The Express. — London, England, 1848-05-16 00:00:00

now priipowd ma as to the statement diet parliament had never by enactment ioterfered to regulate the proceedings of either house, this was an entire fallacy the Grenville Act and Sir Robert Peel'. Act were two instancesounong several, in which parliament had so interfered. The bill was snsa read a asoond tints. Their lordships adjourned at a few minutes to eight. HOUSE OF CONIMuNS.—MONDAY, MAY 15. The Braaten t PRIV A TEair at 4 o'clock. RUSIN ESA REPORTS CONSIDEREO.—Barrow Harbour, Branford Ges light bets Amendment, Great Yarmouth Coal Buttes, Liverpool tem Light company, Ito., Amalgumation ; THIRO READINGS.--IMerpool Docks (erection of warehonoet nail ennetructien of new work:), Patent Galvonlsod Iron Company Wallis and Rawlinstes). PUBLIC BUSINESIL PETITIONS.— Mr. PACtite, from Odd Fellows of Latta:worth, preying to be placed on the suns footing so benefitr Low soolealcia—Mas ber. V. FRENCH, from Reseomm m, against the fifth Pon Act Intended to Rand a motion on the petition be would move that it b e e prlnted.-410 J. T. 11ULLI-31., from panes in DevoM against atea al of Intoxicating liquors on Sundaes; a similer pnitioo was presented Lag LINCOLN and Lord O. DEN rtNcR, from Notts; Mr. B. NNINON, from Wesleyan Methaitota.— fir. 8,-.Ewirr. from D Monmouth, for a mammy for preventing the indiscriminate pruning of lianas le boarboutes.—Mr. MAULE, Adound GORDON, Mr. Ma' ca. I other 11 mumble Members, from various parts of [Malan& in favour of the Sites for Churches (Scot land) an 11011. attain .14 complaining of the delay in the government survey .t ationaad, No us weveral in In that country. BECKETT,"fri I..ve A, against oertnin Osumi In the Health of Rill. - Mr. RIcARDO, from Makams.Trent, shipowners and ship-buildors Sunderhuti, and from other plum, praying tar the repeal 01 the oevig ition laws; Mr. SMOI.J.NIT prevented peti tions against alteration ; bind G. BEN nNoc. front merchants and others, eigned by the lean of Guild t f Glasgow, and from Chamber of Conmerm of Gleerow, alminst.--Mr. HAMILTON, from vision. places in Ireland, aranst the national system of ntunitton.—M for r. BRIGHT, tram Mr Ales. Robb, surgeon , of Glaegow, praying some Inquiry intohe loss id itc nt the late Ghiegow TWLA. nßsr t tattelaireti. of Elector. arskied); Election Potts (Ireland); Mlle RETURNS ORUKRED.—On the motion et Sir R. FERGUSON, various return , l relative, to the cocoa duties received on spirits in Ire land and of the persons coovlcted of illicit distillation, in continua tion ci` parliamentary pap r No. 140 of wooden 1617 . NOTICES OF MOTION —Tat Seamen CUIRIMPONINDICIL —Mr. BANKEs, having given ammo Ma motion on this oubject fur the first &apply sight, would WIC now the ternoi in which he should submit that motion, via., that thin house learns with deep mann, from the eorrem on d e r e ce between the government of Great 13rItain and Spain, which has been laid on tLe table, that the propoeed interference In the internal concerns of Spolo, an it appeared under the authority, and with the approval of h. r Majestea ministers, has placed the Briti-h government and their moment:Aire at Madrid in a position humiliating in its character, and calculated to oompromiee the frith relations heretofore subsisting between Great Blittia and Spain. Poo* LAW (Isetaisn.)—Mr. F. FRENCH. to-marrow (this day) week, to call the attention of the bowie to the petition from Bascom moo, complaining of the working of the Irish Ihme.their, &tenis BANtS (laktasu.) Mr. RFTNOLOS, to-morrow (this day)—a motion as to the law JD Olio sublect. Shaven' N•vinarioa. —Gr. BOWRING, Tuesday, 23111, to call at tention to • return as to the Shannon navigation, by which it ap peared that MI regular smounte had hoes delivered for ten years, and that 130,0067. 01 the pull c money had been spent, but not as rounteC for. NEW MEMBER. The Right lion. Smiley Herbert wok the oaths and hie seat as member fur South Wilts. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Mr. TUFNELL anew writ was ordered for the election of a kiiight of the shire for the northern di vision of the county of Cheshire, its the room of the Right Hen. E. J. Stanley, called to the house of Lords by the title of Baron Eddisbury. ORDNANCE SURVEY (IRELAND). Mr. E. DENISON, to reference to a return for which he had on a previous occasion moved, remarked that the origi nal estimate for tke content survey of Ireland was stated to be 30, 0001 . now it app .arced it would require upwards of 120,0001. to complete the work. He wished to know who they any additional rtference bad I con made to the Treasury on the subject ? Col. ANSON replied that no additional reference had been made to the Treasury in consequence of this iecresse, nor did it appear to him Necessary, as 0.0001. was annually voted t t be expended by the Board of Ordnance in the most efficient manner. Thc original estimate referred to by Owl hon. spnlltman was merely a rough guess without data. On making i-quiry it w.. 1, round the cost would be 121,00 0 1. Mr. DENISON hoped the attention of the committee on the ordnance estimate- would be directed to the subject. After a low words from Mr. Omani/we, adverse to the opinion expressed by Col .tostn as to the necessity of a Abject dropped. - LAWS. en real, that the house resolve itself se, and that so much of the an relates to the subject de leave the chair,. • thought some ground should I called on to go into committee - report of a committee, no for an alteration of these a that be was aware of to bile on the other hand it object was now under emi t other house; which, to- Europe at this moment, house refusing to go into for the motion to be cub . The right hon. gentle an outline of the changes character, at least, of the Ipon to adopt. (lieu.) ended that the rule of the truism in such cues should lot while the Speaker was more than mere form, and would be best consulted . The house would have its opinion on the resolutions ereafter, and his noble friend y intimated that no dechion to-night, hut that the resolu ,tl and explained, and thst to them the committee would Vor the same reason that he It before the house was ed it impossible to ac the noble lord opposite. beforehand. He thought suggestion thrown out by Stsmford that governmeat should •heir ♦iews gerraslly in the . his resolution accordingly. house should have the reso. cvdt even the first step, of at the state of the business Arlon of affairs in other court conoeivcd, chosen a most hoop. g forward this subject; he be ohle lord had been forced to this 4 (Lord Palmerston) who, it was promised that the subject should be not this session, but had given • American minister, as to the , the right hon. gentleman p,rion of his statement in 3e course heretofore pursued those in which the question laced. There certainly were not stated their views before committee for the con.idera were a tar greater number in course intended to be taken right hon. gentleman should ..that respect it was that the Iteration by stating the nature and meant to propose, which might among the members of that stormed of the exact course hear.) iderstood, opposed the motion edistely, on the ground that committee on the navigation some points erroneous. licoson in opposition to, spport of, the proposition of committee was agreed to. VIGATION LAWS. itself into a committee, the portion of her Majesty's speech t- referring to the navigation that, in rising to redeem the speech to the house at the t, ny bringing before the house laws, be was deeply sensible of deb devolved on him. He knew those laws only less than were the safeguard of their Polite of their greatest statesmen red and eulogised them, but he other hand they had been 11111. The sagacious Ismai -1 fed him to remark long ego in existence was not modified time , end the requirement of itably defeat its own purpose; 4s then about to propose were rest cha.lrea ti..ey had witnessed thins closely bound up with lamtrity. lie would only of their colonies, the in lotion, and, above all, those tolopted in their system o f the necessity was at once -maid take ioto con , ideration i,f,t have hwl on the existiog e.immereial greatness of the e !louse would perhaps allow 1 i a attention to the changes ,d•ce 'n the navigation laws of law on the statute-book id 11 , and contained the most found it) their whole c.de. It k o g should ship either outwards 'ke, except in ships belonging to • • ' , Lute was modified, howeser, forei,aii ships wtre permitted to be 1: glib vc.sels could not be ob. ii .e enactment' was monopo e. not until the Ist of Eliza .i4e. took place. The parliament in,plc before acted:on, and al to tile country, but imposed a 1 hi- preamble of the act frankly influenced the government to .to.t since the making of the 'a I certain other ormolu its had .1.,„ and had made laws against •,f .11trch.cniLiti to or from v.:irle of their own countries. of this country being in owe- opinion expreeres ~y var. .a... •.. • reference to the Treasury, the subjec NAVIGATION L I The reeler of the des bevels been Mr. LABO [THERE moved the: into a committee of the whole house, speech cf the Lords Censmissioners be ref .rreit to tee committee. On the question that the Speaker Mr. Alderman THOMPSON that be stated before the home was called for such a purpuse. Tory had no r large number of petitions calling I laws: in tact, them was no reason I justify this preliminary step; whit should be remembered that the sue aileration by a commietee of the i 1 11 gether with the peculiar state of I formed a sutleient groubd for the 1 committee ualess some f .undati in I s • mitt, d to them was previously bid. man should have given the house a 1 to be proposed, and the general et ; resolution they were to be cal:ed up Mr. LABOCCHERE