Here we have another instance of the valuable work done in this country without Government aid or interference in any shape or form. A few individuals, for their own protection as well as for the protection of the public, associate themselves together, and, by their organisation, do perhaps more to save life and property at sea than all the laws which have been passed having that object in view. For the success of this valuable institution, its members, and I must add, the public, are greatly indebted to Mr. Thomas Chapman, F.R.S., who has been its chairman almost from its commencement in 1834, and who has devoted the best years of his life, sparing neither time nor labour to raise it to its present high position, while displaying a tact and sound judgment throughout in the management of its affairs rarely to be met with, combined with an honesty of purpose which must ever command respect and admiration. Nor has he lacked able and indefatigable colleagues, some of whom, as, for instance, the late Mr. William Tindall and Mr. Duncan Dunbar, and now Mr. George Marshall, Mr. W. H. Tindall, and others, have been active members of the Committee for a large portion of their lives. But not the least important secret of its success has been its complete system of organisation, and the competency of all persons connected with it for their respective duties, while the many checks upon its various branches tend to keep the working of the business of the society free from those temptations to which men holding responsible appointments are too frequently subjected. For instance, there is a chief surveyor, who has two assistants acting directly under him, and through whom all important reports from the different surveyors must pass, before being laid before the Committee, many of whom know quite as much about ship-building as the surveyors themselves—then all these surveyors are under the secretary, Mr. B. Waymouth, a gentleman of great practical knowledge and remarkable ability. If there is anything wrong, he will be sure soon to detect it; for, during the twenty-one years with which he has been connected with the society, he has gone through the different grades, from assistant-surveyor to chief-surveyor, acting as chief of the staff for some time before receiving the appointment of secretary. There are also annual visits of inspection made to all the principal building ports by the chairman and members of the Committee, the secretary, and chief surveyor. Moreover, the surveyors are not all located permanently, some being from time to time changed, and a feeling pervades the whole staff that if any one passes imperfect workmanship or materials, the fact is likely to be brought to light by the surveyors who follow, who are bound to report any apparent laxity, which is invariably inquired into by the Committee, and dealt with as circumstances require.
That the survey and classification of ships has been of immense advantage in saving life and property at sea may be seen by the following table. Here we see, that the losses of vessels classed at Lloyd’s have not, during the last three years, been one-half of the unclassed, and that for the eighteen months ending 30th January, 1875, while the percentage of loss of all vessels from all causes classed at Lloyd’s has been only 5·25 per cent., the losses of vessels unclassed, or not classed by that association, has been 12·32 per cent. These figures speak volumes in favour of the society.
Losses of British Ships of 100 tons and upwards during 1874-5.
| Losses from all Causes, Wrecked, Stranded, Foundered, Missing. | ||||||||
| Year. | Number of Ships in Existence. | Number of Ships Lost. | Percentage of Ships Lost. | |||||
| Classed and Unclassed. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed Lloyd’s, Register. | Classed and Unclassed. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed, Lloyd’s Register. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed, Lloyd’s Register. | |
| 1874 | 11,569 | 6115 | 5454 | 593 | 181 | 412 | 2·96 | 7·55 |
| First half, 1875 | 11,362 | 5893 | 5469 | 396 | 135 | 261 | 2·29 | 4·77 |
| Total for last 18 months | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 5·25 | 12·32 |
| Losses from Foundering, Missing, &c., excluding Stranding, Collisions, &c. | ||||||||
| Year. | Number of Ships in Existence. | Number of Ships Lost. | Percentage of Ships Lost. | |||||
| Classed and Unclassed. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed Lloyd’s, Register. | Classed and Unclassed. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed, Lloyd’s Register. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed, Lloyd’s Register. | |
| 1874 | 11,569 | 6115 | 5454 | 281 | 103 | 178 | 1·68 | 3·26 |
| First half, 1875 | 11,362 | 5893 | 5469 | 200 | 77 | 123 | 1·30 | 2·25 |
| Total for last 18 months | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 2·98 | 5·51 |
| Year. | All Losses, including Stranding, Collisions, Foundered,Missing, &c. | Losses from Foundering, Missing, &c., but not Stranding, Collisions, &c. | ||||
| Classed and Unclassed. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed Lloyd’s, Register. | Classed and Unclassed. | Classed, Lloyd’s Register. | Unclassed, Lloyd’s Register. | |
| 1872 | 863 | 262 | 601 | 198 | 70 | 128 |
| 1873 | 938 | 301 | 637 | 316 | 108 | 208 |
| 1874 | 1258 | 313 | 945 | 506 | 162 | 344 |
| First half, 1875 | 1013 | 273 | 680 | 389 | 118 | 271 |
APPENDIX No. 13.
