§ MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in November last, at Baltimore, the master of the steamship "Mab" assaulted the steward, that the steward asked permission to go on shore to make a complaint to His Majesty's Consul, and that the master had the steward and cook arrested and imprisoned for three days; that on the arrival of the vessel at Liverpool in December last proceedings were taken at the police court against the master, who was fined £3; and that on the vessel's arrival at Barry the master endeavoured to deduct the expenses of his trial from the wages of the steward and cook; whether it is the intention of the Board of Trade to ask the master of the "Mab" for an explanation of his conduct in refusing to allow the steward and cook of this ship to go ashore at Baltimore to lodge a complaint against him for his assault on the steward, and will he ask His Majesty's Consul at that port to explain on what grounds he 1157 issued a warrant for the arrest of these two men.
§ *MR. GERALD BALFOURI have no official information with regard to the occurrences referred to in the question beyond entries in the log of the "Mab" which appear to show that the proceedings at Charleston (not Baltimore) were quite regular. Inquiry shall be made as to what took place at Liverpool and Barry, and also respecting the allegation that the steward was not allowed to make a complaint to His Majesty's Consul at Charleston.