apprehend e house that the explanatory staternet be made in the committee, and not in the chair, rested on something m 1 that the convenience of the house v by a strict adherence to that rule. many opportunities of expressing its about to be sulenitted to them herd (Lord J. Russell) had already ini was to be taken outhe subject to-ny tions w , .uld be merely submitted at t d vae ..nfull timee fo r till li Lcur:iay considering the objected to crake has statement in c_ineeittate he had feted cede to the suggestion of tht to have the resolutions printed b Si there was some force in the eu the right hon. member for Seriatim submit a resolution indicating the first instance, end he had teamed h Mr. ROBINSON thought the hi lotion be:ore them before they tol goiog into committee. Looking at before parliament, and the meitior tries, the noble bed had, he conce port u ne moment for bringing fore li lieved, however, that the noble It step by his noble colleague (Lord understood, bad not only promised • brourtht before parliament this pledge to Mr. Bancroft, the Atm course government would take. :1 Mr. BERRIES thought that t was not quite correct in that pa which he had referred to the I under circumstances similar to the then under consideration was plat cases in which the misettry had n the house ere eyed itself into a ee tion of a question, but there were which a p,ior statement of the cot 1, il by government was made. The r;. inform the house generally in win navig dein laws required alteratio substance of the resolution be me; then he printed, and circulated an I l i, house, so that they might he into. intended to he taken. (Hear , he Captain lIARRIS, as we untie for going into committee immedii I the evidence taken before the coo laws was insufficient, and in seam After a few words from Mr. 1 and from Mr. THOHMILY in suf the right hon. gentleman, the coi COMMITTEE —NAI The house baying reielved e Clerk of the Table read that port . 1:. at the opening of parliament ri 1 laws of this country. 11 Mr. LABOUCHE RE said thr pledge given in her Maj. sty's ei commencement of that se , sion, I • 1 . the question of the navigation la' the importance of the task wind •' I that they had long levered these immortal Matins which conetiretiou—ho knew that Rom and philusephers bad admired : could not forget that on the of ject to frequent changra. (II geoce of Edmund Berke had that if the navigation act then I accur.'ing et the chimes of the eircume.tencre, it would inevit and i: 'he i henget which hews grea , , let them recollect the yel in thtir own times in same)? t • natioi ial g rer.u.-m and pr.. I ;auntie', the emancipation I trre'iietien of Evans neei2a great changes they Med a protecii n and trade, and app aeet that the house see whet i ffect these chio.g.e mig nevi:: diou laws and on the eeneiry. (Heardlier.) Tee him, in the first place, t i ea I I which hail gradually taken lii the eouulry. Tare first never was smutted the 6th Richard string: of provisions to be foi enected that no subject of the k or holeeeriade any inerehamlii the ri...lnt of the king. That Is the iirlee ioe year, met fore employee hi c .ses where E. Wiled. The character of th 1 luting and restrietive, and It s beth that a remarkable Omni; of Eliza . .. th re‘ereed the priu lowed foreign ship* to come Ii differ ...l duty on them. Ti set forth the reasons which i e adopt that pulley. It stated , 'Astute the severeiga princes f. It agerieved by its ei u.isuu the exeortatioh or imp tit iti l the:r dominion , except in e The commercial transiotions i THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1848._ quince impeded and its merchants damaged and hindered In their pursuits, it set forth the necessity for as alteration of the law. The principle adopted by Queen Elisabeth In re spect c o u nt rie s earryiug =a the same es that adopted in other cuie with the exception of Holland, which sanc tioned a different course, made her marshes the b home of the most magnificent fabrio of commercial greatness any merchant choosing to go there, and uilt up which the world had seen. (lien, hear.) When Queen Elisabeth made those =Aug= a =Wotan was introduced which was not in existence before—the coasting teed* whe:h until then had been open to foreign Teasels was made a so sepoly. This change to differential duties on vessels, both k the home and foreign trade, lasted to the time of the co ne. tmeninalth, and then began that third period in the state, of the navigation laws which had lasted to the present time. The foundation of the existing system wee to be found in the statute of Cromwell, and the Navigation Act of Charles IL, ' and the principle of these acts was too familiar to the house to call for any minute statement of it from him. Parliament, in a word, had reverted to monopoly, exclusion, and restric tion, end strove to engross to British shipping all the trade of the empire, both horns and oolonial. The motive which had induced the country to adopt these changes . political and not commercial. Blackstone bad given a char account of the reasons which bed influenced parliament to adopt them, and his opinion was that .; had done so, with the purpose of punishing those colo nise which had adopted the loyalist cause, and also with the view of clipping the wings of the Dutch—jealousy of the great carrying trade of Holland bring one of the chief in citements to the alteration. (Hear, hear.) That system in some respects was unaltered to the present day, but some great changes had been made in it, which however he could not detail within the limits in which he was authorised to address the house. Events connected with the declaration of indeptudence by the United States first broke down the system, by destroying the self supporting power which it was supposed the B itch empire posseesed, but a considerable time elapsed before parliament made up its mind to act as it was ultimately forced to do. Mr. Pitt, en the first declara tion of American independence, proposed the continuance with America of the tame elate of things with regard to the shipping of the two countries as when that country wag a colony of England. Ile, however, did not pass= the power to induce the house to consent to his plan, and it was notuntil great practical evils had taken place that parliament nted to apply a remedy. A petition from Jamaica, which was presented to the house, stated that subsequently to the occurrence of two hurricanes in the years ITBO and 1787 a large number a slaves had perished la consequence of the nutmegs of the trade with America, sad the consequent deficiency of food in the island. Step by step however the restrictions on trade between America sad their Wen Indian colonies were relaxed, and the inha. Wants of these colonies afforded amen to the stores of food existing in the New World. Various other changn were made, all of them arising from a sense of justice, but they certainly had made a breach in our navigation laws, not easily repaired or to be prevented from becoming wider. He would now come to the state of the law as at present existing. The present navigation laws were comprised in three statutes, which he would briefly explain. The first to which he should refer was the S & 9 Victoria, chap. 8, and the next was the 7 & S Victoria, chap. 101, and these acts directed that certain enumerable articles of merchandise should be imported into this country only in British bettoms, or in ships of the country from which those articles were imported. They contained also enactments introduced for the purpose of confining the colonial trade of En laud to her own nip ping. Then came the act for regulating the registry of British vessels, and be would then state what it was which constituted a vessels British vessel. The character of a British vessel depended first on build. It should be built in some part of the United Kingdom, or of their possessions abroad. In the second place it depended on ownership. Nu vessel owned by a fareiguer was entitled to the privilege of British regiery. There were some anomalies connected with this subject of ownership which he could sot fully enter into, such, for instance, as the fact that a foreigner naturalised in England might become an owner, but not if naturalised in one of the colonies of the country. The third characteristic of the term British ship was " massing." In every British ship engaged in the coasting trade the whole of the crew should he British seamen, and in those engaged in the foreign trade three-fourths were required to possess the same quali fication. The law also made it obligatory to have on board a certain number of apprentices, amounting he believed to one-sixth of the whole crew. He should next proceed to state to the house the reasons why he thought these laws should be altehed. They rested on the priucipte of nein ing to British vessels the colonial, the long voyage, and the carrying or indirect trade; and he would briefly state why he thought they could not leave this principle unaltered, And tint, with ri meet to the case of the colonial trade he believed that there never had been a more just demand made to that house than that which had proceeded from every part of the Bri ish colonies. As they had freed themsil•es from protec tive duties they should proceed to free the colonies from those restrictions imposed on them in maters of navigation, and under which they had so long chafed. When Mr. Hus kioon brought forward his reciprocity treaty, he eta. d that his opinion was that these restrictions had more to do with , the American war than the question of taxation itself ; and he believed that no one woo looked into the early history of those colonies would deny that that opinion was a sound one. Every one acquainted with the history of