The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-19 00:00:00

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wined as one of the many measures of improvement which will Be
*ell deserving of its attention than as constituting a fundamental I
tide in its Eigmation.
" The Importance and utility of Chambers of Commerce have
been so far admitted by the highest authority, as to have led to the
incorporation of some of them by royal charter, and es that mark
et favour has been graciously conferred upon establishments in some
Moue prin-ipal out-ports, your Committee confidently hope that
the (VIM high and dietinguithed patronage will not be withheld
from the proposed Chamber of Commerce in the City of London.
" Your Committee therefore, atter diligent ie oory, and an at-
tentive conrideration the circumstances before referred to,
have nu hesitation in recommending the forming of such an Insti-
tution, to be designated the London Camber of Corumerast and
that as soon as the details shall have been finally arranged and de-
termined upon, the necessary application to !Wild through the
prover chattel to his Majesty, for a royal charter of incorporation.
A draught of rules and regulations recommended for the goeern-
mutt of the Chamber will be found in an Appendix to this Report.
" Your Committee arc sensible that no measures of permanent or of
substantial efficacy can be successful, without cordial union and co-
operation ; that to give full effect to such an Association it is indis-
pensably necessary that it should receive the suppoft of the lading
mercantile establishments, and also unite the talents and experience
of the moat eminent commercial characters of this metropolis ; that
it shou:d be conducted upon general and liberal principles, free from
every intinence of party prejudices or distinction ; and that its
direction be selected fan those connected with the several branches
of commerce, manufactures, trade, aid navigation, as well as ac-
quaioted with the local business of the port of London. And in
order effectually to secure the permanent connexion of the Chamber
with the great commercial interests of the metropolis, it appears
desirabie, that the Representatives in Parliament for the City of
Latta, and the heads of leading Corporations and other
institutions connected with its trade, should have seats at the
Boatd of Directors during their continuance in office. Your
Committee hare particularly in view the Governor and
Deptigetiovernee of the Rank of England ; the Chairman
and Deputy Chairman of the Ilonoumble East Com-
pany; the Governor, bob, and Deputy 041trernors of the Royal
Exchange Assurance Corporation; the Governor, Sub, and Deputy
Governor of the London Assurance Corporation; the Governor
and Senior Consul of the Rteisis Company; the (iovernor and De-
triy, Governor of the Levant Company; the Sub-Governor, and
uty Governor of the South Sea Company; the Governor
almputy Governor of the Eastland Company ; the Master and
Deputy Master of the Trinity Corporation ; the Governor and De-
puty Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company; the Chairman and
Deputy Chaim= of each if the following Companies—West
India Dock Company, London Dock Company, East India Dock
Company, Commercial Duck Company, East Country Dock Com-
pany, Surrey Coal Dock Company; the •Chairman of the East
India Traci, therakure; the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of
the West India Merchants; the Chairman and Deputy Chairman
of the Soviet y of Merchants trading to the Continent,- the Chair-
man of the Wine and Spirit Trade Committee; the Chairman of
the Committee of the Shp Owners' Society ; the Chiti-man of the
Society of British North America Merchants; the 'Chairman of
the Committee for managing the affiiirs at Lloyd's. Ycur Com-
mittee are equally irapressed with •i necessity of the immediate
management being confided to hands every way qualified for so
important a trust. Upon such a eelecion many of the advan-
tages to be derived from the associatiun must depend; whether
that object may be best accomplished by appointing a managing
Director or a Committee of 3laragenient, who shall uudertake the
active superintendence, or whether the duties may be assigned to
lima Secretary alone, with equal advantage to the commercial im
thesis, your Committee will oat take upon themselves to deter.
trine: the office of Secretary, however, will be one of honoUrable
oistinction, from which no gentleman, whatea er be his mercantile
auction, reed to shrink, and who, in accepting and fulfilling the
duties of it, will render a most valuableservice to his country.
" 4n contusion, your Committee beg to disavow most disunetly,
that, in the recommendation they bate felt it their duty to make;
any iliercomagt has been intended to the Mercantile Associations
which already taut in the city of London ; no desire is felt to in-
terfere with their functions or particular objects; nor is there, in
the opinion of your Comm ' ittee any reason which should prevent
the r.speetable individuals who compose those Associations from
rerulling their mimes amongst the members of the propesed Chem-
' her of Commerce ; their cordial co-operation and support will, on
the contrary, be anxiously looked fur in favour of an institution
which is intended to bean encouragement and support to every de-
ecliptio° of mercantile interest.
• The objects of the Chamber *will be general, and such as an
institution of a general character alone will be qualified to effect.
" Its aim will to the improvement and extension of British
commerce in all its branches, and by those means to contribute
its aid io strengthening and extending the best foundations of
. the permanent greatness, power, and prosperity of the United
lintenicen.
" 12th January, 1024."
An Appendix to the Report contained a draught of the rules and
regulatias fur the Government of the Chamter of Commerce.
The most important of the propose-Crake are the following
" That the objects of the Association shall be to assist in Mo.
'noting the l'ouintercial, Trading, Manufactoring, and Shipping
Interests of the UttitedKingdotmand those of the City of London in
particular; to hold communication with the Ministers of the Crown,
and *WI the various departments of the Government, the Mem-
bers of either House of Parliament individually or collectively, and
other persons of high station and anthori ; to watch over all pro.
ceilings relating to Commerce, Trade, Manufactures, and Navi-
gation ; aro' to correspond and confer with similar Associations,
and wish individuals, foe the titainment of the said pntrposes.
'• That the Chamber shall be competent to entertain s propos'.
tion for appointing referees, to whom any matters of difference be-
tween any of its Members, relating to commerce or navigation,
may be referred for decision; and to form such regulations in
respect thereto, as may afford to its Members the advantages of an
szonuudeal and imatistanory system of arbitrations.
'• That a library of useful books and other publications, amps,
and papas, upon commercial subjects, navigation, aml trade, with
the statutes at large, be provided for the use of the Chamber.
Thakh be competent to 31fmk-es only to introduce subjects
foe the consideration of the Chamber of Cuunineice, which commu-
nications or references. front public authorities and institutions,
domestic or foreign, excepted, must be done in writing, ad-
dressed to the Secretary, to be by prim laid before the Board of
Director .
That the Board be open to receive in writing every kind of.
lido:motion relating to commerce, manufactures, trade, or nevi-
ptiomr
The either articles relate to the mode of constituting and govern-
ing, the Chamber.
Mr. Gas r:FELL soggested that as it was not intended to take
' any decision on the Report that day, it would be an ammo:mail,
waste of time to give the Secretary the tremble to read it through.
Toe hest course would 'he fur each gentleman to take a copy home
witO him, and censider it during the interval between this and the
next meeting.
Primal copies of the Report were then distributed through the
"MM.
___

