The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-13
TIE SIIARKS or TIE HiRnnn

Legal Extortions t!nuwiuR Away the Inn,
mcrcc of New York-Opinion Of Cou,s,,
on Commercial GricVnnces-Rcsis,nnoa
Recomine nded- Fiontin0 Marine Tcic.
graph Revise the PiloinUc LAWS.
The New York Shipowners' Association met a,
20 Pine street yesterday. The opinion Of the conn
sci TO the Association the quarantine regulations
was read lie states that no law that could bc
framed would relieve tile shipping interests rom tho
burdens under which II eroans. In all ages the sue
cessful pursuit OF commerce has been preyed upon
by the rapacious, the graspng. and the unprincped
In the middle ages power to hold property was con.
sdercd the best title TO IT, and now the same shirt
accomplishcs the same result in different way. So
long as merchants supinoy submit to legal c1ac
tons, they but invite further and fresh attacks
For twenty years they have submitted 10 the nav
ment OF duty on tonnage Of ~ cents maj.
the color Of harbor dues. Under the Cons,i,u,io,
OF the United States the State Is prohibited iron,
lcvvng such dues. IL was the attempt TO low an
Illegal ship tax in the reign Of Charles l. that
precipitatcd a revolution, made the name Of IIamp
den immortal, and cost king lis head. manic
courageous course in resisting every illegal cxacon
would soon remove the grievances. IL would be
utterly futile TO seek to materially alter the awre
lating TO quarantine at this session. The party {,
power having just stepped in the patronage Of thu
place, II is not likely that II would consent 10
the abolition OF abuses, which render the IIeau,
Ofncor's position worth from f150O0O TO SAOOo
per annum, with the prospect OF s3O00OO II II shoud
be good sic<ly season. But while the time * IN.
proritinus for efecting q change In the laws. none
could be more fitting for the Inauguration Of sys-
TEN of resistance to the exercise of illegal authority
A new Health Officer may possibly be educated 10
understand that he ~ public servant. and not an
absolute monarch Of Staten Island to whom tribute
must be paid by the commerce entering the harbor
OF New York. The provision Of law which gives
that official lien vessels IL clearly stitutonl
and void Snch q proceeding Is purely maritime,
and coCnizabe only in Courts Of Admiralty. The
state Courts have no Admiralty Jurisdiction, having
surrendered 10 the United Stntcs IN the Constitn-
ton such jurisdiction The Health Ohlccr should
he lett to seek his remedy iU the Courts where the
counsel thinka, he could not succeed In convincing
a jury that his services in visiting a steamer with
LOO passengers and spending an hour or two In
aiming them, of the value of 5000, 10
charged In case. A further reason urged hy the
counsel AGAINST the merchants seeking a rrlral
change In the laws Is that they would be opposedby
hungry and greedy lobby, with which they are not
calculated TO cone.
A communication was received from Walter
Hearn, Of the Philadelphia and Southern Steamship
Company, asking the Association to what extent ID
would he pfcnared TO assist in establishing Float
ing Electric Telegraph station, similar TO the ono
now in process of construction In England, and in-
tended for some fifty or siNtv miles on PcrHiuce.
The advantages TO he derived from such usiiu-
ton by the public are insignificant compared with
tho benefits to be derived by shipownors. ship
reporting herself could within an hour of her
making herself known at the Telegraph Station, 10
ordered at the pleasure of her owner.
A petition to the Legislature for the amendment
OF the pi.otagc laws circulated for signatures.