The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-11-20 00:00:00

REPORT

ro THE TRADE WITH THE EAST
INDIES AND CHINA•

[Brought from She lards, Nay 7. 1841, end ordered to be
printed by Use Howse of Commons ]

REPORT.
By the Linke Committees appointed a Select Committee to
isolative iota the Mean of extending and wowing the
Foreign Trade of the County', and to report to the
Mouse; sod to wham were referred She Minutes of the
I:eidetic, taken before the Beier? Committer appointed in'
46041.0141he5011em me %Aliment for the like pommel Med
else the several Tetitirots, Papers. and Accounts which
Wad been referred to that Committee; and also the
Petitions permuted In the present Session of Parliament on
the subject of Foreign Trade.
ORDERED TO REPORT,
Thai the Committee have met, and have proceeded in the
inquiry, which had hers entered upon by the said Com-
mittee appoisited in the last Session of Par liamest, into the
stale of British commerce with Asia, including as well
that which is carried on with the territorial possessions of
the Huessourable East India Company, as that with the
inilepetsdent states in the same part of the globe.
In the conduct of this inquiry, the Committee have not
thought it pieces:are to direct their attention to the commer-
cial concerns of the East India Company, as administered
by the Court of Directors with a view to the interests both
political sad financial of their corporate body, further than
was necessary to chimed:lie the present state and future pros.
pects of free trade, as affected by existing regulations.
This subject therefore °shinny divides itself, according
to the varies. restrictions to which different descriptions of
commerce in these regions are now subjected by law: that
to the territorial possessions of the Company being tarried
on by license only from the Company; that to other parts of
southern Asia (China excepted), and to the islands of the
Indian Ocean, by license from the Board of Control; that to
Mos below entirely prohibited to all British vessels but
Amain the actual employment of the East India Company;
alid the whole trade confined to ships of a mister fixed
amount of tonnage.
The trade which is carried on by license with the territo-
ries of the Fast India CoMpany, is confined to the Presiden-
cies of Bombay, Madras, sod Calcutta, and the poet of Pe.
naeg. Some iucunvenieuces and injury to individuals are
stated to have arisen, where circumstances have made it de-
sirable to obange the destination of vessels from one of these
parts to another, after their arrival in the East, in coase-
q the delay attendant upon obtaining a permission
so from the local Governmeut. This indeed may be
*Waled by übtaining licenses including the above.mossed
ports Generally, which have been sometimes applied fur, mid
da Ma appear to have been refused. Bat the system re-
goiritig licenses does not appear to be attended with any public
'benefit; and a fee is charged for each of them.
A more material advantage might probably accrue to the
fore loader, front being permitted to trade with other smaller
ports no the coasts of Coromandel and Malabar, where Ibe
Company have 'beady collectors of the customs established,
who might effectimily counteract an illicit trade; whereby •
wider field of adventure may be opened, and an edible:meal
stimulus to commercial intercourse afforded to the native in.
habitants. It would, however, be ne eeeee ry in this case to
provide by regulations, which it could not be difficult to
establish, against any abuse of this extension of privilege by
British vessels carrying on the walling trade; in which
there is every reason to believe they might successfully cum.
pete with the native ships, which have hitherto been consider.
eil as enjoying a monopoly of that trade, of which the East
India Company could nut reasonably be expected to de-
prive their subjects, as lour as they are precluded from ear.
eying till the direct trade to !Lampe in Inclian•huilt vessels.
It must be observed, however, that the coastiag trade Is wow
open to vessels of other nations, those of the United States
not being excluded from it ; and instances having beau stated
to the Committee, in which the Portuguese flag has been al.
lowed to pass from one port to another carrying on trade,
from which British European ships are excluded.
The Committee cannot dismiss this branch of the subject
without observing, dial although it is difficult, from the
great fluctuation' which the free trade tie the penonseela of
India hall experienced since it has beret admitted upon the
terms of the renewed charter granted to the East India Com-
pany in 1813, to estimate fairly the precise amount of its
is-
cr it must be admitted that its progress has he-..is snch as
to indicate, that neither a power tu purchase nor a disposition
to use cornaMilities of F.ureepean manufacture are wanting in
the natives of British India; whilst the mimeo: knowledge
of the wants sail wishes of the inhabitant., acquired by a
din et intercourse wills this country, would naturally lend to
a still further augmented of our exports. The great th-
eir:toed renesumption cannot be sufficiently accounted fur
by the demand of European residents, the member of whom
dues soot materially silty; and it •ppears Yu have been much
the greatest in articles calculated fur the (corral use tat the
natives. Thal of the cotton manufactures of this country
alone, is stated since: the first opening of the trade, to have
been augmented from four to five-fuld. And the lisle of
the natives for Such •ri icicle may not improbably have been
created, in some instances, and eXtrenled in °there, by that
very alai in the market, which has doubtless by its excess
sod consequent lowering of prices, feeipecialy defeated the
speculations captivate merchants. The value of the nieschau-
disc exported f Great Britain lu ludia, which amounted
in the year 1815 to 870,1711. in the year 1819 its II to
3,052,7411 ; and although the market appears then to have
been no far overstocked as In °erasion • demesouti rrrr tat' nearly
oste•lo•lfire thrtexpores of the fully/wow year (1820), that dime.
Notion appears to have taken place inure eis the article. lellend•
eel far the consumption of Europeans them of natives; and the
trade is now stated to the COM rrr i r tee, by the hest. orawased per-
sona, to lee reviving. When Ilw animent of youpolatuoil and
the extent of eonntry sive r wh.ehtlw reensis ovum* of thear. sr.
ticks is spread, are considered. it is obvious that every
facility which Can, imeno•trielly with the political interests
and sem ity of the t: eeeee pany's donnesiuus, Ire given to the
'wielde trader for the ilistribUtstm of his export+, by isocreas-
ing the number of points at which hr may have the option
of touching in pursuit of • market, cannot fail to promote a
more ready and exleosive demand.
If the restriction of nude to vessels of the harden of 350
lons and wpwarda, in all seas and eimearits 'Ohio, the
limits tel the East India Company's charter, has miry
leirdeney so check the operations of the pe*.vate trader Ili
• diesel commerce wills the o'tt sss s oitnos (4 the E est lei•
alga Company it raw hardly fail to pperaie still more cos as
impedtmeal to his exert ory seekierg new chauesiels of
commerce, or extending theme which already raise with other
countries and islands in the some part of the globe. Bete a
field, in • great measure new, sennlel Ie opened by • free ad-
mission to trade of vessels of a smaller hurries. It is stated
to the Committee, by persons who have hems moss iaterestvd
in forming • enema 'vain,' etymon the seikject,lhat to a trade
with the Native. Powers in live Gulf of Persia, along Ilse
Red Rea, 111141 on the eastern roast of Africa, as well as wish
the Islands and cometrira so the *amused of eh. Company's
dominions in Asia, small vesierls would he employed in pre.
&mice to large, from the tontine or the eminent mu. the great
'slue aud snail bulk of souse of the articles, as sill as the