The Sun. — London, England, 1821-03-24 00:00:00

_ . . 'UMW ... ; Worn “, . ran..chi has this seaso , npost a inditly supplietY i with ei ber g Ala II l --4. , and confnues to ;off pes usuall ygeneraer .ts< ti re jet, f#m th e gene ~ at -sAon of comuse. ce is ex - his a will be very consi orahly lessened, and a stock will remain on hand after loading all the vessels. of about seven'y thousand tons; the petitioners therefore humbly pray, - That the house will take into serious consideration the vital importance of the tim ber trade to those colonies, and that they will never suffer it to be placed on a footin less favourAble.t9lhem than. it is at present. .-... _ . :,i Petition of Merchants of Montreal, in favour of Timber riLitiles. . . • , ti .. • - - • A PetitimOWihe there:Undersi gne d m erc h an t s , ale ] ot h ers, of Montreal, in the proviuce:kr'Lewer Canada, Interested iii the tlanber trade, was presented, :and read ; s atbyee forth, That the 'petitlenert -are greatly alarmed at the prospect .of alterationoe the 'duties, upon the import of timber acid of tier lumber into' the . United 194110 m, which Clnerations, if :carried into '..a; law, they consider, evill be highlyelflurioes to the Maritime and manufactuiing interests of the another matt , and ruinous to the. B rit i sh N or th A mer i c L e '..colonies ; the yetitionerS hp,' iteen ;taught froth their infancy to believe that the 'security of the Britila chit; 4nledeprneled upon its,maritime prepotidelince ; and that that prepOrtdee was cherished and promoted by the navigatiedlaws, and con ..sequent •eaupt:lnent of British ships and seamen in preferenceao foreign, as :thereby firm , rig et Musery for a Isupply,to the royal navy;. the .colonial timber ..... 1,, ',trade extensiy . y ,i ttrtributes to the formation and support of that'lursery ; that, nvith such ststittmapiessions on !their minds, they view with eiitietne concern :doctrines now usanil . ainedwhieti: are at variance with the - principles 'that have' raised .the nation!toWdeiree of prosperity and. glory unexampled, and which tend to 4 -weaken ale 144s e tliat unite: th e C o l on i es t o t h e mot h er country,:bir proposing td 'transfer to faretgtters advantages to which the colonists are fairly'entiiled, under -eke rk. , .striciio4Ofittade to which they are subjected, and cheerfully 'submit to, with - a view to ithe i — ganeral benefit ; th a t th e pet i t i oners o b serve also 'with' surprise that the alterationi In such (duties are solicited under the disguise of extending the ex port and consumption oi . British manufactures and colonial.producea - but they are confident these would prove delusive if reduc d to practice, and that for every additional pound in valu gof :such.inantifactures - and , produee that would thereby be exported to foreign countries, three pounds would be diminished in the export to the colonies; and further, that foreign ships would in a three-fold degree par ticipate in the fr e i g ht o f t h e a d ditional foreign export. and at least two thirds o f the British stitP.Ping:nOwPnb.Aliyid in thetAde to the Nortir Americian colonies be thrown out of employment; the proximity of northern nations would in itself de- Fire a great m'any slips of employment, even if the whole foreign extra trade in timber to, breetieated by fie contemplated aherations were conv.eYed: in 'British shipping; th:allhe nations to whom such sacrifices are to'be made ere those who, by tbeirsil'asaity to the United Kingdom in the day of her peril, AO with a view of sapni-eo 'Wet. -naval strettli, unintentionally revealed the sex retepf the capacity of th e Serth American cobizies to furnish supplies of timbet and ,lumber, indepen• den' -a the enmity or caprice of foreigners, whe are now sufreringt,y the reaction o r , tleir own measu . es ; rlint the colonies are by law; as well as-by. habit, restricted La the use of Ilritizsli mantrfacturei, and foreign production through British me dium, whereas fd;eign nations are by lew and by habit prohibited ajte use of many 'tai ids of Brilisiegeods; to sacrifice therefore what, under - our own control, affords es certainty iii the one ease, for not merely a doubtful benefit,- bufaitalmost certain injury, by the . OPeration of foreign control, in the oth e r case, is respectfully con tendeal to be neither expedient nor wisel in proof of the hazard tiebe.run by the :adoption .of thenlieasure, it is Sonly necessary to cite the Returns laid before Par liament,'whereby it Will be found that the exports of British areilfili produce and manufacturesto the British North American 'colonieS for the kit six years, have been more than double. the like . exports to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Prussia. In point of employment of British shipping, the difference is still more in favour of the colonial trade, as in the number of ships and quantity of tonnage employed in the trade between Great Baitain'and those nations, those of foreigners have been double that of British, whilst last year ahore 1,50'..) ships, measuring 341,537 tons, entirely British, navigated by 17,631 seamen, were cleared out to .the North American eolonies,.cornpasing one seventh of the whole carrying trade Of the country, and nearly one fourth 9f-the whole export trade from the British Isles; and the employment of which tonnage and seamen would, by an alteration in the duties, be reduced to one-third its present amount ; indeed. it is undeniable that no increase in'tfie foregn timber-trade can possibly takel.pl4ce but at the ex pence of a decrciie"iii 'the colonial greatly disproportiOnatc,'Atd of conse luences alarming, in their natime and degree; that the ships or vessels entered inwards and outwards :it Quebec, 'previous to 1"786, were under 'do, and previous to 1808, when the Baltic exclusion, and great extension of the colonial timber trade com menced, were under. 