246 REPORT—1858. 
A further instance of the insufficiency of our present system of shipping 
registration as statistical data indicative of the size of the hull of steam ship- 
ping, is afforded by the statement given in Appendix No, 3, which has been 
deduced from a Return of the House of Commons, showing the per-centage 
deduction from the gross tonnage allowed for the engine rooms of steam-ships ; 
whence we see that, without any reference whatever being made to the actual 
weight of the machinery, deductions are made from the gross tonnage vary- 
ing from 5 per cent, to 92 per cent. of the gross measurement, the remainder 
only being brought to account as the registered tonnage of the ship, 
In conclusion, this Committee beg to observe, that if the views thus 
brought before the notice of the British Association should be deemed worthy 
of further prosecution, and be favourably entertained by the Government, 
the statistics of the Post-office, as respects the constructive elements, and 
test trials, and subsequent sea performances of the various steam-ships em- 
ployed in H. M. Mail Service, would afford a collection of statistical data 
which, if duly analysed and applied as herein suggested, would greatly pro- 
mote the objects of this inquiry, which the British Association has thus been 
pleased to institute. 
The Committee have the painful duty of announcing the death of one of its 
members, James Perry, Esq., whose personal character, practical intelligence, 
and public usefulness, were of such an order, that his decease may be mourned 
as a public loss. 
(Signed) 
WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN, Chairman. 
CHARLES ATHERTON. 
ANDREW HENDERSON. 
HENRY WRIGHT. 
The following circular was addressed to Shipowners and Shipping Com- 
panies requiring information and assistance. 
APPENDIX. 
I.—To Shipping Companies, Shipowners, and others connected with the 
Mercantile Management and Direction of Ships. 
Committee on Shipping Statistics. 
11 Buckingham Street, Adelphi, London, W.C., 
26th April, 1858. 
GENTLEMEN,—The attention of the British Association at their late Meet- 
ing in Dublin, having been directed to the consideration of shipping statistics, 
the Committee of the Association came to the resolution “ that the applica- 
tion of science to the improvement of steam-ships has been impeded by the 
difficulty of obtaining the necessary data from the present registration”; a 
Committee were thereupon appointed to inquire into this subject, which Com- 
mittee beg the favour of your assistance, with a view to ascertain, from the 
general experience and records of shipping companies, shipowners, and others 
connected with the mercantile management and direction of shipping, what 
description of vessels has produced the best results. 
In the prosecution of this inquiry, the Committee desire now, in the first 
place, to ascertain what have been the actual sea performances of ships, and 
their attention being thus directed to instances in which the performance of 
