by law or by consent of parties authority to receive evidence, either by the production of the original or by an examined copy thereof, or by a copy thereof purporting to be certified under the hand of the registrar or other person having the charge of the original; which certified copies he is hereby required to furnish to any person applying at a reasonable time for the same, upon payment of 18. for each such certified copy; and every such register or copy of a register, and also every certificate of registry of any British ship, purporting to be signed by the registrar or other proper officer, shall be received in evidence in any court of justice, or before any person having by law or by consent of parties authority to receive evidence as primâ facie proof of all the matters contained or recited in such register when the register or such copy is produced, and of all the matters contained in or indorsed on such certificate of registry, and purporting to be authenticated by the signature of a registrar, when such certificate is produced.

PART III.

MASTERS AND SEAMEN.

Protection of Seamen from Imposition.

233. No wages due or accruing to any seaman or apprentice shall be subject to attachment or arrestment from any court! and every payment of wages to a seaman or apprentice shall be valid in law, notwithstanding any previous sale or assignment of such wages, or of any attachment, incumbrance, or arrestment thereon; and no assignment or sale of such wages or of salvage made prior to the accruing thereof shall bind the party making the same; and no power of attorney or authority for the receipt of any such wages or salvage shall be irrevocable.

234. No debt exceeding in amount 58., incurred by any seaman after he has engaged to serve, shall be recoverable until the service agreed for is concluded.

ship and the freight due or to grow due in respect of such ship during the voyage which at the time of the happening of any such events as aforesaid is in prosecution or contracted for, subject to the following proviso; that is to say, that in no case, where any such liability as aforesaid is incurred in respect of loss of life or personal injury to any passenger, shall the value of any such ship and the freight thereof be taken to be less than 157. per registered ton.

505. For the purposes of the ninth part of this act, the freight shall be deemed to include the value of the carriage of any goods or merchandise belonging to the owners of the ship, passage money, and also the hire due or to grow due under or by virtue of any contract, except only such hire, in the case of a ship hired for time, as may not begin to be earned until the expiration of six months after such loss or damage.

506. The owner of every sea-going ship or share therein shall be liable in respect of every such loss of life, personal in. jury, loss of or damage to goods as aforesaid, arising on distinct occasions, to the same extent as if no other loss, injury, or damage had arisen.

Mode of Procedure.

507. Whenever any such liability as aforesaid has been or is alleged to have been incurred in respect of loss of life or personal injury, the Board of Trade may, in its discretion, after giving not less than three days' notice, by post or otherwise, to the party to be made defendant or defender, by warrant sealed with the seal of such board or signed by one of its secretaries or assistant secretaries, require the sheriff having jurisdiction over any place in the United Kingdom to summon a jury, at a time and place to be specified in such warrant, for the purpose of determining the following question; that is to say,

The number, names, and descriptions of all persons killed or injured by reason of any wrongful act, neglect, or default;

and upon the receipt of such warrant the sheriff shall summon a jury of twenty-four indifferent persons, duly qualified to act as common jurymen in the superior courts, to meet at such time and place as aforesaid.

508. If either party to the inquiry desire any such question as aforesaid to be tried before a special jury, such question shall be so tried, provided that notice of such desire, if coming from the other party, is given to the Board of Trade before it has issued its warrant to the sheriff; and for that purpose the Board of Trade shall, by its warrant to the sheriff, require him

Limitation of Liability.

503. No owner of any sea-going ship or share therein shall be liable to make good any loss or damage that may happen without his actual fault or privity of or to any of the following things; that is to say,

(1). Of or to any goods, merchandise, or other things whatsoever taken in or put on board any such ship, by reason of any fire happening on board such ship; (2). Of or to any gold, silver, diamonds, watches, jewels, or precious stones taken in or put on board any such ship, by reason of any robbery, embezzlement, making away with or secreting thereof, unless the owner or shipper thereof has, at the time of shipping the same, inserted in his bills of lading, or otherwise declared in writing to the master or owner of such ship, the true nature and value of such articles;

to any extent whatever.

