ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

The German Act instituting Sea Courts is as closely as possible ounded on the English Act, the notable differences however being that the number of Assessors is greater in Germany, that the English Government and its representatives can have no locus standi, and that a full and very perfect Court of Appeal is instituted.

OUR MERCANTILE FLEET.

N the 13th of the last month the First Lord of the Admiralty was asked by Sir E. Watkin whether efficient measures are in preparation whereby the Mercantile Marine of the country may be made available at short notice for the protection of our commerce. From the reply of the First Lord it may be gathered that not only are the Government disposed to utilize our mercantile steam fleet as an armed auxiliary should an emergency arise, but that measures have already been taken for giving effect to this policy-that should the necessity present itself the Government would not hesitate to ask Parliament for the necessary powers-but he did not apprehend that legislation would be necessary. The subject of adopting merchant steamships for war purposes, is not referred to in our columns for the first time. Our number for June last contained an article from the pen of Mr. John Burns, in which the writer brought his extensive knowledge of the management of steamships to bear on the subject. Up to the time at which Mr. Burns entered upon the discussion respecting the arming of merchant steamships the Admiralty had only gone the length of directing surveys of several merchant steamers under the direction of the Department of Naval Construction-the result being that certain steamers were found which, at inconsiderable expense, could be altered and fitted so as to make them eligible to be placed on the Admiralty List. Having found the ships, the next thing the Government had to do was to formulate a plan for arrangement with the owners. That plan does not appear to have been yet matured. Mr. Burns pointed

out that shipowners cannot afford, and it would be unreasonable to ask them, to alter their ships and involve themselves in an outlay of greater or less amount unless there was bonâ fide employment offered. "The Admiralty scheme," said Mr. Burns, in itself appears nebulous, lacking boldness of conception, and a full consideration of the elements necessary for the accomplishment of so great a measure. A satisfactory system could only be matured and carried into effect by suitable arrangements being made with companies owning large fleets of well equipped vessels. These possess facilities bearing upon store accommodation, official discipline among crews, and other important appointments which have been called into existence and established by the necessities attaching to the successful working of extensive business, and to the incidence of its daily governing, all of which facilities and advantages would obviously be invaluable to the nation were they called into requisition by Government in the event of war or other emergency." We do not know whether the "steps" which the First Lord refers to as having been "taken" go beyond the scheme which formed, six months since, the subject of Mr. Burns's just criticism, but it must be apparent to every rational mind that if at any time any portion of our mercantile steam fleet is to be taken up and adapted to the purposes of the national defence, it must be on terms by which the owners will not be actual losers. We can quite understand that, if an emergency of a sudden and imperative nature should arise, threatening the safety of the State, that shipowners, like every other class in the community, might be called upon to make extraordinary sacrifices-and we have no doubt whatever what that response would be. But in the organization of a system of maritime defence, whether for our commerce or our shores, against a possible or approaching state of hostilities, there certainly is no reason why any one branch of the national industry should be selected to bear the burden of such preparations to the exclusion of others equally interested. If the State should require the aid of first-class steamers, convertible to war purposes, that aid we may be sure will not be withheld, but the Government should be prepared with an equivalent that will not leave the

owners losers. Mr. Burns's project was briefly that the Commissioners of the Admiralty should, in the event of war, have the power of purchasing at a valuation all or any of the vessels of the steamship companies adapted to their purpose, or of chartering them for Her Majesty's Government at an agreed rate of hire, with liberty to equip such vessels with suitable armament; the companies to maintain a certain proportion of men, who would be trained to the use of arms, and exercised in gunnery practice in accordance with the regulations of the Royal Naval Reserve. Such a plan as this would have the advantage that in effecting the object aimed at, namely, the organization of an auxiliary maritime force, neither hardship nor injustice would be inflicted. There can be no doubt that there are the materials in the registered steam tonnage of this country for a supplemental organization of this nature, such as no other State can furnish forth. The heavier class of ironclads can never be employed by this or by any other country as sea-going vessels; the protection of colonies and of commerce will be committed to armour-plated frigates, with heavy armaments, and to gunboats; to such a fleet a number of armed steamers would be of the utmost importance and assistance, and would well repay any expense which the State might incur in their hiring and equipment. The students of our maritime history will be at no loss to light on instances where the merchant ships of England have done good service against the enemy. Times have changed, no doubt, and a great revolution has been wrought in the British Mercantile Marine since two of our East Indiamen, engaged in the Indian Ocean, gave a good account of them. But the spirit which prompted that deed of gallantry survives in our seamen and their commanders in both the Royal and the Merchant Services, and whenever the opportunity arrives it will once more be displayed.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR JANUARY, 1879.

THE CURRENTS OR TENDENCY OF THE AIR OVER THE BRITISH ISLANDS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, 1879.

[graphic][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed]

NOTE.-An E. by Southerly current due to the sun North of parallel of 50° N. Lat. A W. by Southerly current due to the sun South of parallel of 50° N. Lat.

1. The Table indicates

REMARKS.

Strong Southerly tendency from the 1st to the 3rd.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

2. As in November and December the strongest tendency being from the North produced the heaviest gales from the East, so in January the strongest tendency being from the south will probably cause the heaviest gales to come from the West, and these will likely occur about the times for strong Westerly tendency that is to say, the most serious and extensive storms are more likely to take place at these than at other times during the month. 3. When there are two currents, their direction may be readily found from the Table given last month: for example, if the wind oscillates between S.W. and N.W. with a rising and falling barometer, these changes indicate a S.Westerly current modified by a N.Westerly one. Again, with a rising and falling barometer, and wind oscillating between N. and E., the currents are Northerly and Easterly. A calm, with a rising or falling barometer, shows two opposite currents, one of which will probably be that stated in Forecast, the other from the opposite point of the compass. The barometer rises highest when the two opposite currents are S. Westerly and N.Easterly. Heaviest rain or snow probable during S.Westerly tendency with wind in the N.E., and during N.Westerly with wind in the S.E.

4. The Forecast may be approximately sufficient for any place in the North Temperate Zone, reckoning time by the sun, and allowing from one to two hours for variation of latitude. In the extreme North E. should probably be substituted for W. in the columns headed "Force" and "General Direction."

D. D.

W

A VIRTUOUS PROTEST.

E have received a copy of a placard in very large type bearing the names of no less than twenty-four seamen's boarding-house keepers. We are told on

authority that "there is joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth rather than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance." As regards Cardiff, with which we are better acquainted, we should think that at the present moment joy on the Bench must be unparalleled now that twenty-four seamen's boarding-house keepers are moved to placard the walls with a protest against the love of lucre of the joint fraternity. But we will let these righteous men speak for themselves. They say, "Whereas it has been discovered that of late certain shipping masters in this port have been charging the enormous sum of one pound and one shilling for the shipping of seamen, whether the

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »