The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-09 00:00:00

his whole life in legal or mercantile pursuits to Ilitettaiatb.'"
11114011111 and effect of the different acts, and to kue re&-
what the law was. The acts of psrli %meat beano, 0: lbws
questions were altogether about 100 in number. Batty
real and essential question for their lordships to an,
eider was, whether in repealing what remained of these
snit:titre laws they dtorld withdraw from Ma
44
maintained the navel system of this coast', ,a,
support which was necessary to enable theee7
keep up their competition with foreign eaubC
Let us inquire what was the opinion of for.ia7„'
themselves as to their ability to compete with
in the event of our navigation laws being repealed?)nth
answers which had been given by the consuls in Totem, .
counties to the inquiries made by the Secretary of ante h.
Foreign Affair., he found that the Belgian minion fx
pressed his belief that their vessels could not possibly use.
' pete with ones. With regard to America, there were th„
minuteness which led to the conclusion that there wes ss
reasonable doubt of our ships being able to compete
those of that country. It was unquestionable that ensile*
every item, except that of timber, the American ship.
builder had to pay dearer than the English ship bona 4.
and even the timber itself was only obtainable cheep'?
some of the Anis-icon ports. Another important feet ajok
regard to the northern countries of Europa was this, flat
though they bad the power of building vessels mask Mug. t
than us, the greater part of thou built in Sweden andEse.
way were built expressly for the their trade, and were ea.
fit for anything else. But this was not the first tine Ihst
vaticinations of ruin to our manufactures and me.
merce had been made; on other questions, precisely is
same assurances of the impossibility of our competing yak
foreign nations had been made ; and they had unifonaiym
ceived a complete falaification. At one time the linen Ode
of Ireland was protected and encouraged by bounties; nits
these bounties were removed, nothing less than rain to th
trade was anticipated ; but since that time the flex-greing
and linenemanufacturiog districts of Ireland had Moo sheet
the most prosperous. Again, when the bounty was bin
off the export of what were called long wools, it was mid the
trade would be thrown entirely into the hands of teretgam;
but notwithstanding the alteration our own trade had gem
en increasing. In 1824 the same predictions were made h
reference to the silk manufacture ; it was said that ley ea
witting French silks we should completely destroy caress
trade, and that it was impossible for our manufacturers h
compete racoessfolly with those of France. What
been the result? In 1823, the year before the deem
the raw silk imported into this country for ea,
sumption was only about 2,400,000 lbs., what
1847 it was 44 millisns. The value of the silk mandss
noes actually exported from this country was, la no,
529,0002. declared value ; while in 1847, notwith;tandiar
neat decrease in the value of the article, it was 948,0 M
Finding that such had been the result of all these gloomy
predictions, their lordships would be justified in disregard*
them, Hon in treating them as absolu•ely false. (Ha,
bear.) If there was one feature in the question mm
hapertant than another, it was the effect of the reciprocity
trudge. Before the opponents of those treaties could saki
a mu against them, they must show ant only des
there war a decline in our shipping trade at tai
dna they were concluded, but that that trade would her
been more fl turishing if they had not been entered inn
TM noble lord having read a statement of the amain el
British tonnage in the ten years previous to the recipreeity
treaties, and ten years subsequently, said it was quite dew
that whatever effect the navigation laws might have lei -
before those treaties were concluded, the same causes would
have produced the same effect after they were concluded
There had been a constant and gradual increase in the an.
I potion of this country; and the fair presumption was, the
if they relaxed the system still further, they would my
still further advantages from it. Looking to the estate
our colonial empire, and to the unbounded extent of co
commercial relations, he considered that they were bound te
remove all restrictions but those which were essential to the
satiated prosperity. (Hear. hear.) And even with Teri
to thou, be considered it a sufficient num to relax then
that they were found vexatious and more prohibitory ties
was necessary. They were not only justified, hutealb
upon, by every feeling of justiceand policy. to remove unto
restrictions, and upon that ground he supported fu
sebilltarlhe point in it on which he felt the greatest cultyvi
du 10th clause, empowering her Majesty to restrict the tto
otiose of foreign ships in certain muses. He saw an objects
to that course, and thought that an easier one ntightte
adopted ; but he did not on that account esnoider hued
justified in opposing the bill. Looking to the despatch d
Lord Palmerston cf the 22nd of December, in the papers In
before them, he took it for granted that her Mmesey's cs
vernment would see that in relaxing the navigation lamb
the benefit of foreign shipping the same advantages wash
be secured to this country. Although not satisfied with tb
tint alteration in the 10th clause, yet, with the soli
I =eche felt in the intention with which it had ben
inserted, he should, at this stage, give his support to the ?site
He again entreated their lordships to watch narrowly all the
bearings of the proposition which by thbgtage of the bill they
were now called on to affirm ; and whilst' they regarded it.
a great experimental measure, the necessity for which be
was not prepared to say could be altogether disproved—te
remember that it was one, in the peculiar operation of whin
the welfare and stability of British interests of the mast e•
Undoes and important character were deeply involved. Pe .
the reason, however, he had assigned, he felt himself
bound to vote for the second rading. (Cries d
" Question.")