their West Indian colonies knew that they were loud in their complaints to the Board of Trade regarding these restrictions. He asked the house to consider whither they thought it when they had done awaelwith the preference for colonial produce, to continue those restrictions? Ile, therefore, asked the house to join in removing those restrictions, as being unjust. (Hear, hear.) lie had 'toted that remonstrances had come from all parts of the British possessions against these navigation laws, and he would pro ceed to read a few of the :nest remarkable. He would begin with Canada. He held in his hand the joint address prevented toiler Majesty's government from the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Canada, praying for the free navigation of the River St. Lawrence and for the repeal of the navigation laws, so far as they 'e lated to or affected that colony. The s.ldress stated that an attempt had been made by the neighbouring country, the United ates, to secure to dal( a large measure of the carrying S- trde, and that lst theirye they pt wuuld be wh olly had obtained bit no lees th a an 700,0001., a n d attemo successful unless mine further inducements were offered in favour of the ad 'vein by foreign nations to take the route of the Wirer St. Lawrence; it therefore prayed that her Majesty's government would be pleased to sanction the free use of the St. Lawrence by all nations, and to recommend the imperial parliament to repeal the laws of navigation ae far .4 they relate d to or affected the Canadi colony. This address, signed by the Speaker of the Legis an lative Council and by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, was a moil important document, and well de served the serious consideration of the house. (Hear, hear.) A eimilar view of the matter had been taken by the Earl of Elgin, and conveyed by that noble lord in a dnpa•ch re cently addressed to her Majesty's government; and his (Mr. Lahouchere's) belief was that the mnie liberal and benefi. cent the policy to the colonies, the firmer and more durable would be tar ties which unite them with the mother coun try. He might multiply extracts to the same effect con tained in various communications received from other bodies in Canada, but he felt it unnecessary to weary the house with them. So much, then, for British North America. He now came to the case of the West India colonies, trim which in the same way the strongest representations had been re ceived of the evils imposed upon them by the restrictions arising from the existing navigation laws. He knew some persons w d say that the West Indents did not lc ow their own interests. All he could ay in reply was, that the West Indians themselves entertained a different opinion, if any faith was to be placed in a document emanating from the most important bodies in those colonies, which had been transmitted to this country. The West Indians c aimed as matter of justice that, as the imperial legislature had adopted the policy of removing all pr. ference for their com modities in this country, they (the 'West Indians) should be yet free from the trammels of the navigation laws. (Hear, hear.) They btated that no injury could arise from a rel They of those laws, while the benefit to the colonists would be infinite ; that it was the most desirable boon they could solicit ; that it would aid Jamaica out of her difficulties, and would be hailed with exultation, and be acknowledged with every sentiment of gratitude and respect; while, at the same time, it would exalt Great Britain in the esteem and admiration of the colonies. In the sameeepirit a de/vetch addressed by Lord Harris to Earl Grey on the 20th January, 1817, urged the government to allow the goods of ell nations to be brought into the colonies in the ships of thole nations, as by removing the restrictions the commerce with Prance and Spain, now obstructed and obliged to be carried on through Martinique and the Spanish Main, would he established. (Hear, hear.) He thought it would be • • waste of time to argue the self evident question that it would be advantageous to the West India colonies to abolish these restrictive laws. He thought it was clear that, by the abolition of , bees laws, the \Vest India colonies would become the entrepets of the merchandise of all nations, and thus they would gain free intercourse with all Ports of the world. Though he was unwilling to detain the house any longer than:wee necessary, he could quote, in sup port,of this view, the . videcce taken before the committee ap pointed on the motion of the hon. member for S nice (Mr. J. L. Ricardo), whose name he could not mention without payi ig his humble tribute to the great industry and ability that hon. member had brought to bear on this important qu idiots and iriqui:y. (Hear, hi ar ) It was hut the other day that tie (Mr. lelbouchere) hod been waited upon by ono of the m..st extensive merchants engaged in the North American trade. Mr. Gill. spin had waits d upon him at the Weirdo of Trade, and bud inquired if it was the intention cf the government, in diaeing with the navigation laws, to mist the North American trade so tar as the freedom of the River St Lawrence an concerned. He added, "If not, I have made up my mint to abandon my trade in that quarter aitogethor." Now, this opinion was entitled to the greatest weight, for ire b, Beim I !hit Mr. Gille-pie was a protectiouint; and he contended that though he was very 1 1 sorry that this country had reduced the duties on foreign I produce, et t h at, having dune that, it they mintained the navigation lawn, they would commit so monstroue an act of injustice, as was quite intolerable , (Cheers from the protec tionists ) Ile (Mr. Labouchere) unilers'ood three cheers; and all Inc meant to say was, that as the majority of the house was ant disposed to retrace their sti p. and return to protective &dice; they would not continuo restrictive duties on navigation and the reby drive such men as Mr. U aeons and other* oat of a trade which they could successfully pur sue if navigation was unrestricted. Thus much, then, on the queieion of tl:c navigateu laws as they rel tee to the cite nips. Ile would now advert to that portion of the n tvega lion levee the o'j. it of which was to secure hp this country the lung voyage trade, and which pro it bited siren Breit& ships f ro m bringing from the ports of Euro , * the prnduce of Asia, Africa, or A • cries. At present a &Bat ship could so: go to Havre or Hamburg and bring thence to this country eu"un, mahogany, sugar, or any etber produce ot the other three pert& of the globe he had ed. Ile believed this portion of the restristive laws of thiitcountrr . was almost universally condemned ; and in eons-mimeos ce. dee labour market being oireestocked by he should be surprised to did for it any defenders seenln of introdeetides ofee seamy boys to the commercial marine the ranks of erica gessehgli °nests. (Hear, hear.) Mho of this country, The evidenCe of Mr. Dunbar and cotton of Americanise gpsg:klbe mibOglnty was made into Sir JUMPS Stirling wan distinctly in fleecier of the abolition of furniture, if the Aires wool of Fero was made into sloth, II this obligation; and be (Mr. Laboutbere) therefore pro the sugar was ten Ibis they might be brought by British posed to abrogate the existing law in this respect, and to ships to this country frim any port of Europe, because they leers it to the shipowners to employ men or bobs as they were then manuisetured reds, anal not produce. nee might think fit. With respect to the eluting trade of the quence of this was toe,. •Inertalusi and advantage to foreign colonies. be proposel to reserve ft to British shipping in the manufacturers against the manufacturi es at home. (Hear, same !gunner an the coasting trade in this couctry, Let to hear.) And, at the same time, be believed it deprived the allow to each oolouy to peas an aat, subject to the approval British shipowner of a very valuable trade. Recently there of the Queen, to throw open its emoting trade had been • conversation in this hoses on the subject of some to foreign couotries, if it No thought tit. (Hear.) cotton which had Leen taken to !Isere, where, owing to re , These were the outlines of the alterations which he ventured cotton cent events in it ld not find • mrket. That to submit to the comideration of part. Ile did no could not France be fetched oou ched to Liverpool in a • III itish ship, dioguiae from blinaelf that they were uf liame a v e ry grave sod se t nor brought there in a foreign ship though in Liverpool, and riot's filltUre ; that they went to the foundatim uf what had thus the shipowner lost the carrisge, and the manufacturers at been hitherto eunsid red the navigation laws ; and he could Manchester the use of the cotton, and all this from the futile enure the house it was only after lull and mature considers: attempts to secure what was called the long voyage trade to tion, and after coming to the complete conviction that this the British shipowner. (Hear, bear.) lie remembered an course was moat couducive to the great inusreste of tile coon. instance of a similar kind in which an hon. member of this try, met he had ventured to propose it. (Hear ) Ile could house had applied to him to use his iatiuence with the trea nut b here that free competition would really injure the eery to permit•qesntity of grimed nuts which wereunealeable commercial marine of this country, looking at the way . In at Havre to be brought to this country, where they were in which it had prospered hitherto, in proportion as restrictions demand for same process of manufacture. lie (:dr. Lobou- had been removed and freedom welsh:died. (Hear, ehere) informed his hon. friend that any interpoaition of the hear ) When Mr Huskisson