SIR JAMES LAING, the well-known Sunderland ship-builder, died yesterday morning at his Northumberland residence, Etal-manor, after an illness of a fortnight. Sir James, who was 78 years of age, was the only son of Philip Laing, of Deptford-house, Sunderland. Since 1868 he had been chairman of the River Wear Commissioners. In 1853 he organized and presided over the committee of shipowners who concluded a convention with the Suez Canal Company which resulted in the lowering of dues, abolition of pilotage charges, and the representation of British shipowners on the board of the company. Since that year he had been a director of the Suez Canal Company. He served as sheriff of Durham in 1879, was D.L. and J.P. for that county, and J.P. for Northumberland. Sir James Laing, who was knighted in 1897, married, first, in 1847, Mary, daughter of Henry Tanner, Bishopwearmouth, and second, in 1855, Theresa Talbot, daughter of Thomas Peacock. He unsuccessfully contested North Durham in 1881 as a Liberal.
A painful impression was caused in Sunderland yesterday when the news leaked out that the great shipbuilding firm of Sir James Laing and Sons (Limited), of that town, had been compelled to suspend payment. The news was contained in a circular issued by Messrs. Ranson, Nelson, and Maling, solicitors of 21 John-street, Sunderland, and the information was that Messrs. C. T. Squance and Sons, chartered accountants, Sunderland, had been given charge of the books, and that a statement of affairs would be issued and a meeting of creditors called in due course. The circular concluded with the following sentence:- "We hope it will be possible to submit a scheme for the reconstruction of the company which will be for the benefit of the creditors."
The Deptford Yard, which is owned by the company, is one of the oldest and best-known shipbuilding establishments in the country. It was founded by the father of the late Sir James Laing. During its existence the firm have built P. and O. and Cunard liners, and last year they completed the great naval floating dockyard intended for the repair of the British Navy, his Majesty's ship Cyclops. This was so adequate in all respects that it was a familiar saying on Wearside that anything could be produced by her for the use of a ship, from a needle to an anchor. The firm employs 5,000 men. Their recent negotiations with regard to the Australian mail contract and the costly litigation in which they were involved with an Italian firm wil be fresh in public recollection.
A meeting of creditors of Sir James Laing and Sons (Limited), shipbuilders, &c., was held at Sunderland on Tuesday. It was afterwards officially stated that there was a large and influential attendance, and that the proceedings, which were of brief duration, seemed very satisfactory. Mr. Herbert Squance, the liquidator, made a statement sunmmarizing the proceedings in the liquidation up to the present, and explaining the agreements arrived at in connexion with several important matters in dispute. He also outlined the proposals of the committee of inspection with regard to the future of the undertaking. General approval was expressed on behalf of the creditors present at the steps which had been taken, and it appeared to be the general wish that the scheme for carrying on the business at the Deptford yard should be formulated and submitted to a subsequent meeting of creditors.
Lady Laing, the widow of Sir James Laing of Sunderland, died at Oxford on Monday, in her 81st year.
In the latter half of the last century Lady Laing took a leading part in the social life of Sunderland and was especially active in promoting charitable movements. Lady Laing was the second wife of Sir James and was a daughter of Mr. Thomas Peacock, of Bishop Auckland, and Marianne, his wife, daughter of Michael Bryan, the author of the "Dictionary of Painters and Engravers," and Juliana Talbot, his wife, sister of Charles 15th Earl of Shrewsbury. Sir James Laing died in 1901.