The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-02
WEDNESDAY, August II, ls'

At a general meeting OF the American Cham
| Der of Commerce, held this day at No. 10 Wa
| ter street. Liverpool. at 2. NJ.
Present-Mr. j. N. Stolterfoht in the chair,
Messrs. T. Sellar, @. J. Forget and H. w. Gair.
Damage to American Cotton: Moved by MIR.
Sellar, seconded by Mr.. Gair:
ResOlUed That the action OF the sub-c0m-
mittee ana the documents drawn up by them
be approved and adopted, and that copy OF
the resolutions and documents be forwarded
! TO the Cotton Shippers Association, with re-
quest that, If they approve, the latter Will cause
| Them 10 be printed and circulated forthwith.
! The following is o copy of the documents
1.-The attention Of the Cotton Shippers As-
| socatIon, of New Orleans, and OF the Amerl-
can Chamber Of Commerce In Liverpool, has
| been lately called upon several occasions TO
the very bad order In Which much OF the cot:
| ton which is shipped ut New Orleans and other
American ports, is delivered 6y the vessels on
| their arrival at1iyerpoOl.
uThe evil has partly arisen from a want OF
proper supervision at the port of shipment, on
| The part Of shippers. and partly from the care
| lessncss Of captains in receiving cotton In any
sort OF condition, although signing for 1t as
| received in good order. s
"They are encouraged in this course by the
fact that cotton Is too often received In Liver
pool almost without complaint, althongh de,
titvered rugged, short Ill Weight, or covered
Win. dry WuQ ITOul tuc lefeeS Wueic ~ lhu
| been lying previous to shipment.
"Soine attempts have been made lately, in
| Liverpool, to render the ship liable In gross
cases of damage. but they have been only par
| TALLY successful, owing to the difficulty of OBJ
tanning evidence as to the condition In which
| the cotton was delivered to the ship, aud also
| in establishing the meaning Of the term good
order and condition at the particular port OF
| Shipment
"The two associations above named are
deslrous of cooperating, IN order 10 bring
about q more satisfactory state OF things IN
this respect, and it has been arranged
that the New Orleans Association will pro-
vide for the. adoption OF o system of
inepectorshlp Of ships loading at that port
for Liverpool, and will supply the Information
obtained where necessary to the American
Chamber at Liverpool. The latter body on
their part will take steps, if necessary, to
carry any proper case before the legal tribunal,
50 as to get an authoritative decision on the
points now undecided. II is evident, however,
That the remedy lies chiefly with Individual
shippers and receivers, and the two Chambers
take this opportunity OF recommending
"lst. ThuL the shippers Shonld use their best
efforts tn ascertain that the cotton shipped BY
them or Tor their account during the coming
season is really delivered BY the press 10 the
vessel in tho proper good order anu condition.
sd That the receivers In Liverpool, when
per order 10 the ship, should insist on like
good delivery in Liverpool, aud in case OF tie.
fault should ut once make claim for damage"
NOTICE To CAPTAINS.
"Tllc New Orleans Cotton Shippers Associa-
tlon and the American Chamber OF Commerce,
at Liverpool, have arranged to take steps to
hold slips liable for the bad state in which
cotton is frequently delivered at tho latter
port, und captains are, therefore, recommend
,t,,l md lii
of the cotton which they receive, and the pro-
per stowage, carriage and delivery ot il, II they
wish to avoid trouble at Liverpool"
Tie special committee mnturely considered
the questions submitted to them, and at the
meeting OF the Chamber of Commerce, held
on Thursday, December 10Th, the committee,
through their chairman, T. D. Wagner, Esq,
made the following report:
REPORT.
With reference to the subject matter of the
papers submitted by the American Chamber
| of Commerce of Liverpool, respecting 1.-THE
very bad order in which much OF the cotton
which is shipped at New Orleans and other
American ports Is delivered by the res-
their arrival Thah tns o. Liverpool LILY the
Of arises, and the alleged carelessness
on the part of shipmasters and shippers OF cot
ton; your committee beg leave TO report that
they believe that the true and only remedy for
this evil. which un9uestionably cries for re-
| form, lies with the holder Of the bill Of lading
for cotton shipped. who should insist on the
literal fulflment of all its conditions and stipu-
latons, and institute suit against the vessel for
damages und loss arising from any failure to
deliver cotton in the like good order and coll
dition it was ia when shipped.
If shipn.sters are led 10 understand that
they may, with impunity, receive cotton ''in
any sort Of condition, although signing for it
as received in good order" and II they ''are eu-
courageti in this course by the fact that cotton
is 100 often received in Liverpool almost with
out complaint. although delivered ragged,
short in weight, Or covered with mud" it is
vain to obtain the evidence necessary, Or TO
determine the meaning Of the term ''gool or
der and condition.
But let the production Of the bill! of
| lading be prima face evidence of the
good order and condition Tin the
| literal and exact construction of the
| term)-ot the bales, as much so as of the guam
tity shipped, and the rate Of freight to be paid
on the delivery of the cotton in like good order
| and condition, and the shipmaster will see to
! 1t that the cotton is really in the good order