New-York tribune., 1875-08-09
SEAMEN'S WRONGS.
POPULAR CoMMoTIoN IN ENGLAND.

MINISTRY FORCED TO ACT-DEFECrs OF THE
GOVERNMENT BILL-TBE HOUSE OF COMMONS
fARNEsI AND SYMPATHETIC. "S~-- '--------
lyRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE]
LONDON, July 29.-The power of a word spoken
in season never had more fOrcbe illustration than
now Mr.. PlimsOll, with one hot sentence In the
House of Commons has set the whole country
aaalne. Writing at the end of last week, sa'd
Thought the notion of his having made mistake OF
his having preiudiced his cause by violence, would
itssf prove n mistake But certainly did not fore
.ee-nobodv forcsaw-the full extent and strength
of the feeling TINS stirred. Never SINCE nave
known England, seldom or never IN all her mstory'
hos this conntry been reused quickly by anything
that did not involve her with other countles-ahy-
thing but a question of national honor or interna-
tional dispute. SLOW to strike. and strike once,
is good maxim, but it has been bettered. The
men who make money by drowning sailors are vii
lansn cried Mr. Plmsoll williams in this House,
ss well as out of it, and il is o base Government
which abandons the sailors to their mercy for
another year." And from all over the country
there comes an answer to Mr.. PlimsOll, "Well
done and we'll said" The number of
meetings held passes precedent and COM
putaton. The newspapers from The Times
down. are but the echoes of the popular voice. ap-
provine Mr. Plimsoll and condemning the Govern
ment Go where you will, Plimsolls name is i'll
at his violation Of decorum, expressed just for de-
corum's sake but sure to be followed by hearty
syIspathy and good will to him, and hearty con-
tempt of the Government. 1t is astonishing how
much to blame in the Government people have sud
denly discovered It's faults all through the session,
only langudly criticised hitherto, the deserv
;ng objects of sharp i~ective. 1t is because of those
faults that it was possible TO plead want of time to
GO on this session with the Merchant Shipping bill
Just here it needs to be said very plainly that the
House itself must divide the blame with the Govern
ment Want of time means want OF time before the
10Th of August. Why should the 18th of August be
fixed or any day it, arbitrarily, as the limit oi
Parliamentary woTki There are but two reasons:
wearness of Parliamentary duties, and the grouse
The London season is at an end, or sooA VIII be.
The attractions OF town cease the attractions OF the
country begin. The circumstance that few thou
sand sailors more or less will be drowned this Win
ter by the failure of protective legislation VIII not
or would not-outweigh with the majority of the
House of Commons the fact that shooting begins on
the 10Th of August. Custom is stronger
than anything else and 1t is the GUS
tom to adjourn before that date from
St. Stephens to the Moors 1t sounds hard, and it is
hard but it is true. 1t is not the cruelty nor even
real indifference of legislators, but their sluggish
,nindedness and lack of imagination. The men
who adjourn have clear picture in their minds OF
the sinking ships and struggling crews. They don't
hear the despairng cries; they would am sure,
heed them if they did. Even now the Nouse has
perfect remedy in its own hands. 1t may insist on
sitting till satisfactory measure is passed 1t can
not be prevented from doing SO. No government
would venture TO prorOgue House that was
determined to sit and to pass measure OF this char
acter We shall see in the course of another week
of what stuff its sympathy is really made and how
much of its own and convenience it is ready to
sacrifice to the safety of the sailors
Against the popular storm of indignation no Gov
ernment could have ventured to stand-thls Gov
erlment least of all. When 1T became clear even to
the official Tory mind that the country was up, that
pubhc feeling was on Mr.. Plimsos side, that its
own credit was impaired and its position shaken,
the Government resolved-it had no choice-On con-
cesson. The only question was. how little to con-
cede. They announced that temporary bill would
be brought in-sOmething that could he passed this
year-and that next year the Government measure
and Mr. Plimsoll's should be introduced to-
gether, and equal facilities be given for
the progress of both To their surprise,
the Ministry found the House not disposed
70 take them any longer on trust. They found.
still to their SURPRISE possibly that the feeling
outside was hardly stronger than the manifestations of
feeling inside 1t was discovered that, although the
Merchant Shipping bill of the Government had been
DISCHARGED (which the House might have refused to
discharge, had it woke up earlier, Mr.. Phmsolps
bill was in existence and could be proceeded with
This he had introduced early in the session, but,
being neither vain, obstinate, nor Impractical,
amid all his enthusiasm he had forborne to press 1t,
desiring TO offer obstruction to the progress of the
Government bill. 1t had become dropped order or
whatever the proper phrase is. The House, on Mr..
Roebucks motion, put it on the list for Thursday
to-day-and last evening the Prime Minister was
asked TO say whether be would give it precedence.
Mr. Disraeli refused, on the ground that he disap
proved Mr. PlimsolPs BILL and that the measure they
wouh themselves introduce on Wednesday would
be ADEQUATE temporarily and as much as could bc
passed this year.
This did not suit the House. evidently. II suits
The country still less, but everybody obliged to
wait and see what sort Of measure the Government
would propose. Ii was proposed yesterday Sir
Charles AddeIley, President of the Board OF Trade,
brought it in, his duty was. 1t is not necessary
10 question his sincerity. He has shown, and shows
row an interest in the matter i have no doubt IN
the world that he really dislikes to Lave seamen
drowned fIom preventable causes. Yet to him is
due in some measure the failure of the Merchant
Shipping BILL lie had charge OF it, and he is not
strong enough man for the purpose. "A dull man"
MI Bright once called him. and the adjective has
stuck. Painstakng, but commonplace not at all
the man to lead the House OF Commons or to carry
q measure Of great scope and complexity-a
measure all the While bitterly opposed
by rich and powerful body Of men,
Mr. Dsraeh spoke Of the bill as one that was meant
TO be temporary because it conferred such |
extraordinary powers as the House would not be |
willing 10 grant TO any Ministry permanently !
When ne said that, something really efficient was
looked for-somebng that should show stronger |
hand tan sir Charles rlcy's-something that |
should bear no shipowners' earnarks. Great, ac-