504. No owner of any sea-going ship or share therein shall, in cases where all or any of the following events occur without his actual fault or privity; that is to say,

(1). Where any loss of life or personal injury is caused to any person being carried in such ship;

(2). Where any damage or loss is caused to any goods, merchandise, or other things whatsoever on board any such ship;

(3). Where any loss of life or personal injury is, by reason of the improper navigation of such sea-going ship as aforesaid, caused to any person carried in any other ship or boat;

(4). Where any loss or damage is, by reason of any such improper navigation of such sea-going ship as aforesaid, caused to any other ship or boat, or to any goods, merchandise, or other things whatsoever on board any other ship or boat;

be answerable in damages to an extent beyond the value of his

sheriff shall, as soon as conveniently may be after the receipt by him of such warrant, summon both the parties to appear before him, by themselves or their attornies or agents, at some convenient time and place appointed by him, for the purpose of nominating a special jury; and at the place and time so appointed the sheriff shall proceed to nominate and strike a special jury in the manner in which such juries are required by the laws for the time being in force to be nominated or struck by the proper officers of the superior courts; and the sheriff shall appoint a day, and shall on the day so appointed proceed to reduce the said special jury to the number of twenty, in the manner used and accustomed by the proper officers of the superior courts.

509. The following provisions shall be applicable to the conduct of proceedings by the Board of Trade; that is to say, (1). The sheriff shall preside at such inquiry, and the Board of Trade shall be deemed in England and Ireland to be the plaintiff, and in Scotland the pursuer, both of which terms are hereinafter included in the term "plaintiff,” with power to appoint any agent to act on its behalf, and shall have all such rights and privileges as the plaintiff is entitled to in actions at law; and the owner or owners of the ship or ships by whom such liability as last aforesaid is alleged to have been incurred shall be deemed in England and Ireland to be the defendant, and in Scotland the defender, both of which terms are hereinafter included in the term " defendant:"

(2). Not less than ten days' notice of the time and place of the inquiry shall be served by the Board of Trade on the defendant:

(3). Service on the master of any ship shall be deemed good service on the owner thereof, and the master shall, in respect of the proceedings on such inquiry, be deemed the agent and representative of the owner, with power to appear for him on such inquiry, and to do all matters and things which he might himself have done :

(4). If the defendant does not appear at the time of such inquiry, the same shall be proceeded with as if he had appeared, upon due proof of service of notice having been made on him in pursuance of this act :

(5). The impannelling of the jury and the summoning and attendance of witnesses shall be conducted and enforced in England and Ireland in manner provided by the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845, in cases of disputed compensation as to land, and in Scotland in manner provided by the Lands Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act, 1845, in like cases, or as near thereto as circumstances permit; and all provisions in the said acts having reference to cases where any question of disputed compensation requires to be determined by the verdict of a jury shall, with the requisite alterations, be considered as incorporated with this act, and to have reference to cases where the question of the liability of any owner in respect of any such accident as aforesaid requires to be determined by the verdict of a jury:

(6). In England and Ireland the sheriff shall, if the Board of Trade so requires, or if the defendant so requires, and the Board of Trade consents thereto, appoint as assessor a barrister-at-law of competent knowledge and standing: (7). The costs incurred by all parties in and incidental to any such inquiry as aforesaid shall in England and Ireland be taxed by the Master of one of her Majesty's superior courts of common law as between attorney and client, and in Scotland by the auditor of the Court of Session as between agent and client; and shall, if the verdict in any inquiry is in favour of the plaintiff, be paid by the defendant; but if such verdict is in favour of the defendant, be paid by the Board of Trade out of the Mercantile Marine Fund:

(8). The payment of all damages and costs in any such inquiry as aforesaid shall, upon application made to such superior court as aforesaid by the party entitled thereto, be enforced by rule or order of such court or a judge thereof, or otherwise as such court or judge thinks fit: (9). The Board of Trade may make any compromise it thinks fit as to the damages payable in respect of personal injury, or of the death of any person; and any damages received in pursuance of such compromise shall, so far as the same extend, be applied in the same manner and be subject to the same rules as if the same were damages recovered on an inquiry instituted by the Board of Trade.

510. The following rules shall be observed as to the damages covered in any such inquiry, and the application thereof; at is to say,

(1). The damages payable in each case of death or injury shall be assessed at 301.:

(2). The damages found due on any such inquiry as aforesaid shall be the first charge on the aggregate amount for which the owner is liable, and shall be paid thereout in priority to all other claims :

(3). All such damages as aforesaid shall be paid to her Majesty's Paymaster-General, and shall be distributed and dealt with by him in such manner as the Board of Trade directs; and in directing such distribution the Board of Trade shall have power in the first place to deduct and retain any costs incidental thereto; and in the next place, as regards the sums paid in respect of injuries, shall direct payment to each person injured of such compensation, not exceeding in any case the statutory amount, as the said board thinks fit; and, as regards the sums paid in respect of deaths, shall direct payment thereof for the benefit of the husband, wife, parent, and child of the deceased, or any of them, in such shares, upon such evidence, and in such manner as the said board thinks fit:

