Sir Stafford Northcote, President of the Board of Trade, in
his visit to Liverpool, addressed some friends on Tuesday on board the Indefatigable, the new training ship, upon the condition of our mercantile marine. He said the number of seamen in the country had not kept pace with the number of the population, the propor- tion in 1800 being one in 79, and now ono in 107. He thought that the number being partly a private and partly a public matter, Government might assist the shipowners to procure men, appa- rently by aiding training schools for merchantmen. He thought the Board of Trade might secure better accommodation for sea- men on board ship, and was inclined to make' changes as to dis- cipline and establish Admiralty Courts in different ports. The speech throughout was extremely- moderate and sensible, but a little wanting in initiative.
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