The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-07-15 00:00:00

We found it q
t

of the

Ebt Etbtrpool &tan Darb.

TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 15, 1845

The.sbipning interest are pretty well aware of the
efforts that have been made by the representatives
of the borough to arrest the progress of a measure
brought forward by government on the subject of
the Merchant Seamen's Pension Fu d. It is due
to them, however, that the circumstances should be
betti,r known amongst the community in general,
which is deeply interested in the question. It is
one, indeed, of general concernment, as well as pos-
sessim,, much local importance.

ider successive acts of Par!iament there have
been compulsory payments by seamen out of their
wages for many years back. Formerly one-half of
these contributions, of ls. per month whilst em-
ployed, were handed over to Greenwich Hospital,
the other half being administered in relief to worn
out or disabled seamen, and the widows and chil-
dren of such as might be slain, maimed, or drowned
in the merchant service. This latter portion of the
contribution has always been under the management
of local trustees, chosen annually by ship masters
and owners; and for several years past the whole
has been under their management, the payment to
Greenwich having been discontinued under the act
of 1334, as a payment from which the merchant
seaman could have no benefit in return. Govern-
ment, indeed, is largely indebted to the mer-
chant seamen for the contributions of a long period,
on this very ground, the hospital being properly de-
voted to the use of the seamen of the royal navy.
The collection and the administration in the se-
veral ports:have been exceedingly various; so much
so that whilst some of the ports possess considera-
ble reserve, others are dependent entirely on their
collections for the means of administering
In this port the pen-
her than in any other port in the
kingdom, the reserved 'fund amounting to about
£50,000, and with the actual collections, admitting
of about £7,500 being annually distributed amongst
about 1500 pensioner-, men, women, and children ;
the pensions of the latter cease on their attaining
the age of 14 years, whilst those of the two former
rise periodically with the ages of the recipients.
One purpose of the Government Bill was to
s of the several ports, and
almost solely to worn out
men, children being entirely shut
becoming so after the age of 45,
nium of £4 per annum, and widows
only, once and for

to the most pressing wants.

sions are ir

amalgar

and ma

receivin

ge a gratuity of

posing ail the
Jected to the pi

ctul p

)rt would have been, that sup-
_ mers to have been sub-
)osed rules, the amount distributed

as at prese
were reset

The ri

that the

£2.500 instead of £7,500,
i-ts of the actual pensioners
but as they dropped off
notwithstanding

hi hat'

the effect

... from our seamen would have
at present. How Government may be
with the question in another ses-

disposed to d
Sion remains

in. the mean time we are

indebted to Sir Howard Dougl

comm

ing resolt

tee, and wbi

T

that the fui
the expect

upon a

who was a mem-
orward the follow-

!marine
and in

ich forms the report of the commit-
s adopted by a maji rity of 6 to 2.

:he opinion of this Committee
s on this bill be postponed, in

t some more comprehensive measure
yard to form a fund fur the relief and
• widows, and children,
ants of the mercantile
is great commercial

their own c

[Rate to t

rthy the nr

ificence of

.0 raise generally the
hereby to hold out to

n in the service of

vners of this port have
veral interviews with Government upon the
t, in which Lord Sandon and Sir H. Douglas
pani2d them, and afforded most zealous and

es and shi

efficient aid in promoting their object. Immedi-
ately prior to the committee adopting the resolutiori
above-mentioned, deputations from fourteen ports,
from thirteen others,
with the Board of Trade, headed
rs of parliament; and it was
gat t'

with let

s 01 concurre

had an inters

,lly admitted, s. ..ough the lead taken by
our members was justly due to the importance of
the place they represented, yet their personal efforts
and acquaintance with the subject equally entitled
them to it. On the bringing up of the report,

univer

r of the reso!u.

words in r

)rt, for the postponeu3ent of this

made to him

ssion of the house, say a few
The resolu-
seconded by his
hon. and learned friend the member for London, Mr.
Lsall, and vigorously supported by another hen. rout.
her, now no more, whose untimely death this house must
lament, his friend mourn, and the mercantile marine of
this country deplore. So susta'ned, the resolution was
agreed to by a large maj-rity, and he (Sir Howard Douglas)
hoped that her Majesty's government would give effect to
that resolution, by the postponement of this bill till the
next session of parliament. Having been a member of

propose

the 1%
end t
opportunities of cc
ject of form
to ti

erchant Seamen's Fund Committees of the last
present Eessions, he had had ample means and
'y, the important sub-
' Seamen's Fund, adequate
*-- mercantile marine.—

a Merc

neces,

1 to the present bill, becau,e it was, in princi-
nd injurious to the shipping interest and to
!enselves belonging to the port of Liverpool,
eat ports extensively concerned in the

g, deer

lie 0.3
pie, urjus
the seamen ti

eir int,

many others; and
.ests, to those of
d because by amal-