Acts of Parliament passed between 1849 and 1875 inclusive, relating to Merchant Snips and Seamen, with a note of the more important Parliamentary Papers issued in regard to the Navigation Laws or Mercantile Marine of Great Britain.
| 1849. | Emigrant Ships. Passenger Acts, 12 & 13 Vict. c. 33. |
| ” | Repeal of Navigation Laws, Foreign Trade, 12 & 13 Vict. c. 29. |
| ” | Pilotage, 12 & 13 Vict. c. 88. |
| ” | Mercantile Marine Act, 13 & 14 Vict. c. 93. |
| 1851. | Mercantile Marine Act Amendment Act, 14 & 15 Vict. c. 96. |
| ” | Steam Navigation Act, 14 & 15 Vict. c. 79. |
| ” | Seamen’s Fund Winding-up, 14 & 15 Vict. c. 102. |
| ” | Wages, &c., of Deceased Seamen. Parl. Paper, 143, 1875. |
| 1852. | Passenger Acts, 14 & 15 Vict. c. 1. |
| ” | Foreign Deserters, 15 & 16 Vict. c. 26. |
| 1853. | (Emigrant Ships) Passengers Acts, 15 & 16 Vict. c. 44. |
| ” | Pilotage Laws Amendment Act, 16 & 17 Vict. c. 129. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 16 & 17 Vict. c. 131. |
| ” | Colonial Lighthouses. |
| 1854. | Commission on Local Charges on Shipping. Parl. Paper, C. 1836, 1854, C. 1911, and C. 1967, 1855. |
| ” | Repeal of Navigation Laws (Coasting Trade), 17 & 18 Vict. c. 5. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, 17 & 18 Vict. c. 104. |
| ” | Ship Registry. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Act, 17 & 18 Vict. c. 104. Tonnage. |
| ” | Wrecks. Wreck Register, Parl. Paper, C. 1260, 1875, p. 302. Liability. Legal Procedure. Seamen’s Money Orders. Parl. Paper, 161, 1875. |
| ” | Meteorology. |
| 1855. | Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1855, 18 & 19 Vict. c. 91. |
| ” | Emigrants, 18 & 19 Vict., Passenger Act, c. 119. |
| ” | Seamen Deserting Unseaworthy Ships. Parl. Paper, C. 853, 1875. |
| 1856. | Shipping Dues. Parl. Paper, 225, 1856. |
| ” | Seamen’s Savings Banks, 19 & 20 Vict. c. 41. Parl. Paper, 161, 1875. |
| 1857-8. | Harbours of Refuge Committee. Parl. Paper, 344 and 344 i. 1858. |
| 1859. | Harbours of Refuge Commission. Parl. Paper, C. 2474, and C. 2506, Sess. 1, 1859. |
| ” | Commission on Manning the Navy. Naval Reserve; Training Ships. 22 & 23 Vict. c. 40. |
| 1860. | Anchors and Chain Cables. Parl. Paper, No. 182, 1860. |
| ” | Committee on Merchant Shipping. |
| ” | French Treaty. Parl. Paper, C. 2644, 1860. |
| 1861. | Harbours and Passing Tolls Act, 24 & 25 Vict. c. 47. Parl. Papers, 457, 1862, and 176, 1871. |
| ” | Bristol Channel Pilotage Act, 24 & 25 Vict. c. 236. |
| ” | Lighthouse Commission. Parl. Paper, C. 2793, I., II., 1861. |
| 1862. | Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862, 25 & 26 Vict. c. 63. Examination of engineers. Inquiries. Rules as to lights, &c. Duty in case of collision. Steamboat passengers. Pilotage. Local lighthouses. Liability. Tonnage. International arrangements. Salvage jurisdiction. Delivery of goods. Repeal of law as to deck loading and for bulkheads. |
| ” | Commercial Code of Signals. |
| ” | Harbours transfer, 25 & 26 Vict. c. 69. |
| 1863. | Emigrant Ships. Passengers Act Amendment, 26 & 27 Vict. c. 51. |
| ” | Naval Reserve (officers), 26 & 27 Vict. c. 69. |
