The Sun. — London, England, 1822-05-21 00:00:00

-against the principle of the Bill, in the course of a discus -sion which had taken place on a former evening. The measure now immediately before the House, and another (the ancient Commercial Statutes' Repeal Bill), were intended to carry into effect the proposition which he had the honour of laying before the House at the close of the last Session of Par liament, for the purpose of clearing, simplifying and amending, the Navigation Laws of this country, as well as with a view to the extending and improving our commercial intercourse with foreign nations. Bills were at that period introduced, pro forma, to give gentlemen an opportunity of weighing the subject in their minds. Since that time various alterations were made in the measures then contemplated ; and prin cipally in the structure and provisions of the Bill which was net at that moment before the House. The object of that Bill -- was, to simplify all the acts relative to navigation which it ap peared necessary to retain, and to repeal those statutes which were ne longer useful. The Bill now before them, and the other measure to which he had alluded, to both of which he had himself directed the most vigilant attention, would, con jointly, have the effect of clearing and simplifying the existing law.' This was proposed to be done by repealing a great va riety, of acts of Parliament, which passed from the reign of Ed ward 111. when the first navigation laws were promulgated, down to the period of Charles 11. Those acts were passed un der various circumstances and with different objects ; and, as those circumstances ceased to operate, the laws which they had created fell into disuse; so that the acts from the time of Charles 11. were universally considered as the navigation laws of the country, the statutes which had been enacted anterior to that period having become obsolete. Observing the contradic tions which those acts frequently presented, not merely to sta tutes of a later date, but with reference to each other, it was deemed necessary to repeal all the laws which had been intro duced on this subject before the reign of Charles 11. Those laws might be classed under threeheads, namely, those which a change of circumstances had rendered useless ; those which 'militated against the provisions of the existing navigation law ,and those which were ''no longer necessary in consequence .of subsequent ear recent enactments. With respect to the expediency of rendering the law as plain and likewise as intelligent as possible, there could be no doubt. Every -one must agree, that it was an object of great importance so to frame the law that it should be subject to as little question or doubt as possible. To the general principle he belieeed there -was and could be no objection; but it would be matter con sideration to the Committee, whether this or that paeti9elar act , should be repealed, or whether the description he had given of any of those acts which it was intended to remove was a cor e . rect one. Since the present Bill was laid before Barliameet, Petitions, he understood, had been presented with reference to two of those acts—one relative to the export of wool, the other relative to the import of woollen cloth. With respect to, the first, he had merely to observe, that the whole of its provi sions were consolidated under the 28th of his late Majesty.;: consequently the repeal of the act passed previously to the reign of Charles 11. could not affect any party whose interests were protected by that statute : they would remain in precisely the same situation in which they stood at present. As to the importation of woollen cloth, there were acts on the statute book - which prohibited any such traffic. There was, however, nolike lihood that foreign doth would be imported, since our manufac • tune was so much superior to that of any other country in Europe. Indeed, an act was passed some years ago, in the preamble to -which it was set forth, that no such prohibition was necessary. 'But any apprehension on this head was set at rest by the act of 1787, by the provisions of which a heavy duty was levied on -ell foreign cloths imported into this country with a view to Competition. These were the only two ancient acts to the re peal of which he believed any objection would be offered. The trabject had been thoroughly considered since last session ; and some -few ancient Acts, relative to our system of navigation, but of very little importance, had been discovered, and they were included in the measure now before the House. Of the most ancient Acts, two only had been preserved. The object of the one ewas to reserve to our Courts the cognizance of all matters connected with foreign trade ; the other, which was passed in the time of Edward 111., gave to the foreigner, when nis interest in any merchandize was concerned, the right to de mand a jury, half foreigners and half Englishmen. That law Sae one of the concessions which were made in confirmation of the great charter, and showed the disposition to encourage fo reign trade, by which that Prince, one of the wisest that ever swayed the British sceptre, 'was actuated. The present mea sure was drawn up merely with reference to the Navigation Law as it operated on the trade of this country; and in decid ing on it, two questions were to be considered—first, whether it was necessary to make any alteration in the law ; and next, whether the alterations which he was about to propose were wise and expedient? He was aware that the projected altera tion in the Navigation Law had excited great alarm amongst different classes of persons. They had been, told, through the medium of resolutions, petitions, and papers, published in various ways, that mean adherence to the principles on which the Navigation Law proceeded, depended the safety and prosperity of the counefy ; and therefore that those prin ciples could not he surrendered without the greatest dienger to the welfare of the State. If the