The Sun. — London, England, 1822-05-20 00:00:00

i . NAVIGATION LAWS. FOR THE SUN. • VDITQR—It IS obvious that commercial . . regulations, which grow out of a state of war, are not likely to -te adapted to a state of peace; and that it is far more awry to retain trade in its old channels, than to bring it back again'after it has found its way into new ones. It might have been expected that hisi Majesty's Ministers, from these consi deraticirisnviould immediately, on the return of peace, have set about a general revision of our corrimercial system; but instead of so dotag, for six-years; they not only remained in a state of perfect apathy theeirselves, but opposed the attempts made, by others; to call theattention of the' Legislature .to this import ant subject. They defeated the motion made for repealing our nevidiouifandinapolitic duty on the transit of foreign linens; • for continuing which we are now suffering so severely under the retaliatory measures of Russia. During the war we car 'tied on the commerce of nearly the whole of Europe ; and Many branches ohm& which we have now lost might have been preserved bytimely and judicious regulations, adapted to the change of circumstances, occasioned by the transition from war to peace. At length the complaints of our 'Merchants and Ship-owners have roused his. Majesty's Ministers from their shin - then and they seem now to think they may make amends tier' having done nothing - so long, by running into the oppo site extreme, and doing infinitely more than is consistent either with true policy or sound discretion. • All agree that something ought to be done; but the question is, what ? The prevailing cry of the moment is for a free trade, and in compliance with that cry the present Bill is brought forward. The advocates for free trade affix very different ideas to those words; perhaps as many as the Reformers do to . the -word Reform. Many of them (of whom I profess myself so be one) act in the spirit of moderate Reformers; and merely naisin that while our intercourse with Foreign Powers is encou raged as far as possible on a principle of perfect reciprocity, every practicable freedom and extension should he given to British commerce, by removing all those impolitic restrictions and prohibitions which at present embarrass and cramp its operations. With this view I feel the necessity of simplifying and consolidating the laws relating to trade ; of facilitating, extending, and - perfecting our warehousing system ; of re clueing our deck rates and port charges ; of abolishing all those total prohibitions and excessive duties, which only benefit the -smuggler at the expenee of the fair tra deri and of the Revenue; and of putting an end to those monopolies which sacrifice the interests of British commerce, to the exclusive privileges of Corpozate bodies. Others there are (your ultra Reformers) who are for going far greater lengths, and for taking off every restriction - on foreign competition, without any previous stipu lation with other , nations, that if we make our trade free to then, they will snake their trade free to us in return; or with out any regard to the disadvantages that must inevitaly result . .to Great Britain front this new system. The Bill now before the House of Commons is framed so nompletely in the spirit of these ULTRA FREE TRADERS, that it proposes to repeal the Navigation Laws, by which our commercial intercourse with all the four quarters of the globe is regulated. It might have been - thought that some respect saes due to that system under which we have attained to a :de gree of commercial prosperity and naval power unparalleled in the history of mankind; that we should have , approached it with 'some degree of reverence and veneration ; that we should have proceeded step by step in this work of demolition; .but, on -the contrary, despising the wisdom of our ancestors, And •sicrificing the benefits of experience to the rage for inno vation and experiment, we are desired to abolish at once the ewhole of our navigation system. , Before we commit this rash eact let us eeenesider the principles upon which our Navigation _Laws arefounded, and the consequences that •will result from our departure from them in the manner proposed. Our Ancestors were well aware that an extensive carrying trade, as a nursery for seamen, was the only foundation of a Belligerent Navy ; and in this conviction they enacted that --all commodities brought into Great- Britain should be import ed- either in British ships, or in ships belonging to the country of which the commodities were the growth, produce, and ma •.nufacture- By this regulation, while they placed all foreign .shipping on a footing of perfect reciprocity with British ship ping, in carrying on the commercial intercourse between their .own e•onntey and Great Britain, they, at the same time, re served to British ships our coasting trade 'and fisheries; the freight of all produce imported from OUR OWN Colonies or de pendencies, and also from all Countries having no shipping of their own, which was -then the case with the whole of Asia, enfriesa and America, and is so still, with the exception -of the 'United States and the Brazils. Under this system our carry ing trade rapidly increased, till it far exceeded that of any • other Won on the globe, and our naval power augmented in the same proportion. ' Instead of receiving the produce of Asia, Africa, and America, el;reei revel., the places of their growth, and in British Ships - only, we fue now called upon to admit tbem from EVERY rART of the world, and even from the CONTIGUOUS ports of . Europe, after they have .been imported there. in FOREIGN -.Ships. This sweeping measure, which involves the great ailk of our carrying trade, and in tile same proportion our Naval _Power, is of the utmost importance r e and any wrong icalcula etien or erroneous conclusion as to its results, will he ruinous to the great sources both of -our wealth and greatness. The sub ject, therefore, demands .ourmost serious consideration. -It is n obvions, that if the carrying trade we now reserve to British Shipping exclusively were thrown open to all the werld, in the manner proposed n it must in the nature of things soon fall into the hands of those who can carry it .on at the cheapest rate ; and it is equally dear, that many Foreign .Powers build, equip,- and navigate their Ships, at less expence than ourselves. The :evidence given before the Corrineitte on Foreign Trade proves, that Sh:ps, the building and equipping of which cost near 181 1 1 hper ton in this country, cost only 101. in Prussia, and less than M. in Norway . ; and that provisions and searnens' wages are -also much lower there than in Great Britain. These calcula tions are unfortunately confirmed by experience andtVesevi dencenf facts, which prove that various branches of trade, that "he l ve betn thrown open to equal competition since the peace, -are lost Lb this country, and ENGROSSED BY FOREIGNERS. By the treaty between Greet Britain and the United States of ..America, the Ships of bOth countries are placed upon an equal - footing as to their direct commercial intercoursie with each other, and the witoLE of the trade between the two countries is now carried on in the Ships of the United States. Formerly -- tlrf.at Britain emplbyed about 800 sail of vessels in trading from Port to Port in the Mediterranean, and between the Mediter "Tanan and the - Black Sea, in consequence of the advantage we enjoyed under our treaty with the 'Dey of Algiers; by which -we were protected from capturehy.the Barbary .P'owers,a risk to which the.