Star. — London, England, 1801-11-26 00:00:00

In 17313 the Charter of the raft India Company was renewed,and fume proviiions were introduced into it for the protection of private trade, bni the' Diredors of the Eafi India Company had done, every thing in their power to render fuch protec tion of little avail, as they hampered it in every A% they could. In eon fequence of reprefentations and complaints lions in.livieluals on the fubjeit of the inconveniences thy laboured under, a Court of Proprietors was called, a Committee of Enquiry wa• formed, and the Papers which he had moved fiff,aud v hich .v.,re on th;!Table, were the refult of that inquiry. When the India Company was firll eltabliiii4 it had two objeds in view. The frit was, to mile a fum of money for the purpofes of the Crown, by giving an exclutive privilege to certain individuals, the next was, that in fuch dif tant countries trade could not be carried on by private individuals with advantage, from the length of time neeelfary for the return of their capitals.— it was therefore found expedient to grant an ex clutive right by Charter to a certain defcription of pertints formed ; into a Company for the purpofes of carrying on a trade to the Eaft Indies. In the reign of Queen Anne more money was wanted by the Crown, and a new Company Ratted up, with ,pretentions to an equal 'hare of the advantages 'held by the old Company; however, after a great deal of cabal and contention the bufinefs was cm. promifed by a Union of the two Companies, tinder the frin of the United Company of Merchants of Lngland trading to the Eatl Indies. Previous to i fpch Union the Eaft India Company west :traders, but foon after it they began to potters 4=n-elves of Territory. This polfeffion of Ter ritory was of great injury to the Trade of the C;ttinpany, (ince in the courfe of 15 years after its eflabliflanent, the Rupee, which at its commence iinent was worth as. 14. would only bring is. ad. but the deficiency was made up by exadions from ,the Datives. This cirentnitance furnithes a proof among many others, that Sovereigns cannot trade _With advantage. From that period the EaR India Company went on incrcafing its polfeilions in In dia without any interference on the part of the Mother Country, until the year 1783, when a pill was introduced into that Houfe, peed it, was taken to the other Honk and read twice, but thrown out in a third reading. That Bill went to take the power out of the hands of the Diredors, which was to he veiled in certain rerfons in dependent of the Crown or the Court of Direc tors. That Bill being Infl, and in his opinion very properly fo, another was introduced which paged into a Law, appointing a Board of Commit over the affairs or India. Thofe. who prefided at this Board he thoeght fully adequate to form an opinion of the afftirs of that Country ; and he was happy in tinting to the Houk, their approba tion of an increafe in the private trade. By the new Charter granted to the EMI India Company in 1793, the eztenlion of the private trade, which he before alluded to, was made, and an encourage ment given to Foreigners to trade to India in cer tain articles, which in his opinion was very wife. It was not by confining a trade that folid advan tages were to be derived; it was by laying it fairly open, and affording an opportunity for compett ;ion. But the people of this country had not the fame advantages in the private trade of India as Foreigners, they were refiriacil to a certain de fcription of thipping, fhe.y were expofed to the pay ment of heavier freights ; in fine, they bad but one line to purfue, while Foreigners were at liber ty to trade in their own flips, manned and found according tw the moll raving principles ; which ga.ve them a decided advantage over the people of this country. Flom Foreigners having a 'bare in •the trade of India, the Directors do not appear to apprehend any danger ; the only danger that is ap prehended is by giving I:nli:bon:it the fame ad vantage, and the Court of Dircdors could not be brought to fee the impolicy of it, though they could - not be ignorant that Gentlemen who had made fortunos in India, had been found to avail themfelves of the advantages given to Foreigners over the people of this country, and to remit their property through the medium of I)enma; k, of