introduced his celebrated mese treasury . was imoble, as it would be in the very teeth of sures of la2n, by which the trade of this country was so much the navigation l a w ,. This showed at once the hardship and thrown open to foreign competition, there lied teen prog the absurdity of the existing laws. The house must set that novice of the rue u h that b w een the as to be real broughult o t upon British ship - the commercial and maritime interests of this eiuntry ought ping. But whet ail res not to depend upon such preposterous restrictions. The tine 1 In 1824, the reentered tonnage of the United truth was, the commerce of this country had outgrown this Kingdom amounted to 2,394,000 tons, end that of the coin. system of old and antiquated restrictions—the continuance of nit.. to 211,000 tone ; making together, 7,659p00 tone. In which was like putting old wine into new bottles, and the 1817, the teenage of the United ReimsKin wan 3.307,000 result of such continuance could not be otherwise than most tone, and teat of tho COlOnler, 6(1,000 t 3 951,000 disastrous. (Hear, hear.) On this point abundant evidence t ins ; be ing au increase of 1,393.000 tons Mine 1824. In was afforded in the evidence taken before the commit the course ni that period them might have been ebbe and tee moved for by the honourable member for Stoke. flows of prosperity ; but this marked increase in tonnage Mr. Swann, a merchant of Hamburg, showed tho roved that the relaxation. made by Mr. Huskimon hail itot advantage which the system gave to France and Injured our commerce and induaiy. Turning from the Germany in respect to the article of Alpaca wool ; general commerce of the couutry, to that portion of it which sad Mr. Oughton, • merchant of London and the had le. et mpecielly open to foreign competition, and Canary Islands, furnished an account of similar dieadvan- c imperirm it with that part which was epecialty pr o . tsges in relation to the articles of cochineal and barilla. But tected , the re woe nothing to deter them from proceeding the house would form • very inadequate opinion of the evils in the CHITA% of relaxation and liberality. (Hear, hear.) of the system, if they only looked to the actual injuries pro. He held in his hand a return, which had been the subject ot duced—fur there was the much wider Mil, that of trade much comment, preducetl before the committee on the nevi being absolutely prevented from being carried on, red which motion laws of last 'tenon, namely, " A statement of the would bo opencal if these stitesocia restrictions were abo- tonneite ~ 1 Britielt ships . hich entered the p :eta of the haled, and navigation conducted on the tame large and Uttio . ti le ingalum from different foreign countriem and from liberal principles as had been applied by garb ,moat in the Itralie. poseessiens, in the yearn 11424 and 1848; tlistiu ' other commercial respect.. He now came to another im. guithiag the tonnage employed in the trade with the British portant branch of the subject. He meant the effect arising possession, aud which is protect dby the navigation laws, from the provisions of the navigation laws, which were die none the tarmacs employed in the Miele with foreign mein signed to secure the indirect or carrying trade to this coon- trim, obeli is unprotected from the competition of ferries try. Without attempting to go into any arguments as to i n advs." The " hunpeadie otecst of t h i s return term ought was not strictly arcurebeen te ; whether th. se provisions were or were toot wise in form. r , ent of e t have times, he would not disguise his opinion that at no time heal " lose protected ;" but the gentlemen who drew up the re they answered the effects they were intended to produce. tern had fallen ieto are error in common with Mr. G. F. The heuse would very much mistake the nature of the real Young, who had alsocrihed the two classes of shipping in question to be decided, if it was argued on the ground that the same way. The result was that in the protected they were free to choose whether or not they would seek to trade, in 1824, there was engaged British tonnage to retain the carrying trade to the exclusion of foreign nations. the amount of b 98,000 tons ; in 1846, 1 ,7 35 , 0100 Foreign astern' bad already given this country no very oh- tons ; the eternise being 842,000 tone, or 91 percent. In .cure intimation of their intentions on the subject ; ana his what wes celled the unprotected trade, the tonnage an 1824 impression was that the time win fret approaching when this W" 901,000 tons ; in 1448, 2,5,58,000 : showing an increase country would not be able to trade with any foreign nation of 1,651,000 tons, or 182 per cent. The tonnage of foreign on unequal terms, and when every foreign nation would say, vessel* which had entered British ports had been, in le2l, " Whatever preference we give to you we; shall require from 758,000 toms ; in 1846, 1,803,000 ; showing an barreme of you." (Ho sr, hear.) The queetioh was now, whether this only 1,014 000, or 1,17 per ci at , while thet of the British county . would nutria in a war of commercial contest evil shipping hid been 182 per cent. Thus, in the I bsenr to d retaliation;;; whether it was the interest of this ceuntary trade, the ineraltas In our own shipping had greater to enter into such a struggle with any commercia than in the protected trade; and also much greater than the country in the world ;•or whether, by a e a r se of prudent increase in the foreign shipping. Ile had stated the reAaollll or ncesaions and tho adoption of a liberal policy, they could edit be 'relieved that British shipowners and British com not do more fur the prosperity of matte and commerce than mere° w ,ul,l not he injured by the alterations promote ; by the maintenanee of narrow and jealous restrictions. From neither di Ihe th ideinkri th thate the great British ship a builder would be one nation had already proceeded a voice—he would net say injured. Consng natural•dvantages which of menace, for it was not given in hostile language, but of this (mammy pummeled for the manufacture of shi p s, warni. g. It came from the same country which hal induced its capital, its Mr. Hmkisson to make a great alteration in the nomigetion of paint, of timber. of which there was a greater choice laws in the year 1823. It came from Prussia, speaking in than any ship-Imitate' in the world had at his command, he the name of Germany. The commercial treaty between this en ila net believe that there was any real danger that the country and Prussia was about to expire : anal, in • letter British Alp-building interest would puffer by the comp , tition addreseed by M. Bungee, the Premien acabeesador, to hi of fereien countries.. In estimating the eat of ships built (Mr. Labouchere's) noble friend (Loral Palmenton), he, on in different parte of the world, it was a great mistake to look the part of his country and the Zollverein, called for an only at the actual money expended in their construction • alteration in the Earglian navigation laws ; and he promoted the quail y and durability of the ship+ must also be inn s temporary arrangement until parliament should have redeem!: feel in this eiew we were able to build ships fully fettled the question, and adopted means by which equal to these carestruaed in any pert of the world. Did the the full development: of the commercial relations competition in shipmelding depend merely on the cheapness of the two countries could Ire secured. la the same manner of construction, thc British nhiphuilder would have been • great republic, second only to this country in • cominer- lone snit driven out of the market, not by foreigners, but by vial point of view, had spoken not in the voice of winning the competition to which lie less cow exposed without arm but of iuyitation. In the autumn of last year the American protection whatever—that of our own colonists. The minister, Mr. Bancroft, waited upon his (Mr. Laboucheree.) I hest shies in the world, for tome purposes, surd noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and himself, I which cost least in the construction, were at this and informed them that his country, believing it was the moment built is our North American colonhe : disposition of parliament to =eke 6 large and liberal change for some purposes they were extremely useful, and were with regard to the navigation laws, was most anxious to employed by shipowners to advantage; but any one who co-operate with Great Britain in the good work; and, in coca- looked into the returns, would see that they were far from junction with this country, to gine an example to the rest of having supermaled the employment of the dearer sort of the world in a matter which would be productive of extensive ship built at Mane. While colonial ship-building had gristly and; sanitary benefits. Mr. Baucrott said, "We ate ready increased, that on the coast of England had also increamel to do anything you will do. If you will do little, enormou.ly. It might be said that one great disadvantege we will do little. If you will do much, we will to the English shipuild , r Wnh thM disadtoe rate of wag Oa in co wh mmon ich he do much If you will d o all, we wie do all " must pay, het he only suffered vantage (Cheers.) Ile (Mr. Labnucherel had request , d Mr. Bancroft with other home manufacturers; and it was one that was to put his views in the shape of • formal communication. end far more nominal than real. ( Hear, hear.) British labour, the consequence was that a letter dated the 3.1 Nov., 1847, Oiling into consideration its value, was, in reality, not the I had been addressed by Mr. Bancroft to Lord Pelnierston On I al-assort, but the cheapest, in the world. Otherwise ' why / the subject, which letter had been laid on the table, and was shoulil there he such a demand for our industrious laterarers I in the hands of every hon. member. That letter repeated lin foreign a metre..? (Hear, hear.) In the navy, the ex- I the same sentiments, and ridded that the mine ra l of e xis ting periment had been ocesaioually tried of building ships 1 restrictions would be of mutual advantage to both countries, of war in the dockyards at Beattie; and Madra es s, I and would promote new guarewees for the peace of the where the materials were very good, and te wag I world. Of the reply of his nettle friend it wait sufficient to naiminel le exceedingly cheap. But it had been found that mention that be sated that the government was not Ruth,- s ea of mr cemal be bid.