now proposed to transfer
its power to two magistrates, neither of whom might know
a bowsprit from a mainmast. (Hear hear.) He had
heard no reason for that change, except that some mem-
bers .complained that it occupied a great portion of their
tune. This certainly was no valid ground, because if
gentlemen had not time to devote to their duty they might
retire, and others could be found to take their places.
The alterations -proposed in the bill with respect to advance
notes to seamen were also very objectionable; but, as he
should move an amendment upon that subject in com-
mittee, he would not further allude to it at present. One
great deficiency in the bill was, that it did notre-enact
the apprenticeship, system, which he looked upon as of very
gieat importance. Upon the Ist of January, 1850, there
were in the merchant service 31,636 apprentices, and that
number had .dwindled down to 13,826 upon the Ist of
January, 1854. (Hear, hear.) It appeared to him, if the
mercantile marine Of this .country were to be maintained,
and if the navy were to be recruited from that nursery
whence it had hitherto derived its efficient seamen, that it
wouldtbe the duty of the right hon. gentleman to re-enact
that clause, which he admitted had been abolished at the
time at the request of the shipowners' themselves. Cir-
cumstances, however; had changed since, then, -so that the
shipowners now came forward with perfect consistency to
ask the-house to re-enact that clause. There was another
omission in the hill of a question of all others the most im-
portant to the shipping interest of this country—he
of the meant
the omission of any allusion to the operation 9th
and 10th of Victoria, chap. 93, commonly known as Lord
Campbell's Act. That act either did ''or did not apply to
shipping. If it did—and it had been held by courts in
this country to do so—he maintained that it was the duty
of the right hon. gentleman to have introduced some cla use
upon that subject into the bill. Under the operation of
that act, which had 'been originally intended to apply to
railway accidents only, shipowners were placed in a position
of
which was perfectly inconsistent with every prineiple
justice. He was not desirous to exempt the shipowner
from, any responsibility which should legitimately fall upon
him, but it had been admitted by Lord Campbell that Under he
had never intended that act to apply to shipping.
its operation, the wealthiest shipowner might be ruined in '
a single hour. There was no limit to his responsibility,
and he asked that be should be placed in the position in
which he was previously to the passing of the act. Under
'former acts the liability of the shipowner had been confined
to the value of the ship and freight ; and in asking now
that their liability should bo confined to that, he thought
that they were not asking too much. (Hear, hear.) ship.
the law as it existed no prudent man could own a ship.
Be certainly would not undertake for. any premium that
'might be 'offered to carry a cargo of passengers under the
present law and the liabilities which it imposed ; and he
trusted that in committee theright hon. gentleman would
insert some clause 'which should confine the liability of
shipowners to the value of the ship wid freight. If that
were not done, he was satisfied that the bill would fustrate
the very object which-the-government had in view
tin giv-
ing protection to emigrants going abroad ; for iwould
prevent all prudent men from owning vessels, and none
'but speculators and adventurem would engage in the trade.
If the right hon. gentleman did not do so, be should hini-
self propose a clause to that effect in committee. (Hear.)—
Capt. Sot:ara, concurred in the necessity of the.appren-
tieeship clauses; while Mr. W. F. LINDSAY was prepared
to resist their re-introduction, but he entirely coincided
in Mr. Horsfall's opinion as to the impelicy and injustice
of so far extending the responsibility of shipowners in the
case of accidents.—After some observations from several
other members, Mr. CARDWELL rejoiced at the tone and
spirit with which the bill had been received, wh, he
observed, was not a codification, but a connsolidationsfe of th
ofe
law. He replied to remarks made npo the tranr
power from local marine boards to magistrates (the
object of which was that the inquiry should be a judicial
one), upon savings-hanks, advance notes, the liability of
shipowners'apprentices, and the removal of the restriction
upon the manning of ships with foreign sailors. This
bill, as well as the Merchant Shipping Acts Repeal 8i11,.,
and the Wreck and Salvage Bill, was read a second time.
The Custom Duties Bill passed through committee. The
Manning. the Navy Bill, and the Navy Pay Bill were
severally read a third time and passed, and after some
further business was transacted, the house adjourned at
half-past eleven o'clock.

. .
HOUSE OF COMMONS.--FRIDAY, MAY 19.
Several private bills were read a third time, and passed.
Petitions against the sale of intoxicating liquors on Sun-
day, were presented by fir. LIDDELL from Vauxhall and
Burlington districts, and from the Bethel. Union, Liver-
pool ; and one was presented by Mr. HORSFALL, from
Liverpool, against the principle of centralization in the
Testamentary Jurisdiction Bill,
In answer to a question from Mr. HORSFALL, Mr. WIL-
SON stated that a portion of the report of the commis-,
goners on the law of partnership was already printed ;
the remainder would soon be printed also, and laid upon
the table.
Lord JOIIN RUSSELL, in answer to several questions,
announced that, in the event of the di
s
c
sionnd ony,t
the
financial resolutions not being finished on
Oaths
M The i
would be resumed on the following FridaY.
Bill would be the first business taken on Thursd
Bill ay and,
if despatched in time, the Oxford University would
follow on the same night. The Bribery Bills would be
postponed from Monday next. to Monday,week.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM, in reply to Mr. Hume, said the
only information possessed by Government relative to the
alleged loss of the Tiger, rested on a telegraphic message
received by Lloyd's, and communicated to the Admiralty.
The message stated that the Tiger, a screw steamer, had
got aground near Odessa. Fortunately; the Tiger was
known to be not a screw, but a paddle vessel—(hear, hear)
—and, therefore, it was hoped that the statement was
erroneous. (Hear.)
The house went into committee on the Excise
Bill, the clauses of which were agreed toe l
some diDutiess-
cussion.
....,
CUSTOMS VITTIFS.—Mr. J. WILSON, in a Committee of
Ways and. Means, in the unavoidable absence of the
Chancellor of somaxchequer, moved regulations fixing
the scale of Cudtities to be payable, from and' after
the sth of Jnly, on sugar and molasses, and the bountieS
oanssitghtei
nexgproeratsaotni osn
foorf rtehfiensede.
sugar after the .
backs tsothbeofalmloNavyed;
after tile 16thof August, 1854
and draw
1854,
consugar, the produce .of any foreign
the duty on refined
t(the
d resolution, reducing,
duty chargeable on other
the sth of July,) the foreign sugar to
refined sugar after of 7 4.. d• until the 16th of August.
• tto the duty ls. •
country, to 183. per Cri/ .
be subjec
Aftgr a sliarpe *ate the resolutions were agreed to.