The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-27 00:00:00

MEnrIAIsTT SIIIPPING LEGISLATION.

SOME weeks Since we directed attention to the
comprehensive measure introduced by Mr. CARD-
irELT., for consolidating the various 'acts affecting
the mercantile marine, and we then pointed out
certain pottions of the bill which would seriously
*have injured the shipping interests, particularly as
regards the rapidly increasing extension of steam-
navigation. The question was taken up with great
spirit and earnestness by the Liverpool Steam-ship
Association; and, owing to the indefatigable exer-
tions of Mr. ROBERT LAMONT and Mr. THOMSON,
the secretary of that body—who attended as a
deputation in London, and had several interviews
with the President of the Board of Trade on the
subject—several important alterations have been
conceded,:and the bill as amended will be brought
before the House of Commons this day (Tuesday).
We have only space on the present occasion to
allude to those alterations of the greatest conse-
quence, and it will be seen that they amply repay
the trouble which has been taken, and may fairly
be accepted by the steam-ship owners as perhaps
the 'most equitable compromise that could have
tbeen made, although not perhaps all that niiv.ht
have' been desired.
By the bill as originally drawn,. it WU S provided
h at,-irCestimating the tonnage of steam-ships,
• three-tenths of the growtonnage should be allowed
in the case of paddle wheel steamers for the space
o6cupiedthy the propelling power, and two-tenths,
in the ease of screw steamers. 'Nis now provided
that, in the case of paddle-Wheel steamers, .where
the space occupied by machinery and boilers is
betweentwenty and _thirty per cent. of the gross
tonnage of the vessel, theallowanee shall be thirty-
seven per-cent. of suchgross tonnage;. and in the
case of screw steamers, where the space occupied
is between thirteen and twenty per cent., the
allowance flan be thirty-two per cent. of the gross
tonnage. 'With regard 'to other ships, it shall be
in the discretion of the Commissioners of Customs
or the owners to have the: deduction made in the
same manner,, or, the space to be measured with
the addition of one-half in the case of paddle-wheel
steamers, and three-fourths fin the case of screw
steamers ; but 'no provision is made for the possible
• event of the Commissioners of Customs and owners
&ffering as to which mode of.ascertaining the net
tonnage shall he .practised. Another provision
gives authority to the Commissioners of Customs
to 'order vessels aiready.registered to be remelt-
Fared when store-rooms or coal-breakers hare been
introduced into or thrown across •the engine-room,
an alteration which will apply to most steam-ships.
This. bas been objected to as arbitrary and unneces-
sary,, except in particular eases, which should have
been specified; but the clause prov4des that all
such iremeasurements shall be according to the
rules in force before the act comes into operation,
or, if the owners desire it, may be done according
to the newArales.

Another invortant point is with reference to the
Ivesurned unlimited liability of shipowners in the
event of loss .of goods and loss of or injury to
human life. It is now proposed that the .owner
shall not be :liable for any damages beyond the
value of-the ship,aud freight, but in no case dial'
the value be estimated at less than £l5 per regis-
tered ton,. In affixing a value, the bill should
either have -made-the Amount arbitrary, or stated
a maximum, which might be simply done by alter.
ing the words to " not exceeding" £l5 per ton.
It is also provided -that the damages payable in
each case of death or injury shall be £3O, leaving
it to either party to try the question by a special
Sury before the sheriff, And after such inquiry
those who require more than the statutory amount
of damages may bring special actions.
Some alterations are also made in the pilotage
laws, by which masters and mates, after examina-
tion, may be empowered to pilot a p.artieular ship
or ships ; and in the event of local pilotage autho-
rities refusing to grant such a certificate, the
Board of Trade, on being satisfied that it has been
improperly refused, is empowered to appoint an
examination, and if the master or mate be found
competent, to grant him a pilotage certificate, and
renew it or withdraw it as the Board of Trade
may think fit. It may be questionable how far
such an interference of the Board of Trade with
the local pilotage authorities will prove advan-
tageous as far as concerns the port of Liverpool ;
but much will, of course, depend on the manner in
which the authority is exercised. We have thus
hastily glanced at the chief modifications in the
bill ; but there are several others deserving consi-
deration, particularly the provision in clause 21,
that, in the measurement of tonnage, nothing shall
be added for a closed-in space on deck solely appro-
priated to the berthing of the crew, unless it excel 4
one-twentieth of the remaining tonnage of the
ship, and then only the excess shall be added, and
also nothing shall be added in respect of any
building erected for the shelter of deck
passengers,
if approved by the Board of Trade.