% cheaper at Portsmouth or Sheer rased to enter into a neptiation on principles subversive of TIC.I. the reason being that the nominally cheaper labour • the existing navigation lawn without the ptevious sanction of was really dearer ; for the labour of six Hindi us wee not , parliament, but that the government WWI pr.pared to make to equal to that of one Emtlishman. (Hear, bear.) B. Mem, i parliament such a recommendetion as they trusted would when the restrictions immisedrialMy the navig Mon laws were of-themet the views expressed by Mr., Bancroft on the art remove of sh ipd, all the foreign mates neremery (mike construe- i United States. Ile (Mr. L a houchere) bad n ow Mtn s would be brought here far cheaper than at pre stated in • general manner what the law at sent, and thus the shim nuilder would derive • considerable I present was, and he had also stated his reasons Mt adeuntage. When the house came to 'Mettle this pert of I believing that consistently with the iaterests of this countr' the subject , they would be one that, while it was an I they could not maintain that law in its present form, and act of jai die ito the B iii ish shipowner to remove the metric i therefore he now should proceed to mention the alterations tions from his trade, and allow him seems to foreign-built , which, on the part of her Majesty's government, he part s f m ou risk woula hintcr of destroying that valuable I pared to propme. And be would begin with those of mot important trade our own dominions. On the con- I the navigation laws which he did net topropose to alter. It teary, the stimulus given to liritish ship-building would be was not his intention to recommend the house to make of the most salutary kind. There was no reason , any material alteration with regard to the c aiding took of why we should lag behind any other country. If this country. This was not because he believed that if the in some rmpects we were excelled by the United States in a coasting trade waa thrown open foreigners would to ane the construction of ships, it was ooly owing to that spirit of I great extent avail themselves of it, on the contrary, he wa. monopoly which had done harm instead of good to the ship- I bound to admit the' if one p art of our navigation was more building interest, anl the removal of which would supply a i proteetee by nature from foreign interference than any other, salutary stimulus; and he could not conceive that the trade I it was the coasting trade of this country ; but on the other should not sustain itself under that competition. If any one I hand, he thoi.aht the throe ing open the emitting contended that ships nmld not be built as well and as I trade would not produce any great amount of good. cheaply in England as in any country in the world. he must i And while he confed that it woul l bo more maintain at Hie saute time that we could conduct menu- I consistent with prudencssee and circumspection in a matter facture whatem r ; the arguments with respect to too taxation, I which might excite • strong feeling in the country, seeing cost of materials, and labour, and every other argument, 4 that it wuuld produce no benefit, and believing it might applied in an infinitely stronger degree to other nianutee- I create alarm (in which he did not participate), he did not turn, even to our great cotton manutecture, and would go I ask the house to interfere with the conning trade as it now the length of proving that 110 manufacture whatever could a exieted. He thought there might be of raked and be carried on here. (Hear.) The objection which had the difficulties created in magnet to the maintenance of the re- greatest weight in the minds of many, and which, if true , venue and the police on the coma by the admission of fie and valid, would outweigh all the arguments he had ad- reignere to the unrestricted use of the coasting trade, and on domed in favour of the change, was, that it would he 1 these grounds her Majesty's government had come to the destructive to the military marine and the n 'vat erectness I determination not to recommend any interference with the of this country. This argument had the high and r espect- 1 law as it now stood with regard to the coasting trade of this able sanction of Adam Smith, who declared that, inasmuch country. For reasons somewhat similar, hut stronger, he as defence was better than commerce, although the navies- . did not intend to impose any alteration in the laws an they tion laws in his opinion crippled commerce, yet he thought related to our fialierns. The whale fisheries would be them wise and salutary restrictions, Whetlit r in the days indirectly affected in another way which he would of Smith that distinction was well founded, or whether this hereafter explain. Having made these two merest- opinion wan ono of the few errors into which that able dons, be should propose to the house to des al in writer had fallen, it could not be believed that the argument a very large and general manner with the remainder would now hold good. The question was, would the re- • of the system of the navigation laws. Too truth motel of the restrictions imposed by the navimition laws in was that they all bung together, and it was extremely ditti- crease or diminish our maritime commerce ? (Hear, hear.) cult to separate one part from another ; but on the best cm- lle went not with those who contended that tarritimc corn sideration he had beeu able to give to the matter, and having merce might be separated from naval power; he did not be looked at each of the several remnning portions, vie_ that fieve that a great naval power could be long or safely main part which related to the importation of the prnduce of Asia, tained on any other foundation than that of alarge commercial Anima, and America, from European ports, either in British Marine; and if he thought that the measures he had proposed Or foreign ships, and also that pert which had been designed were calculated to cripple and annihilate the commercial to protect the carrying trade of this couutry, be could not maligns of this country, be should admit that thee would he think that this country had any real interest in retaining almost destructive, certainly highly detrimental, to our naval either of these reatrictione, as fee as regarded foreign coon- greatness. But he did not believe that thwas the case tries which were disposed to reciprocate with Great Britain. nor could he see how it wan eatable, i.e long s our commer (Hear, hear.) He therefore proposed t h o se ct of parlias cial marine wait maintainea, that our naval greatnese Phould ment to strike from the statute book restrictioare puffer. lie did not propose to interfere in any way with the and to advise the house not to deprive her Al ajesty in supply which the navy would require from the commercial council of that power she already palmated under many marine. The measures he had submitted, 60 far from e re statutes, of inzposing,if sh should so think tit, countevailing ducing or annihilatin our commercial marine, woul in duties upon any foreign nation that h might treat r British reality maintain and e n large it. That being so, there w ould shipping with injustice. Ile did no: p ropose that this power be the greater certainty ot a supply of sailors to fill our ships should be obligatory ; he did not proose that retention for of war. Mr. Huelcisson had stated the true doctrine on this the mere rake of returning blow for blow, or of retaliation, subject when he said -. " The only true and durable founds but simply to enable the crown, by the order in council, to tion for a forge commercial marine is to be laid in the means impose restrictimia upon any country . thnt ;eight impmaffordieg to it beneficial employ mem." If them Wien/es epee Great Britain Ilirirg o.