(4). The Board of Trade shall refund to the owner any surplus remaining under its control after making such distribution as aforesaid, and the sum so refunded shall form part of the residue hereinafter mentioned: (5). The Board of Trade shall not, nor shall any person acting under it, be liable to any action, suit, account, claim, or demand whatsoever for or in respect of any act or matter done, or omitted to be done, in the distribution of such damages as aforesaid:

(6). If the amount paid to her Majesty's Paymaster-General in manner aforesaid is insufficient to meet the demands

upon it, the several claims thereon shall abate proportionally.

511. After the completion of such inquiry as aforesaid, if any person injured estimates the damages payable in respect of such injury, or if the executor or administrator of any deceased person estimates the damages payable in respect of his death, at a greater sum than such statutory amount, or, in case of a compromise having been made by the Board of Trade, than the amount accepted by such board by way of compensation for such injury or death as aforesaid, the person so estimating the same shall, upon repaying or obtaining the repayment by the Board of Trade to the owner of the amount paid by him to the Board of Trade in respect of such injury or death, be at liberty to bring an action for the recovery of damages in the same manner as if no power of instituting an inquiry had hereinbefore been given to the Board of Trade, subject to the following proviso; that is to say, that any damages recoverable by such person shall be payable only out of the residue, if any, of the aggregate amount for which the owner is liable, after deducting all sums paid to her Majesty's PaymasterGeneral in manner aforesaid; and if the damages recovered in such action do not exceed double the statutory amount, such person shall pay to the defendant in such action all the costs thereof, such costs to be taxed in England and Ireland as between attorney and client, and in Scotland as between agent and client.

512. In cases where loss of life or personal injury has occurred by any accident in respect of which the owner of any such ship as aforesaid is or is alleged to be liable in damages, no person shall be entitled to bring any action, or institute any suit or other legal proceeding in the United Kingdom, until the completion of the inquiry (if any) instituted by the Board of Trade, or until the Board of Trade has refused to institute the same; and the Board of Trade shall, for the purpose of entitling any person to bring an action or institute a suit or other legal proceeding, be deemed to have refused to institute such inquiry whenever notice has been served on it by any person of his desire to bring such action or institute such suit or other legal proceeding, and no inquiry is instituted by the Board of Trade in respect of the subject-matter of such intended action, suit, or proceeding for the space of one month after the service of such notice.

513. Whenever the Board of Trade, having refused in manner aforesaid to institute any inquiry, afterwards determines to institute the same, the damages and costs (if any) recovered on such inquiry shall be payable rateably with, and not in priority, to, the costs and damages recovered in any other action, suit, or legal proceeding.

514. In cases where any liability has been or is alleged to have been incurred by any owner in respect of loss of life, personal injury, or loss of or damage to ships, boats, or goods, and several claims are made or apprehended in respect of such liability, then, subject to the right hereinbefore given to the Board of Trade of recovering damages in the United Kingdom in respect of loss of life or personal injury, it shall be lawful in England or Ireland for the High Court of Chancery, and in Scotland for the Court of Session, and in any British possession for any competent Court to entertain proceedings at the suit of any owner for the purpose of determining the amount of such liability subject as aforesaid, and for the distribution of such amount rateably amongst the several claimants, with power for any such Court to stop all actions and suits pending in any other court in relation to the same subject-matter; and any proceeding entertained by such Court of Chancery or Court of Session, or other competent Court, may be conducted in such manner, and subject to such regulations as to making any persons interested parties to the same, and as to the exclusion of any claimants who do not come in within a certain time, and as to requiring security from the owner, and as to payment of costs, as the Court thinks just.

515. All sums of money paid for or on account of any loss or damage in respect whereof the liability of the owner of any ship is limited by the ninth part of this act, and all costs incurred in relation thereto, may be brought into account among part owners of the same ship in the same manner as money disbursed for the use thereof.

Saving Clause.

516. Nothing in the ninth part of this act contained shall be construed

To lessen or take away any liability to which any master or seaman, being also owner or part owner of the ship to

JAMES WARD, Jermyn-street, St. James's, Westminster, Middlesex, licensed victualler and tavern keeper, dealer and chapman, Oct. 24 at 1, and Nov. 25 at 2, Court of Bankruptcy, London: Off. Ass. Pennell; Sol. Hine, Charterhouse-square.-Petition dated Oct. 10. WILLIAM HENRY BARTLEMAN HAWES, Strand, Middlesex, chemist and druggist, Oct. 24 at 12, and Nov. 25 at half-past 1, Court of Bankruptcy, London: Off. Ass. Nicholson; Sol. Sawbridge, 126, Wood-street, City. Petition dated Oct. 10.

