Page 289 Advertisements Column 4

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 73, 29 July 1843, Page 289

St. Pauli appears to be actuated, and consequent perturbed state of the emigrants, advising that measures should be adopted to secure the safe prosecution of the voyage ; also, to the wish expressed in your letter, that " I would address a few lines to the captain of the aforesaid vessel, recommending him to uphold the authority vested in you ; and to the German emigrants, to yield a willing obedience to your order*," I must beg leave to refer you to the Hamburg Consul resident in this city, as I do not consider it within my province to interfere with the subjects of a foreign state. I am, sir, your obedient servant, - Edwakd Pokteb, Consul. To John N. Beit, Esq., &c. Bbitibh Consulate, Baßia.— Pursuant to a warrant given unto us by her Britannic Majesty's ■Consul at this city, dated the 17th day of March, 1843, we, the undersigned, repaired on board the Hamburg ship St. .Pauli, P. Schacht, master, late from Hamburg, with emigrant- passengers on their way to the islands of New Zealand, and chartered by the agent of the New Zealand Company, under the care and superintendence of Mr. Beit, and there did hold a survey upon the provisions and passengers, their condition and treatment; and after a long and particular examination into the engagements and scale of provisions as printed and given to each of the passengers, found to be ample in total quantity, and that the quality of the provisions was generally good and wholesome; altogether unexceptionable. We found that the printed scale or table of provisions had not, during the voyage so far, been strictly adhered to, but had been altered by the directions of the superintendent to the assistant appointed by him for issuing the provisions, the assistant being one of the common passengers, and who was entrusted with the keys and all the provisions by the superintendent. We found that the arrangements for the passengers and their treatment to have been very judicious by the superintendent ; all the fittings for the general comfort, cooking, sleeping, &c, to be very complete ; and for their moral government much care had been exercised. Constables had been appointed by the superintendent, and all had been cavefully watched by him during the voyage. And upon examination we found the passengers generally very healthy, and to all appearance well cared for in the victualling department ; and, although the small-pox had shown much virulence, by the judicious management of the superintendent, with the assistance of the doctor, the disease had been kept under, and little sickness had prevailed on board, although in a crowded ship and in a tropical climate ; evidently showing that there was no want of management in the superintendent, or in the issue of necessaries > Upon a full investigation of all the matters of this vessel, we found that although the scale of provisions had been deviated from, that the superintendent had been careful to order what he considered sufficient, under all circumstances, for their health— had added and substituted other things; and that it does not appear to us that he had any other motive for so deviating from the printed scale. > The superintendent's full authority, granted by printed documents, over all the passengers, and with his care and apparent energy, we think invest -in him a right to alter tne scale of provisions as he may see necessary during the voyage; and even the general instructions, as it is well known to us who have been engaged many years in prosecuting such voyages, that much must be left to the judgment of the superintendent of passengers. But of course his judgment and management at the termination of the voyage may be called in question. Secondly. — We have already stated the general appearance of the passengers, and further say it is our opinion that there is much credit due to the superintendent, Mr. Beit, foe having brought so many passengers so far on their voyage under very disagreeable circumstances, and in such good condition. • Thirdly. — We think the arrangements adopted for the health and comfort of the passengers for a voyage to New Zealand, by the superintendent, to haye been carefully and judiciously planned ; and it is our opinion that altogether the superintendent, Mr. Beit, has exercised much necessary firmness under many opposing circumstances, care and humanity; and we do not think he has been actuated by any mercenary or niggardly motives with respect to the passengers. Fourthly. — As to the quality of the provisions, they appeared to us, upon a general examination, to be unexceptionable. We cannot close this Report, considering there are on board this *hip several English subjects, and the ship being otherwise bound to an English colony with a large number of useful persons who are to become English subjects, without making some general remarks upon the nunagrmfent of the shinjKn ' her voyage, with a view of rendering, if possible, some^Hfe of safety to the whole, as it appears to us the capM^Hiin such a state of mind , and in sucn a degree of variance lHKthe superintendent, as to render the voyage precarious to. all interested. All the passengers seem to be excited in consequence, and have formed themselves into two parties, for and against the superintendent ; and from the outrageous conduct of ths ciptain, insulting tbe superintendent with the most opprobious language im the face or all tbe passengers, endeavouring to lessen his authority by bringing him into total dis« respect, and, no doubt, exciting them to make complaints and to conduct themselves in a very unbecoming manner to the superintendent. They might have had some small complaints to make, but the superintendent appears to be very willing to accede to any proper demand, and redress any grievances 1 but the captain seems to be actuated by other feelings. And, in consequence of the perturbed state of feeling on board of this .Hip, we consider it necessary something should be adopted by Her Britannic Majesty's consul and the consul for Hamburg, for the safe prosecution of that ship's voyage (Signed) P. Petuie, Lydia. Bahia, 18th of March, 1843. T. Sxlkisx, Bonansa. Sworn before' me (signed) Edwabd Pobteb, Consul. ' I, Edward Porter, Esquire, Her Britannic Majesty's consul for this city and province of Bahia, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and faithful transcript of the original report of survey, and taken from the register book, volume ill., pages 8 to 10, belonging to this consulate. In' testimony whereof, I hars granted this under my (Sal) h «nd and seal of office at Bahia, this twenty-second v,"s«v 4 ar Qf March, one thousand eight hundred and forty* three. Edwabd Poxrxa, Consul. Bahia, March 2ffth, 1843. Deae Sik— ln reply to your esteemed favour of this day's date, we again repeat to you that we are not at all the cause of Captain Schacht's having left his muster-roll on shore, but that the fault is entirely to be imputed to the captain, who from the first has behaved himself very unbecomingly towards his consignees. When intent upon reporting in the vessel, vm Were'obliged to send our clerks in search of him all ovex the town, and, when about to clear out the vißsel,. he did not bring us the papers of his consul to effect tins purpose, and we were, in consequence, obliged to send for them three times at the Hamburghese consul. It is the duty and obligation of -every captain or master of a vessel to hand over to his consignees the papers of his respective consul, requisite for the clearing out or his vessel, and to keep the others to himself; but, as he was so inattentive as not to bring them, we sent fo> them, from mere regard to you, sir; and such as were given to us by the consul were all duly forwarded with tne other documents; but, as to other papers teoia. the consul relative to the vessel, it is the captain and not the consignees' duty to apply for. Consequently, neither you nor we are in fault for tns captain's negligence in being found without his Hambnrghese muster-roll ; but it must be laid at the door of the captain and his consul. We banded you the ri-*rsnw> documents at your request, because yon and not tbe captain have consigned us the v«ssel. We an very sorry to hear that through ths captain ys« have suffered another loss on account of tie passenger, and, this being Sunday, no steps can be taken; bat w# shall exsrt ourselves to-morrow to the utmost to assist you: assuring you in the mean time that Captain SchatM's rtde behaviour n%ak«suswishnevsrtohaveUmafains«4iureonsigciment. Trusting that you may have * short and prosperous r«yag«, we are, respectfully, dear sir. Your most obedient servants, John N. Beit, Esq. . Bcscs»k and Co.