The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-02 00:00:00

sit;on, and that every endeatonr should be made to
obtaiii its rcise-A.

It appeared that the Chamber of Commerce was a
self-created Corporation, composed of Mr. Osborne
and a few of his friends, arid that its resolution was
of no weight or authority, and had probably been in-
fluenced by some ministerial promise of commercial
advantages to the Port of hull.

The Chairman proceeded :—Gentlemen, the Re-
solutions of the Ship-Owners at Hull seem per-
fectly explanatory of what took place in the Cham-
ber of Commerce, and having said sufficient as to
the policy of this novel tax, I shall address a few
words to you with regard to its justice, and then
trust I shall have convinced you that it ought never
to have existed in the mind of a Minister. I shall

not enter into the abstract question, of whether if
a property in shipping is a source of wealth it
ought therefore to be made the subject of taxation ?
I shall state (Only, that since the last American war,
the average advance of all articles connected with
shipping, amounts to 72 per Cent. while the aver-
age advance on freight is only 20, making a differ-
ence of 52 per Cent. Now it has been the practice
of every former Minister, to send for those persons
he meant to make the objects of taxation, in order
to ascertain whether they could bear the tax pro-
posed ; this was done with regard to the Brewers,
and other persons employed in the various branches
of trade, commerce, and manufatures. The Ship-
Owners have been with the Minister, they have
strewn their accounts, and laid before him documents
which incontestably prove, that at this moment they
are actually losing money. Having thus stated to
you every thing your Committee have done, it is
for you to say, whether any, and what further mea-
sures are necessary, in order to obtain a repeal of
the tax. If any further explanation is required, I
shall be happy to give it. You have heard the Re-
port of the last General Meeting; such Gentlemen as
conform to the Resolutions it contains, will signify
their assent.

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The expression in favour of the Resolutions was
unanimous.

The Chairman.—" I have only now to add to
what I have said, that your Petition is delivered to
the House of Commons ; and that the Lord Mayor
has taken up the business with that zeal he has ever
shewn upon all subjects of national importance. I
believe there is not a man existing in this country to
whom you could confide yourselves with more pro-
priety, for he unites every thing valuable as a man,
a politician, a magistrate, and a legislator.
The thanks of the Meeting were unanimously
moved to the Committee in general, for their atten-
tion and indefatigable industry in endeavouring to
obtain a repeal of the Tonnage Dnty, and they were
recommended to pursue such further means as should
be necessary for attaining so desirable an object.
The Chairman repeatedly invited the Gentlemen
present to deliver their sentiments.
Mr. Cat.vaar.—" I am satisfied with the advice
given to his Majesty's Ministers, and that it is their
bounden duty to repeal this oppressive tax."
Mr. CURLING —" I know no man in this city,
save one, who will assert the contrary, and that one
is Sir WILLIAM Cutirts. Why should his name be
concealed t I am neither ashamed or afraid to name
him. The Committee told the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, that there had been but one ship built for
the merchant service since the peace—And what does
he do ? He rises in his place in the House of Com-
mons, and upon the information of Mr. Alderman
Cuarts, Asserts, that there are ships laanched every
day." •
Mr. CALVERT.II At the time he spoke this,
there were a great many ships on the stocks build-
ing for the East India service, perhaps the noble Ba-
react meant to include them."
Mr. Custeis:o observed, that there was a manifest
distinction between the general shipping interest and
that of the East India trade.
The Chairman. —" In every conversation with the
Minister such distinction has been made. It is ap-
parent that there is nut a than among us who can
send a ship tu the East ladies. The:rade is a com-
plete monopoly t far be it from me to say is a mo-
nopoly that ought not to exist, but still it is one. The
distinctii.p referred to was expressly made by Gen.
GASCOIONE in the House of Commons."
Mr. Rowe aorr was of opinion, that Mr. Alder-
man Cu RTIS must have had the shipi built for the
East India Service in contemplation when he used
the expression complained of. He understood the
noble Baronet was extremely ill when he made it,
and that be was suddenly called upon to make some
declaration.
The letters of the different Ship builders were read
to prove the truth of the statement in the Report.
The Chairman. "It appears, that the Minister
has received information directly opposite to that
given him by the Committee, and opposite to the
truth. In fact, he tells us so. Now, it will well
become the Gentleman who has misled him, and
who has repeated out of Parliament the expressions
he used in it, to acknowledge his mistake. His ob-
servations went to the extent that Ship-Owners were
fair objects of taxation. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer declared, that the shipping interest was
never in a more flourishing state. His criterion of
that flourishing state he takes up at two periods ;
he brought a list up to prove to tis, that in 18024
thousand sail of English ships entered out more
than in the preceding year. It is easy to answer
this : it is well known that just before the war ter-
minated, a number of foreign ships came into the
ports of this country. It was natural that there
should be a rebound of trade ; but we did state to
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the ships had
gone out upon terms far from advantageous ; we
could have produced letters from Lisbon, proving
that upwards of 60 sail were laying there unem-
ployed. The Minister has clearly acted from mis-
information, and we have proceeded in a manner
most calculated to set him right. We told him,
we came aot more out of regard to our own cha-
racter than to his ; we desired him, if his time
was too valuable, to appoint some gentleman to act
for him, and we pledged ourselves to prove to him,
either that the shipping interest had decreased, or
at Once to give the matter up. There is not a man
among us who would wish to restrain the hands of
Istnisters ; there is not one of us who does not see
the absolute neeessity of raising the revenues to
meet our expenditure, but let not a Minister lay his
• hands on the very vitals of the country I let him not
tear out the bowels of the goose that lays the golden
egg ! I have nothing further to trouble the Com-
mittee with. If Mr. Calvert, whose rank in life, and
long experience, entitle him to the utmost attention,
1 has any thing to throw out again! t the resolution of