The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-01
CITYINTE LLIGEN ENCE.
OUR COMMERCE.

Third Annual Meeting OF the Vessel Owners
and Cnptnlns' Association thla Noon-Harbor
Masters Fees and Compulsory PfIotaGe.
This noon the third annual meeting of the
Vessel Owners and Captains Association was
held at its rooms, OF Walnut street. above Front.
The attendance was large. John w. Everman,
Esq, President, occupied the chair. The third
annual report was read by the Secretary, Charles
II. Steelman. From it we make these extracts:-
'rThere are now enrolled on our books, in good
standing, s24 members and 26l vessels .- -
"The Treasurer reports the total receipts at
sGes949, and the disbursements for the year
t997S ~.
Of the previous year. it will be seen that receipts
during the past year were S69 S5 less than for the
previous yeST eP0n pO s Se comparison % VIII 9e
been largely decreased, the aggregate has been in
creased s249 This is accounted for by the expenses
OF the committee to Washington, the employment OF
additional counsel, and the increased number OF
demurrage suits that have been brought during the
year. ,.
ters and Port Wardens fees, still continues to oc-
cupy large share of the attention of your board
The case Of the Pilots Association of Philadelphia
against Captain John GarwOod, Of the schooner X
w. Godfrey, which was mentioned IN our last annual
report, still remains unsettled, having been decided
in the Court OF Common Pleas in favor OF the Pilots
Association, and an appeal has been taken by your
board to the Supreme Court OF Pennsylvania.
"In the matter of Harbor Masters fees we have
been successful, and are pleased to say that 1t
can be taken as general principle that 1nless ser
vices are asked and rendered, claim OF this kind
can be legally collected. On Thursday (February
81 the HarbOr Master applied TO the City Councils Tor
an appropriation of $1,000 to pay additional counsel
to contest the question whether our vessels
not be compelled by law to report to him or the Port
Warden every trip This request was referred to
The Finance Committee Of Councils where it still is,
'In this connection we would cite the case of the
Harbor Master at Charleston, s. c., against the
schooner John NJ. Broomall. This was action
brought against the said schooner by virtue of an
ordinance of the City Councils of Charleston, impos
ing tax OF Is cent per ton on all vessels coming
from ports OF other States The decision In the
was as follows s:-'The Constitution Of the United
nrOvidpa uNO State shall without the
consent of Congress- lay any duty on tonnage 1t
does not appear that the City Council at The date Of
the ordinance, had, or that 1t now has, the consent
of Congress to levy the duty thereon imposed. The
decree must be for the defendant and is so ordered
and adjudged.'
1--WE would also call your attention to the fact
that after the Sd day OF March, 1871 the authority
lects tax of two cents per ton on vessels arriving
at that port will cease, and that no such tax can
legally be collected after that time"
The report also contains the proceedings of a
special meeting of the association held on the
14th of ecember, 1870 relative to the depressed
condition of American commerce, and the mea-
sures, in its opinion, necessary for the relief of
those branches in which it was more imme-
diately interested.
The annual report was then adopted
Mr.. Henry K. Edmunds moved that COM
mittee ofthree be appointed for the purpose of
consulting with the other vessel owners assoei-
ations with view of effecting a consolidation of
the vessel interests of the United States.
In support of this motion Mr.. Edmunds de-
clared that he had learned from other associa-
tions of like nature that they wished such a
consolidation of all the vessel interests of the
country, in order that all matters for the i'm
provement of them might be consistently up
held. Believing that this association was the
wealthiest and the largest of ALL they desired it
to father all measures tending to the general
improvement of the vessel interests.
Mr.. HallIwell moved that the Board of Direc-
tors instead of committee, correspond and
consult with other associations relative to con-
solidation. This was agreed to.
The following officers, to serve for the ensu-
ing year, were elected
Presdent-John w. Everman.
ce-President-Captain Henry May.
ecretary-Charles II. Steelman.
Treasurer-Francis Edwards.
When our report closed the association was
engaged in the election of twenty-five directors
nv ballot