-xessels of other nations were exposed. In one of our fits of Inimanity and Oilantrophy, we sent out an expedition -to bombard AllierS, and obliged the Dey to respect the Flag , of oritEtt Powers as much as our own. FroM that -moment 'they began -to supplant us in this trade ; and, as is proved in 'the evidence given 'before -the Committee on Foreign Trade, mot a single .British Ship is now engaged in it. Such are the - results of equal competition. In like manner, during the war, we carried on all . the European Trade of Cuba • but since' the Peace,• which 'opened it to the competition of the other Euro pean Powers, it has gradually left us and gone to them ; and our - present hare in it is so circumscribed, as not to amount to on twentieth part of ttie whole. We certainly retain a greater :proportion cf the Brazil Trade; but this is owing to our treaty with Portugal, under which British Manufactures are admitted into her dominions at - 9 per cent. less duty than those of other European Pows ; and even with this advantage, which might • be expected to secure us almost the monopoly of that corn -coerce, a far greater share of it goes to the ports of other Pow -ors than comer to -tliose..of Great . Britain. These are plain and positive facts ; and as the same cause will naturally. pro duce the same effect, they prove that in all cases 'we must lose, if Lot the whole,. the greatest part of those branches of trade -that are operetO general competition. In fact, they only con :firm the proposition, that loaded as we are with taxes whioli enter into the price of all commodities, and govern the wages of labour,. we cannot compete with other nations who are more el'avoterably circumstanced in these respects; and therefore to - expos?. ourselVes unnecessarily to such a competition, ,would be an act of-gratuitous folly. We are too apt. to indulge in the delusive idea, that British industry, enterprize, and skill will .carry all before them; and, under fair and eqUal advantages, I believe they will : but in this case they are so overmatched, .that they . mustibe overpowered. The British farmers •find that they cannot compete with Foreigners in Agriculture; and, for the very same'caeises, the British Ship Owners cannot compete 'With them in cheapnesa'of 'Navigation. If, under this new pia~:,,-the loss of our carrying trade would .gradually take place in time of peace, how much more sud -den.lv as well • as certainly would this -be the case in time of •viikfr British shippingtruist then be navigated at war freights' Acid. war premiums of insurance, from which WICTITRAI. ship ping would be exempted, ;and of • course would immediately' monopolize all the carrying trade : so that, in addition to the loss our commerce, we should lase the means of maintaining our naval force; at the very moment when the demand upon our merchant service for the supply of seamen would be the most urgent, and when . the want of that supply might be fatal to the greatness, and even to the independence of the British Empire. The loss of our carrying trade would inevitably lead to ognstiqu'ences of the Most serious nature. Our ship builders, and the •various 'classes of- tradesmen connected with and de pendent upon them, boat builders, mast Makers, rope' makers, sail makers, block makerS, anchor smiths, coopers, carpenters, joiners, blacksmiths, painters, lighterrnen , shipwrights, • ballast-heavers, and - an infinity of others, whose occupations :.kre derived from shipping, would be deprived of their means of subsistence; and above all our seamen must either emigrate, or starve. The history of the late war has taught us which alternative then. will choose.. We then found the Navy of one hostile Power half manned with British seamen ; and our dis comfited Commanders Might have exclaimed in the words of Macbeth, Were they not forced with those that should be curs, We might have met them dareful, beard to beard, And beat them liackward home. • So far I have considered the effects of this plan upon our Navigation only ; Abut other objections to it remain founded upon its injurious consequences to the interests of our trade and manufactures. At present, the commodities of' Asia, Africa, and America, can only be imported direct from the places of their growth, produce or manufacture, but it is now proposed to admit them from Ar.L PORTS AND PLACES WIIATOE V ER ; so that Foreigners may bring them to Europe in their ships, and then wemay transport them across the!, Channel in our small craft. In other words, we are to give up to Foreigners the I.ONG VOYAGE Of six or twelve months, and ,content ourselves with the short voyage of one or two days, or even a few hours ; and instead of being the exporting csutory .to Europe, we are to become the importing country from Europe. If such were the case, " Alas, how fallen, hoW changed," would be the state of Great Britain ! - But the mischief does not rest here. Many articles manufactured on the Continent arebetter adapted for sale, in distant parts of the world, than those made here. On our present system, we import those goods, mix them up with others of our own ma , nuractuYe, and thus make up assorted cargoes, which we send out, and bring back commodities (chiefly raw materials) in ,return, for which the manufactures of this country offer the only certain and advantageous market. Foreigners having little or no demand for 'these commodities among themselves, and not being permitted under our present Navigation System to send them here, make no shipments of goods with the view of bringing them home ; but sf you take off their hands those return cargoes for which they/have no use, you remove the only obstacle to' their engaging in these branches of commerce. Large shipments of their goods will immediately be made, and will supersede the sale of our goods in various markets, where at present you have little or no competition. Palm oil, ivory, and dye woods from Africa. Cochineal hides, tallow and in digo from South America, and indigo from India, for which our manufactures offer the great market, are now exclusively imported from the places of their growth, in return