‘r 14.0.41 line v ii we , al:rr•tlintl o IV re not injurious to the commi rcial marine, of the government with ra gard to the nevigatinn laws, pro if they hail tho effeid of aletending it from dirninu perly so called, there were other enactment+ to which it lion mid eggreseion, and from the twinge of polley now was absolutely necevary for him to cell the a tentien of the threatened towards us by foreign pow , r., he could not house, in conjunction with the alterations he hod roe. ll' ioned. conceive how it should leprous!) . affect our naval strength Theme enactments were the statutes which ramiteeed the end suprommy. Tne deneer to our shipping which wan n th These of Briti-h ve ssel - . he build, ownemeip, end puha uded from the free rompetition ot o de i nations heal meenieg, of British With raped to the no real . foondation ;he wished he collet that there were build, he thought that after exemine tim Britith no greeter porde or dangers to which ourcontnercial marine ShipoWrer to a competition with all perm of the wart at this moment emptied. Ile was bound to admit th at world, it was hut remittable to afford him every facility for there were alangers--and dangers of .. vi ry serious notice ; obtaining h ship+ at the cheepest rem, anal he therefore and he ma idiened them in ord. r that the house might apply propoaed to do away with that restriction wee. I! limited the such re median es their wisdom reliant deeise. Ile hoped the British register to Bri. ivh-built skim. Ile thee-fere Minitel attention of the house had been direeted to a e vr advise that that ships built ab road, but owned tay En,iiiiirnen, abld correepreelenre which had lain same time on y theta ble should he entitled to British register. (Ilear, hear ) With of the broom reinaprising letters from our consuls armee, in ra aid to ownhip, h did ot prose to make n mate- reply to a circular from the Fortien-office; and no one could sea t ! alte ra tion. ers There u were n someop 400Malif a WhiCahy it was have permed those documents without deeply regretting the intended to ca b deem ; rut, as a general principle, a British a vils which prevail. dso extensively in our mmercial owner would e necemary to give a character to a British manse. (Hear, hear.) Our mercantile navy w as sufferine ship. With reference to manning, he propom d still to leave in its rempeon with that of other countries, not it necessary that every British ship engaged in the coasting from the want of any protection or restriction., but treat, should have crow composed mainly oi Width lo a- from eyes whioh tie anzount of protection could cure, but men ; and he did not propme to alter the haw which i! hich its reit-tome woule have • great tendency to alleviate. required that the creme engaged in the (dredge trade 'Mould (Hear.) Almost every consul in every griever of the consist two-thirds of British seamen. He however proposal werld stated Chet while the character of the British a dlor, to make a great alteration with ra spect to apprenticee ; but as retarded mere seamanship and the management of a before he came to that he must Mate that he meant to pro- vessel, was as high as ever, unfortunately, own to the low per to admit Lacer. in the character of British seamen on character of the shipmasters, their want of 'hill, incapacity, Ware ships engaged in the foreign trade. This he tham e ht a nd 10., moot character, a eery relaxed state of discipline only an act of iusttee to which their chill end excellent preveilad on hoard our ships, which were fast lotting their t co nduct enitled the. Ile however inended allo Mier cit Wee in the coineree of the world. (Hear, hem.) It to abrogate the necessity m which now was imposed on w abips Wa • s * better to Ink these evils in the face, anal apply suitable owners of taking apprentices. This obligation was most remedies, than at t e mpt to disguise them. The co nss q uence 1 burthensome upoueln, o anent, and was ef no u s e in ramming was that n.erce amp preferred in many instance!' to train the military . navy. The result of this imam WAS to drive their c argoes to American , Pr ussian, or Swedish shi p s, or to aria-bodied man into n the American and Swedish sink* , any forei g n shi p s, rather than to lingllth ones, on account et the injurious effects produced by the want of capacity and knowledge In the masters, and the consequent absence of diselpliae. (Hear.) These evils were very mush the growth of the system of protection, by preventing the parties from ezertiog themselves in other ways ; and the usual result of a little stimulus arising from competition would soon be visible in the Improved character of the masters. (Hear, hear.) Other questions connected with the merchant navy of thin country deserved attention ; two of thou, relating to light dues, and to the regulation of the Merchant Seamen's Fund, would be submitted to the house in the course of the session. There were other not less important measures which ho had no hope of bein g c able to bring forward in the present session ; but he ho pe d no lung time would elapse be fore parliament would eal with them advantageously; amongst them were the pilotage question, and any means that might be adopted for ensuring better and more com petent instruction for ship-masters. Of one thing he was quite certain, that the maintenance of the present restric tions in their integrity—which too many connected with the merchant navy believed to be beneficial to them—would avail nothing for the remedy of the evils he had described ; for they only narrowed and confined the general commerce of the country, on which its navigation must depend. To suppose that anything which systematically and in the long run crippled aci d narrowed the commerce and manufactures of the country could be favourable to its navigation was in reality an idle vision. (Hear, beer.) This class of the com munity, as well as every other, would find their true inte rest, in the long run, in being allowed to compete on unre stricted terms with the other countries of the world, to fet ter themselves with as few restrictions and impediments as possible, and above all, not to encumber themselves with a system of protection which did them no good, and which was deeply injurious to the rest of the community. (Hear, hear.) He bad now gone through this great subject very imperfectly, and he humbly and respectfully recemmended his proposals to the delibi rate and impartial consideration of parliament. If adopted, he believed the it effect would be greatly beneficial to the country at large, and to no interest more an than to that which he valued as much as any man—the commercial prosperity and the mari time greatness of the nation. These alterations, instead of discontenting our chemists, exciting the jealous rivalry of foreign nations, crippling trade, and contracting manufac tures, would give us freedom, good-will, prosperity, and peace. ( Hear.) And they should be placing the prosperity of England upon the safest as well as the noblest basis, if they ceuel connect it, an he believed this measure would do, erten the general interests, the extended commerce, the con tinued peace, and the advancement acid prosperity of the en tire civilised world. (Hear, hear.) Mr. ELLIOTT was understood to ask whether that regu lation would be repealed which required ships to carry fire men for every 100 tons of registered tonnage ? Mr. LABOUCH ERE said the present state of the law was this: provided the proportion of three-fourths English to one-fourth foreign seamen was maintained, they might carry en many or as few seamen with regard to the tonnage as they pleased. It was only when that proportion was violated, and more then one-fourth of foreign seamen were employed, that the regulation as to the propertien of English seamen to the tonnage came into play ; but practically, he understeod, it had no effect. Mr. FORSTER said he had expected that the right hon. gentleman would have taken this opportunity of stating what measures were to be proposed with regard to the light dues. Mr. LABOUCHERE said he should afterwards ask leave of the house to take the preliminary steps to enable him to bring in bills, both with regard to the light dues and the Merchant Seamenee Fund. Though these were highly use ful measures they did not eecerearily form part of the measure now proposed a- affecting the navigation laws. In answer to Mr. Miele Mr. LA BOUCHERE said that Ceylon would be treated exactly the same as any other British colony ; there would be no particular law for Ceylon alone. Mr. GLADSTONE thought it would be better for the ' committee not to enter into the general question of the nevi gation laws until they had bad an opt orturetv of considering the plan of the right bon. gentleman. lie would therefore merely trouble him with one or two questions. One was, as to the rights of Mime , enjoyed by British vessels on certain shores, and the importation of feat from 'biota Was it in tended to continue the existing restriction, or would foreign vessels he allowed to come here direct from their fisheries ? This was a very important question, particularly with respect to the whale fishery. .lle Mee wished to know whether it was the intention of government to provide any system of education for sailors, and to extend the system of examina tions for masters and mates established a few years ago ? Probably the Committee of Council on Education might apply some portion of their funds for this object in the sea port town.. He wished also to ask the right hon. gentleman whether he had any knowledge of the views of other mare time power. besides those be had mentioned, Prussia and the United States ? Mr. LABOUCHERE said, if the bowie assented to the measure proposed, it would undoubtedly be in the power of foreign vessels to bring the prodece of their telery direct to this country. But the coast fisheries, with all their privi leges, would be reserved to vessels of this country. (Hear, beer.) As to the views of other foreign maritime powers, the government had not thought it expedient to make any overtone to other powers on the eubject, until the house had peened judgment on this measure. It was much better for the legislature to take an independent course, (Hear.) The voluntary examination of shipmasters bad been some years in ripe ration, tine had been extensively adopted ; he had, therefore, hesitation in proposing a compulsory e xemination until the voluntary system had been further I tried. (blear.) He attached the greatest importance to the education of sailors in the seaports. He had long felt the necemity of questions of this kind being considered by some department of the government who would be competent to deal with them ; and he should take an early opportunity of proposing a new department of the I Boxed of Trade, to he cell.fi the Board of mercantile Marine, i which, without causing any additional expense to the t country, would be the means of greatly improving the con dition of our mercantile marine. (Hear, hear.) This was