great principles of the Navigation 'Law were to grant a due preference to British ma nufactures—if it were meant by those principles that coun tries which had no shipping of their own should send their commodities to England in British vessels—if it were intended by those principles to protect the direct trade with our colonies, and to maintain our coasting . trade and fisheries—if these points were to be secured' by the principles of the Navigation Law, he coralaPvatuf l perfectaagreed in tiT....22T,tjeciPicaoniedteliTlVla7 But if these principles tolerated and recommended a system of severe exclusion—if they pointed at a system of prohibition— if such were the principles of the Navigation Law, then he totally disagreed -from those who approved of them ; and he thought that many of the laws which were enacted on those principles might:be removed with very great advantage to the country—(-Iga; hear!)—Those who approved of this harsh and severe system, contended that foreigners had no right to complain of the law. He knew very well that it was in the power of every country to determine what degree orcommerce l it would carry on with neighbouring nations, and under whatl species of regulation or restriction. That was the undoubted right of every State. Whatever those restrictive laws might be, as it was optional with the foreign country to carry on trade under them, or to decline a commercial connexion with the State • which had given birth to them, the foreigner certainly had no right to complain. But though he had no right to complain, he certainly had a right to retaliate. —( H ear !) He might meet restriction by restriction—he might encounter prohibition by prohibition—he might oppose severity by seve rity.--e(Hear I)—Doubtless England had a right to declare tenet her commerce should be ; but having made that eleclara tion—having stated how far foreign commerce should extend— it was proper that the Legislature should examine whether the regulations established for the purpose of protecting and en couratang that trade were or were not wise and politic. It was not because those with whom we traded were foreigners that restrictive measures sliould betadopted. They should be re . sorted to merely for the purpose of protecting our essential in • tercets ; and if other countries were disposed to act on the same principle, it appeared to him most evident that the freeest sys tem of trade would be found by far the most advantageous.— (Hear, hear !)—lf this were the fact, and if' they felt severely the baneful- effects of those restrictions which foreign powers opposed to our trade—restrictioas which were increasing every day—if,2 years ago, the manufacturing interest called out against the restrictions Which Parliament imposed on foreign trade, and demanded their removal—if such restrictions were found equal- I; injurious tq those against whom they were directed, and those y whom they were inflicted; if they were inimical to the interests of this country, which ought, by its wealth, industry, and in- Aitutions, to be the greatest commercial power in the world, was it not the wisest and soundest system they could adopt to abandon those principles which hail produced to much mis chief, and to retrace their steps as quickly as possible ? (Hear I)—He knew that, in consequence of the artificial situa tion in which the country was placed, and which h a d necessa rily led to the existing system, the relaxation of the law must be considerably narrowed. But narrow as those relaxations must be, he thought it would be wise and prudent to go to the utmost verge of them, consistently with the safety and prospe rity of those classes of the people whose interests they were especially bound to protect. He did homage to that free and liberal system, which, while it was beneficial to others, Was most peculiarly beneficial to those by whom it was supported. Ilis anxious desire was to give the greatest range to the ener gies of commerce—to give the utmost excitement to enterprise and speculation—to extend the benefits of unfettered trade to all mankind, to whatever soil, climate, Or quarter of the globe hie destiny attached him. The Object of the Bill was to attain tOe end, or at all events to mark the disposition of Great Britain to effect it. Hear !)--Many of the existing laws were enacted in the reign of Charles IL when the trade of this country found powerful opponents in the determination and enterprise of the people of llolland. What was the situation of the Dutch at that period ? They possessed all the wealth and commerce of the world. The- Navy of Holland was most formidable, 'and the alliances which that State had formed were most dan gerous to the safety and security of England. It was, there lve, a great object to abase, and pull doWn, and weaken the power of Holland. It was wise, in a political point of view, to enact 'awe for that purpose; and whatever was ne z emery for maintaining any advantage that was acquired by those laws, he was ready to preserve. At that necessity, however, he would stop; because all beyond it was useless severity, cal culated only to injure us by exciting in the minds of other States a desire to retaliate. England had already suffered much, in aionsequence of the desire which other Powers felt to retaliate ; :and, if he were not very much mittaken, she was likely to suffer . peat deal more.--(Hear, hear.)—He knew not how farahe • Gentlemen connected with the shipping interest might agree with him, but he could assure them that they had not trieir interest at heart more sincerely or more warmly than he had.— (Hear, hear.)