for British 3; but open your market to them from the contiguous foods of Europe, as this Bill proposes, and they will be brought from the places of their growth in foreign ships and in return for foreign goods. The same observations apply to various other commodities; but these examples will suffice to show the injurious effects of the present Bill, upon British trade and British manufactures. I hardly need add, that any change of system whLehOdeprives OUR MANUFACTURERS of employ ment, .anslobliges them either to seek occupation in another country or to throw- themselves on the Poor-rates for relief, will increase thedistress of our Agriculturists ; and, therefore, that THEY have as strong, though not perhaps so immediate an interest in this discussion, as the Ship-owners themselOes. • The repeal of our'Navigation 'Laws, even as to Europe, is liable to. very powerful • objections. It will defeat the object His Majesty's Ministers profess to have in view, of making this Country the Emporium of Trade, and transfer all the be nefits.af the Warehousing System, from us to our neighbours The Right Honourable the Vice-President of the Board of Trade has began-at the wrong end of his plan. He ought first to have brought in -his Bills for the improveMent of our Ware housing System, and for the reduction of our Quarantine Dues, Dock rates and other port charges ; and then we should have been better able than we now are, to see how far we are able to compete with foreigners. 'We must recollect, that Warehouse rent and Port charges, are much lower in Foreign Ports than here, that they are free from our expensive and harrassing Systems of Quarantine and Excise Laws ; and that these ad vantages'induce not only-Foreign, but even British Merchants, to-lodge.bulky commodities in their warehouses,to -be sent here only when they are wanted for actual consumption. , Brandy, Geneva wines, and Mediterranean. produce of every descrip tion, may be warehoused in Holland and the Netherland's, at much greater advantage than in the Port of London. A British -Merchant who was examined before - the Committee on Foreign •Tradeodeclared that his' House had saved a fortune - by f'onning an Establishment for these purposes at Antwerp. -It was also proved before that Committee, that the rate of warehouse rent paid there is just one fourth of that charged in the 'Bin of London e o that the' Owners of spirits and wines are not liable to any duty for deficiences, either in strength or quantity, that they may alter the strength of their spirits, so as to make them suit any Foreign-market o that they • may mix -spirits in bond with wines in bond, to make the wines keep the better on any foreign voyage ; that they may bottle their wines while in bor4 and all this without any of those •expeuces• or restrictions to -which they -would be subject in this country. It is not impos -sible but that such a-reduction of rates may follow in the abo lition of the Charters "of the several Dock Companies, and that such regulations may take place, both with respect to our QUa rantine Laws and Excise Laws, as will enable us to maintain a more equal competition with Foreigners ; but till this is ascer tained,-.the measure -proposed is highly premature as well as dangerous. Toshew the consequences Of it, under present circumstances, I will give the instance of two vessels, a British vessel bound to London, and a DutCh vessel bound 'to the Netherlands, sailing tooether from Smyrna, laden with cargoes of fruit and other goods; The British ship bound to London would pro bably afrive in the-River Thames about the same time that the Dutch ship would arrive at Amsterdam. The British yes ' sel, on reaching Stangate Creek, is subject, by our quaran tine laws, to a probationary airing of fifteen days. In the course oi-two or three days more, the goods are landed, and put'into a Lazaretto. Ten days afterwards, the fruit is per mitted to be sent to London in-lighters ; after which, the yes 'sel has to perform twenty days, and the other goods thirtydaYs' ouarantine ; the whole detention amounting to near sixty days. The goods - are subject to a quarantine duty, which varis from 16s. 'to - 245. per ton, according to their bulk ; and to this must be added the wages and maintenance of tivi mat ter, officers, seamen, and pilot. The Dutch ship, being sub ' ject so far as respects fruit, to no farther restraint than is prac tised at the quarantine ports in the Mediterranean, may imme diately discharge the fruit into a vessel bound for London, at about the same freight as the lighterage from Stangate Creek ; and at the expiration of eight days tranship her other goods for London, which, being accompanied with certificates of their having performed the usual quarantine, will be admitted to entry here without either difficully or delay, and be brought into consumption within fifteen days from the date of their ar rival at Amsterdam, while the goods that came in the British vessel direct to the River Thames are detaitied sixty days, and saddled with enormous charges, from which. those that came in the Dutch ship are &ea. Other examples of - the same nature might be adduced; but this will be sufficient to show; that if the present Bill passes into a law, unless very different regulations and charges from those_that now exist in our ports are introduced, the inevito , -ble consequence will be that the ports of Holland and the Ne therlands will again become the' depot - of Foreign commoo dines, even for the supply of these kingdoms. What are the arguments by which a measure so pregnant with mischief to all the best interests of this country is supported? One is, that if a British ship liedS, in a Foreign port, articles that are -the produce of any other quarter of the globe, and brings them home, her owners are subject to. the penalty of confisca tion, both of ship and, cargo. Another is, that if a foreign ship inadvertently brings tp thil country any commodity Which our laws do not petmit her to import, she is not allowed to get rid of them on any condition, but must absolutely take them away, to whatever inconvenience or disadvantage the so doing may subject her, or however incompatible it may be with her future engagements or destination. After the length of time - that our navigation laws have been in i forcee they must' be too well understood for cases of this sort to occur very frequently ; `but surely they might be satisfactorily provided for, and both British and Foreign ship owners be relieved, by permitting, such goods to be warehoused for exportation only, or if any of them are admitted to home consumption, by subjecting them to such additional duties as should effectually prevent any in tentional transgression of the laW. .Another argument is, the invidious restrictions and exceptions 'made against *produce from Holland and the Netherlands by our present