a subject which could not enteron the too earnest attention of the belie., so meat was its importance. (Hear, hear.) Mr. G. ROBINSON (who epoke amidst great confusion it keen members leaving the hour) was undertood to say that nothing could remove front he mind the impression that I the great interests of the country were most seriously I menaced by the measures now proposed. The time at 4 which they were brought forward was most Moppet tune; why not defer them until the evidence taken before the other house had been published? lie saw much in the labours , of the committee to confirm the views he entertained, namely, that it would be prejudicial to the interests of the country to alter the navigation laws. He would not offer any factious opposi.ion to the measure, but he thought he might predict that it would considerably add 1 to the difficulties of the government. Ile saw no reason for I pressing the measure in the present union. With respect I to the representations of the colonies for a repeal of these I laws, the only inference that could he drawn from them was, I that those colonies having been ruined by the free trade I policy, now wished to indemnify themselves at the expense " of the shipping interest. He could only say that they would I be disappointed in those expectations. He denied that tne con-umers would derive any benefit from the repeal of I the navigation laws. The difference in the amount t of freight in British vessels and foreign vessels 4 was so small that it could not benefit the home consumers. I The right hon. gentleman said that all the great authorities 3 were in favour of a repeal of these laws. lie denied that ; for even Mr. liuskieson himself, the first great commercial ref inner, advocated that measure only to the extent of the reciprocity system. The effect of this measure would be to give a stimulus to the naval power of foreign countries. The hon. gentlemen then read an extract from the address j of the President of the United States, which represented the 3 marine of that country as progrensieg at such a rate that if / it continued to go on in the same way, they would noon be the first maritime country in the world. There was no I doubt that the United States was the most forme 1 dable power that this country ever met with on , the pea. Besides, a great revolution had taken place , in a neighbouring country, the effect of which would be to e draw cleser the ties of sympathy which existed already he- I tween France and America. Wu this a time, then, for I them to do anything which would injure the naval power of e the country ? He believed that this country would come out e of a contest with those countries victorious; but parliament 1 ought to be cautious before they committed an act which would lessen her power. The right hon. gentleman said that pro. Unction was no longer necessary for this country. He (Mr. , Robinson) believed that protection was necessary to give employment to the working classes, and if the contrary prin ciple was adopted, the ruin of this country would be the m oult. He did not agree in all the views of Mr. Iluskitenn with respect to commerce and the navi• gation laws, but that great man never proposed any measure that was calculated to injure the country. On one occasion Mr. Huskisson said that when the interests of com merce and navigation could not be reconciled, the latter shnuld he preferred to the former. The right bon. gentle man alluded to the letter of Mr. Bancroft. Now, it was a maxim of the executive of the United States never to relax in carrying any point which it thought would be beneficial to that country, and Mr. Bancroft, having an American object in view, chess • this present time, eels great tact, to write the letter which lied been read. Although it might appear very liberal on the part of the United Settee to offer tV recirfocale with theni, he vete(' recommend to the house not to be le.l away by that circumstance, because the fact was, the the United States had no advantages to oiler to this country if she repealed the naviga tion lawn, whereas the Untied States had very great advantages to obtain from their repeal. (Hear ) The advantage would, in fact, be all on one side. He con fessed he did not a e the edvantage of keeping any colonies , at all, if their trade was to be given up to foreigners. They would not be able to give employment to the people of the country if they gave up protection. They would be sur rounded with a labour question which they would find very difficult of solution. Chartism was put down, but the ranee which gave birth to it still ezieed, and would be aggravated if they mama this measure. He was ready to support any measures for extending commerce, provi ed they did nut trench on the fundamental principle of the navigation laws. Mr. HUMP, add be agreed with the hen. gentleman that the great question the country would be called on to wive was the labour question; led one of the reasons which in duced him to support the Tercel of the navigation laws was, that it would tenfetter commerce, and thereby open a field of employment to the working man. He did not think much of the e xceptione made by the government, and per- Mips they acted wisely in leaving the oo icing trade tue touched, It would, at all event., diminish the alarm of the shipping interests. He saw no reason why the shipping tercets of this country could not compete with those of otbe' countries, provided trey met them on equal terms. The shipping interest of the courier) , 'allowed under acme disad vantages which, he thought, ought to be ye mov e d. F or iestence, the rates of telex ir. ursine were too high, and ought to be reduced. (Hear, hear.) The restrictions re specting apprentices ought also to be done away with. advantage, andw oleue (Re ar , could dlykeen be bi f li to . Tha t se lv e ed w ie h a e t b z e t t.wt principleho a tui t ed p btereiffn e ffect c h ta at tll go i f i e re: p i tih e were best able to manage their own affairs ghoul: " " adupted with respect to the chipping interest as will "tbs a regard to all others. It appeared, from the evidi neer:rid. tils American captains, that they considered their em e n g ai l ea laws injurious to them, because they crippled the free angina of Engiiah vessels. Ile thought that much advantage . n ut he derived from a reduction of the light due,. Nn bea than 400,0001. was now levied for light, when 10,0001. woad answer the purpose. (H ar, hear.) Ile was satisfied that the shipping interest itself would have reason to rejoice tha t the field of competition was thrown open. The int ro d uc e of the raw material of their manufactures duty tree ear': great advantage to the country, and the precut measure was the fitting accompaniment of their free trade policy of late years. The bun. and gallant certain oppoleite n. 1004114 that only one naval officer was examined befoie the mi'tee. lie did hot know why that ware a.l; but the Whom who was examined (Sir James Stirling) seemed to be thoroughly acquainted with the subject, and he (fir, Hume) never heard better evidence in his life than was given by that gentleman. (Hear hear.)As to manning the navy he thought it was a mistake to sa pose that the' measure would have an injurious effect. O P a the contrary, if it increased the carrying trade of the opportunity of ld lighthouse:dierc hi experience roun. e n druE ,ggi.g s es i totn, grounds a Te t o el h Ei t en :s h hio rg ed sienicre'l this ypituolurnnni pretend ieke s h euri , nheennyuhi his br e country, it was clear that we should have a much t ee cordial ß had n t ot en e rai n cnntnl d bh okud e yd d shtteguh:d t orpiemput the g,d,iftyree.oste,:td. feebly darizi a : , a.of t y l n mi t h at t t coun trye th e t number of seamen to rely upon in time of war thaa we t le could have at the present time. After expo, ire a hope that her Majesty's government would take the earliest g t th i f r aL l the od h n l pop . w r e as or r tp f ad.' g petitioaing for the cha n ge; that the people present laws; that rates were too high, or that freights were too scarce. The only rearm assigned for this measure wits that Prussia, forsooth, was interfering with our trade. Prussia was the country of which the right bon. baronet below him some time aiuce declared that she " was coming round"—(a laugt)—that she was about to arlopt;one free-trade sperm, and to adopt to the full all that the advo. cats* of that system had proposed. The right hon. gentleman had told them a story about a ship which had gone to the Canary Islands for ceeteneal, and on which freights amount ing; toed. alb. had been charged. Why, Cl.e alb was about 661. a ton, and would any one believe that at half such a rate as that plenty of suitable ships could net have been found read/ in British ports to go to the Canary Islands for a freight? Why, even "the marines," for whom the right hon. gentleman evidently intended that story, could scareely be expected to believe it. (Laughter) Thin the right lion, gentleman had referred to the characters of our mercantile marine, and had talked of their immoral and other vicious practices. lie was not there to say that among 20,000 men brougat up to au ardrous profession there might not be found ' , ashy of immoral and vicious chareeter but let the m seek the insurance offices what they thoughtof the character of our stamen, and they would tell them that they insured British ships cheaper than any others, because of the brave conduct of our sailors. Then as to accidents at sea : why al the returns before them proved that a far larger proportion of American vessels were wrecked end stranded than those of vessels belonging to p ,its in England. But then the abate of our mercantile navy was serenest to, and Sir James Stirling'a opinions were