§ MR. SEXTONasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether the Marie Brockelmann, a Drogheda vessel of 400 tons burden, has been and is detained there by the officials of the Board, and prevented from going to sea, in consequence of a claim of £4 3s. 6d. by the Receiver, arising out of the grounding of the vessel for one tide; whether the 1335 services performed by the officials were such as to entitle them to make the claim, in question; whether on the 20th ult the owner, in order that his vessel might go to sea, tendered, under protest, the full amount of the claim, but the officer of the Board refused to release the vessel; and, what notice the Board will take of these proceedings?
§ MR. HOLMSThe Marie Brockelmann stranded on February 16 last while crossing Drogheda Bar. She filled with water, and was taken in charge by the Coastguard. On the following day the Receiver of Wreck came from Drogheda (a distance of five or six miles) and took the depositions of the master and mate, who declared the vessel to be full of water. After being lightened and having her lock stopped, the vessel was on February 18 towed into Drogheda Harbour. There she was seen by the Dublin Surveyor, who reported that she had received serious injuries, and was under no circumstances to be allowed to leave until certain repairs had been executed. A claim of £4 3s. 6d. was made for services rendered and expenses incurred by the Coastguard and Receiver of Wreck. These the owner refused to pay, and on May 7, the vessel being declared seaworthy, he sent her to sea. On May 18 the vessel returned to Drogheda, and on May 20, in obedience to instructions from the Board of Trade, a Customs officer was placed in charge. The owner then tendered payment under protest; the Receiver at once communicated with the Board of Trade, and the vessel was released the same day. The amount claimed for services and expenses was in accordance with the usual scale, and the officers of the Board of Trade acted in accordance with their instructions.