240, but there have been years since, as well as last year, when the number exceeded 600 ; thus the colonial timber trade is most important ill all points of view; the northern nations are acknowledged to be too poor to afird to, cansurne our. goods, and were they not so, they would nee be:willing to restrict themselves thereto, in payment of'their timber, as the coletliedre ; that the 91.te .. r2f colonial timb er cid, Ily results from the labour and expense of cutting and bringing it to tit r e,port ef. .expertafem, and iiii - Trei - erht at .erts'irclS .to Great Britain : the former is spent in the colonies, promotes circulation there, and is invested in British manufactures, the capacity of the colonists to consume such being incrcas 11 by the value of the timber when shipped. The value of the timber before it is cut being small, may to some appear a trifling object to the proprietor of the ground, bit when the effect of the timber trade upon the circulation and consumption of the country is considered, and that the landed proprietor benefits thereby in its facilitating payments, and in appreciating the value of the land and its produce, it cannot be doubted that he derives a great advantage from that trade, as does ever:yecoloaist, whether immediately employed or concerned therein or not, by the increased 'circulation MIT ethisumptidri consequent therein, - gi.:•idg an in creased value to exe!langeablecomrnodities, and an additional field for employ anent; that it- is nor solid objeeted to the trade that, .a small part of the timber is brotieht from the States, the ortinal cost, as has alre'ady been observed, is little, but the increa•ed value in the shape of expences is material, and centres in the colonies; the freight, which is the most material part of the value of the timber shipped hi the colonies, whether of colonial or foreign growth, being all . in British chips, and greatly - valet:( le in that respeet, because of its great bull:, contribntes . ti tie lia•Weift 'iii; gi'ACiliKleiter intieeSt 4'; •WhereaS•the - freiglit - in fOreigri'llips, of, tirtl'cieh CiiiitittOlßali_;" h . el..Thit'ell liiiiklnii; te;nds to priiiridtei the rnaritinie inapor.. , tanee Orii!itilidil,'Wli . fi 'reentiNY'fia:.qteeii; and inky' agaTh b%i•eitte eur inVeteritl tee tads; that'ilisliV3b 'h fitiYiter 'of ge'riciuS'ednsideraffeh filet' cepifid to ii'lerge MMinnilsiS' hilri i'iv'eiVd . in E':l l .;?Linilk antl'oili&'64.4l4liiiierits connected avilli the Ylclltfr'Ma:!ti I . :11F,. : C . 0 1 : , 11165'AR41 WAlillieierifii'etl'aiid rendered useless by As, :%itterifi* 11:, t lelf ( I .'s,-ort Pi l ot fraddTriitn 'the' FtihniTeS'lo - Tch-eiidn Countries Ott fh`klieF, Ilfce ttrnb , r 'lra . !le . hili - I,W.Bhie ilf 'increased clOneetittence to Canada, feiee'llief the Wh - ole of he flir trade tthilf ertbe 'North-s'e'at - eXceptcd) . hitherin ciljeyed LS': it,: Tin's, , v the 'bia.fation :Of - tildate's,' been' ti'ansFeried Id the United States, "add'bi , elitrile lot tei'ilifbi - evei-.' Therpetilloners erase 16ne te'refee' td the verietiblelifid'eonvinehrg Statemenis add d'aciihienfi crithained i'n' the psi itiiini 1.6 the i l inthe'llWei - CM 67p-4M-tiers of Tedfidbri, froth the merchants and - Othei• en.*:icvect in'th€ltaileVitT; the 'grltish CororilbS'in North 'Aiiirica, and froth many 0' a of atee: °tappet's', all b r wiiich exhibit snclil+eliefity cOriiicleraliOds, that the petitionere implore the'lloffse not to consent to - el:it' the eiistilfg dtitles upon flintier ireariy way thee may 'erti - eadVatitatees'• to fdr6grien . ureater ' than those . e 'Lich they . Tl6'o passBl, ahe'CoritiritianCe of'the present Atiti4S being alike necessary to British and colonial' interestS:tiftlYe'arst rilagOitudt: " ' . ' .' ' ..... _.. _ ... . , _ . _ CANADA. rr .'f •r ~. r, r~...,., ` .., TO. THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. The humble petition, of the undersigned.land owners.and others,. in►iabitants.of the -, ~ province of Lower. Canada. . • We,..yourdllajesty's most faithful•and.loyakubjects, inhabitants of the-parishes °tithe banks of the river St. Lawrence in the:province of Lbwer Canada, humbly beg leave to represent-to-your - • . • -- - • ; ,at-aim ; . That we have heard with: great ,at-aim ; that your Illajcstys ,government pro posetv niake : an alteration inithe existing laws ou timber-imported into the United , Kingtinnt,- whit-114'd adopted,- •would, -operate to the, in . .;tiry of •The•timber ,tratle of this pro..ince; Init,the-anxiety which Tour Majesty'4 government • has invariably. : , liOwititCproarating , the welfare.and prosperity of yoor-Mujesty's subjects in every port. , 4l,the Britisiodnminions, induces •US to., hope,- that:so ruinous-a measure will nok,httfsdopted:- we.stry,ruirsons, because , we-, cannot furnish:timber at a cheaper. priec , ,,than-thaA -for witich-it , ,s now exported,e anti- beeauge .even , with the present dut,les iunpoeti upon-that article in Great Britain, foreigners can. •import and sell thel - At a greater quantity of:timber .than your ..rtlajesty's:North