from cooking; the absence of food, if it does not aggravate, at any rate preventing recovery from sickness: and thus, even though the provisions might be honestly and liberally issued—casks in some cases being opened and placed on deck for every one to help himself—yet the passengers would be half-starved. It was time that a system, so barbarous and withal so unnecessary, should be altered.
Act of 1852.
Resolution of New York Legislature, 1854.
In 1852, various recommendations made were carried
into effect by a bill brought in by Mr. Frederick
Peel; and, in 1855, the whole law was consolidated and
greatly improved by the Passengers Act of that year.
In fact, it cannot be denied that whatever improvements
had taken place through the operation of the
laws of 1849 and 1852, the passengers on board
emigrant ships were still, as a rule, great sufferers.
The United States Legislatures bear convincing testimony
on this point, as, on the 6th January, 1854,
that of the State of New York passed a series of
resolutions, calling the attention of Congress to the
great and increasing mortality on board vessels engaged
in the business of carrying emigrants during
the previous twelve months, bringing forward undoubted
evidence that such suffering and death resulted from
insufficient ventilation, &c. The Senate, agreeing
with the prayer of these resolutions, concurred, also,
in the propriety of inquiry and further legislation.
All intelligent, independent parties admitted, indeed,
the expediency of concerting an effective system of
co-operation between the two governments, so as to
prevent an infraction of the regulations mutually
agreed upon.
Evidence as to iron cargoes. In conformity with the evidence adduced, frequent