—He wished to protect them through the other interests of the country, but he Mt no desire to protect them independently of those interests ; neither did he wish to extend to them any thing that could be deemed an unnecessary pro tection. Ile would ask what was the best and truest support of the navy, but, a large, extensive, and flourishing commerce ? He did not know a country in the world that had a great navy without an extensive commerce ; neither did he know any state that had a flourishingcommerce, without being at the same time an extensive naval power. He knew there were some cases in which navi gation and commerce came. in contact ; and in those cases he would prefer the interest of navigation to that of commerce. He would support navigation, because commerce evidently de pended on the existence of ' a great naval force. In that point of view it was, that the Acts of Charles IL were wise and po litic. The legislature of that day preferred navigation to com merce, and it was right that they should do so. That system of policy had answered all the purposes for which it was intro duced, the principal of which was to cramp and fetter the com merce of the Dutch. But that object having been effected, there was no longer any necessity for pursuing the same course. What had been the history of the commerce of Great Britain since that time ? Was it improved by a strict adherence, at all times, to this system ? Certainly it was not. On the con trary, the whole history of our commerce, from that'period, proved that a system of relaxation from those Acts was adopted. In fact, the statutes relaxing the Navigation Law in favour of commerce amounted in number to more than 300. In carrying the commerce of England to the highest pitch that the commerce of any country had ever reached, it would be found that, during die last twenty-five years, our naval power had gone hand in hand with our commercial greatness. The principles and feelings by which our own restrictive policy was so long governed, had been closely imitated at different periods by all 'the Continental Powers. There was scarcely a State in Europe which had not endeavoured to turn our own system against ourselves ; and even lately several of them had adopted prohibitions similar in their tenour and spirit to those by which we had laboured to promote our commerce, and to extend our marine. In particular it must be in the memory of gentlemen what strenuous efforts had been recently made by Russia, and how far she had gone in copying our ancient ex. elusions and prohibitions. But they ought at the same time to recollect, that it was our own example which was pursued—nay, they could mitfail to be aware that the cry at home, on learning these new regulations, which had in fact emanated from our own policy, was, that we should retaliate, and render our prohibito ry system yet more rigid and unsparing. For his own part, he conceived that the time had arrived for legislating on wiser and soh more liberal maxims. Our merchants were likewise convin ced, that these were not the true principles of carrying on the commercial intercourse of nations. Sound wisdom prescribed, and to us especially, who had led others into mistakes and er roneous views, upon this subject, to adopt conciliatory measures and tituste a course the reverse of what we had so long and so blindly followed.—(Hear, hear !)—lt now became his duty to explain the chief relaxations and provisions of the bill which it was his object to introduce. 'lnc first, • he apprehended, would yery shortly meet with the approbation of all classes ;—it pro posed to allow fereign ships to bring goods from any port ' where they happened to be, provided that they belonged to the port in question. This lte did not think there was any reason for fearing would generate or encourage an habitual trade. It would, however, remove a great deal of inconvenience by super seding the necessity ()fusing circuitous routes on many occasions. The - expenses and other disadvantages incidental to trans shrpments would always prevent any new or irregular practice from receiving encouragement, to the prejudice of a more direct and established system. Another relaxation to which he had to draw the attention of the House, referred to a particular part of Europe, now in close amity and alliance with us. The celebrated Act of Charles 11., to which he had already adverted, permitted foreign goods to enter our ports either in British ves sels, or in ships of that country of which they were the growth and produce. But such at that time was our dread of the rivalry of Holland, that the Dutch were debarred from the benefit of this general rule, and all importation was forbidden from Holland and the Netherlands in an yships but our own. There was certain ly no reason now why Holland should not be placed in the same situation with the rest of Europe. The same rule of policy that applied to other countries wasjust as applicable to her. In so expressing himself, he was, indeed, fortified by the evi dence of the principal and most intelligent merchants who had been' examined on this subject. There were some, undoubtedly, who entertained objections of a peculiar nature, and with re gard to which he should make a few observations. They re ferred generally to the probable event of Holland becoming a depot for the Mediterranean trade, and to the danger, attending our importation of large quantities of goods through this me dium, of our coasts being visited with epidemic disease. Now he thought a very little reflection would suffice to prevent any such alarm from gaining ground. If the trade was safe to Hol land, it was not very easy to understand why it should be danger ous to us. They were also rendered secure by the neeeenr state of our own law. An Act of the 45th of (leo. HI. g ave power to th. King it Council of regulating and applying the law of quaran tine to all such cases. When Gentlemen added to these considera tions what he had before alluded to—he meant the charges upon transshipment—the hazard of our incurring any disaster like that which had been pointed out was reduced to too small a point to excite any apprehension whatsoever. The celnlynlk ties mentioned in the naviteetion OfUfro - w, were the goods im 1e0..., "tussia, whom it was proposed to place in the same order with France, Spain, and Holland. As to thrown silk, when he contemplated the more free