France, of Anievica, and of Portul. It was a little extraordinary that there was no Governor that had been in India for fume years who had not tecenvmended it to the Court of Diredors to en el rare the private trade: Sir John SkA had ro in many initances. The Marquis of Wel !coley had likewife done fu: this Nobleman had found it ahfolutely necefrary, in the year to fend goods home by private (hips, which the Direc tors did not altogether approve of, though he hail beard of no diladvantage ariting from it. But as a proof it did not meet with their approbation, in the following year 1799, they fent out pi.aitive in firodions not to fend home any country Chips. In the lait year the Marquis of \\'clklky was alfo c,onopeiled to iemi home fome country 'hips which p: odneed a renewal of the Diredors orders to the contrary. Gentlemen were not perhaps aware of the advanta:t.e of the private Ti ade to India ; but he Mould enacait“tir to prefs th. coolcqocnee of it upon their minds. What v...ts called the trade of India, he m.coild daft tinder too heads:—The trade of ['Alia, and the trade of China, which was %cry piotital.de before the Company became So vereigns. At pi trent, as we!' es he could the import toad,: of the Company :mounted an nually to 7,0n0,00e,-). %%hie)) was exp:irted fiorn England .;,:)Do,oc:•I. The pi iv.tte and free trade annymted to 1,3c0,0cc1,; and the trail.' of Foreigners to 1.5.30,0ca.,1. t—lo that it would be ken that the trade of Foreigners unwonted to nearly one half as much as that ear gicd o n by the fuVa, h,f Oki, c,ntntrr, ezehrtee ct the Company. This mid:, lie Clough t ight be greatly aio:,raerted by the e•e:lions of pi ivate i n Ile irly to the of Foreigners, it was ss ;11 kii.isvii our of Lino - prize was fcch , aid:,l by our capital, at to give us an ovsr caber nation,. A s a p i ( 1,1 o f t h e v of Cue angmeatatina of the trade tin der bur ciirqiiiagcnicix, lie t•iih id the !{more to( th it boo o ore Late year t 7Stc, there was no I toodi, ; o imotoorre.l India, it w.•% au article lit tle known on :!:at country, y.t thoce ; , :tiotd th e amount of the indigo imported wa• ar•ole —4. • ts...ort bas inC:1:«Ifil in ncai;% as adegree.,.-Theßk -The on would r that reedegree.,.-The po anmus %liked to interfere , Abe ar ticles nfually import e d 4 4 the EaR In tit Com pany, when he le Ar vng l y recommen d e d an in-. etude of Ithe Private t.m&; he only withal itto be in.thofe articles in which alley did not deal. Mc svus particularly desirous offeeing e very encouragement eveittOiht iMPortsttionoffuch raw material s as were used in our manufactories at home ; Abele, by tke plan he had in view, would be brought into the River Thames, in fhips navigated by the Bri tifli in .the Company's Ware houfes—fuld at their Gies. in , fine, he withal not to deprive the Company of any of the powers it now tad, although it was a fad well known, that Foreigners traded in the very articles which the people of England did not prefume to ark for; and it was alfo pretty well uniteritood.thar. Britith Capital was enkployed in the hands of Foreigners for this purpore. From the year 1793 to the breaking out of the prefent War, the goods fold at L'Orient amOunted to 1,2oo,00c;1. exclufive of the fides of other countries, and it was now to be pre- , fumed that France would again refume, as foon fns poffible, fo lucrative a trade. To prevent this be raw no plan fo proper as that of giving to the people of this country an opportunity of taking fuels part of the trade as the Company could not, or would not, take upon themfelves ; this would be, to make a fair competition between Englies ' men and Foreigners of the Trade of India. But againfk this the whole Court of Direetwe had fet their face • a filf-aPpointell Court he mull call them, of T hirty Diredois inflead of Twenty four—for it was a well-known fad, that fence die Diredion was changed from its being annual to the Rate in which it was at prefent, there never was an instance but one, of the Six Diredori who went out, not being rechofen. Thefe were called the Houfe Lift. Compliment Cards went round to the Proprietors from the Diredors in Office, recommending thofe who had been out one year; and they came in again as a matter of eourfe, and f o it was kept up from year to year. The (Um entitling perfons