under various degrees of heel of the ship, and in steamers with the addition of the vibration of the screw. These observations are by far the most important, but they must be taken in connexion with all the collateral circumstances.

It has been noticed that strandings have often occurred with steamers on the first voyage after being swung; and it is known that many captains, after making two or three voyages, have a great repugnance to any change being made in the compensation of their compasses. They submit to the ship being swung when the appointed time comes round, but perhaps make no use of the deviation card which is then obtained. By practice, they have found for themselves what error must be allowed on the different courses incident to the voyage; and if the compensating magnets had been removed, they would have had to relearn their courses gain. The word "error" is advisedly used here, as it is not compass deviation, properly so called, which they ascertain, but the resultant error from all the causes which have affected the ship's course on the particular trials from which the deduction has been made. Change the circumstances, and the course is no longer made correctly. The course steered is selected as being the mean result of many trials; the causes which operated in each to produce the observed issue were perhaps never estimated, and, as a consequence, there is always a probability of a deviation from the intended course through some of the conditions having been changed. By much care and attention, and frequently through good fortune, accidents from the causes now alluded to are not numerous; but when they do occur they are of so fearful a nature as to challenge public attention and inquiry. Unfortunately, in cases where compass deviations are supposed to have in part occasioned the casualty, too little has been known of the subject to elicit to what extent they have been in fault, or how a recurrence of the accident might be prevented. In a screw steamer when under sail seven distinct causes may have conspired to produce the course which has been "made good," namely,-1. Set of tide or current. 2. Set of the screw. 3. Leeway. 4. Good or bad steerage. 5. Variation of the compass. 6. Deviation of the compass. 7. Extra deviation from the heeling of the ship. Again, the influence of some of these causes varies with the time occupied on the course; others vary in proportion to the distance gone over; but until the captain of the screw steamer is able to estimate how much each cause is likely to affect the course which is to be steered, and the limits within which his estimate is likely to be erroneous, he must ever be subject to much uncertainty as to the result. The experiments on the effect of heeling on the compasses of iron ships recorded in this report, the evidence on the same subject afforded by the logs given in the appendix, and the concurrent testimony of commanders of screw steamers of undoubted ability, all show how important an element this is in shaping a course, and more especially on courses like those between Cape Sable and Cape Race, the coast of Spain and the entrance to the English or Irish Channels, and many others. It is most essential, then, that the captains and officers of iron ships should be well informed on this subject. Where so many imperfectly ascertained elements combine to produce a result, there will always be occasion for care and forethought; and the information which the Committee urge as so necessary does not dispense with the utmost care, but rather seeks to assist by giving it proper direction. The managing owner of a number of iron ships once remarked, "Compasses in iron ships never are and never will be correct, and I do not

want the compasses in my ships to be so. I forbid my captains to suppose it possible, as they would then become careless." The recommendation of this Committee requires the same caution, while it shows on which side danger is to be apprehended. The well-informed captain can thus proceed with confidence under circumstances in which the equally cautious but ignorant captain would have to lie-to or proceed slowly; or, on the other hand, in cases where information on the effect of heeling would counsel a change of course, the ignorant captain might go blindly forward into danger. Before concluding this report it appears desirable that some explanation should be given of the delay which has occurred in its presentation. It is due to this Committee, as well as to the secretary, Mr. Rundell, to explain, that in the spring of 1857 it was determined to dissolve the Committee at midsummer, and Mr. Rundell was permitted to anticipate its dissolution by accepting another situation, on condition that he should prepare a final report for the Committee by the close of that year. But the heeling experiments made on board the City of Baltimore towards the end of 1857 showed that a most important part of the compass investigation would be left very incomplete if the report were closed at the time intended. It was therefore thought advisable to leave the matter entirely to the discretion of the secretary. The preparation of the report has thus depended on his leisure hours and the time that could be spared from other duties, and for the last three and a half years has been altogether an honorary task. The delay occasioned in this way has, however, enabled the Liverpool Compass Committee to present to your lordships a much larger collection of facts and experiments than could at first have been reasonably hoped for, and to practically develope the subject of this inquiry to an extent which it is believed must materially influence the navigation and compass management of iron ships. The report was signed by Thomas Brocklebank, Esq., chairman.

UNCLAIMED WRECK.