Navigation Lap. The original restrictions have been much narrowed by subsequent statutes ; but it must be admitted, that although those Countries are placed on the same footing as all others, as to their own shipping and to their own productions, they are not so as to certain enumerated articles, which are the growth or produce of other countries. Be it 'remembered, that Hol land was formerly the Emporium of Europe, and would have so continued, but for our Navigation Laws, which depriOed her of great part of the advantages she enjoyed, and transfer-, red 'them to this country. The question, therefore, is, w h e th er we shall repeal the laws - by which this beneficial -change was 'effected. In passing those laws, our ancestors .did but follow the exathple, and copy the policy ..of Holland herself ; and we ought never to forget how extensive. was her trade, how nu merous her shipping, and how formidable her naval power, till that policy was counteracted by this country. If, therefore, in adopting the same systetn, our Ancestors were actuated in sonic degree by national animosity, it- must also be admitted that they were influenced by considerations of sound policy and necessary self-defence. What is there in the present state of the two Countries, more than at any former period, which diiqualifies - Holland and the Netherlands from again becoming the Ltoporium of Europe, in opoosition to Great Britain ? They enjoy the same natural advantages of inland navigation, by means of doeir communication with those great rivers which run up into the heart of Europe, and enable them to supply all the countries through which they pass, with foreign produc tions Ot.a cheaper rate than they car possibly be conveyed from (}rest Britt - 15A ; and also. enable them to transport the commo dities of :hose countries to foreign markets, at the lowest pos sible rate of expence.. Their ports are contiguous to the sea; and the same wind w ith which their ships sail, will carry them to the place of their destination in any part of the western world.. London is at a distance of near one hundred miles from the ocean ; and the misfortune of the navigation of the' River Thames that ships must inevitebly wait a change ot wind before they can proceed on a voyage across the Atlantic: 1 A northerly or easterly wind, with . which a vessel may sail from Holland, makes it impossible for a ship to leave the port of London ; she must remain there till the wind comes round to the southward or westward, and then she can proceed no farther than, the Downs, where she must wait again for another northerly- or easterly wind to carry her on while, in the mean time, the Dutch ship may have performed her voyage ! With these disadvantages to contend with, if we unnecessarily expose - ourselves to the foreign competition, we d commit an act.of. political suicide. All that Hollan and the Netherlands, ur any other country, can claim from Great Bri tain, isohat their shipping should be placed on the same foot ing as British shipping, in the export and import of their re spective productions.. But neither Holland nor ,the .Nether lands, nor any country, has a right to claim ifie privilege given them by this Bill, of bringing into our ports the pro ductions which they may have imported from other parts of the world. We hear much of the invidious restrictions of our present Navigation system e,but surely the restriction imposed by this Bill is as invidious, and mach more futile, than any that can be named. We are to allow foreign ships to transport foreign commodities, from the remotest parts of the globe to within a few hours sail of our coast; but we prohibit them from bring ing these commodities into our ports. After giving up the voyage of six or twelve months, we stickle for that of one or two days. May not the Hollanders justly say, that we strain at a gnat and swallow a camel? As to th e A mer i cans , what can be more invidious than to compel one, of their ship-owners, who has a quantity of India goods lying in a port of the United States, which he wishes to send to this country, under the pro visions of this Bill, to employ a British ship for that purpose, which probably hewillbe unable to find at all, or must engage at an extravagant rateOf freight, when perhaps his own ship is going on the very same destination, and could take them with out either expence or delay. B e sides this, t he Righ t Hon.' Gentleman seems to have forgotten the treaty between this country and the United States of America, which stipulates that, in the intercourse - between the two countries, the ships of both shall be placed on the same footing. lf, therefore, British ships are permitted to carry East India produce from the United States to Great Britain, American ships have a rileht to do the same; this restriction', therefere, in favour of British ships is null and void as to American ships, being contrary to the faith of an existing treaty. Another argument in favour of the present Bill, is the neces sity of our setting the example of a more liberal system of com mercial policy, and the benefits that we shall derive from its being followed by the other nations of Europe. According to my notions, the rule of action by which we ought to be go verned in our commercial intercourse with other nations n is re cirlrocity.; and liberality is altogether out of the question. In the case of the abolition of the Slave Trade, we thought it necessary to set an example to the other Powers of Europe,— and how was that example followed ? Some- nations have openly refused, and others, who were ashamed to refuse, have secretly evaded.their obligations to join us inf this great work of humanity and phiianthropy,'as well as liberality, and the Slave Trade,' so far from being abolished, has been 'carried on to as great an extent and• with - greater cruelty than' ever. France, after havin g bound herself by treaty to abolish it, deferre d sending out the necessary. orders for carrying that' treaty into effect, till she had increased the cultivation of sugar in Marti nique and Guadaloupe froth 75,000 tol2o,ooo.hogsheads., The King of the Netherlands gave instructions to prevent the im portation 'of slaves . from Africa, -but not from the other West Indian Colonies; into Surinam, until that settlement was fully supplied with Javes by . vessels from Africa, who merely touched at Martiniqhe or Guadaloup e , a nd too k fresh clear ances from those Islands; .The King of Spain, after having agreed .by treaty to a boli s h th e -Sl ave Trade 'in October, IC2O, discovered that he had not allowed his subjects sufficient time to finish their expeditions to the Coast of Africa, in which they might have engaged ; and that. -sufficient time has not yet elapsed, for .a friend of mine, who left . . the Havannali very lately, tells me that he sailed in company with no l ess t h an f our