admission of it from abroad, he begged to remind the House that our own thrown silk was protected by a duty, and by a duty only. This it was not his wish or intention to touch; it might be imported at this moment from various parts of Europe, and particularly of Italy, under an act passed in the 22d year of the late King. What became, then, of the reasoning, if fairly discussed, which had been so unceasingly pressed of late on some Members by their constituents ? And as to any new facilities which the plan was to afford to smuggling, lie could not at all comprehend where they were to be discovered. This, then, was a sketch of the alterations which he was desirous to introduce,; and it would not fail to be remarked, that a great object was to sender the general principle uniform and consistent. By repealing many useless Statutes,- much confusion would be avoided, and we should get rid of that anomalous system by which we ap plied one principle to a particular state, and,' without any as signable or rationable cause, a different policy to another. If it were only to introduce a greater degree of simplicity into our le gislation, the purpose in view would not be unworthy their seri ous attention. The next relaxation, however, was one that was not less important in its nature or possible consequences than the former. Gentlemen were, doubtless, fully aware of the great events that were passing in South America, and of the splendid field that was there opening-to commercial enterprise. What had al- ' ready been made known through accredited agents seemed to hold out the most flattering prospects ; nor did the Government of tile United States manifest any slowness or indisposition to avail itself of these advantages. Probably the new States in South America were by this time recognised as legitithate by the Presi dent and Congress, and that most valuable commerce opened to the only competition which in that quarter could inspire us with the least anxiety. It was not for him, on an occasion like the I present, to touch upon the reasons that might decide the ques. ton of our recognition • but he thought it right that our law should be so far altered as to enable us in this latter case not to delay the intercourse which might then be opened upon condi tions of reciprocal advantage, and of receiving in our ports their ships with as much freedom as ours were admitted into the ports of South America. It had also been proposed to extend one of the relaxationS of our restrictive system so far as to allow the importation of all goods s of whatever kind, with a view of en couraging the transit trade, and for the purposes of re-expor tation only. It was said that these changes would lead to a very great derangement of the habits of commerce, and might obstruct many of the channels through which it had long been accustomed to flow. This would form a fit subject for consi. deration in the committee ; but he was himself by no means satisfied that the inconvenience so much dreaded would prove a serious evil. With regard to the construction of our vessels, there was no ground for believing that the nations of the north had any permanent or decided advantage over us. Of late they had declined, and our only rivals were the French, the Dutch, and the AmericanS, of whom it ought to be re collected that the latter had adopted precisely our own navi gation policy. In conclusion, he would again, observe, that the effect of those new regulations which he had suggested, should they be approved in the Committee, would be to sim plify a code of laws now rendered intricate by their number, and to bring the whole subject to a dependence on two or three general enactments. 'He trusted the House 'was fully aware of the importance of the question, and the propriety of losing no time in relaxing the severity of a code which, if it was in jurious to other countries, was certainly not beneficial to our own, but which, in his opinion, called solemnly on us to seize this opportunity of setting a more liberal example, and of teach ing-a wiser ptlEcy to foreign nations.--( Hear, hear ! )—The Right Hon.'Gentleman then moved that the House do resolve itself into a Committee, to consider of the laws relating to com mercial intercourse and navigation. Mr. DAVENPORT denied that any persons had attempted to dictate to the House. The silk trade he thought a success ful trade, and the only successful trade in the country. He should therefore oppose the part of the Bill which referred to this trade. Mr. WALLAcE and Mr. DAVENPORT mutually explained. Sir W. DE CRESPIGNY protested against the principle of the Bill. It was equally hostile to shipowners and seamen. Sir M. W. RIDLEY rose to state the opinions of a body whose interests he represented, and who were hostile to several parts of his Right Hon. Friend's Bill. It might be said flat they were a body who felt anxiously alive to their own exclu sive interests ; but so did all bodies, and so ought all bodies of men.—(Hear, hear !)—lt was their opinion, that where a com petition existed, an advantage should not be taken from one party which would result to the benefit of tly.. other. But the difference of expence in navigating an English ship of 509 tons, and a foreign ship of the same burthen, was, including the building, insurance, sailors' wages, and food, upwards of 1,7001. against the English ship ; and therefore the foreign ship ought not to be placed in the carne condition with the English ship. At all events, parties should haVe time to consider the subject before it passed into a law.—(Hear, hear !) The SPEAKER then -left the chair, and-the Bill was com mitted. Mr. DAVENPORT moved that the words " thrown silk" be omitted in the enumeration of articles to which the Bill should extend. Mr. BASTARD was for further time for those interested in this question to understand. Mr. T. WILSON denied that he had been a party to any clamour on the subject. lie did not think that the measure would be productive of the good which the Right Hon. Gen tleman anticipated. Mr. ELLICE rose only to suggest the propriety of giving time for the fullest consideration of the subject. Silk, which could be thrown in this country only for 95., could be thrown in Italy for 2s. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would give an opportunity of discussing the subject at spine future stage, either at the bringing up of the report, or some more convenient time. Mr. WALLACE said, he would not consent to have the Bill stopped ; but he was not at all - unwilling to hear what Hon. Gentlemen, had to say at any stage upon the subject. Mr. M. A. TAYLOR would oppose the Bill in every stage, and would be for inserting any article by which the Bill might be likely to be thrown out. If passed into a law, it would transfer the trade of England to the opposite shores. Mr. DAVENPORT was understOod to withdraw his amend ment. Mr. RICARDO said, he thought he was not so much wed ded to old opinions as his Hon. Friend near him.—(A laugh.)— lie would support the Bill, for his only complaint was that it went not far enough. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would go on in the same course. Mr. Alderman BRIDGES made some observations which were not heard. Mr. BROUGHAM said, he recognised in this Bill a por tion, though a very minute portion, of the improvements in our law which had often been recommended from his side of the House. A few years since, he had occasion to call attention to the state of the manufacturers of this country, who had been then almost as much distressed as the agriculturists were now.— He had then alluded to the improvement of the. Navigation Laws as a remedy. He had remarked that they . had indeed been once beneficial, but that their character had since changed. 01; that occasions the very person who now brought forward the present measure, the head of the Board of Trade, had moved the passing to tie Order of the Day. Such had been the Right Hon. Gentleman's mode of treating the Petitions of the people then. He (Mr. Brougham) rejoiced that in this improving age, in the course of five years, the measure which had been so treated then was now brought forward under auspices which made-success almost certain. From the circumstances, however, he would make this inference—and it was the moral of the tale —when gentlemen on his side of the House proposed measures founded on the soundest principles, sanctioned by experience, and supported by the authority of the wisest men, they ought not to be set down as visionary anti absurd; for such had been the epithets applied to his suggestions from the benches oppo site, which had been then more replenished with Members, for at ~present they were not in a state of replenishment. The usual logic had then been resorted to—" Never mind whether the prin ciples are true and the measures proper; it is necessary to op pose them, coming from the other side." Finding that relaxa tion had begun on a point where it was not natural to. have expected it, he had no doubt that some farther relaxations would take place as those points where a liberal policy was more ma nifestly the interest of the merchant. If such relaxations were proposed, he was sure that they would be received with the same consentaneous chorus of cheers that the Houie had heard upon the present occasion. He hoped, in the first place, that the principle of this Bill would be made more effectaial by being applied to the criminal law and the system of taxation, as well as to the commercial policy of the country • and he trusted in the second, that when -at another time similar pro positions should emanate from his side of the House, they would meet with more liberal treatment than they were accus tomed to receive from the Ministerlal Benches, and better for tune from the House at large. He heartily rejoiced that the Petitioners -were still to be heard, though they h'ad lost their opportunity by laches ; for the Bill, if passed, would then be passed with greater contentment, and would be productive of more extensive relaxation. ~Tlie CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said when the 1.....rned Gentleman brought forward his motion for relaxation a the Navigation Laws, it was admitted that mignt,.n rated from a strin of other resolutions, which the Hon. and Learneu metuuel aui mitted, and which the House could not entertain. He had never been an enenry to the policy of relaxing the Silk Trade. He had always bcea of opinion, that monopoly in that branch ought to be done avay. Mr. ELLICE sad; that if the House consented to take off the restrictions now mposed on trade, it must also consent to take off all the burdens in the shape of taxation to which it was liable. If he did nit believe Ministers to be in earnest in their anxiety to takeoff al the burdens on the Shipping interest, he would say that it walla be better to leave the laws as they now were. With all It s professions he still believed the Right Hon. Gentleman op?osite (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) to be the greatest enemi of a free trade. The clause was thin agreed to. Theßill was then read, clause by clause, and some verbal alterations were proposed and ne gatived,without any discussion. .0n a verbal amendment, pro posed by Mr. E. WODEUOUSE, the House divided. The amendment, however, was lost by a majority of 67 to 14. The other clauses were disposed of, the House resumed, and the report was ordered to be received on Wednesday. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of. In answer to a question from Mr. Hu ME, the Marquis, of LONDONDERRY said that he would on Friday next move an adjournment for the holidays, from that day until the follow. ing Thursday.