American subjects ; ail Avliicip , lexts arc are.informed have been submitted- to the consideration •of 'your Majest ;ttgovernment...: . -.We.. humbly represent , to •iyour --Majesty, that -durin,g the war with the • United Stat.4o,,many- of your-petitioners, encouraged by,-Englisktnerchants v etected-mills ig:Vile4Qtu• places op .the banks of • the. river,.,where the-white pine grew in-abun dance, tfor.saWing , this tinther into deals, -and : also constructed a great nurnberof vessels, fur - the purpose -of transportiug,thetleals to ! the -ports of embarkation for, Groat.l.3ritain,;T all which .tvastloue at a vast -expense, and: by dint of. great- exer—, tionj, mid in which undertakings nothing : would have induced your petitioners:to , but the-.expectation • of continuing to fbiajoy on its.present , footing , the trade - • • .- ..;-. ~•-, • • !•.-. .' iaat r .snany. .c)f your petitioners have expended -.l4rge minis of-• money, and be stttweyl oonsiderAle,pnins,•and ,labour in forming establishments ,in , the ; lower. p4ishes,of,the : liay of St, Paul, the Falls•pf.Alalhaie.,.the Wolf Myer, -and-;other pies ; ine4titJyy , the; hope ;thatl-ounf timbet,; converted into, deals,. would amply' indeoinify•os—thut , our lands would he, cleared --and ourselves and fatnilies.settled, on farms, which ! would in future L oontribute to.our supp.ortinl comfort., . • , i: We, th,:refyre entreat• your ..alaiestyAn,refleet on , the .00nsertuences Altat would, rtsult to -us,. if Any alteration in the,..existing duties were: made, which plug have , the eg:ea of depiiving , . this_provittee;nfitkAimber trade;_ the capital, • labour, and time,, lyzstovrecl the.,e)teention - :ofinills fog ; saying timber, it# Atte-. eonstoetiork of- gtip*. : for its. tranpport, and „.in,opning ! new-, esta4lishments, would be :wkoily ; lost to r us-; m4.937:9C!Polrt,Petitioners,ww.dkl 1w Fkiineth i aml eli . would suffor:.rpore or less. 2. , 111:04ty, to T.o.lt:e,t on • tile . , poi§equences ,of such-an al-, te3:ay;pp A:4-.ilie.muoerottael4sees,a workmen; who re.:employed in this trade, -a94; v4ko ,A,944.lo,couseqttemet-ho thropin ) o-ut v(4411 gmplup.neo‘ : : ::?4,l;kir*Vaiacril , ; that the Ottrahility ,of ,the : timLeF ,pl',,hep? provinces has been, ,, , we:kupw::tlo4iopp,tinl4ep iF ..req,,dur'ahle,-,aind that, -,irt : fqety.ki, irkk;s9:l., • itmute,dpc,it ve,,laste*rnorptharto cotAt t uff ;jn propffafwhich t wormk,., trtii.soft,itic4esto your: 3 , lajesfy!§ tichrgrntpent in the prdinaty,e9ursei , an4we,heg: . tury t .i L tile o ,gt,,t9 . 4.4tiorr. of yr.r.tr!Majeqtypaytiett4tufly Eq tills _ • ihY42 , 4 1 . 1 in4Y - : 111 g yPur.::l4AicsjyrNia.;xok,*ficti.4oAksi. fiein .; ihe.pgfiks a 11 5454-4.ll,loYgfiAw yq.o.r.aujest)eo-igihor gpl4atear-...0 41rAittinit l thejr, pFudtw.tion: ttZ . • - )n - tire c t r if Kildoht in preferele tl i :ltdie of other cb,)tiu s ;Ithetrod, u}c ? .of ur Ia ty's est-India Islam& trniprted without orapetttion q arut we fiat se es, at we shall at feast Le 'permitted to partihpate as we have hitherto done in the advantages conceded to foreigners, and that we shall not be en- . tirely excluded from that participation by an 'alteration in the exiitihg duties' on timber, which must be attended with such a result. • We make with confidence these representations to your Majesty, conscious of their justice, more especially because- we are precluded as a colony from the liberty, of trading with other countries. • We, - beseech your Majesty,to take-also, into consideration that we import in English ships, and consume" inthis,, - prpvince, .a large quantity:of English mer -chandize, and the productions of the English . ' colonies; and since all the articles which we require are procured from the mother country, we think we - are entitled ' to enjoy greater privileges and advantages than foreigners ; and we fear, that in tt event of such a stop to the trade a s the imposition of the proposed duty would o •asion; we shall no' longer- be : in asOndltionto import-and I)ay for thosegoods, and shall they be abandoned ethirely7l6 - inii awn resources. - :We huiiib solicit your Majesty to direct your attention td our situation ; and entreat that-iito alteration may be made in the existi i ng duties on timber . imported into Great. I;Tritain injurious to the trade o' this colony. yourlietitioners will ever pray for your Majesty. . -! ~.- Pdtition of 11Ier - thant of'Liiniroti" trading to The British NOrtffialrferie.an- Colo- I nies in favour of Timber Duties. A petition o the Ithere-undersigned merchants and other's, engaged in trade with the British ~ - o loities.in North -America, and in Abe:fisheries of Newfoundland,' Nova Scotia, and Near Brunswick, resident in London, was presented, 'and - read ; setting forth, That the _petitioners have observed that there has been lately pie sentect to the Utilise a petition from certain_meechants of the. city,of London, in which.they subftiic their convictietrof the.int ijicy:end injutiee restrictive system appliedetd; foreign commerce; and express their objections " to every restrictive regulation of, trade . not essential to ... the revenue, against all duties merely protective front foreign competition, and against tire excess of such duties as ,are partly for - the purpose 'of revenue and partly for that of protection," and thereftire prayiiig for their repeal ; that although - the said petitioners pray for the removal - of such restrictions generally, yet it is evident to the petitioners