The Express.
London, England, 1849-02-15 00:00:00

the other side? Truly, because they had a
that that shilling saved was not thrown into the river, but
was 'speeded in some industry or ether. It might go to the
butcher, the grocer, or the pastrycook ; bet to some industry
or other it was sure to go; sad it was the same to industry
in the mgreaste as if it went to the industry of the hackney-
esedunan. But there was something more : the man who
went to the butcher, the grocer, or the peetryooek, got some-
*ins far his shilling • in she other one he did not. It was
ttwrlich made the difference, and turned the balance in
of free trade, which permitted omnibuses to run
sisal) ear streets, and put down all chance of a successful
essielemes from the haelmey-coachmen. Were gentlemen
egrieffie to ask these honest fellows themselves if there was
egig propriety in putting down omnibuses, in order to peo-
n* their trade, he believed they would demur to such a
step ; at all events, if asked whether they thought there was
my chance of a successful resistance on that point these he-
MO fellows would rub their brows and my, " We wish
Met we might get it." (Laughter.) He week invite hon.
gentlemen opposite to try the experiment in reference to the
working, classes of this country. Let them say to those
Meer, ' You have a trade which cannot live by itself; but
here are two or three other trades which, if pat down, might
prop up yours to your satisfaction." He doubted why, her
they would get twenTi, men to sanction such • proceeding ;
re he doubted whether would net be revolted by **glar-
ing injustice of thew pro_ pond or if not, b_y the utter
improbability of anything like sumer. Then it was
said that we ought not to encourage foreign labour. Neither
would he if it diminished English labour. (Cheers from the
protectionists) He hoped hon. gentlemen op to would
take away with them the Arm conviction and knowledge
that the *Oen on his side the house was, that all pretext
of dimOishing labour was a delusion and a mistake, utterly
unfounded. (Hear, hear.) They contrived to forget the
fact, that wherever they apparently increased English labour
in one direction, they mallibly (and the free-traders were
there ready to prove it) diminished and destroyed English
labour in some other direction. If the protectionists
could prove the contrary, every man on his side
the home-ton the much-maligned free-trade bench, at
at events—would be ready to vote with them.
He would apply himself only to one point more
—the necessity of keeping up the navigation laws for
the sake of the defences of the country. The principle of
this was, that it was worth while to give a shilling for six-
pennyworth in return, in order that we might have a mei,
cent& marine whence to take meliorator the navy. If any gen-
tleman would close with them upon that, and say that a was
politic, wise, and necessary to do this, in order to have
sailors for the navy, he believed the ground of debate would
be considerably diminished. But though there was unde-
niably a connection between an extensive mercantile marine
and • naval form, that was not everything; there were
other sources on which a military marine must depend. It
must depend, smog other things, on the general wealth of
the country. If they made a poor country,—if they took
the course of paying everywhere a shilling to get sixpence
in return, be knew no more ready way of rendering the
country unable to meet the expenditure nee...miry for mili-
tary and naval exertions. Bailors were a greet deal, but
not everything they might buy even • sailor too dear; and
keno not true that there was any existing connexion between
the necessity of buying sailors at this excessive price, and
the having a navy manned to the extent which wee de-
manded. But naval officers were better able than he to speak
on this subject; and he would conclude by pressing on the
house whether there was any such real and absolute noes-
' sity, before they consented to the process recommended to
; them, of paying, even for British sailors, at so excessive
a rate as a shilling, when a' ce was to be the
value received In return. He assured hon. gentlemen oppo-
site that free-trade principles did not rest on the strength of
their advocates alone ; it wee because they had the advan-
tap in the country, because the majority of the country was
with them in their opinions ; and they were perfectly ready
to bring to any decision that might be proposed the trial of
, their strength. (Hear, hear.)
After a few words from Mr. HILDTAII),
I Mr. EICAEDO said the more he heard this men

sant diecussed by hon. gentlemen opposite the more was he
puzzled to know the principle of their opposition.
Honourable gentlemen opposite admitted that the
relaxation of these laws would be a boon to com-
merce; but said the question ante whether it would so far
destroy our royal navy as to reader us less able to defend our-
selves than we now were. That question came rather sus-
piciouly from ship-owners, who were directly interested, as
they imagined, in the maintenance of these laws ;
but the nght hon. member for Stamford might fairly
take that ground. But were we absolutely depen-
dent _on these laws for the maintenance of our
.

