Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-03-17

Vessels sailing Under she fsrisIsh Es-
sisH.
On the 81 Of February 4 speeisl meeting Of
.he Council of tbs Liverpool Chamber OF Com.
mtIcc Was held, Mr. R. Il. Macils, the President
~ the chair.
In letter addressed 10 the Pnsils1,s, Ir. W.
b Haynes mssle the following observations on
the sailing OF foreign owned, and particularly
AmeTie2n, vessels under the British t1ag-"I am
indueed 10 bring 30 your notics practice which
has become 90 general since the outbreak Of the
war in America. Of sailing foreign owned, snd
particularly American, vessels under the British
dag, th eugh the agency of what are called
English gsd- fA.he.st BY which the interest Of
the ship-owReFs are seriously aft cted. The great
increase in the number of vessels 50 transferred,
both in this country and America, gives col.
orable appearance OF real secession to British
shippiBg-s mistake the President of the Board
of Tfsie seemed to run into in his recent speech
at Ashton, for these ships will no doubt at con-
venient season soon become reconverted to their
original flag by some new &c. Of Congress.
beg to eppend an extract from the circular Of
LOtdon firm (nAmed) on this subject, which
shows in what Aagr1nt manner the system is
carried on and should it be in your opinion
desirable TO suggest to the Board of Trade
more stringent mode in the transfer of owner
ships you viii be rendering great benefit to the
fair t7adsr",
The annexed is the extract referred to:
"To some extent, American tunnsge has been
placed nominAlly under the British Tag by 8
system of evasion of the law, which could only
be carried cut by misrepresentation on the part
Of those making the declaration Of ownership /;
but SO openly has this been done thst we have
seen, in printed circular issued by an AmsT-
iean shipbrokeg in this city, paragraph, to the
effect that be Was prepared to arrange for the
transfer of tunnsge, so that the American own
era would retain their property, although under
the British flag"
NJ Baruehscn declared that nine.tsnths of
the American ships which had arrived in Liver
pool for sale had bsen actually said to Eag.ish-
mea, and legally and properly transferred He
knew many instances; hs bought enc himself,
and Others had been purchased BY Msssrs- james
BAines & Co., Mr.. n A. Wilson and Mr.. Gravss,
and if tbs Chamber got information from Messrs.
Curry, Keiloek & Co, OF MesSrs. Cunsrd VIII
son & Co, they would find this statement cor
rect-tkat niue-tenfbs OF the American ships
which had airived here had bsen sold to bona
ode British owners. What hal bsen the case
in London be could not tell bat he thought
there wss no oecssion fer ths Chamber of Com
msree of Liverpool to address the Board of Trade
on the subject,
Nr. Clsik had noticed the other day para.
RFdEu 70 tNb cncGA buAba bAo AiAHAmB Ld1 uS-
streyed British ship, bat he had no doubt that
the vessel would luFn out to be an American
ship sailing Rnder the British flag. If that were
90 and the pfsesies were really carried on, Il
would isopardizs the peSce of the country. He
would suggest that the sUbiect be referred to {
committee 70 inquire IS to the prevalence of the
practice, aBd TO request the attendance of Mf
Haynes, with such information as be should be
abls to procure. If this practice had not OBJ
tAinsd in Liverpool to any gTess extent it was :
matter for the people in the metropolis to inter.
fere in As to what might have been done in Lon.
don
Mr. Baruehson said the foreign and colonial
committee was the proper committee; but
would it not be better 70 send copy of the let.
ter to the ShipownerB' Association Hear
hear
Mr.. Maxim inStsnced ships which were
| American vessels q year ago, and now British;
but he belisved in each case there had been q
bona fde snsfer A house connected with
the Charleston trade had sold every one of its
ships 70 British owners. A references to . com
mifise would not result in obtaining as much
Information as Mr.. BAruehson himself pes
ssssed
Mr.. G r Hall remarked ths! at this cham
Der the American Chamber of Commerce was
represented by Mr.. Stsiterlront, and there was
also the ShipowReTs' Association.
Mr.. Meade King eoncurTed With Mr.. Clarke,
that tho practice described in Mr.. Haynes letter
might bring the whole country into trouble. II
the members of the chamber were willing thst,
| from the importance of the subject it should be
| inquired into, they ought to do their own labor
I hesT, hear mot to refer the eommunica ton
to any other association, and they might very
| fairly send il TO the foreign and colonial com.
mitiee. With regard to he question itself, he
1 -r..la - n L 4
said confirmed By Maxim. He believed that the
practice was very exceptional one; that It had
taken place, however, he knew of bis own pri-
vAie knowledge; pet Mr.. BGruckson was per-
fectiy correct il stating that the vessels to which
he has alluded had passed legally, and were
bona 6ds British property. He seconded the
proposal of AR Clark .thAt the question be re-
lefred to g committee.
Mr.. Clark suggested, as to the Shipowners'
Association, that there wss nothing to prevent
the committee placing itself in communication
with thst association and that Mr. Chiffon, the
chairman of the association, should be invited,
as member of this council, to attend the com.
mittee. Hsar, hear.
The president concured in the proposition for
q reference to committee, ne it did not imply
any action on the part of the Chamber. The
subject was one requiring inquiry IN some guar.
ter, ard that action in some quarter wss neces-
cary, he thought, was proved when they found
il distinctly stated in British circular, quoting
from another printed circular, that aTTsngements
might be made for The transfer of tonnage, so
that the American owners would retain their
property, slIhcugh under the British flag. The
London people, whom this concerned chiefly,
ought to wipe away this danger and ihis re-
proach. (Hear, hear.l
TIE letter WAS referred to q committee fer con-
sidersiion,