that one of theii e inincipll objeCts is to produce a change in the practiceby_which . the inter course with thEßritish doloniel-in-Nortli America is at, present regulated, .for the purpose.of di veetieig aportiorLorttieTrideiif thilsti - cOlciriin . fneeige countries ,in the North of, ENrdpe thatrie petitioners are extensively engaged in trade with the said co.ronie4 iptEin the giheries . of" NeWfoundland, New Brunswick, and^Nova Scotia,;and some of them have erected in the said colonies, at a vast expense, mills arid buildings of various descriptions; and steam-engines, for sawing timber, deals, .cc. and therefore the petitioners cannot but feel alarm at the attempts of the said petitioners to obtain the removal of those protective duties and re strictions which 'hese, been provided by the le - gielattire; and t on Which the pro sperityOf the said colonies so •greatly depends ; than the- petitioners liojae that upon the present' . eccasionelt mill be permitted them to remind the HUitse that the general - principle of colaniallegislation has always been one of protection and reetrict'hm-4rotective by means of duties as to articles the production of foreign countries similatt to those produced in the colonies, restrictive by placing the latter at the 'disposition of, and requiring that they shall take the whole of their supplies from, the mother country, and employ only British ships: that the chief article' of exp , rt from the said colonies is timber, either in masts and logs r or converted into deals, planks, stakes, &c. :the supply of whiell_lt appears to be the clesire.ef the said petitioners to reduce and discourage, either by lowering the present duties payable upon thp:se articles the productien of foreign countries, or by imposing a duty upon those-the productions of the colonies; that, in whatever degree such results would be - produced, the petitioners would be injured, and the trade and prosperity of the colonies and British shipping be diminished; that the petitioners acknowledge' with gratitude the protection which was afflirded to the said colonies, and their prtiperties embarked therein; during an eventful period o• warfare; but, at the same tinie, beg to express thee . humble hope that this country has evety reason to be satisfied with the return whi6h has been made in the loyalty 'of the colonists, and in,their successful exertions to furnish, supplies of timber for general purposes, but especially for the use of - the dock-yards; to whiCh they - Were urged by his Nia . leity:s government, when the system of exclusion adopted by the - enemy had deprived us Of such supplies from the North of Europe; that; at the period alluded to, assurances were given that the said colonies, as well as the petitioners, might rely upon the permanent protection of the mother country, and they beg on' the iireseot oecsin to express their humble but confident reliance that they shall - not. now be deserted; or their interests sacrificed, which could not fail to be the case if any alteration should be made in the existing duties that would pla , e the timber of the said colonies upon a leSs favourable footing than at present ; that the petitioners trust that the House will be of opinion, that, in soliciting protection for the said colonies, they ask nothing inconsistent with soundspolicy and the true interests of the mother country, as will be evident upon an attention to . the follow:ng considerations : Ist, That the said colonies form a most essential epPendage , to the United Kingdom, in the sup plies 'of. fish.and- e lumber. which. they:afford - •to the colonies in. the West Indies ; 2d. That they receive, employ, and maintain an immense number of British subjects, the surplus population of the United Kingdom, whose occupation consists princi pally hs cutting the timber, cultivating the soil, and fishing On the coast ; 3d That the said colonies receive from the mother country the whole of the mainifactures and articles of necessity for clothing, and for the general use of the colonies and fi sheries which ihey e requirte amounting to nearly two millions sterlingannually e and which are all earned it BritiSh ships; 4th. That the entire productions of the colonies and fisheries art alsb transported in British ships. alone, whether ,to, the-W,est or the Uhited Kingdom, and furnish the only means of payment for thegoods and necessaries ',required for their own consumption and the use of the fisheries; sth. That the importation of timber fro it the British passesSiohs 'abroad has ever been dee:ned of much importance to the encouragement of British shipping and navigation; insomuch, that -in the early part of the last century, boun ties were paid upon such imported° s, in like manner as, with a similar view, bounties are now paid upon vessels-engaged in the Greenland and southern whale : fisheries ; 6th That foreign ships bein'g wholly excluded from the trade) there were cleared out from, Great Britain for the said colonies .last year, no leis thatt 1 , ,;25 ships, of the burden of 340,537 tons, and navigated by 17,6 ie mariners; that the petitioners having thus broughrdlider the Viet.: of the House trio.