CAPTAIN FITZROY’S BILL.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 75, 18 April 1843, Page 3

CAPTAIN FITZROY’S BILL.

The committee, consisting of merchants, shipowners, and commanders of vessels, recently appointed by the Shipmasters’ Association to consider and report upon Captain Fitzroy’s Bill, have adopted the following resolutions:— Additions to Captain Fitzroy’s Bill: [The words printed in italics in the title and preamble of the bill are the proposed additions.] “ For requiring and regulating the classification of all British and colonial ships, and for the examination of masters and chief and second mates of vessels. * ‘ Preamble—Whereas many vessels have been wrecked, and other serious accidents have happened, &c., &e., in consequence of badly equipped ships being sent to sea , as well as from the defective knowledge or misconduct of persons in charge of such vessels, &c.-, &c:, it is expedient that provision should be made for ascertaining the qualification of ships and persons to be employed hereafter, and for requiring and regulating their examination. “ Required obligations on the part of the shipowners \ “ l. —Ships to be classed according to the rules and regulations of the London and Liverpool registry of shipping, superintended by local committees. “ 2.—Surveyors of shipping to be examined by a competent practical board, previous to being eligible for th« situation. “ 3.—The fees for classification to be paid over to the London central board to provide for the salaries of the officers required for the classification boards, and for the examining boards for masters and mates. “ 4.—A scale of victualling to be established. Mates to be allowed cabins six feet by four 'at least. Petty officers and crew to have a certain space allowed clear of and distinct from the cargo. “ s.—ln consequence of the great trade of Liverpool, a board to be appointed, with the same nnmber of. officers, &c., as London. “ 6. —The London board to be a board of appeal, in case any acts of injustice or oppression are complained of. “ 7. —Certificates of qualification to be granted without charge to the.masters or mates. H B.— -Four men and'one apprentice for every one hundred.tons., (old.tonnage) to be the complement for the crew of each ship;, on leaving Great Britain, as required by the existing law. • 4< 9.— A1l ships trading foreign to be provided with a chronometer iand marine barometer, at the expense of the shipowner; and to be part and. parcel of the ship's equipment. James Bisset, Chairman. “ Liverpool, November 3, 1842.”

The following letter, inclosing: the above resolutions!, lias been forwarded to Captain Fitzroy : “ Liverpool Shipmasters' Association, November 4, 1812.

“ Sir, —In my capacity as chairman of the committee appointed by the Liverpool Shipmasters' Association, to examine into the clauses of the proposed bill for examining masters and mates, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the resolution of the said committee, containing, I am happy to say, scarcely any objections to the provisions of the bill, provided conditions obligatory on the part of the shipowners are introduced, recognizing and defining (what has hitherto been only matter of arbitrary caprice) the rights and pivileges of commanders, mates, petty officers, and seamen, serving in the mercantile navy. 1 ‘ I need scarcely point out to one so practically acquainted with naval affairs the necessity of providing sea-worthy and efficiently equipped merchant ships, as the national groundwork for the due maintenance and encouragement of an efficient corps of officers and seamen, and without Avhich, in spite of legislative enactments, our mercantile marine must necessarily decline. * ‘ The establishment of a national registry of shipping upon the principles, and according to the rules of the London and Liverpool societies, under the superintendence of local committees, would provide ample funds to meet the necessary expenditure of the working boards, whilst the present fees exacted for classification and survey might be considerably reduced; thus, in point of laet, conferring a benefit on the ship-owners, and relieving the masters and mates from the payment of fees which would otherwise be enforced for the sole benefit of the shipowner.

*‘ The committee trust you will adopt their proposals, and thus bring in a bill corrective of the abuses into which a portion of those connected with the mercantile marine have on both sides fallen. “ I have the honor to be, sir, “ Your very obed. servant, (Signed) “ James Bis.set, Chairman. “ Captain Fitzroy, R.N., M.P., London." “ The committee object to the following clauses in the examining bill:— " To clause 15 altogether, also to clause 22, consi-

dering—- “ That the passing for a first-class chief mate should be deemed sufficient to qualify for master, without further examination, as is the case'in the navy, and in the late Honorable East India Company’s service ; and, “ Clause 25 to be expunged, and the expense of the examining boards to be borne by the shipowners, as suggested in the purposed additions to the bill. (Signed) “ James Bisset, Chairman."