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY was reluctant to is
terra» between the house and those noble lords who meld, ,
doubtless, address it on the general character and the detail e
of the measure to which their lordships were now asked ts :
give a second reading. He felt, however, that independently
of the impressions at which hie own mind had arrived, be
owed it to those vast and most important interests in the
north of England from whom he had received deputaiket
on this subject, as one that most deeply affected their pen
perity, to enter his protest against this bill. tile's an flits
for an experiment, as he must call it, which put in jeopardy r
the invaluable sources of our mercantile greatness and tie
future existence of that naval nursery from whom we isi
long been accustomed to draw chiefly the gallant crew ;
which manned our fighting shim—when so many teat
tries of Europe were in that condition of political to r
quiet and turbulence, the result of which no sue cote c
venture to foretell—when Ireland was in her pout
fearful Mate of poverty and disburbance—when at loss
even, there was so much to excite solicitude and alarm. ,
Earl OBEY said that in rising to enforce upon the hoot s
to the best of his ability, the importance of the mesas
which was now before it, and of which he was a supporta
he would endeavour, as briefly as he could, and coresident
the lateness of the hour, to set before their lordships*
(Muds on which this measure was founded. (Hear, hie;
He must acknowledge that his own confidence is the
soundness of these principles and in the merits e
the bill now submitted to the judgment of their lord ;
ships, had been greatly increased by the whole tot
of this evening's debate. For, notwithstanding tit
great array of talent which had been marshalled subs
Ms measure by
.its opponents, and the ability displayed%
resisting the motion before the house ; no one who had eel.
fully listened to the speeches which had bees delivereibl
noble lords in opposition to the bill could have failed to pt.
calve how larger a proportion of the matter they compel
lad been utterly irrelevant to the main creation that hW
been submitted for their lordships' coanderation, and bar
much of the remain& r of them bad been singularly NV
and wanting in precision and directness of stomas
(Cheers.) Their lordships had heard, on both Ma
a great deal about the extreme importance of minus ,
ing our commercial marine, and the danger of any mew
ulculated to weaken or diminish an arm so mugs 1
to the welfare and power of this nation. (Hese, bet
Oa this last point he, for one, could only say that he es
not aware what was the ground on which any apprehteel
was baud of any such danger to that commercial mu* .
(Hear.) He believed that if one effect was to ;
predicated more certainly than another of this bill—tint
one interest more than another was to be, not
but benefited by it—it would be precisely that for Will •
anxiety was thus professed. He sincerely believed, thee *
the event of this bill passing, our commercial marine, dil
the other national interests of the country would I**
whose stability it would most contribute to. The only plei
their lordships were called to pronounce upon was, who I.
not the measure proposed was calculated to benefit swirl .
varies the great interests of this commercial country. if
was prepared to prove that it should give strength sad lib
lity to that mercantile marine by the passing of the aro
before the house. But when it was contended then*
a measure would pat in jeopardy its future Inoue*,
that of the other great interests insepanbly 0 •
nand with it, he begged noble lords to needle
that the system of laws which it went to repeal
fact, but a fragmentary one, for a large portion of them es'
Canon laws was repealed by Mr. Huskisson in 1821 and
He could not doubt that our countrymen would prove the
salves just as well able to cope with fereign compel*
sea—which heretofore had been proverbially considendi
home of Englishmen—(cheers)—as on land ; and in silt
regarded a mercantile marine, they would establish thee
Malidarit, over all rivalry, as their industry and emir
INV 111111011 established with regard to nunabetr •
nehla sari then proceeded to remark that it had*
bib Issinas ever since he first occupied • position is •
Huss of Commons—now, unhappily for him, very 0
pegs ago, as far back as 1821—to hear arguments qc
measures like the present so exactly similar to those .
had been brought forward that night, that they might e
well have passed, notwithstanding the difference of dem
those which the present motion had elicited. (Hear,*
For example, in 1828.27, peeeisely the same arguments*
raised in the speeches then uttered in opposition to .1
liuskiason's measures. And it was really marvellous,*
the crusbiag refutation they had at that time received 0:
answers given to them by that peat man, that they 0*
now be resuscitated, when it might have been rase*
imagined that they had been all of them laid for 011,
rest. It was to him utterly incomprehensible in 0
way a law could benefit the shipowners of this cool
which said that an American ship might bring the pit
of New Orleans to England ; but that an English
should not bring it from Havre. What did the shape"
gain by a law which aid he should not, in a British
bring Brazilian rosewood from Hamburg, but, whet
was made into furniture, the Dutch ship 0!
bring it ? That was not protection to the British shir ,
but to the German furniture maker. It was a nee*
bearing equally upon our own shipping and the shipest
foreign countries. (Hear, hear.) Anothes provision 1r!
much of the same character, which prohibited the ineo
tins of certain enumerated articles being the Pod'
Europe, except in our own shim or in the ships of the
try of which those articles were the produce. Nov.'?
what principle was the enumeration settled ? It apps!
him to be very much like chance. Why one article VV,
be prohibited and another not he could not see. Theli
hiblted masts, tar, oils, corn, or grain,and a variety of oc.,
tides ; but while they prohibited corn or grain, they sc*o
flour. In the same way, the whole range of foreign!!
factures was not touched, for they might importeooll`