vessels, avowedly bound to the Coast of Arica for slaves. -In deed, it is a notorious - fact, that our Commissary Judge and Commissioner of Arbitration, who have been at the Havannali for eighteen•months past, according to treaty, to punish all in fractions of' the abolition laws, HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO ACT ; but that the. Vovernor. and Intendant at the Havan nah, upon THEIR OWN responsibility, have taken upon them selves to admit the importation of slaves from Africa, in chips of any nation, and that they are openly sold there at the pre sent day. Portugal, at the Congress of Vienna, gave reason to expect that she would loin 'in the abolition after a certain pe riod • but now declines pledging' herself Wdo so at any deter minable period whatsoev e r. The Emperor of Russia, our g reat and magnanimous Ally, one of •the great professors o f huma . nity and philanthrophy, who, at the Congress of Vienna, sup ported' the • proposition of the Noble Secretary of State for .Foreign Affairs,: for esetadink the produce of those powers who should not abolish the Slave Trade within a given time, has actually granted a monopoly of the supply of his dominions with sugar to the Colonies of the only Powers by whom. the Slave Trade is still carried on !.! This instance :shows how little dependence can be placed on the other European Powers .following a liberal example. In short, a liberal system of com merce is the MERE cAsr of the day;' it may serve as a theme for the display of oratorical declamation ; but the 'plain old proverb, " that trade knows no friend," is much more to be depended upon as a rule of policy among nations, in their ciini niercial transactions. Every Government will consider the in terests-of its own subjects in preference to those of foreigners; and 'to -expect them to act oLlicrwise is absurd. Whether we court foreigners or not, they will take from us those articles which THEIR NECESSITIES require, : and which they can PURCHAsE HERE CHEAPER than elsewhere; and if we court them ever so much, they will take,nothing more. Most of the , European Powers are our tivafs, both in cowrie! le and manu factures; and it is to, those DISTANT NATIGNs, nhoneither navigate' nor manufacture for themselves, • in short, it is to the NEW WORLD that we must look for indemnification against ' the jealousy and envy of the old. The clauses of the present Bill, on which I - have animad verted, ore in direct opposition to the evidence given -before the ComMittee on .Foreign Trade. Seven Gentlemen were exa mined as to the expedient of repealing the Navigation L aws .in the manner proposed. Five of them were decidedly adverse to the measure. - One thought that it might not be injurious in time of peace, but would int ruinous in case of war ; and the other, though' friendly to it on general principles, declared, that he bad not made up his mind on this subject.—The parties, whose interests are More immediately affected by this measure, the British Ship Owners, are unaninions - in their opposition to it, ant; have expressed their sentiments in Pett , .dons from every part of the kingdom, praying that the Bill, as it new stands, may not pass into a law, and declaring their conviction that the- repeal of our Navigation Laws will, prove the destruction of our navigation itself. - • H His Majesty's Ministers, in proposing this measure, seem to be acting in 'opposition to their own declarations; for in a .pamphlet: said to be published under official authority, en titled The State of the . Nation," I find the following passage ;—" They havelearnett that the first• interests of the Empire is in its national defence; and in the maintenance, " in their, full integrity, of- those funds for that Maritime greatness and revenue, under .which we have attained our " actual conditiL. They 'perceive, moreover, that an abso " lute liberty of &Ade , can e exist,.. beneficially for us, only by " becoming a general system for it' one nation should abolish " all its duties and restraints, whilst other nations should re , ." Min them, the former would only sacrifice its revenue,' and " reduce all the sources of its national power, in order to " strengthen and enrich the latter. Under these two .controul " ing principles, HiS Majesty's Ministers have indeed deemed " it prudent to retain tire Navigation Laws of -.the Kingdom, " and to Much with great caution and delicacy a commercial " System, under which the general commerce ct Great Britain " exceeds • the collective amount of the trade of all the nations " in the world."—No man can read these sentiments without applauding them ; but, alas ! the lessons His Majesty's Mini.. sters are here said'to have• learned are all forgotten ; the con -trouling principles under which they are statedto act ARE ALL ABANDONED in this Bill ! The framers of this Bill endeavour to allay our apprehen sions, by stating, that the disadvantages of the double voyage from cne of the adjacent ports of Europe to thiS country are so great, that foreigners will never interfere with the direct trade in British ships. I contend, on the contrary, that the expence of the short voyage may and will be outweighed by other con siderations that it will Operate more heavily on goods of gr ea t bulk and little value, • than on goods of little bulk and great value—on the, latter of which it will scarcely be felt ; that it will frequently be more than counterbalanced by fluctuations in our markets ; and that if this Bill should pass, those fluc tuations' will be greater than ever, and our markets be worse supplied than they now are. In the present state of things, British merchants can calculate with some degree of precision, from the nuniber of British - ships.thaf have sailed for any par ticular destination, what .sat of any commodity may be elx . pected to arrive at our markets; but they • will be UNABLE to form :any idea 'upon the subject, when they are exposed to these indirect importations from every country in Europe, and will be afraid to speculate, as they .new do, in the face of such competition.' Admitting, 'however, for a - moment, that the framers of the Bill are right and 1 am wrong, and that fo reigners derive no advantage from this Bill, all the merit it will thee have is that of being nuatory ; but should the re- 4 verse be the case , as lam persua ded the event will prove, all that is gained by them must be lost to us, and the Bill will be ruinous to British Interests. Why, then, should we hazard an experiment, in which we have nothing to gain but every thing to lose ? As a farther Panacea, we are told that if the Bill produces those injurious consequences to our Navigation which we ap. prehentleit may be repealed; for being a-voluntary act of our own, unaccompanied by any stipulation with Foreign Powers, we are under no obligation to continue it in force longer than ire think