to vote had been railed from Soul. to rood. which brought the votes into fewer hands, and many of thofc In interef. *ted in Randing well with the DireCtots, that look ing to their own intent}, they dare not oppofe them. The different tradefpeople of the Com pany mull Vote for the perfons recommended by theft in Office, or loft their bufinefs. He con tended, therefore, that lie was juftified in Riling them felf-chofen, and, in conlidering them a dan gerous Arißocracy, the worn of all Governments —worfc even than a Democracy. This Aritto eracy had fpoken with all their might againft the Private Trade of India. They Paid, the very ex iftence of the Company was in danger if the private trade was increafed ; but in oppofition to this, be should adduce the opinions of the Marquis Cornwallis—of thole Governors he had already named, and of the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Dundas) who had fo long and fo ably prefided at the head of the Scud of Controul. To the opi nions of there Right Hon. Gentlemen he svithed to call the attention of the Houfe ; he wifhed them to pernfe with attention that Right Hon. Gentle. man's Letters to the Company upon the fubjed, and they could not fail to agree withlim in opi nion, that the fears of the Diredors were for their own power, and not for the very exinence of the Company, as they pretended; and when the advantages a Diredor enjoyed were confidered, it was not to be wondered at that they should be fo tenacious of hiring them. They had the pun chafing of goods ; they were enabled to give a preference of their vaft bufinefs where they pleated. They had the taking up of kipping, the appoint ment of tradefpeople for thole dripping, betides , other great and extenfive patronage, both in I England and India. There were fufficient mo tives to Rimulate them in their oppolition to any meafure which might be likely to reduce their power. The refolutions of the Court of Dirofors were drawn up in fnpport of their opinions, with a degree of ingenuity which certainly made the work argument appear the better. For the per- Yon who framed thele refidutions ht had a very great refped ; but he was not to he convinead by fuel' arguments, in nppoGtion to his judgment. The Conipany, he underftood, was about-to in creak its capital, but not for the purpofes of trade —it was to give away to the Princes of India. But, inflead of as jams& for filch a purpofe, how much better would it be to enable indivi duals to increase the refoarces of the country by commerce 1 In the report, a great deal had been I Paid relative to colonisation. The India Company contended, the increafe of private trade would .tend to colonization ; and the result might lus what we had already experienced with rd - ped to America. For his part, he had no fears on that I head. America had a climate Similar to our , own : its foil and situation invited colonization— the very reverie was the cafe as far as regarded India, and he had no hefitation it: fa ying, it would be found that perfons would, as heretofore, return to England whenever their circumilances permit ted them to do fo. But, admitting the argument to bea good one, it was not his with to interfere with ' the laws as they now Rood relative to a refulence in I India; and at prelim no perfon could remain in the country without the perntiffion of the Compa ny, nor go farther than a certain number of miles ( very few) inland to relide for the purpofes ',fent tivation, except for the cultivation of indigo alone. Allowing the Company the fame powers they now poiktf:d, he raw no realm to dread colonization. —Much had alfo been Paid relative to the hring ing Lifears to this country; this °Nation he alto thought ewild be eerily obviated by forcing the Ifhips Ix looping to ,the private trade to navigate with liiitifh tailors; which would increafe our feanien, and would be found beneficial when this country night be aw n engaged in a war. In na vigating with Briti4 - failors, the private merchants trading to India would find their account. (ince upon a computation seven Britik (cameo were found to be equal to twelve Loan ; therdore the faring of wages by employ ing Latears would be more than counterbalanced by the confuniption of prov . .fains, and _by fist that would be laved the each Itiei t tMeeery rattle more