The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-04-18 00:00:00

CORN LAWS.

......
Mv. //heti, Crowder appeared at the Bar of the Haase with
levied's from the Lord Mayor and Corporation of the city of Loa-
ds*. against the Corn Law..
Mr. Alderman WOOD having moved that the petition be read,
laid that, without a free trade in corn, it was impe4sible fur the
lalbastscturers of this country to compete with foreigners. The
oseettioners approved the principle of reciprocity in trade; they
• dies& that a reduction should be made in the expenditure of the
ISSatly, sod for that purpose suggested • reduction of the army,
lbw the payment and support of which a great part of that expend'.
art was incurred. The weight of taxation they thought oppressive.
The market supply of agricultural produce had considerably de.
sensed; the decrease of three months of this year. compared with
thas of 1828, was of wheat, 67,677 quarters; barley. 79,937 quarters;
ma, weep quarters: pollard. 30,0110 qu.aters. lie thought that
tau laws in this respect should be amended, and would therefore
.11grsuch &measure.
WHITBIOHE said, that a mistake had been made rela.
test* his motion respecting the Corn Laws. It was apprehended
that be had postponed that motion to the 23d May. He now
'begged to correct that mistake, and to say that be would bring
i•rwited that motion to-morrow, the 18th April.
Ur. Alderman THOMPSON said he felt great satiefsetion to
ant so i.rtelligent a body as the Corporation of London against the
peineepl• of the Corn Laws. He thought it quite impossible for
die manufacturers of this country to compete with those of foreign
as doss, unless the principle of reciprocity was also extended to corn
114 well le manufactured articles. Without this the consequence
would be, that the corn market would be closed; but it had been
inquired of those who advocated the eziension of the principles
sif free teed, to agricultural produce, becalm they thought that
oithost it there would be no fair competition, are we to stop im.
}seventent until an alterationis made in the Corn Laws While
restrictive laws were in force, the agriculturist and the manufac.
surer were on more equal terms. The restrictive system did not
how exist, and the manufacturers asked the same protection. They
lay. if foreign goods are allowed to enter on the principle of red.
ltreeity, that principle should be extended to the importation of
earn, by which they might be enabled to compete with foreigners.
Me knew that great distress prevailed in the manure:taring dis-
tricts, and if there should be any failure of the crop next year, dia.
• euntent and distutbance would be the inevitable consequence. Ile
hoped the agricultural interest would join with the nianufacturing
effect an alteration in the present Corn Laws.
The petition was then read, and ordered to be printed.
RECIPROCITY LAWS.
• • -

Six N. W. RIDLEY-presented • petition from the ship-owners
ISunderland against the Reciprocity haws. lie maid he felt it his
ditty to call the attention of the House to any subject which would
restrain the commerce of the country ; under the system which had
horn adopted, the tonnage of foreign ships entered into the ports
of England had greatly increased ; from the year 11121, to the year
la2S, there had beta an increase of one million of tolls. With those
isoentries where the principle of reciprocity had been adopted, the
Ma'am of foreign ships was very great, wh with those coun.
fries where the contrary was adopted, the importation tonnage of
lintish ships had Increased.
Mr. BARING regretted that Ministers were not present. The
subject before the House was an important one, and he therefore
'wetted that there was no Minister of the country then in his
Rlace. Ha should hare been glad to hear the sentiments of the
ight Hon. the President of the Board of Trade on the subject, and
whether lie intended to propose any legislative measure relative to
it, which might correct the injuries which were complained of. He
did not think there had been sufficient time to try the experiment.
It bad not had as yet sufficient time for a fair trial. The tonnage of
toretin ships which had entered the ports had increased, but it did
ram appear that that of English ships hal suffered any diminution.
Ile thought this was not a question of national wealth, but uue of
elitiOrlii power.
Mr. ROBERTSON spoke against the measure. He wished
rsesatlemett would retrace thew steps, which appeared to him the
*nit miens of remedying the evils which were complained of.
Mr. Hl'3lE—The lion. Member called upon the House to re.
trees their steps. lie would call on the House to diminish the
igneous weight of taxation. He would reed to their minds the
espettch of his lamented friend Mr. Ricardo, who said, •• that if
rosy dW not take off the tares from articles employed In ship.
bedding, they would lose their trade." He was stare if they took
*ethnic taxes. this country could compete with foreigners. They
should take tiff the taxes on timber, iron, hemp, tallow, and every
other article employed in ship-building, and then they could com-
pete with the intertst of any country.
Mr. IRVING said that the ships of foreign nations, particularly
MOM: employed in the timber trade. were very inferior to those of
this country ; they were wit so well appointed ; the trade of Eno-
-I.sh ships was now almost entirely confined to the Colonial
scads.
After a few words (torn Mr. HEATHCO7Z and Mr. STzts. the
paution was ordered to be printed.