It is reported that Cooper, the Chartist, .is about to be liberated from Stafford gaol, bail having been accepted for his appearance at the next assizes. Dr. M’Douall has escaped from the country, and Barstow, the only remaining leader not captured, has been seen in Leicester, and will doubtless soon be in the hands of the law.

We hear that Miss Briers, the wily contriver of the “ Bristol hoax,” is gone to her friends in her native place, Chester, in such an ill state of health as to create apprehensions that it will terminate fatally. DEATH OF GRACE DARLING. Why should we not add-to our list of events the death of poor Grace Darling, the heroine of Leugstone ? Removed to Bamborcugh from Longstone lighthouse, on the recommendation of her medical attendant, and finding herself no better, she requested to be taken to Wooler for change of air. Her wish was complied with, but, alas! she found no relief, and, at the request of her father, she met him at Alnwick, with a view to proceed to Newcastle for further medical advice. The Duchess of Northumberland having heard of her arrival at Alnwick, immediately procured for her a comfortable lodging in an airy part of the town, supplied her with everything requisite, and sent her Grace’s own medical attendant to give her the benefit of his advice; all, however, was of no avail, and it was deemed advisable to remove her once more to Bamborough, where she arrived only ten days before her dissolution. For some time previous to her death she was perfectly aware that her latter end was approaching, but this gave her no uneasiness. She had been nurtured in the fear and love of God, and dependence on the merits of her Redeemer, and her hope of mercy increased as her bodily strength diminished. She was never heard to utter a complaint during-her illness, but exhibited throughout the utmost Christian resignation. Shortly before her death she expressed a wish to see as many of her relations as the peculiar nature of their employments would admit, and, with surprising fortitude and self-command, she delivered to each of them some token of remembrance. This done, she calmly awaited, the apprach of death, and finally resigned her spirit, without a murmur, into the hands of Him who gave it. The celebrity which this amiable female had acquired effected no change in her conduct or demeanour. She was from her earliest years of a meek, kind, and gentle dispo-, sition, and so she continued to the last moment of her existence. Haying been once asked how she could think of continuing to reside upon a 'barren rock after having- become so celebrated, and why she did not come on shore and enjoy the gaieties of life, she replied, “ Had you seen the awful wreck of the Forfarshire, the melancholy sight would have been more than sufficient to have driven the pleasures of this world out of your mind for ever.” Grace Darling supplied another proof, by her ' character and conduct, that with much of meekness, humility, and gentleness of spirit, there many exist moral and physical courage to an extent, which, if we' judge simply from appearances, would be wholly wanting.

A scandalous story about l’rince George of Cambridge, which we have not yet noticed, has been current lately. The gist of it was, that circumstances had occurred which made it incumbent on the Prince to marry Lady Augusta Somerset; but that the Duke of Cambridge, or, aecording to other accounts, the Queen, refused assent to the marriage. The Morning Chronicle points out a mistake in the Court Circular, which stated that the Duchess of Cambridge was attended during her visit to Windsor by the Baroness Ahlefeldt: whereas Lady Augusta Somerset attended the Duchess; and the Chronicle adds —" We are induced to correct this report in consequence of certain malicious reports having found their way into some portion of the public press, to which the above is a complete refutation.” 'The Times denies the truth of the reports in more absolute terms: being “ authorised on the very highest authority, to give these calumnies the fullest and most peremptory contradiction which language admits of.” Although Lord Melbourne has in some measure recovered from his late indisposition, that indisposition had been much more serious than the public had reason to suppose. We regret to say that his Lordship’s illness arose from an ! attack of paralysis in the side, that also affected his speech ; but from which, as we have already stated, his Lordship has partially recovered. The Sheffield Iris says that Lord Morpeth is preparing his observations on the Americans for the press. Thu late Harvest. —An intelligent correspondent in the upper ward of the-county sends us the following : —" We have had a remarkably fine summer harvest and crop in tins ward of the county ; I believe the best I ever wit- j nessed. The weather during spring, summer, j and harvest, has been everything that could be desired ; ancl all kinds of crops have been brought to maturity and secured, in the very best quality and condition. On both moor and dale all kinds of crops were fully ripe, and are “ bleeding” well, as it is called, in both barn and mill. I had a patch of barley on my own property here, which yielded me fully thirty-two fold, the greatest increase I ever heard of in this ward of the county; the weather is still remarkably fine, and cattle are yet making a good shift without doors. Business of all kinds is exceedingly dull, and there is no prospect ot u return to the better. I fear a large portion of the labouring population will be unable to find employment during the winter months. Oatmeal is selling in Lanark, Carmvath, and Biggar, at from 275. 6d. to 295. per load.”—