JOHN HEWITT, Leamington Priors, Warwickshire, brick maker, Oct. 27 and Nov. 16 at half-past 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham: Off. Ass. Christie; Sols. Overell, Leamington Priors; Motteram & Knight, Birmingham.-Petition dated Oct. 6.

JAMES CORBETT, Stourbridge, Worcestershire, saddler and victualler, Oct. 25 and Nov. 20 at 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham: Off. Ass. Christie; Sols. Prescott, Stourbridge; Motteram & Knight, Birmingham.Petition dated Oct. 11.

JAMES DYSON, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, draper and milliner, Oct. 27 and Nov. 24 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Leeds: Off. Ass. Young; Sols. Sale & Co., Manchester; J. & H. Richardson & Gaunt, Leeds.-Petition dated July 6. THOMAS HOUGHTON, Collyhurst, Manchester, ironmonger, dealer and chapman, Oct. 25 and Nov. 17 at 12, District Court of Bankruptcy, Manchester: Off. Ass. Hernaman; Sol. Lamb, Manchester.-Petition filed Oct. 10. ROBERT SHEPPARD, Glossop, Derbyshire, grocer and farmer, dealer and chapman, Oct. 27 and Nov. 17 at 12, District Court of Bankruptcy, Manchester: Off. Ass. Hernaman; Sols. Hall & Janion, Manchester.-Petition filed Oct. 3. RICHARD BURCH, Heywood, Lancashire, bobbin maker, grocer, dealer and chapman, Oct. 26 and Nov. 16 at 12, District Court of Bankruptcy, Manchester: Off. Ass. Hernaman; Sols. T., A., & J. Grundy, Manchester.- Petition filed Oct. 9.

MEETINGS.

Edward Brattan, Northwich, Cheshire, upholsterer, Oct. 25 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Liverpool, ch. ass.-T. Deans, Blackburn, Lancashire, draper, Oct. 27 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Manchester, last ex.-James Sherman, Brentwood, Essex, grocer, Oct. 24 at 11, Court of Bankruptcy, London, aud. ac.- — George Tennant, Market-street, Westminster, Middlesex, licensed victualler, Oct. 24 at 11, Court of Bankruptcy, London, aud. ac.-James Thomas Shayler, St. John-street-road, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, furrier, and Little Saffron-hill, St. Andrew, Holborn, Middlesex, skin dyer, Oct. 24 at 11, Court of Bankruptcy, London, aud. ac.-Peter Perring Thoms, Warwick-square, Newgate-street, London, printer, Oct. 24 at 11, Court of Bankruptcy, London, aud. ac.-J. Rodway, Gloucester, victualler, Oct. 26 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Bristol, aud. ac.-James Wild, Hurst, near Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, cotton spinner, Nov. 9 at 12, District Court of Bankruptcy, Manchester, aud. ac.; Nov. 16 at 12, div.-Hugh Barclay, Liverpool, commission agent, Oct. 25 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Liverpool, aud. ac.—Wm. Atherton, Liverpool, merchant, Oct. 25 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Liverpool, aud. ac.-James Stark Skipper, Liverpool, corn merchant, Oct. 25 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Liverpool, aud. ac.; Nov. 6 at 11, div.-Wm. Fletcher Corbett, Worcester, linendraper, Nov. 17 at half-past 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham, aud. ac.; Nov. 18 at half-past 10, div.-William Armstrong and William Oldroyd Hankey, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, drapers, Nov. 17 at half-past 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham, aud. ac.; Nov. 18 at halfpast 10, div.-John Dallow, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire,

