The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-02-19 00:00:00

SOIIIII SEA TRADING RILL.

Earl TEMPLE moved the second reading of
this hall.

Sir CHARLES PRICE said, he bad to present
a Petition from certain Merchants in London, trad-
ing to die South Sea, against the Repeal of those
pans of the Aft passed in the 9th of Queen Anne.
which this Bill went to accomplish, and praying to
be heard by Counsel at the Bar upon the subjest
thereof.
Mr. ROSE said. he was not sure as to the real
meaning of this Bill. It had been suggested to
him, that the ships which had sailed to Buenos
Ayres, have not been properly licensed by the
South Sea Company. This might therefore be- an
objea of consideration with the underwriters. The
Bill in question was, be suspeaed, going to set
up an ex post fele law. If that was the case, it
°tight to have been suggested that these ships
ought to have had licenses from the South Sea
Company. He should wish the Noble Lord to state
the obj.-a of the Bill.
Fail TEMPLE said, that the ohjea of the
Bill w..s precisely this : by the Charter of the South
Sea Company, ships could sail in those seas to a
certain extent, such as to South America, without
licenses ; and. in cons( quence of the capture of
Buenos Ayres, these ships did sail without licenses
from the Company, but at that time it was not
known that it was illegal. This Bill was, therefore.
to legalize the trade, in case such vessels should
go beyond the extent allowed. The South Sea
Company were not in this taken by surprise. On
the sth of December a Draft of the Bill was pie.
pared, and laid before them on the 14th of January,
Cite Bill on the Table was exaaly the same, with
the exception of the words " Buenos Ayres," which
were since introduced.

Mr..IACOBS said, that the South Sea Company
had carrit•d on the trade for no less Owl GS years,
but it was found so disadvantageous to them, that
they were obliged to relinquish it in 1740. There
was w : now a vestige of this trade remaining, and
it was impossible that they could ever more exercise
that trade, as they have no capital. and they had nu
power to burrow money. It was rein impossible
that they could now exercise that trade without in-
jitt :og thems,:ives and the community, if they were
J it exclusively. Out of the ruins of that trade,
anochcr had at isen. called the Southern Whale
ki.hery. which has been found to be a nursery for
:cameo. With what face this Company could come
forward, and beg the suspension of a trade carried
on by British Merchants, to the advantage of the
public, which, when in their own hands, proved in-
jusious not only to the public, but to themselves, he
was at a loss to conceive He begged to observe,
that by a law passed in 1902, ail British ships have
a right to go to ary part of South America. within
160 degrees of longitude. The East India and
South beet Company have assumed more than they
ought. The evil which the Bill was intended to
remedy, was, undoubtedly, of series' moment, and
deserving of immediate attention.
Mr. TIERNEY said, he wished to say a word
or two. as to the monopoly of the East India
Company. He could assure the House, that that
Company had no wish to throw any impediment in
the way of general node, or to injure the general
ieserests of the country. All they wished was, to
fievent waders from going to those places which
interfered with their privileges, under assurances '
that thew mars bound for sums other dimainatioa.

After some farther enrcersaglon: the Bill was
read a second time, and ordered to be committed
on Monday West.
Mr. Rose presented a Petition from the Planters
of the Island of Trinidad, against the Slave Trade
Abolition Bill, and praying. that should that bill
pass, they should have some compensation fur the
loss they would sustain.
Lord HENRY PETTY observed, that the most
regular way of proceeding, as to cluims of com-
pensation, upon this subjeEL would have been to
have delayed till such time as the measure com-
plained of had aattally taken place.
The Petition was ordered to lie on the table. _

Mr VANSITTAIt r moved, That there be laid
before the House copies of such further Corres-
pondence as had taken place betwixt Government
aid the Governors of Plantations, relative to the
Stave Trade, since the papers urn that subjed
were laid before last Parliament."—Ordered.