Me. Wou-syrow then moved the following resolution
1. •• That the Report of the Committee appointed at a public
tweeting of Merchants, Bankers, Ship-owners, and others, held on
the 213th day of August last, to consider the expediency of the for-
.ll:l4litrl of a Chamber of Commerce in the City of London, anti re..
. pot: their opinion thereon, now read, be printed, and copies
few the infor.na.ion of the Merchants, Bankers, Ship-
ownins, and others connected with the bade at the metropolis ;
and that a general meeting of the Merchants, Bankers, Slop-
es eery, Underwriters, and Traders connected with the commerce
cf the Port of Lon be convened for Thursday, the Ist of
Arti. at 12 o'clock precisely, to take the report into consideration,
and adout such messurts In respect thereto as may then appear
advisable." _ .

Some conversation ensued, as to the day and hoar of the next
tfieceral 31teeng, which in the original resolution were left blank.
was agreed to commence the business at noon, in consideration
of the ine.oovenienee of a later hour to the genus:nom of Lloyd's.
Mr. WOL L AST ON said, that on moving dus resolution he pur-
posely avoided er.tering into any discussion of the merits or demerits
of the proposed institution. It might be expedient, however, end
silos able to state that institutions were in existence of a settle what
similar nature, slid to explain some circumstances relating to them,
w deli would illustrate the object of the Committee. An appre-
i:er.sioo existed that the Chamber of Commerce might degenerate
Lto an institution that would impose restrictions on trade. No
• greater mistake could be committed. The Chamber would be left
, entirely to thethar.agement of the merchants arid traders, at large,
'who might make it ass much utility as they thceight proper; and
I: it was countetianced and :supported by the leadin,o characters of I
the city of Laudon, it was impossible that it should not do good,
both to the city and to the country genendly. There were in-
awe= on teamed that other institutions of this kind had materially
-I.inhered the trade of the towns in which they were established.
4)r.tt instance which had reached his knowledge that morning he '
oreld net refrain from mentioning. The Chamber of Commerce
'let Merchant: bed rendered an essential service, not only to that
teen. hot to the whole nation. Ile alluded to the part that instate-
ttor had taken, in induchig his Mujesty's Government to with-
Lois! the cession of the island of e•lllCapOlre, which it was in con-
touplatian to have given back, as Java had been sunendcrod.
The Dutch were very desirous of regkining possession of it, and
. would Islet, succeeded, but toe the reprerentations of the Chamber
vac Cor.mierce of Manchester, which, conjointly with those of
/Hems:Timm, Liverpool, and Glasgow, had prevented the
less of that valuable island. There were many other In-
stances in which it would be obvious these institutions.runst be
highly serviceable. They would form a focus to which the
commercial classes could resort for information respecting their
interests. He would content himself with stating one mode
in which they would produce much benedt without going
into any further detaiL They would be eminently useful in giving
information by which the course of legislation might be guided.
The Meeting was, however, not aseeniblal to consider the expedi-
•ecey or nonexpedierey of the hymeneal of Chamber of Commerce,
but to receive the Report of the Committee. The lion. Gent
concluded with moving the Resolution.
Alr. T. IV I Lsox to-contled the 4.10t1011.
Mr. 11113KLUI said; he would not have troubled the Meeting
with iny observations en the question, if the motion had not been
prefaces{ with semethlng like an opinion in favour of the proposed
4fistitution. Ncehire; could be fairer than that the preparation of a
Report by a (e l:mister. who having given the subject grist atten-
two were qualisied to state its ialvasitages in fair colouts, a ml that'
a day should be appointed for the corsideratien of the Re; o t ; nor
did he say that there was anything unfair in the Honourable Gen-
tleman who had beta one of the Committee, and whose mind was
prebefily warmly Impressed with the advantages of the institution,
prefacing the motion in the words he had addressed to the meeting ;
but as those worth; would go forth to the public through the daily
papkwit, he (31r. ibbert) thought it necessary that ho should tie-
(dose that he was ene of a catam number vt I.:cutlet:um who, :it the