cooper, Nov. 2 at half-past 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham, aud. ac.— -Wm. Banfield, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, hop merchant, Nov. 10 at half-past 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham, aud. ac.; Nov. 17 at halfpast 10, div.-Abraham Moses Marbe, Birmingham, man. facturing chemist, Nov. 17 at half-past 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham, aud. ac.; Nov. 18 at half-past 10, div.-Wm. Forbes, Birmingham, stationer, Nov. 10 at halfpast 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham, aud. ac.; Nov. 11 at half-past 10, div.-Richard Gribbell and Richard Luscombe, Tavistock, Devonshire, wholesale grocers, Nov. 14 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac., and Nov. 16 at 1, div., sep. est. of R. Gribbell.-T. Milward, Uffculme, Devonshire, and Gower-st., Middlesex, miller, Nov. 2 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.; Nov. 14 at 1, div.-G. K. Kent, Taunton, Somersetshire, plumber, Oct. 24 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.; Nev. 14 at 1, div.-Joseph Carne the elder, Truro, Cornwall, provision merchant, Nov. 2 at 1, District Court of Bankrupter, Exeter, aud. ac.; Nov. 14 at 1, fin. div.-Francis Blaney. Crofthandy, Gwennap, Cornwall, grocer, Nov. 2 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.; Nov. 14 at 1, div.— James Macintyre, Taunton, Somersetshire, nurseryman, Oct. 24 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.; Nov. 14 at 1, div.-Wm. Mudge, Paington, Devonshire, fy proprietor, Nov. 14 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter. aud. ac.; Nov. 16 at 1, div.-John W. Wainwright, Bridge water, Somersetshire, builder, Nov. 2 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.-J. P. Shapcott, Preston Plack. nett, Somersetshire, wool dealer, Nov. 2 at 1, District Cour. of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.-James Palmer, Bridestowe, Devonshire, maltster, Nov. 2 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.; Nov. 9 at 1, div.-Wm. Wakley, Langport, Somersetshire, ironmonger, Nov. 2 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, aud. ac.; Nov. 9 at 1, div.John Scott, Welbeck-street, Cavendish-square, Middlesex, upholsterer's warehouseman, Nov. 7 at half-past 12, Court of Bankruptcy, London, div.-John N. Smith, Jewry-street, Aldgate, London, provision merchant, Nov. 7 at half-past 11. Court of Bankruptcy, London, div.-W. Cutler the younger, Ryde, Isle of Wight, carpenter, Nov. 7 at 12, Court of Barkruptcy, London, div.-David French and Archibald Sands, Coal Exchange, London, and Chatham, Kent, coal factors, Nov. 4 at half-past 1, Court of Bankruptcy, London, div.—E, T. Roe, Brighton-place, Brixton-road, Surrey, oilman, Nov. 4 at 1, Court of Bankruptcy, London, div.-Henry Pearse. Welwyn, Hertfordshire, and Finsbury-place South, London, merchant, Nov. 4 at half-past 12, Court of Bankruptcy, Losdon, div.-D. M. Maitland, Finchley, Middlesex, wine mer. chant, Nov. 4 at 12, Court of Bankruptcy, London, div.— W. Dolton, Sutton St. Mary, Lincolnshire, common brewer, Nov. 7 at 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Nottingham, and. sc. and div.-J. Cooper, Liverpool, and Birkenhead, Cheshire, ironmonger, Nov. 3 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Liverpool, div.-Thomas B. King, York, manufacturer of paper hangings, Nov. 3 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Leeds, div.-Joseph Yewdall, Snape, Yorkshire, currier, Nov. 3 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Leeds, div.-Thos. Arison, Leeds, Yorkshire, stone merchant, Nov. 3 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Leeds, div.-Thomas Staniforth, Sheffield, Yorkshire, joiner, Nov. 4 at 12, District Court of Bankruptcy, Sheffield, div.-George F. Bloxam, Lukesland-grove, near Ivy-bridge, Devonshire, horse dealer, Nov. 9 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter, div.-George Hobson, Leeds, Yorkshire, grocer, Nov. 3 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Leeds, div. CERTIFICATES.

To be allowed, unless Cause be shewn to the contrary on or before the Day of Meeting.

Christian Druke, Garlick-hill, London, drysalter, Nov. 4 st 11, Court of Bankruptcy, London.-E. A. Weeks and A. W. G. Weeks, King's-road, Chelsea, Middlesex, horticultura. builders, Nov. 7 at 12, Court of Bankruptcy, London.-8. S. Hitchcock, Boxford, Suffolk, maltster, Nov. 6 at 11, Court of Bankruptcy, London.-Henry Hill, High-street, Hampstead, Middlesex, builder, Nov. 4 at 1, Court of Bankruptcy, London.-Frederick Smith, Standon Mill, Standon, near Ware. Hertfordshire, miller, Nov. 4 at 1, Court of Bankruptcy, London.-G. B. Medley, Highbury-park, North Islington, Middlesex, and Great Tower-street, London, underwriter, Nov. 4 at half-past 11, Court of Bankruptcy, London.-M. Loper,