proper. - I beg -leave-to deny this conclusion. We profess to adopt this measure on principles of liberality, and as making an amende honorable to Foreigners, for the restrictive system, under which we have so long acted. With' what pro priety then can we return to a system under which we have so long acted. With what propriety then can we return to a sys tem which we have ourselves condemned ? To put a case in point,: we have admitted Foreign Powers to trade with our Eaet "India ppseeasions. If we now attempted again to resume the monopoly of the trade of India, would not foreigners con sider this its a great grievance ? In like manner, if we grant them permission to bring the produce of all the World close to our ports, and then introduce it ,into our home consuMption, will they net think themselves aggrieved by our retracting this permission ; and will not their discontent at being deprived of it, be proportioned to the adVantagei they derived from its ' continuance ? In short, such .a step might very probably lead to a confederation of all the world against us, such as was at tempted by Buonaparte, and on the same ground of our being the 'Tyrants of the Seas. ' We are further told, that we have prospered not under, but_ in spite of our Naviaation.system7 ,If 1 were to assert that the family of Hone: of 'Amsterdam had grown wealthy, not by commerce, bat in spite of commerce, would not those who heard me think that I was making a most preposterous assert tion ; that I was denying the connection between cause and ef fect. Our navigation system has been so long established, anti has so extensive and comprehensive an effect, that had the principle, of it been bad, we should long ago have been mines' ; but being good, we have eminently prospered. Before we adopted it, we were a SUBORDINATE commercial and mari time PowER ; but since we have adopted it, we have become the greatest commercial and maritime power in the Universe ! We are taught by high authority, that " the tree " is known by its fruits ; that a good tree cannot bring forth " bad fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Let, us judge of our Navigation system according to this or thodox doctrine,' and not according to the sceptical tenets of modern pblitical economy. Something yet remains behind the curtain. The Right Ho nourable Gentleman who brings in this Bill, must be doubtful, whether British shipping can maintain the competition to which it exposes them ; for he intends, in a consolidation Act, to impose duties, for their protection, on all commodities that may be imported under the provisions of this Bill ! How in consistent is this with that liberal system of commerce, of which this Bill is the first fruits ? It is the semblance, not the reality of liberality. It is assuming a virtue though we have it not. We profess to Foreigners to make a relaxation in their. aavour, and then load our- concession with taxes, which de prive it of all its value. "Will they not justly com plain that we • treat them with duplicity and insincerity ? It has been often observed, that it is much easier to find fault than to mend; but I trust that I shall not do the one without doing the other. As far as I understand the complaints of foreigners, (and my Opportunities of judging of them have been neither feei nor small), they are not directed against the PRINCIPLES of our Navigation system, which is founded on perfect reciprocity, but against ohat obscurity and seneertainty which has been heaped upon it by a vast mass of legislation; and against the harpships to which they are sometimes subjected, by uninten tional violations of our laws. The first of these grievances is completely redressed by the Bill, which repeals all our former laws respecting importation, and consolidates them into one act, "so that he who runs may read." This part of the Bill has my most cordial approbation ; and if instead of the clause's to which I have objected, a clause were introduced declaring -our ports open to all vessels, as a depBt for commodities of every description, to be warehoused for exportation.. I am • persuaded that perfect satisfaction would be given to foreigners, as well as to British ship owners ; and that the commercial and manufacturing interess of this country would be greatly. bene fited ; without sacrificing the principles of our Navigation system. The difference between the Bill, as it now stands, and' the amendment which I propose may be stated in a few words.— As the Bill now stands, the whole of our Navination system is subverted; because produce brought from Asia, Africa , or America to Europe, and from one part of Europe to another, in Foreign ships, may be admitted into the home consump tion of this country. By my amendment, our Navigation sys tem will be preserved' entire ; because such produce can only be warehoused for exportation, and the supply for Fritish con sumption wilabe reserved for produce brought direct from the place of its growth, as at present. As the sill now stands, foreigners will be subject to the restriction of landing the produce of Asia, Africa, and Ame rica in some foreign port, and then re-shipping it in British vessels to this country , ; a restriction highly burthensome to them, without being advantageous to us; for as it may beex pected that the goods will be chiefly brought to the contiguous ports of Europe, the voyage of a few hours which we retain, is no object compared with that of many months which we give,up. By my amendment, we give foreigners the advan tage of bringing all manner of commodities to our ports in their own ships, for exportation ; and that without any res triction whatever. As the Bill now stands, it will exclude a vast mass of 'business from our ports, which my amendment would let in. • Under the present provisions of the Bill, mer chants in the United States of America, who have the produce of distant parts of the world lying there, will be deterred from sending it here, by the delay and expence of putting it on board a British ship, and will continue to send it on to the Continent of Europe in their own ships; but under my amendment, which relieves them from this restriction, they will be induced to send it here, where they can at once obtain advances upon it, from mer chants on whose intelligence and integrity they can rely, and thus immediately raise funds for the prosecution of farther commercial adventures. Soon after the commence ment of the late.war, the French troops overran Holland, and in order to. Save. produce destined to that country,. from falling into theebauds.of the invaders, a Bill was passed, I think in the year 1795, called the " Dutch Property Act," which ad mitted all vcesels bound to Holland, to warehouse their cargoes, in this country, for exportation. A vast number of American vessels, laden with the produce of Asia, Africa, and America, which, in the