§ , e points sAieli they trust they will deem deserving of the most mature consideration in deeding upon this important question, most humbly beg tovbserve. that while they admit the principle that "freedom from restraint is calculated to give the utmost extension to foreign trade, and the best direction to the capitat and industry of a country," the petitioners cannot but doubt how for that principle is applicable,: ip the ,extentled Senseprayed fir) to a country situated like Greateßritain, a 4 island in the neighbourh ,od of many warlike and maritime nations possessing numerous colonies, with an industrious population, fur:lshing a demand for her manufactures, and employment to her shipping and seamen; and the petitioners are quite satisfied. that any materi .1 diversion of the trade to foreign countries in Europe weuld not be attended with such an additional demand for manufactures as to compensate for the extensive and permanent injury which would result to ;so many British interests; the petitioners, upon these considera tions, mosOiumbly solicit that the House, will not consent to any alteration in the existing dirties LpoiC:timber that may have the effect of giving advantages to foreigners greater than those which they already possess, the continuance of the present duties being alike necessary to the state of the petitioners, and thatlof the eolonies as well as to British shipping, and all the important and n tional interests dependent thereon. PETITION IN FAVOR OF TIIE TIMBER DUTIES. To the King's Most Excellent Majesty. The humble petition of the merchants and ship-owners of Saint John, in New Brunswick, SHLlvrot, . . That the-discussions which have of late occupied the attention of Parliament, re lative to a , propOsed duty nprin 1.1Mb(4 in . qsOried into the United Kirigdom from the North American colonies, have filled your petitioners with anxiety. and they in treat your Majesty not to concur in a measure assuredly fraught with most dis astrous;consequences to the commercial property of this province. • Youf_petitioners refrain from enlarging on those peculiar circumstances which might, }perhaps, I.)e justly urged in their favour, as having, vith their predecessors at the peace iif 178 i t from motives of loyal attachment to the , mother country, abandoned theiri property and connexions in the land of their birth, preferring an inhospitable wilderness ; but which, under . their persevering efforts and great privatitins, has already become a valuable and important colony. . That your petitioners do not conceive it necessary to enter into all the ar guments which may be used, in order to shew that the timber trade with the; colo )ties shOuld be preferred before that with foreigners in the north of Europe, All the great and leading principles being so fully and ably elucidated in the various repre sentations that have, from other quarters, been lately pressed upon the consideration of your Majesty: they beg leave, however, to advert to several matters that have been brought before the committees of Parliament, and to notice some other cir cumstances which are essentially connected with the interests of this ti ade. , It has been observed, that the imposing a duty of I 05.•5(1., per load on timber Omported from North America, would have the effect of encouraging those countries n the north of Europe from which timber is imported, to take a greater supply of ritish goods, while, at the same time, it would be so small a tax on colonial timber, hat it would not be severely felt, nor would it materially injure the trade Your etitioners humbly beg leave to state, that the very reverse of the ; latter part.a-this observation would. be the result. Unless a like - sum of 10s. 3ff. 1*- load additional vas placed tqion European wood, the - trade withllie colonies mustinevitably cease; rhr, as only a certain'quantity of timber can be consumed in Britain, from whatever ivarter , importetand as colonial Timber can now hardly compete with that from .te Baltic, even A6tli'the duties which the latter pays, a duty. of ICs. 3d per load pmposed on the former would,; for reasons stated in the next paragraph, effectually 1 ,decide the matter. ' . _. • : _ rT . hat the rates Of fteight on voyalzes to theseprovinees have'oflate been so low, ithat it will be imPtisSible, with the S4lctest economy and most Arsevering efforts, ko make any further reduction, eveii'should ship-imuerl be colipeiled to a11,,w their vessels to deCay by the vdtarfsas, vai for the timber trade, liundte!!ls must, ere now, have done. The price of woad in tliii country can never be reduced below the rates at which it has this ye# been shipped. The pi - ices in N'e'.v . l.l,unswickhave, on An average, been —for I - Yellow pine . Red pine Birch f . 20s. sterling per Itrad. . ditto. _- 25 - s. ditto. ___ If, therergreathe, tst. f the, be taken, al to It cog acre • jut's. ' .ustichertgrt of 50s. to Vvergoollr th . Clyde, to wh t pritilipal quantities esh d 4 and allo - w 8s f,,rloss in measure, yard rent, insurance, commission, and all other charges,. the ; wilt will amount to 7$ per load, a price I,r above what it is now selling for in eilher of •thae:marlieis,las neither the freight nor the cost of the timber can be reduced, and as the charges will not be lessened, it follows that 78s. per load for yellow pine in the Clyde or the Mersey is the lowest at which it can lie afforded : and that if any duty should be laid on colonial timber, leaving out of the qiiestion so large a sum as 10" 3cl. pep lout the,trade must be abandoned until the n‘arket shall materially improVe; of which, however, ther6 can-be no expecta tion, for the Baltic timber, as heretofore, will effectually prevent 'any high price being given for that from the cokbies. " ' ' As intimately