§ LORD REDESDALEhaving moved, on behalf of the Earl of Waldegrave, for Returns of the number of Apprentices bound 316 to the Sea Service in the several years 1848 to 1852.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYwould avail himself of that opportunity to advert to an inquiry that had been made on a former occasion by a noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Ellenborough) with reference to the number of sailors employed in the coasting trade. He would remind the noble Earl that a great number of sailors had proceeded to Australia, where a large amount of wages was to be obtained for conveying vessels back to this country, and any diminution of the number of sailors in the home trade might be attributed to the great increase of emigration. It would be satisfactory to their Lordships to know that the number of vessels engaged in the coal trade between the ports of the Tyne and Wear and the port of London, so far from having diminished, had increased. He begged to call their Lordships' attention to returns showing that there was a considerable increase, both of vessels and tonnage, in 1852, as compared with 1851, and the increase had been going on during the first three months of the present year. It should be recollected that steam navigation had in many cases superseded the ordinary kind of vessels; and, as a steam vessel could make more than one voyage while a sailing vessel was making one, it therefore served to represent a greater amount of trade than a sailing vessel. He thought the information which he had given would answer the object of the noble Earl; but if he desired to have a return of the comparative number, both of ships and men, that go to Australia and return therefrom, as soon as it could be effected it would be laid before their Lordships.
§ The EARL of ELLENBOROUGHwould remind the noble Lord that his remarks had reference solely to navigation, and had no reference whatever to trade. He had no doubt of the improvement of trade, but as regarded navigation, he conceived there was a falling off in the number of men employed.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYbegged further to observe, that a great number of British sailors who had deserted from their ships were now gradually returning to this country, where the rate of wages had risen beyond what it was in America.