No. 149.] 171 



every two tons. It is believed that this allowance is often ex- 

 ceeded in our river boats. 



Mr. Gladston recently declared in the British Parliament that 

 Mr. Jenkinson stated that under the act of Sir Wm. Dillon, " the 

 mortality in slave vessels was reduced to three per cent." That 

 in the Dutch vessels the mortality was from 5 to 7 per cent. 

 That in emigrant vessels dui-ing the year 1848—19, the mortality 

 was 5 per cent, nearly double Mr. Jenkinson's estimate for slave 

 vessels. 



In the sleeping cabins of many of the boats, there arc generally 

 placed on each side of the cabin and throughout nearly its whole 

 length, three tiers of births, (one over the other) and in the cen- 

 tre two other ranges also, each of three tiers ; the cabins usually 

 being less than 18 feet wide. But in many boats there are two, 

 and in some three, sleeping decks, one above the otlier, the up- 

 per decks receiving the foul emanations of the lower, not from 

 the lungs and persons of the crowded passengers alone, but also 

 from numerous and oftentimes smoking lamps. Thus it appears 

 passengers, among whom aie children and invalids in search of 

 health, are croAvdedmore closely than the slaves were permitted 

 to be packed under the act of Parliament, for if laid upon the 

 floor each passenger would not have his length and a breadth of 

 18 inches ; thus he has not even the slave's allowance. The 

 number of passengers permitted to slave vessels according to their 

 tonnage is, It is believed, often exceeded in our river boats. 



The committee see no reason to doubt that the mortality in 

 our night rivrer boats would be as grea,t as in slavers sailing un- 

 der the olvd regulations, if the passages were as long as from tho 

 ^ coast of Africa to America. 



Your committee believe that abuses such as thus shown should 

 not be permitted longer to pass unnoticed. Many of these evils 

 are capable of being rem^edied by adequate ventilation. There is 

 a limit to the crowding together of human be iL!;;s, beyond v>'hich, 

 in spite of all the known principles of science and the best ap- 

 pliances of art, all comfort is destroyed, and life endangered. 

 This limit, it is believed, is passed in many of our public assem- 