connected with the matter of the preceding paragraph,. and of im portance to their cause, your petitioners would•refento the late report Of the corn mittee of the House of Lords, Appendix No. 8, wherein they that Canadian timber in 'lBl9, left the importer T ily 45.,4d : per load to pay first cost '2ss. and in the pre,ent year the result will not be more propiiions, as, although freights have I experienced a reduction, the sale prices have been proportionably lower. Their Lordships moreover declare, .that they " wbuld by no means recommend any altera tion by which wood the growth of Canada might be entirely excluded from the means of competitibu in the British - market." i That, if your petitioners be unable to send timber to Britain,lthey must Imme diately discontinue' the iniportation of goods from thente;:absolue.necessaries ex . cepted, having no Other means by which to pay for thent PriOr - to 1808, when the timber trade fist grew into importance, the scanty population of New Bruns wick was nearly altogether stipplied with East India, and even with many British goods, smuggled from the li l nited States of America L .a_srnall part of which was paid for in plaster of Paris, fish, and grindstones, but the chief amount in money : all the specie which came into the country being paid to the Ameiricans in support of this baneful, traffic. ';;;.; i • , That aceordliig otNial documents laid before Parliament, exhibiting the value of goods exporteck ti) the'_North American coloniei 'from 1799 to 1819,! the whole amount imported into this province was, in 1807, 64,3951 ; whereas, in 1819, it had increased to 218,7471. To the timber trade and servicesE . of employment arising out of it, do yourTpetitioners attrilnite'this remarkable and important change in so short a period; and they cannot omit offering their opinion, that the loss of this trade would rapidly impoverish the country, and bring it back to the condition of 1807. . That if your Majesty will inspect the amount of imports and export: from this province durin4. 18W as perstatethent furnished by the Custom lEluuse, and here unto attached), you will find that the number of vessels cleared, independent of coasting craft, was 1,333, containing 257,293 tons, and navigated by 11,945 men —an account of tonnage exceeding that of the clearances from Great Britain to the West Indies during the same year, the latter being only 2:26,218 tons. it will also be observed by your Majesty, that there are only four principal heads under which our exports range, Viz. :--- , 1 For the West Indies. J I . , ..,. Ist. Fish and oil, boards, peantling, shingles, staves, &c. als arttel6 brought in under the "Free; Port Act." • i'or the . United States. ' 1 2d. Gypsum, certahqeser;ptions of fish, grindstones, tke..,-.; Also, ' 3d. Producelarotightfrom the West Indies , — and' :: . 1 • .-.. FOr the united Kingdom. 4th. Timber, masts, staves, deals, lathwood, oars, handspikes, &c. The first of theseltrades your petitioners still enjoy ; but as the !returns generally consist of West India produce, this branch of commerce can cOntribute little in aid ing remittances to Great Britain. The second is worse than uaeless, and probably must so continue, until measures shall have been adopted by Act of Parliament, for securing to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick sonic of thos6 important benefits that might be derived from the ex port trade in Gypsum ; but which, as at pres nt conducted , accommodates only the artful monopolizing policy of the Americans, and a m. st extensive system of illicit traffic on heir eastern frontier ;—to the great detriment of provincial revenue and the fair trade, and having a pernicious and demoralizing influence on the people pur-. suing it. The third is at an end ; the ports of America being shut, not only against vessels from the colonies,.but, since the 30th of Bepteint)er last, West Indian productions carried byf United §tates vessels from the free ports are excluded.! The fourth, that is, the _expOrts on timber, &c. is the only means by which your petitioner, can payifor goods, and of which they _ numbly! trust that your Majesty, upon due consideration, will not be inclined to deprive them. . That while the timberahipped from the colonies to Great Britain is all conveyed in Brilislt nss, s, and, its value returned in British goods, the timber frorriEurope is principally imported in foreign ships, and the earg, es drawn for in bills of, exchange, a small part of which only is !did out in the purchase of mercbandize. And as the foreigners take manufactures in return for part only of the timber now imported from the Baltic,. it 'appears not probable to your petitioners that a much larger supply would be received by; them, even were a monopoly of the whole timber trade for the- consumption of Great Britain thrown into the hands of 'the northern powers. Should it however Happen, that, on acquiring the whole trade c they were to take one-half more British goods than they now do, still would the exports from Britain be lessened ) as n reduction in those in the colonies, to double the extent of the increased supplyito the north of Europe, must inevitably ensue. That, with a vie* of encotiraging by every practicable means the use of their own manufactures, those countries in Europe from which timberis impOrted, ex clude at present all finds of British bolds; unless such as are indispensable ; and it would appear that their population and wants are