1 58 The Tonnage of Ships. 



building ships abnormally deep, giving them at the same time 

 less beam ; thus producing vessels that were crank, slow, un- 

 handy, and with an unnecessarily deep draught of water. 



In 1836 a Merchant Shipping Act was passed, and in it anew 

 system of tonnage measurement was included, which system, 

 perfected by the Act of 1854, remains the basis of tonnage 

 measurement to the present day. 



The main feature of this system is, that the actual internal 

 capacity under deck is first calculated by a fairly accurate 

 method ; additions are made for the covered in spaces above 

 deck in which cargo might be carried ; the sum of these is 

 called the " Gross Register Tonnage." When the gross ton- 

 nage has been ascertained, deductions are made for spaces, either 

 above or below deck, set apart for the berthing of the crew in 

 all vessels, and for the spaces occupied by machinery in 

 steamers. The result, after making these deductions, is called 

 the " Nett Register Tonnage," and on this nett register nearly 

 all dues are paid. 



This mode of measurement was an immense step in advance, 

 and in my opinion was a great improvement on any previous 

 attempt to establish a fair basis on which to levy dues. 

 Whether the time has come for a further modification of it, or 

 a complete change in tonnage measurement, is a question we 

 may fairly discuss to night. 



The question of the allowance for propelling power was the 

 most difficult the passers of the Act of 1854 had to deal with, 

 and as this portion of the Act has led to most of the trouble in 

 administering the law, and to most of the anomalies that existed 

 and have been only partially remedied from time to time, I 

 must refer to it more in detail. 



It was obviously necessary, to conform with the principle on 

 which the tonnage clauses of the Act were based, that if 

 steamers were to compete with sailing vessels, some allowance 

 must be made for those spaces occupied by engines and boilers 

 which were of course not available for carrying cargo. It was 

 easy to measure such machinery spaces, as they were called, but 