Glasgow Chronicle. Money Market and City Intelligence.— Friday Evening. —During the past week, the national securities have exhibited great firmness. The anticipated equalisation of the interest j and reduction of the annual charge, by converting the 3y per cents., has been the theme of lengthened discussion in the daily press; and the public have shown sympathy with, and we may add, apprehensions for, the truth of their remarks, by operating as sellers of the heavy stocks, and buying consols. Considerable diversity of opinion is, nevertheless, entertained, not only as to the fairness, but as to the practicability of the measure of conversion, until consols reach 96. It is surmised that the purchases which we have had occasion to notice frequently of late, as having been effected by the Government broker for behoof of the Savings’ Banks and East India Guarantee Fund, were made in concert with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in order to pave the way for, and to facilitate, his contemplated conversion. The matter is by no means popular with the jobbers on the Stock Exchange, who are generally hears, and are fearful of a further rise in price. They have been accordingly acting as bulls of reduced, in the hope of keeping down consols until they can turn their accounts. In the meantime the market seems likely to beat them. t The bank broker repeated his usual purchase of 5,000/. to-day, and various investments, to a considerable amount, were made on the part of the public; consols for money were, in consequence* done at but speculative sales were afterwards made to the extent of SO,OOO/.* which caused the quotations to range a shade lower at the close* consols having closed at 94£, both for money and account. Bank stock, 172. Three per cents, reduced were in some demand at The 3| per cents., reduced, 101| f. New 3| per cents., 1-olf f. India stock, 259 f. Exchequer bills, 595. to 01s. prem. The foreign stocks have continued in their usual inanimate state, merely diversified by a slight fluctuation, and some extent of business in Mexican and Spanish bonds, which this day have shown a tendency to, droop. Dutch stock on. tho other hand, has rather improved to-day, to the speeeh of the king of the Belgians nt the opening of the chambers, in which he states that all the negoeiations with the Hague had-Been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, and'the difficulties attending the separation of the two countries filially resolved by treaty, supplementary to the treaty of London. Rumors of a commercial treaty between Spain and England are in circulation, and the cotton question will, no doubt, be brought before the Ma-

drid Cortes in their ensuihg session. The quotations of the foreign stocks are, this day, as follows : —Spanish Fives, 17f. Ditto New Threes, 21|. Mexican Bonds, 32f 3. Portuguese Fives, 38£. New Converted, 33f. Dutch Fives* 100-f. Ditto Two-and-a-halfs, 52f. Belgian, 102 f. Austrian Bonds, 11 If. Brazilian, 64. Ditto New Bonds, 55. Buenos Ayres Bonds, 22. Columbian, 21. Ditto ex Venezuela, 9-f. The only feature in shares is a decline in Brightons, owing to a deficiency in the receipts, which have been done at 35 per share. Eastern Counties. Bf. Great Western, 84. Blackwall, 10|-. South Western, 60. Midland Counties, 66. London and Birmingham-, 90-2 prem. Lord Gort, better known as Colonel Vereker, died at his residence near Dublin on Friday. His Lordship was in his 74th year, and had represented liis native city (Limerick) both in the Irish and Imperial Parliaments. He is succeeded in his title and estates by his eldest son, the Hon. John P. Vereker. It was Lord Gort, then Colonel Vereker, who in 1798 stopped the progress of the small French invading body which landed at Killala, in Ireland, at a place in Sligo called Colooney. Falmouth, Nov. 12. —It is contemplated to erect forthwith a line of telegraphs from the Lizard to this port. The desirableness of the object consists in obtaining the very earliest reports of vessels arriving in the channel from abroad, making the Lizard, invariably as they do, if possible, as a landfall; whilst, with contrary winds, valuable cargoes are detained, by ships standing off and on the coast, not able to clear the Lizard on some occasions for several davs.

