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 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.

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.

In conformity with the evidence adduced, frequent