than half the qnantity of provifions, wbs manned by liritißt fcamen, thirn they would have to carry when manned by latfcars. It had alfo been Rat : ed, that the morals of the Lafcars would Ore cor rupted in this country, and that the people of in ; dia would receive a bad impreffion of this country , from the conduit and reports of the Lafcars who fhould return. To this •be could only obferve, that if fuch were really the cafe, precautions might be recoiled to at no very great cipencc ; but as I far as he had been able to form an opinion on, the fubjed, the I.a cars that came over in the Men chants' fhips were taken care of until thole (hips Iwere ready to return, and it was the Lalcara who came over in the Company's chips that were (offered to wander about the Rivets negleded, and expofed to having their morals corrupted, and receiving a bad impredion of this country. — 1 —The whole of this objection he confidered•a chimera. With relPed to the building of (hips in India, he underftood that the builders in this country were not averfe to this part of the plan, becaufe there was more money made by re pairs than by building ; and he thought the fearci ty of timber in this country, and the expence we were at through importing it in logs, was one of the Itrongeft arguments why Government flioald employ fhips built in India. The timber in that country was found fuperior in the building of (hips to our oak, and it would be found much more Ise neficial to import it in (hips than in logs. Upon, the whole, he thought the fubjed a fit one for the confideration of Parliament. It was a hibjed ! which he wilhed to be under Rood in the Country, for he well knew the people of this country were capable of underlianding ; and lie was aware if they law it in its proper light, the great influence of the thirty Diredors, nor even of the Govern- 1 mentitfelf, could not prevent the people of. Eng • land.from carrying any plan which they confider cd beneficial to their interefts and their commerce. There had been too many inftanceaof the Govern ment being obliged to accede to the popnlar opi nion, to doubt this affertion. He then moved, " That a Committee be appointed to confider of the papers laid before that Houfe by the Era In dia Company, relative to the trade between this country and the Lail Indies, to which the laid pa pers referred." The CHANCELLOR ofthe EXCHEQNER.—Sir, nei ther the Right Hon. Baronet who (poke haft, nor any other Member of this Honk, can attach more importance to this queflion than I do. I feel it to be that which involves the greaten commercial and political intereas. In Rating this, I give full cre dit to the Honourable Baronet for the motives he afcribes to himfelf in bringing it forwarl: I know that it is a fubjed to which his attention has been much directed. I refpcd the grounds on which his opinions arc founded, as well as the good feofe and temper in which they have been Rated; and I am certain that nothing but a fenfe of the deepim portance of this fubjed to the country could have induced him to agitate it.' The Heriourable Ba.l ronet has entered trivia hiflory of the affairs of the Eall India Company from their eftablithment. The Hoirfe will exciefe me, if I do not follow him through all thefe details. I think it can only be necelfary for me to notice what he has laid relative to the Private Trade of India. I (hall therefore commence my obfervations from the year 1793, when Parliament thought proper to renew the Charter of the EaR India Company. The Hon. Baronet has Rated, that previous to that period, greatoblirtglions were thrown in the way of the Pri vate Trade. That certainly was the cafe ; hut the Houfe would recoiled, that until then no Private Trade was legal. The Charter of the India Com pany did not allow that traffic to be carried on, and all that was carried on was illicit. The trade, it is true, was then chiefly in the hands of foreigners, greatly to the injury of this country. In granting a new Charter, however, to the India Company, Parliament thought proper to authorife this trade, 'and it was then firft recognized as legal. It was hipulated, that the India Company should fornith 3000 tons of (hipping for the rife of private traders: this I acknowledge has been found too little for the purpofe intended ; but thole who framed