—The House adjournedi at ONE O'CLOCK. CITY, MONDAY EVENING. Consols for the settlement of to-morrow opened at 79A, and remained very steady till near the close of the market, when they fell to 78g. As there are no foreign political news in town, this decline must be attributed partly to the operations in the market, occasioned by the settlement, but chiefly to a general expectation that some new Wan for raising money, equally wise and profound with the pension farming scheme which so lately was laid before, and rejected by the monied interest, will be immediately submitted by his MAJt sTY's Ministers to the` te presentatives of the People ; and little doubt is entertained of its approval by them, whatever may be its merits. Out of the discussion the usual benefits will arise, for most probably it will afibrd amusement to such of his MaarsTr's subjects as receive pleasure from contemplating sublime calculation. CHARLES the SE coN - n used to say, that he received far higher amusement from the proceedings of the House of Lords than from the Play-house; and many persons receive now more amusementfrom the proceedings of the House of Commons, than they dare safely avow, so fang hs bringing into contempt may bring them unde,r the operation of the Six Acts. As joy is communicative, this restraint acts rather as a damper.—ln the prices of Foreign Securitiea there is very little alteration. The French Rentes maintain Saturday's quotation of 88 50. Prussian Fives, 86. Old. Columbian Bonds, lo g 4; • Sixes, 85 ; and Scrip, 06. Danish Fives have fallen to 84i. Spa nish Old Bonds are 62 i f 63, and New, 63} a. It being under stood that there has been a change of Ministry at Naples, in fa vour of public freedom, their Fives have advanced to 69 f. Rus sian Sixes continue at 82, and Metallic Fives at 77. In Austrian Fives nothing has, been done. If the Imperial Roman Empe ror would pay a dividend on loans formerly obtained, the pre sent Stock would receive additionhl value.—Letters have been reteived from Amsterdam, dated the 17th, and from Ham burgh, dated the 14th curt. Very little business was doing in either of these shies. At the former the exchange at two months, on London, was 40s. 3d. ' • and for short paper, 40s. 6d. Spani s h bbnds, 64i a 65.• At Ilamburgh the exchange at two months, on London, was 363.6 d. and 365. 9d. short. Gold was quoted 1011. The weather was uncommonly fine, and though some gr a in h a d been purchased for the South of Europe, prices were rather lower. The best informed still expected that a war would be the result of the negotiations supposed to be carried on at Vienna betwixt Russia and Turkey. The carnage at Scio will not tend to a speedy pacification. The benefits to the whole of civilised Europe from the establishment of a free and Christian Empire in the Levant and Morea are so obvious, that almost every man 'wishes for its accomplishment. A vessel has arrived in the, river from St. Petersburgh which sailed on the 7th current. The Captain unfortunately brings no letters, and he—irad heard no public news. Tallow was above 115 R. and the Exchange 9s. Here Tallow is now selling by the market butchers at ls.lld. a stone, being the lowest price quoted since' 1772, when it was the same.—Scarcely any business has been done this day at Mark-lane, and there is no, alteration in the value of any description of corn. At Liverpool some wheat is shipping to South America. The last accounts from Spain still give an unfavourable description of the coming crops. Any failure there will partly relieve the granaries in England of a quantity of bonded gram.—There are no farther accounts either from Greece or Turkey.—(Morning Chronicle.) FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. PARIS, MAY 18. We have some reason to believe that positive intelligence has been received at Paris, that im mediately-after the arrival at St. Petersburg - h of M. de Tatitscheff, there was to be convoked a grand Cabinet Council, , when the question of war or peace would be irrevocably decided. We cannot yet know here the result of this Council, but persons who are — the" greatest partisans o► peace are reduced to the apprehension that war has been resolved upon. If this information be correct, as we have reason to suppose it is, it is probable that in less than a week all uncertainty will be at an end.—(Constitutionnel.) The Duke de Richelieu died yesterday at noon, at his Hotel, Place Vendome, aged 53. He was attacked almost suddenly by a brain fever, which carried him off in a few hours. SMYRNA, APRIL 13.—We have advises from Salonica to the 6th. The Greeks were in insur rection in the villages situated at the foot of Mount Olympus, and the Pacha of Salonica was marching against them. We shall not fail to learn what importance is to be attached to these new revolts, and in what manner they are con nected with the general plan of the Greeks. On the one hand, every thing at times appears paci fic; and on the other, every thing, on the contrary, looks like war. The flame of insurrection spreads by land as well as by sea.—The city of Negro pont is not strictly blockaded, but'only observed. Caryste is more pressed by the Bishop of An dros, at the head of a great number of Islanders, and by Odysseus, the Commandant of about six hundred men, and as many Mainotes, who were under the orders of Beyzade Elia, son of Pietro Bey. This' young man, who was of much promise, has been_ killed ; and it is said that his father has sworn to avenge the death of his son, or to perish with all his men, whom he is about to lead to the siege of that place. The Paellas still keep their hold in the plains and the principal towns of Thessaly, without having yet attempted to repass Thermopylw ; the mountains are occu pied by the Greeks. The whole country has not yet revolted, but the inhabitants seem disposed to rise as soon as the Ottoman troops are gone.— It is stated that the inhabitants of Mount Olym pus will also raise, in the spring, the standard of independence, and that they can arm about 24,000 men ; half of 24 villages of Mount Pence' is in open revolt, the other half wavers still in uncertainty.