navy ? That question he should be prepared to discuss when
the debate came on ; he would not go into the details now ;
but would simply observe that our existing laws were either
too much or too little restrictive. It was in evidence before
both committees that the mercantile marine of this country
no longer maintained the supremacy for which it was once
celebrated; and that the merchants of this couttry were
advised by their correspondents not to ship articles in British
ships if they could obtain foreign bottoms. (Hear, hear.)
Either, then, we must protect the export as well as the im-
port trade, or these laws were doing a positive injury ; for
shipowners were induced to lean upon these laws, and trust
to them. Complaints were now made of light dues, pilotage,
and the laws regulating apprenticeship; but none of these
I things would ever have been heard of if we had bad an open
trade; shipowners would never have submitted to them,
bad not they been told, in answer to their complaints,
that they were protected by having a monopoly of
the trade of the world; and, of course, sooner than lose whet
they considered their protection, they were willing to submit
to these things. Thus had they bean rendered inferior to
those nations over whom they were sup. dor. After this
had gone on five or six yams, hon. gentlemen opposite said,
" Oh, you must not take away the protection ; see how the
tonnage of England has fallen off compared with that of
other countries ; it must be protected, for it cannot compete
with them." Hence, every year more and more protection
would be required, as the inferiority increased ; and it would
increase, if, Instead of seeking to raise our shipping to the
level of that which was superior, we sought, by absurd re.
strictions, to bring the other down. (Hear.) He hoped
900 U to see the day when we should *end forth our ships free
as the winds, and when shipownen and shipmasters would
be told to depend on their own energies as Englishmen, and
on the resources and wealth of this country, and not on acts
of parliament, which encumbered them with oppressive re-
gulations at home, and placed them under disadvantages
abroad. (Hear.)
Mr. Ald. THOMPSON said it had been asked what the
gentlemen on his side the house wanted. They wanted a
consideration for that valuable advantage which they were
going to surrender to other nations. There were some
articles of produce of South America, which might, by a
prudent regulation, be admitted into this country, which
would
.give facility to commerce, and not interfere with
the principle of oar navigation laws. It was said that the
American minister had expressed the readiness of his country
to reciprocate any advantages we
might give ; but what con.
cession could the United States give us in comparison to the
grad advantages which we were about to surrender to them ?
So general was the apprehension throughout the States of
further restrictions being imposed on tho products of foreign
industry, that in the contracts now making the condition
was almost universally attached, that the goods imported
should only be subject to the tariff now in existence ; show-
ing that there was a general expectation of an additional
duty being imposed on our manufactures by the new govern-
ment. Looking at the geographical position of the United
States, it was quite clear that they had very great advan-
tages for the transport of the sugars of Hayannah, Brazil,
and Porto Rico for the consumption of this country—
an important consideration, now that the dudes
on foreign and colonial sugars were nearly identical.
They had free trade with China. The trade with that coun-
try was carried on in manufactured articles sent from Eng-
land. But let them once destroy the navigation laws, and
the consequence would be that goods would dis-
place British manufactures. (Hear, bear.) He would now
pass to Spain and Holland, and what did be find there ?
He held a letter in his hand from a gentleman, who stated
what he saw under hie own eyes, namely, two Newels at
Manilla, one Spanish and the other English. The former
was an inferior ship, but she was being loaded as fast as pos-
sible, whilst the English vusel was lying idle, although the
one was asking a muck lower freight than the other. This
enigma was, however, fully explained when he was informed
that the Spanithvessel was aitted at a duty of 121 per cent.,
whilst the English vessel had to pay 25 per cent. duty.
That fact clearly showed the system that existed in Spain.
He begged to know from the right hon. gentleman whether
he could give the house any information on this subject as
regarded the Spanish government. The system of the
Dutch also was so stringent as to prohibit all trade with
Java, for English ships had to pay a duty of 30 per cent.,
sad Dutch vessels only 10 per cent. Now with regard to
Frau, : it was known full well that they opened the whole
seal laid of England to Fiance free of duty. But two years
ago the Francis government in their contract introduced a
stipulation that the coal exported from England to France
should he in French ships; and lately the republican
government, is their contract respecting the trans-
admire of the main, required that the coals should
be carried in French bottoms, and, more ex-
iseri still, that the coals for the French
peestaltqcs should not be allowed into Malta—a British
possession—except in French ships. There was no pretence
then for saying that foreign countries were approaching to a
more liberal system of trade. With regard to Canada, of',
which the right hon. gentleman said so much, so complete
an answer had been given by the right hen. gentleman,
the membertfor Stamford, that he need notrefer to it. He did
not see how the repeal of the navigation laws could in any de-
gree improve the condition of the Canadians. But, after all,
this was not • sbowaer'e ore ship builder's question. It was
• great national question. He felt the vast importance of
thW subject in • national point of view and therefore he
traded that the house, viewing it in all its consequences,
would not be induced to pass it. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. MITCHELL said that ono or two fallacies having
been endowed by the high mercantile authority of the hon.
gentleman who had jut sat down—so gross, however, that
be was astonished they should come from each • gentleman
—he rose, contrary to his previous intention, for the purpose
of noticing them, The ern was that a redaction of
freight Would net incases the amount of goods
coming to this many, and coonsequently would not
canes • reduction of price. The reductions in freight
by the gentleman who originally broached this argument
was estimated at 26 per amt. Now, a reduction of 26 per
cent in freight upon allgoods coming from all quarten would
be a profit In itsff, and would cause a greater Importation of
into this country than would otherwise take place.
[Dods was acquainted with an article in which, within the last
three months, there was an increase of one-thirtieth on the
whole consumption, and the reduction in the price of that
article was 20 per oent. That was an instance of the effect
of a small increase of the article in price. The effect of a
reduction in freight would lead to an increase ofimportation;
that again would affect prizes, and the consumer would have
the basalt. The next argument of the boa gentleman was