the Bill which contained this regulation, wifely introduced a claufe, empowering the India Company to em ploy a greater quantity of tonnage. The framers of that Bill, in my opinion, witcly applied their great experience and knowledge to the affairs of India, and 1 think their dillinguillied talents were in nothing more eminently ditplayed than in the regulations they formed refpcaing the trade with India. I am not prepared toffs, that on the part of the Diredora, that facility has been given to the private trade which Parliament intended (hould be given when the Bill was paired : but though the Di!edors have not given all the facility that might have been expeeted, the Houle will find that the private trade has doubled fir.cc the year 1794 ; that is, fare: the firhl year after it was rendered legal. Its encreale during the intermediate years has been regol it and nearly equal. IVith regard to what the Ilnannrable Baronet has fii:d Ipeding India built 'hips, I mutt indeed adn:it this, that the pi t/ale trade has Always been proportion - Inv greater in thole years, %%lien the ar rivals of thief.: !hip. from India were molt numerous. I sleet tic I dis not , r.:ert this quellion with any pi ejlhce. I 'hall de lire the Bade todecidc upon it,from the II itemcn4 that will be laid befor.: them. My Itatcrncnt will not be altogether contradisain y to that of the Hon. 11.tron-:t, hilt in many acfpeds fitulcnit mat y to it. The Houle will then judge horn the fads before them. The I If n. Rat t. has Rated that all the Gtr senor' ul India have been of the Rime upsii;lM AS that which L, has expreiled refpcaing the private trail.- I am OA certain that they have all been cf that opinion • but I am fully aware that Toy Noble Fraaid,th e Nearquis of Wellefley,doe ,- not cone ar in • the 1, ntintents which the I fon. Bart. has fob:rimed to the Houle. The Noble Marquis did prepare means for bringing home the trade of Ins.t.3, and fumecinrtw i olij:lliun s had been made to the mea a theta objedions Were now aban. .net. and I can allure the Houle that the Court Or I ?medal.' have come to the determination of e..iiiirming the refolutien of my Nobl.: Friend -- The means for bringing home ehe track of the year 1%.:, are already provided. With reiperl to the trade of the fucceeding year, it is net ,that it RIO be brought home by the ihiepi e :e ' are employed on the expedition in the 'Ked . Some of that Chipping will indeed, in cen'ecieue of contrails, be obliged to return to partirei ports : all that is not fo circendlaneed 1.0 ever, be employed in bringing home the priv trade ; and if there fhoutd be a deficien c y r" DireCtors bind themfelves to employ other thip"pin Thus every facility will be giVen to the tied: thefe two Fears. Woe and 'ltal. The Hunt, nu now be convinced, that hi doleying thi. get no efiladvaetesige.eoudd,arife to the private tied. until the year I 604. A fair opportunity is 0: ell ft trial and experiment, ore the mit:doles the Ile Baronet ihts laid down ; and when the eefolt known, it will then become the duty of the Ho to confider what new regulations may be need ry. Before I proceed to move, as ,I (hall do, di previous qmeßion, I mull oblerve, that it i s p rop the Houfe fho,uld : petite before they com e to e , determination on a fubjea of Co much perten I have thews that no harm can mile from dela and I am Pure that the Hoak will be of oi i n ; they ought not to interfere in an iiireir of lo mut delicacy, and involving filch a variety of intel Q einlets they fee that the danger is great and im ncnt. The Hon. Thrown has laid much lbefs the opinion of an Hon. Friend of mine, er,: great talents and long expeiienu:e mutt give le, to whatever Conies from km oe i•hi s lnejeef' mean the Hon. Gentlemen. who lately prated the head of the Board of Conti oul. I' appears me, however, that the opireione of my lion. Fr !c have been enifimderitood. lewieue gully this me. hug that 1 law a letter of hie to use of 'he rectors of the Company, in which he tepee the extremes of opinion that pi - eve:led ref:p e e. the Private Trade, and recommended a mid comic. It appears, therefore, that the K.. Hon. Gentleman alluded to, never concurred ei . pletcly in the let'eiments of the I lon. Bere nee than avoid noticing what the Hon. Alitiunet itat with refpedt to the coniiitution of