then disturbed state of Europe, generally cleared out for Cowes and ii market, and- proceeded from Cowes ac cording to the orders of the correspondents of their owners in London, took the'benefit of this Act. The Act was passed for a limited period ; and before the time expired, a deputa tion of inerthants'had a conference with Mr. Pitt, at' which they stated the great benefits that would be derived to the com mercial and—manufacturing interests of Great Britain, by the continuance of this Bill : and Mr. Pitt was so fully impressed with a conviction of the importance of these benefits, that the Bill was continued, from time to time, for many years after the object for which it was originally passed had ceased to exist. My amendment, therefore, is supported by the high authority of .Mr.. Pitt.. The permission granted to American vessels, of warehouSingforeign produce here for exportation, not only brought a vast influx of that produce into our ports, but scarcely a vessel came to this country without taking back a re turn cargo of British manufactures, to a greater or less amount, which served as the Means for purchasing more foreign pro. duce, and thus the wheel of commerce was kept perpetually going round. Renew the same facility, and reduce your port charges, as the right Hon. Gentleman intends to do, and you will revive the-saine beneficial trade, not only with the' treited States of America, but with other nations. I am persuaded that my amendments Will accomplish all the objects which the Right Honourable Gentleman professes to haVe in' 'view. It Would *=RETAIN the princifn of our IN/vi gation Laws, which he admits to be " indispensable to our ' Maritime Power, on which the security and protection of " .corximerce itself, and the greatness of this country, essentially " depend ;" and it •would " remove such restrictions as may " be removed, consistent with that principle, in order to give " to Foreign Trade, 'itnd the productions of foreign countries, " the utmost facility of access to our ports, for transmission " over every part of the world."—These objects, which I have stated in his own words, will be accomplished by my amend ment, but not by his Bill as it now stands ; and I sincerely hope. that he. will so alter kat to meet the suggestions I have oflered. If not,. I trust the sense of. the House on this highly . important subject will be taken upon it, and that it will not receive the sanction of the Legislature. - May 16, 1322, 111Er1CATOR. The LORD MAYOR and , SiftRIFFS attended at the. Church of St. Mary Magnus, yesterday, when a most ex cellent Sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. SPRINGETT, from the24th chap. of St. Luke, for the benefit of that admirable Institution, the Guardian Society. A liberal ,collection was made at the doors after service. On Thursday night about 12 o'clock, a great alarm was produced in this town, by a violent explosion which took place in one of our principal streets (Briggate), and which was so loud as to be heard at the distance of half a mile. Upon inVestigation, ieturned out to have been occasioned by the explosion of a band-g-renade, which had been placed under the shop-window of Mr. Hepworth, sh9e-maltcr, evidently for the purpose of either setting fire to the shop, or of doing some other serious mischief td the premises. The most active exer tions are making to discover the author of this diabolical con trivance.—(Leeds lifercilry.) FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. " Pests, MAT IG.—Deputies elected Ilartatft de Castex, M. Duplan, M. Thesan de Biran ; Dordogne, M . de Meynard, M. de Genis ; Haut Rhin, M, Bignon. " The Bing presided yesterday at a Coined of Ministers. " A special Messenger arrived at the Ittssian Embassy yes terday morning from Petersburgh. " In consequence of the accounts received from St. Domingo, the Chamber of Commerce of Havre made applications to the. Ministers of Marine and Colordesand:of the . Interior, and re ceiv,ed from the former the following Answer:— Paris; May 11, 18:'' Messieurs--I have this instant received the letter w hi,:n you - did me the honour to addreis tome yesterday. After having stated that advices, which appear to hav2a certain character of authenticity , leave, if it m a y b e so s a id, no doubt that General Boyer had put an embargo on the French ships in the ports of St. flamingo, you request of me to inform you on what point hostilities are to be apprehended, and What is to be the conduct observed by navigators relative to St. Domingo ? ' I commence, Messieurs, by replying to you, that no ad - Vices hive reached me of any embargo at St: D o mingo ; * and if, contrary to all expectation, so violent a measure has been ordered, it could only have been very suddenly, and it wo uld , necessarily have been revoked almost iidmediately on its being directed, as it could only have bean resorted to m consequence of the most incorrect reports. When Rear-Admiral Jacob, in concert with Lieutenant - General the Count Donzelot, sailed on his return to France to the Peninsula of Saruana, with apart of the vessels under lila orders, he had not, nor could have, any other object or motive than to offer aid to the French inhabitants whom a sudden change of domination had alarmed. lie confined himself to the fulfilment of this honourable mission, which certainly was not of a nature to excite any sort, • of disquietude or distrust; and' if, which is improbable, it ha" given rise in the first instance to false interpretations, they would be soon dissipated. . do not admit, therefore, that a passing incident—tha t a step which was merely in.unison with the conduct observe"' by his Majesty's ships in all seas, couldhave any serious con sequences. Affairs are entirely in their former state as to our relations with all the ports of America, and the just conduct of the Government has secured in all these ports a favourable veer tion for our vessels. These vessels are also effectually pro tected by,our cruisers, which display equal prudence and acti vity. Thus we have every reason to believe that our situation cannot be in any respect altered, and that our vessels continue to enjoy throughout America the same security. Receive, Messieurs, the assurance of my distinguish consideration. The Peer of France, Minister, Secretary of State for the Marine and Colonies.- igneds • The Marquess de CLE MONT-TONNERV " MAY 17.