HC Deb 08 June 1860 vol 159 cc184-5
MR. SOMES

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether an American ship has been taken up by the Government for the conveyance of stores from Calcutta to China; whether eligible British ships were tendered for the same service; and, if so, whether he will state the reasons which induced the Government to make such selection? It appeared that in Madras, on the 13th of March last, the Government chartered the Bremen ship Lerius, and the American ship Frank Flint, to convey troops and stores to China. Some years ago, in consequence of a similar occurrence, the following correspondence took place between the General Shipowners' Society and the East India Company:—

"General Shipowners' Society, 12, St.

Michael's-alley, Cornhill, London,

Dec. 2, 1851.

"Sir—The attention of the Committee of the General Shipowners' Society having been called to the fact that foreign vessels have been tendered to the Honourable East India Company for the conveyance of stores to India, I am directed respectfully to request that you will be so good as to call the attention of the Honourable Court of Directors to the circumstance that no English ship could be taken up by them unless the master and officers have passed a searching examination into their capabilities of conducting the ship safely to the port of destination; and if foreign masters and officers are not required to undergo a similar examination, it is evidently unjust to the British shipowner, captains, and officers, that foreign ships should be engaged on a public service. Moreover, in addition to the officers' certificate of competency, it is required that the British ship must be subjected to the strictest examination by Lloyd's surveyors, and classed in the books of that association, while from this also the foreign ship is exempt.

"Although it may appear not to be in the province of this Committee to refer to the risk which, in the event of war, damage to the ship, and consequent sale of cargo to pay for such damage in a foreign port which the Honourable Company incur by the employment of foreign vessels, yet in justice to the British shipowner they feel warranted in calling attention to the additional security he offers, as a justification of any preference you may give him.

"I have the honour to be, Sir,

"Your obedient servant,

(Signed) "WM. BONAR, Secretary.

"James C. Melvill, Esq., Secretary

East India Company."

"East India House, Dec. 18, 1851.

"Sir—In acknowledging the receipt of the letter you addressed to me under date the 2nd in- stant, consequent on the attention of the Committee of the General Shipowners' Society having been called to the fact that foreign vessels had been tendered to the East India Company for the conveyance of stores to India, I am commanded to state that the said letter has been duly laid before the Court of Directors.

"I am, Sir,

"Your most obedient humble servant,

(Signed) "JAMES C. MELVILL.

"Wm, Bonar, Esq.

"The above letter from the General Shipowners' Society was written in consequence of a Danish ship, the Hindoo, being taken up by the East India Company."

Although no distinct Resolution was adopted in consequence of this correspondence, the practice of employing foreign ships in the Company's service had been discontinued up to the date he referred to—the 13th March last. Other nations were particularly careful to encourage their own shipping. The Americans, when they purchased in the West Indies, invariably kept their purchases till their agents could ship them in American vessels, although eligible British vessels might be lying in the port. The consequences of employing foreign vessels might be serious in the event of war breaking out. He had no wish to dissuade the Government from taking advantage of the services of foreign ships; but he thought that when British ships were offered they ought to receive the preference. He could only anticipate one answer—namely, that economy was the motive which had induced the authorities to employ an American ship in the case to which his question referred; but as the whole of the money paid for a foreign ship went out of the country, he could not but think that the economy was in this instance false.