the Ceert Dirators, which I think has no rclatior. te the r fent qiiellion : but I mull rek to one of les guments rerocuaing the quantity of private teed. the hands of foreign coital-4s, and which I file indeed have noticed foorier—l meats the fide of dia produce in Port ,L'Orient, that the Hon. ronat Rated unmated in the year te93, to tween one and two millions ; but the Houle wt . :: toile/it that this was the very year in which the pallid for legalizing the private trade to this cn, try. The property fold at L'Ori.nt was theref. collecited before any facility was given for Fa:. ing home the Private Trade of Britith fubjea , , was no proof that that trade &could continue to equal extent in the hand; of foreigners. The fete; ender 4ifctiffion divities into two great quellien Firft, whether the Directors of the India Comp have given fuel) facilities for the Private Trade the Houfe had a right to expel Irons them, a, which the interefts of the country requires? I a willing to admit that thafe facilities hive not be given. The next cptelion is, whether there be in grounds to expo lthat this fyftem a ill be acre-- and that the neceftery means will be fionifhed . bringing home the Private Trade ? I have lia that the Directors are difpofed to do every the that can he requilite towards accomplifhing objeCt, and that the means wanted are Mitt fupplied fur nearly three years to come. It is per that the nature of this Private Trade 1113 , 114 underßood by tic Houle : It is not carried on any capital fent from this cenntry, but by the f plus of thc felaries of the civil and military of the Company in India. The flapless et revenue is either veiled iu the teouripany's treat for which long hills are given, or good; are f out is return. The wicks purcluiled in this t apply to the whole of the manufaCtures and merce of India, with a few clop:ions. Poi licenfed by the Company are allowed to pure all the Ind:an manufaftures, except what are c ed fine piece goods, of which the Company the preference, and faltpetre ; but all the fur of the fine goods, and all the other commod as indigo, cotton, &c. arc within the range of pm-chafes of the honied agents. The Honout7 Baronet feems to conceive that with refeue3 tot. purehafes an advantage is given to foreigners() the Width private traders; but I know of nu ference between them, except that the latter licences! agents. Foreigners are not permitted purchase any thing from which thole agents excluded, and theiefore have no preference c ferred on them. The Hon. Baronet eatesmoior that it is an objeet of the greatelt confequenee this country, to provi fe a fUffie:Cllt quantity timber for the conforoption of the Navy, act thinks rho 'this objeCt can onTy be attained in way he points out. I mutt inform the Han. n e t that the liireulory of the Eali India Corr are as anxious as he can be to give ever' to the building of flips for the navy in India ; In order to slianinith the expellee of buildinio . Directors have conic to the reflhttion to tin Inch fillips lions: to this country. With refie the cmCrn ceent of private (Lips, s, that is a upon a. laich I differ with the Hen. Beroret, also with my I Irriourable Friend (Nir. Duniles! %%limn I hive :thready alluded. FL thin'. , • India !milt Ihioping fholiiil be only ensn a re there, wife rtuneteiy, I difagree with hilts. Grant's report, to is Lich I do net n ida t.: minutely, li•etris to confider that only Brutet ' ping fhould be employed. The Direelors I however, ccine to the refolution of bieeling (elves to employ which ever kind of Ih:pe•tr,'. he obtained at the cheapen rate They s hay oblation to employ Inds flipping„ pri.vule price is filch as to render it advantageous tit them the preference. The lioure will eaary eeive th it there is a VCT:' great Jiiterence r Coed to this choice in a period of peace nod of war. The whole of the free trade, ' h has been recognised, has been carried on in rind of war, butt it k not fair to infer that fieUglit of (hipping wi:l rernete as high *vs it has been. I w.lh the Hr. try the expetiment that is resealed to be and lc: what Peace w ill prods. e. lam revel to give this advice Item the ; na re I' 711 VI inca the upoi Bela Aipc Mi oioui debar the r poll-r, tiatn f this v fen ce , Re 7.• "1.1 Kobe the tt th IrtP gone, Court t 161!:, ti • ,6 •.: 3