—England is now not in a state to prevent war; not being able to avoid it, it is natural that she should endetteout i or at least that she should be desirous, to have the war concentrated in provinces, the occupation of which by Russia will not aim a too direct blow at' the maritime pre:: Wallachia of the British Empire. If Russia wer e mistress °' Wallachia and Moldavia, she wouldnot have a port the mor e in the Black Sea; if she there bounded her conquests, sh e would still be at a great distance from Constantinople,. O r would she be in a more menacing position th a n she is 11 011 'S with regard to the ports of the sea of Marmora, t h e shores °- the Bosphorus, or especially the Strait of the Dardanelle s, through which the Russian ships are obliged to Pu ss to pro ceed to the Islands ofthe Archipelago, and enter the Neal' terranean. " Thus, therefore, reasoning still' upon conjectures, Erg- 3 n a a might consent freely to leave the Russians in 'Wallachia 3rl Moldavia. The occupation of these two provinces, which al still far from the Black Sea, would add nothing, or at lea s little,to.the maritime resources of Russia. the " But if England is not much disquieted at anticipating entrance of the Russian army into Moldavia and Wallaehi 3 ; can it be the same with regard to Austria ? It is suflicie°„ l t l , throw a coup d'cril over the map to resolve this question. NI lachia and :Moldavia bound on the East to an immense e^' tent the Austrian possessions, and if the Russi a ns we r-,, a masters of thein, the finest provinces of Austria mi g ht, ss said to be surrounded by the Russians. Certainly, at no toil will Austria consent to suffer herself to 'be hemmed in by colossal power, the neighbourhood of which, in many respect'' could not fail to awaken the deepest Solicitude. - f es . " Thus, therefore, with regard to the occupation o e ma th o e , single provinces by Russia, obstacles present themselves part ot two other powers, which all the resources of diPl an ne . will have much difficulty in surmounting. 'Whilst the so d gociation is proceeding, the Porte daily levies new soldiers , P oa marches them towards the Danube and the Truth. her side, augments her forces, already imsnente--sheprosis l r o her numerous armies ready to enter upon a' campaign--she exhausted her treasury—she has a million of men undeT Sill' —can she avoid making war ?—(Constitzztionnel. ) yr t , " Deputies elected :—Gers, M. de Cassaignoles ; seer atil r M. Durand Fajen M. de llauteroche, 0 , 1 3 ' Alps ' Alps I M. Bucelle, ' M. Colomb. nd s " t results from the elections, hitherto known, that the frieiave of the Monarchy, of the Charter, and of legitimacy', 1 he y triumphed in the Electoral Colleges of Arrondissement ; have obtained twenty-eight Deputies, their adversaries twee three.—(Journal des Debats. ) of " The Spectateur Oriental gives 'accounts from Smri l i a le it the 13th of April, which state that several Gr e eks who had their e plaees of concealment had been murdered. eug" " TSCHERNOWITZ, APRIL 21.—The Turki s h troops r e meat in Moldavia'. Those in the environs of the Pruth estimated-at nearly 30,000. The Turks have also sent a n,'' l ool ber of, troops into Servia to keep down the inhabitatiV, fr whom The R they have every i thing to fear. OJY Russian fleet n the Black Sea is equipped and to sail ; it is to embark a considerable corps of troops. week Its destination will be known, a It is stated from Belgrade, that the Turkish Paella 11 0 . 1 , 11 , ° , commands there, had requested permission to purchase f:, r e s il sions in the Austrian States. It is added, that this reqae"' been ranted. so t° " FRONTIERS OF ITALY 'MAT 2.—A -private lette r int ° Pera states, that all the Franks who arealittle iiiitiatea., the state of affairs are convinced that war is in e vitable 1 ' t he. Emperor of Russia persists in his propositions, as n either tbs . Grand Seignior nor the Members of the Divan Wnl ir l33 ' :e alhe least concession. All the efforts of the Austrian laternunci° f; ik ia useless, as no power in the world can induce the Grand Selb a bo' to alter his determination ; and any. one of his Alialsie r . s od should venture to propose to him the least concession, v•• 134 decapitated or strangled within twenty-fo ur , hours. . ro c, AUGSBURG, MAY 9.—Letters from Si l e sia s t a te, the _ orp s, gazines were , hastily constructing by a considerable sa d'arinee ; and fram Lemberg it is stated that an army servation is to take up a position, in that province. a the " LEGHORN ? MAY I.—Yesterday arrived in this Pf . „te, following American ships o f war :—The Constitution :I n s; 50 guns, Commodore Barker; the corvette Ontario' . 2 tali" and the schooner Nonsuch 12 guns • the !hat twotr3n.seus , raker, nd4 the allirilefaainalahoza -iitesirsaid" that this drop will proceed immediately toahe Archipelago. - .I°' " VIENNA, MAY 5.-- ( Extract of a Private Letter. ) c ot , ' the last eight days no, doubts have been entertained'°lZsea, tinuance of peace, and thai the diff e renc e s b e ts "a Go' and Russia will be adjusted.. It is said. _that. the Tusk; ea °!. vernment is more tractable, anti th a t th e united c Austria and Englnd will' attain their object. " MAY 6.—lt is reported that Field Marslial•l l3 " ° , ' going to,Petersburgh on a special mission. : A a • " AIX-LA-CHAPELLE, MAY 11. —(Extract frul.i n ,(lo` . Z oi s tO , vale' Letter.)—The speculators in the Austrian fun ds, ,ells' ferent commercial towns of Germany, who receive their t :, at die gence from certain banking-houses of Vienna, give out Porte has' at length decided' on Making. great CO neesdsLiolli' Russia ; and that even the fear of war, which appzor e f r e a aisli nent, has determined the Divan to giee orders to the a o t hese troops who Ziccupy Moldavia arid Walachia, to esacil3le e ore principalities without delay, arid they will in future its' of, too cian Princes for Hospodars. This news, however, e l! aso i e lly, much importance not to require confirmation, more s v r; se ert e W since letters recently received at B e rlin from ar Israti l that on the 15th of this month the Russian armies of tike„ re .. , and the Danube set forward to inv a de the Ottoman terrlotnit 0 1 " CAILLSRUHE, Mar 7.—The highly M. Bassermann, relative to the introduction of a rig°r ° ,.„a the hibitory system for the piatection of the agricultureeeah;sticee manufactures of the Grand Duchy, of which he if , LThier 01 some time ago, was brought forward by him in the uthaa - Deputies on the 6th inst. • ersevc re `For a long series of years,' said he,' Fra.4e has.P eowe r de in its well calculated system of prohibitory slutiO.;_ e tt rit l y of its viates from the principle of =kik as great a seeeivil productions as possible go to other countries, and of o f its s° a's little as possible from' abroad. The cultivation beome. has greatly gained by this, its' manufactures lavc efec tioP , daily more extensive, and attained the highest „ ci e and otner ',ass What it formerly received from Biden, ssesses bouring states, it now in a great degree pe e . important In_tnoor in itself. It annually adds to the number of the dolk !() a 1 t P,res( VQr r , had : 01 13 1 Pea r; /15r 44ti. 41 1 , int khiu .4ave th e ;' /44 4 : 111i4 91'414 t st t k t • then AT • tw o la ti Year, Oft 4r th e a itt ty ee-r. ' 4 41 1 , 1 • . th 4 och e o,!ged;