The Real Worth of Chartism.— On Saturday the provincial organ of Chartism, the Northern Star , published the “ balance sheet of the executive” for the last quarter. This “ casting up of accounts” will enable the public to judge of the extent of Chartism, and the sympathy which its advocates find in the mass of the population, better than by the 3,000,000 signatures asserted to have been attached to the “ National Petition.” From the recent disturbances in the north, it would be imagined by those who are not aware of the ease with which the unemployed and discontented workmen of that district are excited, that such a bustling place as Ashton, where Chartism boasts of having taken up a strong position, would show a very respectable muster of what O’Connor styles “ blistered hands” in support of the Charter, and also a goodly contribution to assist in its consummation. The balance-sheet, however, shows that Ashton has but 60 “ fra* ternizing” Chartists, and that their permanent resources for the quarter amount to exactly the sum of 10s. At Birmingham, where Chartism is supposed to be, numerically speaking, stronger than in any other part of the kingdom, there are but 175 bond fide “paying” Chartists; and the amount they have “ sent in” to the executive during the last three months is 18s. 4d.; —lßs. 4d., or 3/. 13s. 4d. per annum, from Birmingham in support of the charter! This is sympathy indeed. Coventiy adds 100 Chaitists to the ranks, and 16s. Bd. to the funds. Carlisle gives 51. ; Darlington, 51. ; Derby, 1/. ; Huddersfield, 1/. 18s.; Hull, 1/. 12s. 6d.; Halifax, 1/. 15s. 4d.: Liverpool has 280 “ communicating” Chartists, and pays 1/. 13s. 2d. ; and Manchester, with its 524 brethren, sends 9/» 17s. 4d. Such are the bond fide indications of the strength of a faction whose noise and violence, artfully associated with the distress unfortunately so general in the north, have half “ frighted the isle from its propriety.” The grand total of the income of the executive for three months from the 3,000,000 of partisans, friends, and sympathizers, is 160/. Is. sd. The greater portion of the sum has been swallowed up by three of the principal itinerant lecturers: Dr. M’Douall’s “ wages’* and travelling expenses for two months amount to 35/. 10s.: Bairstow’s to 331. Bs.; and Leach's to 21/. 10s. —the three taking 90/. Bs. This is agitating to some purpose.' The extent, nature, and value of Chartism may be well judged of from the fact that a laborious organization, carried on in every county of England, has enabled its various associations to induce only 11,363 persons to enrol themselves as members at twopence per quarter, and of these 11,353 there are no fewer than 4‘816 who have neglected to pay their twopences. Chairmanship of JCiLjMMNHAM. —ltisstatqd this evening that Mr. Henry Kemmis, Queen’? Counsel and Assistant Barrister for the county of Kildare, has received the lucrative appointment of Chairman of Kiltnmnhara, vacant by the resignation of Mr. Maxwell Blacfcer. Mr. Christopher Coppinger, a Roman, Catholic barrister, highly esteemed by all: parties, succeeds Mr. Kemmis in the chairmanship of Kildare. The chairmanship of Kilmainham is worth 2,000/. a-year.

The Church.-— The consecration of the Venerable Edward Stopford* LL.D., Archdeacon of Armagh, to the episcopal dignity, as Bishop of Meath, took place on Sunday morning last, in the metropolitan cathedral of Arnpqgli. Archdeaconry,o3 Armagh. —The Rev. John Whitley Stokes, incumbent of the Union of St. Mary’s Enniscorthy, has accepted of. the Archdeaconry of Armagh, vacated bv the elevation

of the Right Rev. Dr. Stopford to the bishopric of Meath.

The Corporation. —Mr. W. Forde has been appointed to the lucrative office of town clerk, in succession to Mr. Dickenson.

Tralee. —The fair in this town on Monday was very numerously attended, and there was a large show of stock ; but the farmers complained loudly of the depreciation in value, there being a decided falling off in prices, except for gheep, even since the last fair here, on the 10th of October. Very little business was transacted* and, on the whole, it was a bad fair for sellers. Good milch cows fetched 8/., inferior ones much lower; heifers from 3/. to 3/. 10s.; a few prime ones 41. ; store sheep Bs. to 10s.; fat ditto 18s. to 20s. In the price of pigs there was a remarkable falling off, the best description bringing but 20s. the cwt.; inferior ditto, 15s. to 18s. The prices at our last fair averaged 28s. the cwt. —Kerry Examiner.

Tremendous Explosion of Gunpowder.— The inhabitants of Abbey Dale, near Sheffield, were suddenly awoke from their slumbers by a loud noise and violent shock, which shook the whole of the houses in the vicinity. On examination, it appeared that some incendiaries, having effected an entrance into the premises of Mr. Dyson, a scythe manufacturer, carrying on a very extensive business at Abbey Dale, placed a barrel of gunpowder under what is called the buffing bench, which is dose to a large grinding wheel that is turned by a waterfall, and which wheel puts into motion all the machinery used in carrying on the business. The explosion having taken place, it was found that the whole of the stone slating on the roof was completely blown to atoms, each of the gable ends of the building blown outwards, and the turners’ and joiners’ rooms were completely destroyed. Mr. Dyson is not insured, but the damage will probably not exceed five hundred pounds. Three men have been taken up on suspicion and remanded.

Progress of the League Fund—Great Meeting. —A meeting was held at the League Rooms on Thursday evening last to learn the progress of the 50,000/. found, and to hear the speeches of Mr. J. S. Buckingham, late M.P. for Sheffield, Mr. Joseph Brotherton, and the Rev. Mr. Shepherd of Bury. Mr. Richard Cobden, M. P., was also present, with Mr. W. Rawson, Mr. John Bright, Mr. H. Rawson, and Mr. J. Rawsthorne. The room was crowded to suffocation, notwithstanding the iuclemency of the weather, and the proceedings experienced some little interruption more then once, owing to the meeting being so densely packed as scarcely to afford breathing room. It appeared from the statement of Mr. G. Wilson that cards were already taken to the amount of 5,342/.

Testimonial to Father Mathew. —A requisition is in course of signature for the purpose of convening a meeting in order to decide on the best mode of erecting “ an enduring testimonial of the esteem in which the labors of the Rev. Mr. Mathew are held by all classes of the community.” The names of several noblemen are already attached to the requisition. A second Anti-slavery Convention will be held in London in 1843, commencing on the 13th of June.— Globe.

The following elaborate tables on the increase of poverty have been published in the Morning Chronicle , shewing that in fifteen principal agricultural districts, with a population of three millions and a half, the increase of poor rate, during 1840 and 1841, was nineteen and a half percent, over the rate of 1837 and 1838. Twelve manufacturing counties, also containing three millions and a half of people, show an increase of thirteen per cent. A similar augmentation has taken place in the number of paupers. The average is eight and a half per cent. In some cases the increase has been one-third, one-fourth, one-fifth, and one-sixth; and what is more painful, it appears that in some counties 1 in 7, 1 in 8, and 1 in 9 of the population are paupers. While the manufacturing paupers in the districts have increased by 11,630, the agricultural paupers have increased by 32,562. And to crown these appalling facts, the proportionate increase has been largest of. able-bodied paupers. We may also mention that in the hamlet of Hammersmhh, the poor rates, which in the year 1835 amounted to 3,127/. 12s. 6d., had increased in 1841 to 7,612/. The progress of beggary is thus indicated:—

Out of 2,000 rate-payers 72,7, or nearly 37 her cent, have been summoned as defaulters: 111 appeared the. first day, of whom 4 paid, 43 yrere wholly excused, 46 allowed three weeks to: pay one-half, and let off from paying the other, and 18 alloyed time. The increasing pqverty of the masses is too evident to be denied ; and yet money in the City was never ipore plentiful than at the present moment. On One hand we see extreme and still increasing poverty, and on the other excessive and still accumulating wealth. Starvation in, the midst qf plenty.

£ s. d. Poor rates of the parish in 1835 3,827 12 6 ,, „ 1836 3,807 10 0 „ „ 1837 4,539 14 0 ,, „ 1838 5,073 4 0 „ 1838 4,760 0 0 „ „ 1840 5,634 0 0 „ „ 1841 7,612 0 0