The Express.
London, England, 1849-11-28 00:00:00

to the sore MO and weal of tio oonatrOt lips;
bunching salbtodes.

•11•=1118

Ox so point of their argument for the oentlislies
of the navigation laws were the protectionist', make
the title of friends of British shipping, more pedive
than that foreign powers would take all the dew
tops we offered, and give nothing in raters. Usk
replies to our note of intended alteration were Oats'
to as triumphant proofs that other countries were pre
featly ready to carry goods for us from all quarters
of the globe, bat were far too wise to let us carry for
them as the same free terms. We were urged by all
the restates of our commercial marine and all the
glories of our navy, if the time-honoured maritime
eharter mast, in reckless consistency to free-trade
doetathee, be abandoned, to make reciprocity the foun-
dation elms new navigation act, and to trust to dia-
tioct treaties with foreign powers and not to the
vague notion that they would for their own interest
follow our example.
The whole facts of the Board of Trade returns
were impugned. According to Lord BROUGHAM,
figures in the case were worth nothing : they could
jrove anything on either side or nothing on any aide,
ust u they were served up. He and others utterly
dented the nooses of our shipping in competition with
foreigners, and yet they would have made treaties of
reciprocity the basis of all relaxation of our naviga-
tion code.
The statement of Mr. Raxcnorr, referred to in the
course of debate by Mr. Lenoncireas, that the Ame-
ricans would be prepared to meet us on perfectly
equal terms, and to field to our shipping whatever
freedom we might give to theirs, was attacked on
bath sides of the Atlant*c. Mr. WRISTRZ, in the
Senate of the United States, callel for Mr.
BANCROYT'S instructions, and repudiated hie
statement. America was the grand bugbear of
oar ship•ownere, and here was proof that that far-
seeing nation, fall of enterprise and eager to be first
spots the seas, would welcome our freedom to shipping
as a boon, but would stick fast to their own protec-
tive laws. We pointed out at the time that the
Americaa Navigation Act was in itself virtually a
declaration of reciprocity—that ins restrictions were
in express terms declared, " Not to extend to the
vessels of any foreign nation which had not
adopted and should not adopt similar regulations i"
and further, that from the period (March, 1817)
when this act was passed, America bad given partial
or complete liberty to the ships of every country, on
precisely the same terms as they had given freedom
to American ships. • We argued, therefore, that the
United States most either make England a distinct
exception to the declaration of ter acts and her course
of procedure with all other countries, or must meet
open perfectly equal terms the repeal of our Navi-
gation Laws. We have already marked the facts of
the American notification, " that in accordance with
existing laws, British ships will from the let of Jan.,
1850, be admitted to all the ports of the United States
with all cargoes, and from all places, on precisely the
same terms as American 'hips."
So long ago as July, 1827, the same privilege was
granted to Swedish vessels in return for American
vessels being placed in the ports of Sweden on the
footing dam national flag.
Practically, the proclamation of King Oscan
placing our ships on the same footing with
those of Sweden will make no change.
Sweden bar, without exception, adopted the
system of reciprocity with foreign nations. In
1845 additional tonnage dues of 40 and custom dues
of 60 per cent. were imposed upon the vessels (and
their cargoes) of countries not enjoying reciprocity,
not with any view of protection to Swedish shipping,
' bat as an inducement to foreigners to place it on the
best footing. But so far as we have been concerned
ewe Bag has been treated in the ports precisely as
the national flag since July, 1827, the date of the
seder in council placing the trade with Sweden on
the footing of reciprocity.
Daring the whole of this period we have had ad-
outages from Sweden much greater than we have
granted. Their ships have been prohibited from im-
porting the produce of Asia, Africa, America, or of
Europe, unless in the direct trade—whilst our ships
have enjoyed the most perfect freedom of carrying
to any port of Sweden the produce of any part of the
world. Nor is this the extent of the advantages they
have from time to time conferred on British ships.
A reduction of 33 per out on goods imported
into Sweden direct from beyond the Cape, was
allowed on the carp of the first British ship from
Batavia, and that instance wu established as a prece-
dent, and acted upon on all future occasions.
The proclamation of King °scut can therefore be
looked upon as nothing more than a most civil mode
of acknowledging that we have at length done justice
to the free trade spirit and liberality of Sweden.
They, with a small commercial marine, have long
better understood their own interests than to place
any restriction on our intercourse with them ; and
we, with the greatest commercial marine in the
world, have but at length had the courage to follow
their example and admit them to the same open
competition whit h.they have so long met, and under
which their shipping has prospered, and gained for
masters, men, and care of cargoes, the highest cha-
racter.