"By Shipping Offices at all the Ports of the
United Kingdom—

"And by the General Register and Record Office
of Seamen in London.

"Two gentlemen of high professional reputation
have been appointed Naval Members of the
Board of Trade, to assist by their practical
experience in the consideration of all matters
connected with the Merchant Service.

"The Local Boards are formed by the Mayor
or Provost of the Sea Port,a Stipendiary Magistrate,
four Members nominated by the Board of Trade,
and six Members elected by Voters; the qualification
for each vote being two hundred and fifty
registered tons, employed in Foreign-going Ships.

"The duties will be to appoint Examiners, Shipping
Masters, with Assistants and Clerks, and to
superintend and regulate matters connected
therewith in their respective ports.

"But when Shipping Offices are established in
the Sailors' Homes in London, they are to be
under the direct control of the Board of Trade.

"Shipping Masters will have the supervision of
the engagement and discharge of crews; adjustment
of disputes referred to them; to record
character of seamen discharged in their offices,
examination of log-books, transmission of all
returns, &c., required under the act, supply of the
necessary forms; and they are to give all the aid
in their power for promoting the intentions of the
act, and to facilitate the procuring of crews.—
pp. 15, 16.

We also learn that, in addition to the
present duty of the Registrar-General, he
will transmit certificates of competency and
service to all those who are entitled to receive
them; and keep a general record of character.
In the Register Office will be recorded every
document relative to these matters.

With regard to the " improving the condition
of Masters and Mates," an important
step is taken by the establishment of an
examination of them (no longer a voluntary one)
and the issue of certificates to them, in
proportion to their competency. These documents
are all duly " registered," and " penalties " are
imposed according to the mode of procedure
in the former act.

I now come to the special provisions which
have been made the subject of the recent
complaints—premising that, of course, this
elaboration of rules must, in the first instance,
be somewhat galling and restraining to
masters, seamen and all; this is natural, but
it is not to have weight as an objection in the
face of national necessity and ultimate advantage.
Doubtless, a coat and trousers would
be an intolerable restraint to a Tahitian at
first, but by-and-by he would value these
articles as he progressed in civilisation. It is
easy to see that, in process of time, masters
and seamen would be better related to each
other, as both were made subject to law. The
great evils of the Merchant Service have
hitherto proceeded from the uncertainty of
their mutual relation. Government, by
harnessing both, will make them run easier
together. The reason that men-of-war go on
well, though, occasionally, captains are tyrants,
is, that the abstract reverence for the supreme
power of the crown preserves order, irrespective
of the individual.

Now, what are our tars making this hubbub
about? Imprimis, they complain heavily of
the " Official Log." The master is to carry a
Log to sea, and there he enters " offences,"
and reports on " character;" so Jack is
"logged," as he calls it, and his skipper's
opinion of him remains on record. Was not
the organisation of this a little premature?
For, observe, the Act, while aiming at
improving both masters and men—pari passu, as
it were—gives the master this important
power at once—before he himself is improved!
Does not this law follow a little too closely on
the heels of the sad revelations about our
"skippers " on the Navigation Laws inquiry?
All naval officers who have visited merchant
ships abroad—say to help them when aground
—will agree that the class, as a class, is not
too fit to have new discretionary powers. Here
"modification " might try its hand.

Then, Jack complains of the " Shipping
Masters' " authority; and I would like to
point out to the Board of Trade (with
deference to official wisdom!) the vagueness
of these functionaries' powers. I have myself
heard ingenuous confessions on the point.
"Agreements " (except in special cases) are
made between master and crew, in
presence of the Shipping Master. And, here we
come upon one of the chief grievances of the
agitators. The " Copy of Agreement " (one
of which is lying before me) contains a
memorable corner—or legal " Black Hole "—
which has a long list of twenty-two " offences,"
each marked with its " fine." Thus we have
"insolence, one day's pay; "—" not being
clean shaved and washed on Sundays, one
day's pay; " &c. It is easy to see that an
eccentric captain would fine half a man's pay
away very soon at this rate. These
regulations, to be sure, are only said to be
"sanctioned," not " compulsory." But their present
place in the " Copy," " sanctioned " by the
omnipotent " Board," surely makes them
something very like compulsory. Accordingly,
some masters will be found to stick out for
them, and ill blood will arise. An immediate
abolition of these, without delay, would be
advisable. Meanwhile, the office of the
Shipping Master is an important and useful
one—if his duties be clear, and his actual
powers clearly determined. I perceive the
office itself absolutely necessitated by the
system, and I attribute the opposition to his
powers of arbitration to the machinations
of " amphibious lawyers," interested in
nautical litigation, and the old state of things.
Hook-noses and cunning grey eyes, are
unpleasant but significant phenomena, which I
observed sprinkling, here and there, the
honest simplicity of the Sailors' Meeting!

The distance of the "Shipping Offices" from