quoted. Sir J. Stirling's practice, however, was i pposed to his principles; for in tee Hound, the vessel he commanded, the gre ater proportion of the men had never been in the navy at all. The right hon. gentleman had not attempted to tell them how it would be proposed to man the navy if the security we now possessed was done away with. It was remarkable that no member of the government had ventured yet to say what he expe et, d to result from the uperation of these measures. The hon. gentleman opposite said it would be a most beneficial mmoure to the British trade. How increased competition would benefit that trade be (Lord G. Bentinck) could not sec; but he could see that it would be a measure for the benefit of Premise shipping, anal for the great ad vantage of the commerce of the United States. If the government knew nothing of the advantage it would con ter on that country, at least the United States minister knew it, for to night he had attended most care fully to the debate. A return had been cited of the ship employed and the revereue derived from the protected and unprotected trade of Great Britain. How was that re tarn made eut ? Our trade aRh China was included as an unprotected treee, as if we wanted protection again t junks and bamboo bottoms. Our tra lc with Mexico was also cited, though Mexico had no marine of her own. If they had looked, however, at other breeches of our general trade they would have found that the theory of this return was scarcely borne out. Take the British West India trade, which was one of the least protected of all bisect ts of our trade, and they would find there constant decline and constant disap pointment. The returns, in fee, were calculated and meant to dec e ive. (Hear, hear) And now let him ask what did the government expect would be the diminution of the coat of freights under this new system In a newspaper article written by one of the members of the government they were told that 2s. ed. a ton was to be the saving derived by the cm eumers of this country. The question, therefore, came to this. Was the house, before they sew something more of the working of this free trade system, prepared to make a sacrifice of at 'meet a million a year, a: present paid to British shipowners? (Hear, hear.) During a very recent period, her Majesty's government and the Times newspaper raised great alarms about the probable rate of freights in bringing over con; and the navigation laws had, in conseqnence, heen suspended. But it I ad now been proved that that measure was unneces sary; and not seeing that any substantial reason had been given for continuing to act upon its principle, he should cer tainly give the pre s ent measure all the opposition possible. lie had only one word further to say, and that related to the effect of this measure in our colonies. It was his belief that our colonial trade would, if it passed, be thrown entirely into the hands of the Americans. He predicted the most dis astrous consequences to the empire kora this circumstance. Mr. J. L. ItICARDO could hardly reconcile Berne of the statem-nts made by the noble lord. What be had said with regard to the great proportion in the lees of American vessels over English ones could be cosily accounted for. The time to which his lordship referred was one of great pressure, and when it was found necessary to send a large number of vessels upon the service. With regard to what had been said by the noble lord respecting the advantages which an open trade would give to the United States he begged entirely to dimgree. He did not anticipate that any such effect would take place. It was a fact that whereas the United States ships were the dearest built and manned of any in the world, by the arrangement which this country now had with them they menopolised two-thirds of the trade ; and that whereas Prugaia, having her ships built and manned more cheaply than any other country, was obliged to give us the whole trade between that country and this. The noble lord had stated that the government had brought forward the measure on feeble gruunds, and that the mer chants and manufacturers of the country had no grievance to complain of. lie (Mr. Ricardo) confessed that when he out con one side grievanceredthatth thatn oblehle was orhim rea sel d f y h t a o d begungive up by T h po e in ( tin sir g Ricardo) could not understand how the noble lord could maintain the non-existence of grounds of complaint. The noble lord having given up the point respecting the Lascars, how stood the case Last year there was a great scarcity of raw material and manufactures, and idleness, and conse quently distress, ensued. At that very time there was great conmercial distress in this country; failures were taking place on every side, and, amongst others, an old. established house in Newcastle failed, as they stated in the circular issued to their creditors, entirely on account of the state of the East India trade. He wished to point out the fact to them, that while suck was the state of affairs in Eng land—while the operatives in the manufacturing districts were starving for want of raw material—while merchants were becoming bankrupt, to support the monopoly of ship owners—these very Lascars were manning the vessels of this country to support that very monopoly. He would main tain that it those ships which were ready to bring those commodities, which would have saved the operatives of this country from starvation and her merchants from bankruptcy, instead of being huil: of Indian wood and manned by Indian men, had been built in the United States and manned by Americans, the injustice would have been equally great, the oppression equally tyrannical. The evil consisted not in the trade which was Minted, but in the trade which was entirely etoppei by the restrictions of which he complained. He would take the rime of Australia. There were in this country hundreds and thousands of people un employed, and animus to go anywhere where they could find employment; there were in Austria/la thousands of acres un cultivated from want of people to culeivate ; but there was in this country a navigation law which would not allow them to go there. It was stated to the committee upon that subject that there'was a great deal of emigration taking place to Australia. The between-deck fare ,lando that place by the B emen ships was rather below 12/ this country varied between 201. and 25/. ; and, moreover, it wes stated that if there was any preference to be given to the vessls o eith s in oint of acconnnodetion, that the e diffe f rence er was ide in favour of the Bremen ships. After such a contrast as he had 'hewn, he asked where was there the justification fur preserving ouch a law? It Ir.A a great wrievarice for &merchant to know that his competitor in Germany w . s enabled to per chess cheaper than himself, while, when he met hien in the market with the mmufactured article, he was enmpelled to sell it on ecptal terms. But the magnitude of the misehief was even greater than it appeared; it was not found oat until some ch urge of circumstance a f °reed it upon • public attention. There wee a beat n track, a 1 whenever it was tried to escape from it then the navigation laws were , belied of. He would t ske tee case of Jaya As soon as that house hall opened the trade some ot our neer ebanes sent out their English manufactures ; the ships were obliged to go away and brine back other cargoes, Laic g com pelled to trust to some other ship to bring back their cargoes from the ieland. It happened that there were several :awns, but no British ships, at the puce, so that the cargo could not be brow-Oat back ; and tee merchants, finding the inconvenience thus entailed on them, abeildoned the trade altogether. Such was the case with cover ore. They were obliged to have a particular ship to bring it, e r they could uot brng it et ell. A measure lead be n passed in et house to let s in coeper ore free of duty. Now he knew th the case of a merchant who bad a tares &meant of that ore at Java which he desired to bring to this country, but in conse quence of the law he found that in order to do eo be would be obliged to send it hack to Chili in the first place. lie considered the restriction to him lye an wejustifieble eacrifico which they hart in view was exeremed in the title of the bill, "An Act for :he encourageromet of the commercial metric" with a view to manning the Royal Navy," Surely Atter 200 iwtshicchonuntiri,uemancei°ufe, w g a s m a t ltog "d et s h u e ffi r c lu e :x i cu re sa a rle. wa Th "h e " o en jec tror years of enooursgemeat the navy ot Shia 97111d1y MAWS I ibt we ode map t thr from ° W l ' to v iew ej ect Ras written w a memo, nt &flie s; b "'mous el' t the 200 to had r teen .. The t h" wo drawn himself 0 me n red p i ng yp th clog of t' ine, the 04 it leant on hallowed b to them, I t be rtdt whom Jilpi e with el , e to the nd to l"." m e . HEN.' o gatlerman• . a care bl u e-honk, era ', i fiber of a Ertof estin aoe •PV ees hr minions of th ito t e tned in mak was the monad, aeon hip crew , an' merchants co Ime than the, rmtlemen w well to bent' gm was Of aurythirg it ilow the m r the u n n fl i . 1 e s. i t , tlemen ly well r. MITC the preen by it. ,saris Ire more that bringing nreser the hon. g odt than if EceiM was slob enwar waved at I, Envious 6 wet' of th. dots whoa inned that ii Wight fr N extge a at Suet hose then. He ail country owlhern sti as comma , win he hat "Min the 1 and in moo s e cy. wile sheet ships between th, taandle eery tildes whiff wea scareel de wu lei • and t nsviga ed, In e the am for at loam •can ere of h ski • ea tic cha wt ry oad on 61 be &tad Contain lbe eon .tico tenti ds' weal a •e SecTl no he ee, the em be Prof t r not ant • I .d Of *tat out ht an wei n. Lei el nc tt