| 1864. | Chain Cables and Anchors, 27 & 28 Vict. c. 27. Parl. Paper, 139, 1864. |
| ” | Surveys in cases of Desertion. Questions 246 to 272, and App. No. 5 to Report of Unseaworthy Ships Commission. |
| 1866. | Timber Duties Repealed, 29 & 30 Vict. c. 36. |
| ” | Crown Land Act, 1866, 29 & 30 Vict. c. 62. Parl. Paper, 18, 1867. |
| ” | Meteorology. Storm Warnings. Report of Committee, 14, 145, 1866. Parl. Paper, C. 1307, 1875. |
| 1867. | Merchant Shipping Act, Health of Seamen, 30 & 31 Vict. c. 124. |
| ” | Local Dues Exemption, 30 & 31 Vict. c. 15; 33 & 31 Vict. c. 59. |
| 1868. | Colonial Shipping, 31 & 32 Vict. c. 129. |
| ” | County Courts Admiralty Jurisdiction, 31 & 32 Vict. c. 71; 32 & 33 Vict. c. 51. |
| ” | Sea Fisheries, 32 & 33 Vict. c. 45. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Consolidation Bill. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping (Colonial), 32 & 33 Vict. c. 11. |
| ” | Coasting Trade of Colonies. Colonial Examinations. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Consolidation Bill, No. 267 of 1869. |
| 1869-70. | Opinions of Consuls on British Ships and Seamen. Parl. Paper, C. 630, 1872. |
| 1870. | Compulsory Pilotages, No. 343, 1870. |
| ” | Consular connection with the United States. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Code, No. 24 of 1870. Parl. Paper, 26-173, 1870. Scale showing draught of water. Survey in cases of Desertion. Record of draught of waters. Misdemeanour to send unseaworthy ships to sea. |
| 1871. | Merchant Shipping Code Bill, No. 15, C. 287, 1871. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Act, 34 & 35 Vict. C. 110. Unseaworthy ships. |
| ” | Chain Cables Act, 34 & 35 Vict. c. 101. |
| 1872. | Merchant Shipping Act, 35 & 36 Vict. c. 73. |
| 1873. | Commission on Unseaworthy Ships. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Act, 36 & 37 Vict. c. 85. Parl. Paper, C. 1152, 1875. |
| 1874. | Chain Cables, 37 & 38 Vict. c. 5. |
| ” | Tonnage Bill. Parl. Paper, C. 943, 1874. |
| 1875. | Combustion in Coal-laden Ships. Royal Commission. |
| ” | Fog Signals at Lighthouses. Parl. Papers, 119, 1873; 188, 1874, and 224, 1875. |
| ” | Marine Insurance. Parl. Paper, No. 304, 1875. |
| ” | Merchant Shipping Bill, No. 116, 1875. |
| ” | Unseaworthy Ships, 38 & 39 Vict. c. 88. |
| ” | Board of Trade and its Staff. Parl. Paper, 482, 1871. |
It would thus appear that, since the Navigation Laws were repealed in 1849, Government has passed no less than forty-one Acts of Parliament, and introduced seven Bills not yet passed, many of them great and important measures, besides laying before Parliament numerous instructive and interesting papers, all of them devoted expressly to the purpose of improving our merchant ships and the condition of our merchant seamen. It is idle, and worse than idle, after these facts, to charge the respective Governments, since 1849, with having neglected the interests of our mercantile marine, and the best answer to such mischievous and unjust charges is the present very high position in all respects of our merchant fleets as compared with those of all other nations.