—Letters from Athens ,say, we are ignorant here of what is passing at Janina ; it would be difficult for the Pachas to penetrate into Phocis and Barotia, even should there be open defiles, there being neither provisions nor forage to be found ; but there is every reason to believe that on the return of summer they will re-commence their military operations, and that they will then resume • the offensive, reinforced by considerable corps 'of troops, which ace, stated to be on the march to join them, and which are expedited by the Porte. NUREMBERG, MAY 10.—The most contradic tory reports were in circulation at Constantinople respecting the Schah of Persia. Sometimes he is said to be at Teheran, listening to proposals,and taking presents from Russia and England—some times at the head of vast Irmy, roarly to cross 4h Euphrates, and penetrate into Asia Minor.— The mysterious silence of the Porte, and the fear which hinders private individuals from wri ting, cause the affairs of Asia to be involved in obscurity. The mail from Moscow brings news that a Russian merchant, named Gusiatnikow, one of the principal dealers in twist in that city, had failed for about a million and a half of roubles. This affair excites the greatest sensation, because he was Director of the Bank of Moscow ; and it now appears that in order to relieve himself he has forged bills of exehange ; he has already confessed having issued to the value of 250,000 roubles. According to all we can learn of the results of the two last sittings of the Commissioners assem bled at Darmstadt, to agree on a commercial sys tem for the South German States, there is every reason to hope that the projected Convention be tween these States will be very soon accomplished, for the joint protection of internal trade and manu factures.--(Nuremberg Correspondent, May 10.) The Editor of the Biblioteca Italiana (M. Acer bi) gives, in the number for March, an extract from a letter of M. Zuccoli, dated Sennaar, Nov. 3, 1821, which holds out the fairest prospects for the future. M. Z. accompanies the army of Ibrahim Pacha, son of the Viceroy of Egypt, as officer of engineers, and is charged with the geo graphical survey of the countries through which it passes. - When the letter was dispatched, the army was in 13. north latitude, and was to ad vance ,to the 7th degree. In that variable cli mate, a heat froM 31 to 35 degrees of Reaumur by day - , with a coolness of 15.'by night, causes frequent diseases. Ibrahim Pacha himself was in great danger from dysentery, but was saved by his physician, Ant. Scotto, a Genoese. Don gola, Sennaar, and Kordofan, are already in the hands of the valiant Ibrahim; whose object was to attack Fezuello and Shilluk, and penetrate further into Nigritia. M. Zuccoli has made a survey of the Nile from Alexandria to Sennaar. He counted 100 more or less considerable cata racts in the Nile, which were all passed, however, with very -small loss either of vessels or people. He remarks an error in Bruce's map. Bruce makes the Bender fall into the Rahb, and the latter in the Nile; whereas both these rivers fall into the Nile, the Bender fifteen miles above the Rahb. Where Bruce wrote, according to the information of the inhabitants, and did not see with his own eyes, no confidence can be placed in him, for the people; says M. Zuccoli, are so ignorant, that they hardly know where the sun rises and sets. They cannot distinguish north from south. He thinks he has found the island. of Meroe in the slip of land between the Dender and the Rahb, where he discovered 45 pyramids covered with hiero glyphics. He met here with M. Caillaud and his companion, who followed another army under Ismail Pacha,_ another son of the Viceroy's. He waited for the armed vess e l s to proceed as far as possible up the IVhite River, and see whether it comes, as is said, from a great inland lake, and is connected with the Niger, or at least is in its neighbourhood.—( Allge meine Zeitung, May 8.) WARSAW, APRIL 20.--The Councils of the Waywodes having sent to the Emperor several loyal addresses, the Minister of the Interior has made an answer to them, in which is the follow ing passage : Im — perial Majesty is far from thinking that there can be Poles with dispositions so hostile to their country, as, with a deliberate intention, and by a culpable abuse, to expose their fellow-countrymen to the loss of their dearest hopes. But this mournful event may result equally from an inconsiderate a aggeration of the imperfection which is inseparable from all till works of man—from a servile imitation of the means emplOYea in other countries, although for ends entirely different, by the disturbers of the public tranquillity,—from the senseless man' ner of preaching up vain theories, the application of which incompatible with the m a inten a n ce of s o c i a l o r d er —from the complaints of offended vanity, or from errors into which they are thrown by a desire of distinction, or it might likewise be the effect of perfidious seduction, of blind wickedness, or of criminal pride. If a danger like this should show itself, it would be the duty of his M a jesty to p re vent, by the most e ' fff. cacious means, every enterprize which might tend to trouble public order or to give scandal." PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Lunce, 20° die Maii, 1822. Roans—Chippenham 'Leatherhead, Princes Risborough, Gl rencester and Cricklade, Northampton and Market Ilarbo rough, Drayton Langand Old Stratford—reported, to be in grossed. Axminster—Petition for additional provision re ported r Report read ; power to Committee to make ptrovi mon accordingly. Higham Ferrers—read a third time, and passed. Pools RE Ito var. BlLL—Petitions from Christchurch (Surrey), Radford, Blackburne, Liverpool, St. Nicholas (Notting ham), and St. Paul (Deptford), against; . to be printed. UNiox DUTIES—PetiLion of Cotton Spinners of Dublin, re lating thereto to lie on the table, and to be printed. EDINBURGH POLICE BILL (No. L) Read a third time, PAVlNG—Sommers Town and passed. WARRANTS OF ATTORNEY BILL WAREHOUSING BlLL—Petition of Manufacturers, Throw sters, and Dyers of Silk, in Macclesfield against ; to be printed- NORTH AMERICAN AND COLONIAL TRADE,—Petition 414. Ship-owners and others, of South - Shields, interested in Bri tish Shipping, relating thereto; to he printed. EAST INDIA TRADE—Petition of Directors of' Chamber .of Commerce of Manchester, against the Duties on East India Sugar ; to be_printed. TUFFNELL'S ESTATE BILL Read a second time , CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY BILL 5 'and committed. IMPROVEMENT BILL—St. Mary-le-bone, ' Furt..er e till 31st May LONDON BRIDGE WATERWORKS BILL, , granted th e till 10th June in' g LIVERPOOL WATER BILL, till Wednesday) Reports. Petition of Inhabitants of Liver pool,gagainst, to lie on the table. . NAVIGATION BlLL—Petition of Shipowners and Merchants of Great Yarmouth, Whitby, and Wells, AGAINST, to be printed. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS--Second Report brought up a- Tl d r read ; to be printed. Petitions from the Select Vestry Burwash, and the Hundreds of Tunstead and napping -- to lie on the table, and to be printed. BUTTER TRADE (IRELAND)—Petitions from Newry, an d Carrick-on-Suir, in favour of Duties on Importation of Fo reign Butter; to be printed. CoRN LAws—Petition of Merchants and Traders of New"}', against lowering the importation prices—to lie on the table. ROYAL BURGHS ACCOUNTS RlLL—Petitions, against ; to be printed, viz. from the United Incorporations of Wright' Masons, and six other Trades of Edinburgh ; the Guildry or Merchant Incorporation of Dundee ; and the Wright Incor poration of Perth. SCOTCH COMMISSARY COURTS BILL—tO be read a second time on Monday, 3d June. SALT TAX—Petition of the Mayor, &c. of Truro, for the repeal thereof; to be printed. LEATHER TAX—Petition of Farmers, Tanners, and others, o f Sheffield, for the repeal thereof ; to be printed. STAMP D UTIES BlLL—Petition of Law Stationers of L Ol don, concerning the discount of £5 per cent.--to be printed - Further consideration of Report deferred till Monday, June. 3 ' ALEHOUSE LICENSING BILL 1 . Second reading deferred tll SCOTTISH ENTAILS BILL .1 Friday. YORKSHIRE ELECTION POLLS BlLL—Second reading de' ferred till Friday, June 7. MESSAGE FROM TILE LORDS—TIat they have agreed t(°, Bridgewater, and Lincoln Heath 'Roads Bills; Lanark as Glasgow Bridgewell Bill; and Gloucester and Berkeley Ca nal Bill, without amendment. That they have passed,—a Bill, intituled, A n Act far modifying and extending the purposes specified in a deed °t. destination executed by Andrew Fletcher and John illacker%; zie, Esqrs. and for building and establishing an Hospital iv destitu`e Children in the City of Edinburgh." NAVIGATION BILL Considered in COro' A* C - be r°- .NCIENT ,OMMERCIAL STATUTES mitten, IO REPEAL BILL ported' on ` i r e" - Gr ' IMPORTATION OF ,KOODS 'ITT° nesday. COLONIAL TRADE IMPORTATION DUTlES—considered i ° Committee. FLETCHER'S ESTATE BlLL—Read a first time. e t O a WEIGHTS AND MEASURE S B ILL —" for aseertandll s . a establishing uniformity of Weights and Measures, re: sented, and read a first time ; to be read a 2d time this• NOTICES OF MOTIONS for THIS DAY. • 1. Sir John Newport,—Bill to authorize occupying Tenantsy. Ireland to tender in part payment of Rent Receipts tor Grand Jury and Parochial Assessments. 2. Mr. Sykes,—Repeal of the Duty on Tallow Candles. 3. Mr. Bootle Wilbraham,—To move for Account of Packets on the Dover station. 4. Mr. Thomas Wilson,—Bill to regulate the responsibility of Carriers. 5. Mr. Hume,—Return in detail, Civil List (Ireland). ORDERS OF THE DAY for THIS DAY. 1. Corn Importation Bill—Second Reading. 2. Bakers Regulation Bill—Further consideration of Itel'a t. 3. Slave Trade Acts Consolidation Bill—Committee. 4. Receivers General Bill-Further consideration of Reing t " 5. 'Manslaughter Bill—Third Reading. 6. Vagrant Laws Amendment Bill—Further consideration (4. Report. 7. Marriage Act Amendment Bill—Report. 8. Employment of Poor (Ireland) Bill—Report. 9. Revenue Inquiry (Ireland) Bill—Committee. • e 10. Distillery (Scotland) Act [l. Geo. 4, c. 74]—Com m thereupon. 11. Cocoa Nutshells Act [4 Geo. 2, c. 141 _Committee there- upon. 12. Colonial Trade Importation Duties—Report thereupon• 13. Assessed Taxes Composition Act—Committee thereupon 14. Weights and Measures Bpi—Second Reading. PRICE OF TILLS JAY AT C Bank Stock 3391 340 3 per Cent. Red. 7 8 ;ii 3 per Cent. Cons.... 79 714 79 31 per Cent. B9l I per Cent. { Old 94fiii New 5 per Cent. Navy Ann. 1021i1 5 ,?er Cents. 1797 Bank Long Ann. 19 15-16ths STOCKS INE 0 - CLOCK. Imp. 3 per Cents. Irish 5 per Cents. India Stock India Bonds South Sea Stock .........••• New Annuities. 3 per Cent. 1751...........• .114° Excheq. Bills P ar P9ii Cons. for July Account 1" PRICE OF IRIS] Bank Stock 2451 6 Gov. Deb. 3i per cent oog Stock, 31 per ct. 9O 89 e Gov. DCb. 4 per cent. Gov. Deb. 5 per cent 2i --Stock, 5 per cent. 2 3 24 Treasury Bills, 5 per cent. City Debentures, 5 per STOCK, MAY 18. 40,' Grand Canal Loan, 4 p.ct. „ I f; -Ditto 6 per cent. • •• Ditto S tock ............ ;:r3 Royal Canal Stock ......... Wide-street Cert. 6 per C t ' Do. Deb. with Gov. Sec- - :3 Pipe Water Deb. 5 per c t " Do. Ballast Office Govt. cent Lying in Hospital 4 per ct — Exchange on Londe I 5 per cent. ............ ion, May 17, fig. HIGH WATER AT LONDOI` Morning, 12 minutes after 3. 1 iBRIDGrE TO-y1ORR0"'• Evening, 36 minutes after TH I S UN. SOLEIII QUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDEJT 2 LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 2,1,* 1522 We have received the French Papers of Sa turday. They give no decisive intelligence re specting the affairs of Turkey, but it would al', pear that the Porte does not relax in his p re p s ' rations for war, and is continually reinforcing the Ottoman troops on the Pruth and the Danu be. a 9 By a necessary conse q u e nce, Russia, who - h already on the banks of the Pruth isrunePs° Th the )i N . R e 11, tat t‘,G t ta, c tE4 ha y trio NA t At., E ~~tr titl E Isi liali AI the 1 t 3 re ( tl vo ' Cori the s dies i