diminishiag. whereas the people of these proVincei are rapidly increasing in numbers , . and cotisequentlY in their need of British manufactures ; they are, moreover,Jestricted to the United Kingdom alone for their supply. Your Majesty will be'pleased to ollsiirve, that, according to the statements before parliament, the whrile value of,British and Irish goods expOrted in 18 :1?, for all the northern powers (with the exception of Russia, which affords but little timber), was smiy 720,6691., while the supplies sent to the North Arrierican colonies-amounted to 1,523,1331. That it: has been alleged, that British shipping, •in times of Peace, can be na vigated cheaper than vessels of any other country, and consequently that freights would be given to them in preference to foreigners, should it be resolved to en courage the northern pdwers ito supply Great Britain -with -timber, - by iteposing a duty on that from British America, which must put a total stop to its importation. On this head your petitionerS humbly beg leave to state, that vessels can neither be built nor navigated at so low a rate in these provinces as in the neighbouring states of America; henc - c it follows, that, as-colonial vessels cost much, less than those built in Britain, so mtist the latter be touch 'higher than American, and consequently than Baltic shipS,'*hich are built and-navigated on lower terms than those of any other part of the, world. British vesse's, therefore, will require larger freights to make go ,d the charges on the increa •ed amount of the Capital employed, and the extra loss, by the gradual' depreciation' of the property. It must also be known to your Majesty, that, besides the just mentioned evidences, which gave a decided advantage to foreign 'vessels in the Baltic trade, there is another impedi ment in the way of equality, viz. the duty which is charged in Sweden , and other places on shipping,while no such duty is imposed on their own. ! i • Your petitioners cannot imagine that the prOposed duty of I 05..3d. per load on provincial imber for a reduction of 10s. 3d. per load on that from Eurr?pe, which would have the same injurious tendency) could be an object of great moment with the northern powers, but for the monopolizing effect of such duty. By official returns it is stated, that, in 1819, there were imported into Great Britain, from the colonies, 266,552 loads of fir and oak timber, which at 10s. 3d. would only make 136,7091., an amonnt too small for these power! to interest themselves about, were they ; not confident - that the provinces could then no longer support a com petition with them, and that they would thus acquire the whole timber trade to the United Kingdom, and employ in it exclusively their own shipping ; thereby de priving of bread 17,000 British seamen, now engaged in the colOnial trade. Your petitioners humbly conceive, that the conclusion which has been formed by the committee of the House of Lords, and stated in their report, already referred to, against the durability of the North American timber, does not rest upon the basis of satisfactory proof. It is an established opinion in this Country, founded upon observations drawn from long - exnerience, that the perishing of wood front dry rot is chiefl3 , caused - by the cutting down of trees at an improper season of the year ; and. that certain species of timber, particularly hard wood, are invariably liable to premature decay, if felled when the sap is rising from the root in support of vegetation, and further suffer your petitioners to add, that this objection cannot be urged with any just effect against the yellow pine, which is no longer used at your Majesty's dock-yartls in constructing the hulls of ships, but is there, as well as generally throughout Great Britain, confined to purposes in which it cannot be affected by the dry rot. Your petitioners beg leave humbly to state, as their opinion, that, if the colonial timber trade is now to be relinquished, the ruinous consequences will be so gene rally and severely felt, that no encouragement held out by Great Britain would be an effectual inducement to renew it, should any future difficulties in the north of 'Europe render it necessary again to resort for timber to the American provinces. That the loss of the timber trade would prove severely injurious to the fisheries of these provinces, one of their principal advantages being derived from the b.w rates of freight at whieli vessels coming for timber can afford to bring:out salt; but if that 'essential : article can be (~btained on no better terms than by sending home vessels for it in ballast,. the fisheries of New Brunsw:cl; and Nova Scotia must be abandoned, while the (present very reduced prices for cubed fish prevail, without any prospect of iMproVement, in every part of the world. Your petitioners, whilewith the highest satisfaction they acknowledge the great Value and importance of the Canadas, cannot help remarking that the interests of this, province should attract so ittle notice, as in a great measure to have been left Out of sight, and:Scarcely alluded to, in the late discussions on the subject of the North American' tirnher trade' The perusal _of the Custom House_ returns for 1819, hereunto annexed, your petitioners humbly hope, will serve to convince your Majesty, that the importance of this province is such as merits a share of attention, in whatever may relate to the welfare of British North America. Your petitioners,:with ' williri gratitude, make their acknowledgments for the :" Free Port Act," a measure %o well calculated to benefit this province and Nova Scotia, to ,encourage and increase their navigation ; and, while combined with the wise policy of excluding the vessels of the United States from the West-India colonies, likely to render those possessions and these provinces of greater mutual advantage than heretofore, and of vastly inereased value to the parent state. Your petitioners, in 'conclusion, while they further beg to mention that their commerce in general is in a languishing condition ; and, in some of its important interests, suffering under recent and peculiar difficulties, most confidently hope your 11ajesty, taking the premises into due consideration, will rescue these pro vinces from their present alarths, by resisting any alteration in the existing duties i"" favor t torelgnen*utt , r Torsurparfieses, u.. cliaracivristic ` dig y. iontinue to pi#teFt and cheillh thumber trade •of *he colonies, in the prosperity whereof' so many British interests are involved. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. Saint John, New Brunswick, WILLIAM BLACK, Dec. 30, .102 Q. , Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. PORT OF ST. JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK. An Account . of the Number of Ships and_Vessels that have entered inwards and cleared outwards, at_the Custom House,- within this Port and District, between the 6th of Jabilary, 1819, and the sth ofJanuary, 1820; showing their Tonnage and Number of Men, together with -the Quantities of Goods imported and ex ported in the same Vessels, ...... . . Entered Cleared Number of Ships and Vessels. Tons. 1,282 251,538 257,293. 3 , 39 - coasters are here included. GOODS EXPORTED. 8,109 bll5. 771 do. 327,930 galls. . .... 147,100 do. 92,420 lbs. .... ... 854 cwts. ....... 1,781 ton• 1,434 blls. .26,000,000 f e et. •-••-• •. • • 5,850,000 in no. .... ....... ..... 171 cwts. • ••• • • ..... 1,159 tons Oars .. 10,910 in no. Handspikes Hogshead Shooks 19,890 do. Lathwood.. Timber . ........ 247,394 tons Masts and Spars Dry Fi5h.... Salmon 362 blls. Herrings Fish 523 do. Gypsum. - ,Oruidstones ..... 13,878 in co. Furs.... 10,595 bush. ' : . ', Potatoes - - i HENRY WRIGHT, Collector. .. _ . St. John, New Brunswick, .Signed i Jan. 6, 1820. • ( ROBER' PARKER, Comptroller. FACTS AND STATEMEN FS To show the &policy of the Proposed !Alteration in the Timber Duties. A comparative Statenient of the Proceeds of Canada, Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick, and Memel Timber, according to the Present Rate of Freight, Charges, and Market '.Price td the sar4e respectively; to illustrate the effects of the duties which it is said arc Contemplated by the Select Committee of the Home of Com mons, to be reConmiended td the Legislature: QUEBEC YELLOW PINE TIMBER. L. S. U. ; 5 Present sale price per Load of 50 Feet CHARGES. Prime cost in Quebec free on board last year............ 2 6 Insurance on ditto 0 0 6 Rafting o Ponding three months .... u 0 0 Commission and del credere 4 per cent. Brokerage .. I ditto 5 per cent. GOODS IMPORTED. • - _ Flour ' Bread.. ' Corn 21,413 bush. Beef and Pork Wine . Brandy and Gin 3108.1 do. ' Rum 549,108 do. Coffee .... Molasses u i f t. Sugar n t .. .. . . 93,526 do. 6,744 cwts. 8,501 tons Tea.. Naval Stores ... Pine Boards gad "- . Planks , ....,.,11,974,000 feet Staves `..... a-. .i. 3,5137;000 in'itcr: . .•., Shingles... 4..7. :• 0 -1 0. . . 3,746,000 do. 7 Tobacco .. .! . 976 cwts. Fruits and Seeds ....... 1,812 tills. Rice Coals Packages of British I . mereliandizes, - tn- :-1 it eluding Sail Cloth, _ pr r , 4. ri7 Cordage, . Cotton, _ as Silk and Woollen -{ 23,354. . f 2 ...r1 goods, tronmon- ' 1.: e~ fiery, Earthenware, Fp Linen, Shoes, &c. Pt° r 5 tce. I I .. 5 12 0 12 kf,952 '945 Add to those charges the duty proposed - fr . .0 10 0' 1 19 3 Freight on ditto . Being a loss to the Importer for every load .. . NOVA i pCOTIA, OR NEW BRUNSWICK TISIBEIt, Present sale price Per load of 50 feet CHARGES. t Prime cost in the country ... . . • Insurance on ditto .. . .. Rafting ... .. Ponding .. : ... _1.... . . ... Ol 0 Brokerage del credlere and commission ... ... •.. 0 3 0 Duty as proposed .; . ..- _ 1 16 5 Freight ....... ........ •••••••• • •• • • • ... ....... ...2 5 0 Being a loss to the. Importer of per load ... • BALTIC TIMBER. Memel sells present fur pr load CHARGES. First cost at'Mernel Insurance on .. . ditto : . .. • .. . Duty as proposed • Rafting.. Ponding three months -, .... Commission, brokciage, and del credere... 4 II 7 ........ ....1 1 0 Freight on ditto . Leaving a Profit to the Importer of per load ................ . , . . , The shio owners are at present navigating their ships at, a positive loss ; and it is absolutely necessary, to have an increase on the present rates of 25 per cent. and assuming the same to be obtained, the statement will stand thus : QUEBEC. 1 Loss to the inerchapt as above Add 25 per eent. on freight.. • • ••• • • . . I 4 3 • 1 16 9 Shews a lostil to the. Importer of .. I ' :NOVA SCOTIA, OR NEW BRUNSWICK. Loss to the merchant as'above .... ......... ................... ...... 1 1 Add :15 per cent on freight ~ •, ' -.0 11 3 ; ; .-------- ..1 I'2 8 Loss to the Importer."... Profit to the Impoqer 4 above - Deduct 25 r cent s on-freight .. • • PI, •• .1••••••••............ 0 7 2 t i Leaving stil a profit of ... ~ ...... fi • 1 . •.„ „ ....... ~• ~ • MEMEL. Men.