Returns of all Sums of Money received by the Board of Trade or by the Receivers of Wreck for them on account of Unclaimed Wreck in right of the Crown, from the passing of the 17 & 18 Vict., c. 104 (the Merchant Shipping Act) to the present time; showing the Net Amount received in each Year and how such Sums have been accounted for and appropriated, &c. (Mr. Rogers.) 25th July, 1862. (456.)

THE receipts from proceeds of unclaimed wreck in right of the Crown sold from January, 1855, to the quarter ending 31st March, 1862, was 109,354l. 28. 9d., of which 98,012l. 2s. was paid to owners, salvors, and others, leaving a balance of 12,3171. 28. 7d.; less expenditure in excess of income, 975l., 11,3421. 2s. 7d. Of this sum 8000l. was paid into the Exchequer, and 3342l. 2s. 7d. remained with the Board of Trade. From 1855 to 1861, 1322l. 3s. 8d., or 1262l. 13s. 4d. net expenditure, was received in the county of Cornwall on account of unclaimed wreck found upon manors of Cornish lords.

VESSELS EMPLOYED IN THE FOREIGN TRADE.

AN ACCOUNT of the NUMBER and TONNAGE of VESSELS, distinguishing their NATIONALITY, which ENTERED INWARDS and CLEARED OUTWARDS with CARGOES (including their repeated Voyages) in the Year ended 31st December, 1862.

AN ACCOUNT of the NUMBER and TONNAGE of VESSELS, distinguishing BRITISH and FOREIGN (employed in the Intercourse between Great Britain and Ireland and otherwise), ENTERED INWARDS and CLEARED OUTWARDS, with CARGOES, at Ports in the United Kingdom, in the Year ended 31st December, 1862.

AN ACCOUNT of the NUMBER and TONNAGE of VESSELS ENTERED INWARDS and CLEARED OUTWARDS, with CARGOES (including their repeated Voyages) from and to various COUNTRIES, in the Year ended 31st December, 1862.

EAST GLOUCESTERSHIRE RAILWAY BILL.

Report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords appointed to inquire into the circumstances attending the conduct of William Isaacs, Clerk to Mr. Boodle, Solicitor at Cheltenham; John Preston, Town Crier at Cheltenham; Robert Sole Lingwood, Solicitor at Cheltenham; Charles William Maisey, Clerk to the said Robert Sole Lingwood; and William Boodle, Solicitor at Cheltenham, with regard to the mode of obtaining Signatures to the Petition of Barbara Robinson and others, of Cheltenham, presented on the 22nd of May last, and to report to the House; and to whom was referred the Evidence taken before the Select Committee on the "East Gloucestershire Railway Bill," reported to the House on the 19th of June last, together with the Evidence taken at the Bar of the House on the 27th of June last.

THE Committee consisted of Lord Steward, Earl of Stradbroke, Lord Portman, Lord Overstone, Lord Churston. Lord Portman in the chair.

The counsel and parties having been ordered to be called in, Mr. Hope Scott, Q.C., Sir Frederick Slade, Q.C., and Mr. Saunders appeared as counsel for the bill. Mr. Cripps appeared as counsel for the petitioner; Mr. Thomas Crowther Brown and Mr. Wilkinson for Mr. George Parsonage; Mr. Calvert and Mr. Webster for Barbara Robinson and others, of Cheltenham. After examining many witnesses, the committee reported as follows:

That the committee have met, and considered the subject-matter referred to them, and have examined the said William Isaacs, John Preston, Robert Sole Lingwood, Charles William Maisey, and William Boodle, and report as follows:

1. That the conduct of the said William Isaacs, John Preston, Robert Sole Lingwood, Charles William Maisey, and William Boodle, in obtaining signatures to the said petition, does not indicate that they have been guilty of wilful misrepresentation in respect thereof.

2. That William Isaacs was not sufficiently careful in the explanations given by him, when obtaining signatures, of the nature and objects of the said petition.

3. That John Preston appears to have acted under the belief that the representations made by him in respect of the said petition were correct.

4. That Robert Sole Lingwood, and Charles William Maisey, his clerk, ought to have been more careful in the instructions given to William Isaacs and John Preston, when they employed them to obtain signatures to the said petition.

5. That Robert Sole Lingwood, as a solicitor, would have acted more prudently if he had paid attention to the rumours communicated to him in reference to the said petition.

6. That the committee see no reason to impute any blame whatever to Mr. Boodle.

And the committee have directed the minutes of evidence taken before them to be laid before your Lordships.