The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-06 00:00:00

FREE TRADE.

(From the Boston Doily Adreriiser.)
BUTISTI COLONY TRADN.— We are a little surprised that the
R of the Committee of Commerce in the Senate of the United
States. and the Bill reported ,by the Committee of Finance, on the
subject of the trade between this country and the British North
Antricao and Went India Colonies, have excited no more mutt-
ons, either in Congress or with the public. it is, It' we mistake
not, a subject much more important than the Panama question, and
one from the discussion of which some manifest practical benefit
would be likely to result to the country. We are.now voluntarily
cutting ourselves off from one of the channels of trade which
might be rendered quite important to some parts of the country, by
persisting in neon, relative to the principles of reciprocity appli.
cable to the two countries, which will probably in the end be given
up as indefensible. The British government agree to admit into
their Colonies every kind of produce from the United States in
American vessels, which they admit coming from the same country
in British vessels, and on payment of the same duty, both on vessel
and este: thus plseing tht shipping of the two countries on an equal
ti o ing. This measure was adopted. under the sanction of an Act of
P.tritament, on the condi:ion, of course, that we would admit Bri-
tish vessels from the Colonies on the same terms. This our Govern.
ment have refused to do, and have exacted alien duties from British
vessels and their cargoes, coming from the Colonies. In conse-
glove., our own vessels are subjected to similar countervailing du.
Las in the Colonies, and a trade which wooed tubsewitie be of great
imnortanee to the country, is confined in an extremely limited scale.
The advantages offered by the British Government, in the terms
above stated, we have refused to accept, because our produce is not
admitted into the Colonies on the same terms with like produce of
the other aritixb colonies. Our Government has maintained, that
the produce of the United States ought to be admitted into the
&heat colonies without paying any other duties than similar
produce coming from other British colonies. The extrava-
gance of this pretension was strikingly exhibited in a single
leentence of a speech, of Mr. fluskisson if we mistake not,
in Pal amine, a year or two ago, in which lie sheaved that the
B Irish Government might on the same principle demand that the
c'non and sugar of their West India Colonies should be admitted
i t iNewVorknr Boston. on equal terms with the same articles com-
ing faun Louisiana. If ibis fact is DM a sufficient answer to the
claim, it may be added that no commercial (*entre ever admitted
ouch a claim, and Great Britain is not likely to do it fur any privi-
lege which we have to offer her in exchange for it. Had Congress
tern less engaged in the discussion of abstract questions, ttoin
which the public are not likely to derive any very substantial l+ene.
lit, they would have had time to pay more attention to the petitions
w!sie'i hare been oceinated on this subject.
1. xtract of a letter received from a mercantile house of the first
respectability in Quebec t—
" Quebec. 18th April, 1826.
" We fear very Mach that the blessed Reciprocity Act will
prove the ruin of the trade of Britain and the Colonies. We on.
derstand that Mr. fluskiason has been endeavouring to persuade
the French Government to adopt his visionary plans of liberality ;
but they tell him, in our opinion most wisely, that they uotnot yet
-fford to sacrifice the property and industry of their subjects for the
encooragement of foreigners. We have no doubt that our Govern.
men has acted wisely in removing many restrictions, and in many
liberal acts, but in the Reciprocity Act, we fear they have gone too
tar—that they have taken an immense responsibility upon them.
selves. Britain must be a sufferer by it. The late Colonial Trade
Art, made, it is said, solely for our benefit, will, with the Reci-
procity Acts cut up every branch of our trade. Our trade in ashes
aid in future be very much curtailed, as American ashes are now
ail awed to be brought into the province on payment of a duty of
IS per cent."

The trod on the vessels on the stocks In all the ship-yards at
Mortreal has been stopped, In consequence of the embarrassed state
of trade, to the serious injury of the mechanic and labouring part
o the popu;ation.—Nere York Paper.
The C.nmereial distresses of England have been felt severely in
Canada. This is not strange, when it is considered that the pro-
vince has always been almost entirely dependent on the mother
country in evrnmercial and financial matters. So great has been
Cle sensation in 3lontreal, that the several ship. yards in which
building had formerly been carried on to a large amount annually,
have been thud, am! a great number of mechanics deprived of the
means of support—Newport .Itrreory.
by the Trinidad, arrived in the Clyde, we have received Trinidad
Pspers to the' 13th April. They contain no political news. The
commercial news, however, are such as may be expected under
our new system. Between the 2:1 and sth April, inclusive. we per.
eetve two French vessels, one from Martinique. and another from
Marseilles, with snorted cargoes, entered at Trinidad. Such as.
sorted carpet ought and would, ur.der other circumstances and
more Hokum' times, have gone entirely from this country. Thus,
cos perceive, besides the advantage obtained from the disposal of
the products of French agriculture and manufactures in our Colo-
nies, French vessels reaching these possessions with full freights,
while, for this very reason, the ships from the Clyde, are, to our
certain knowledge, during this spring, sailing with oae.tentli less
freight than they had during the same period last year. We may,
while on this subject, suite another equally alarming fact. For
several yeses it has been necessary to send three British ships from
the Clyde to St. Peter•burgh for cargoes of tar, which were chiefly
sold amongst the store farmers of Scotland. This year the whole
quail:, is to be imported in Russian ships! Lloyd's l.•st of
Tuesday places before us a display of the activity of Foreign
vessels in our poets, and the absence of our owo shipping, which is
truly appalling—Glasgow Courier.

DUTCH ,1001M10Y.--.STONg/IATEN. MAT 26.—Last
we k, the crew of a Diteh fishing vessel were kind enough to haul 1
two great lines, belonging to the fishermen of Cowie, who, when
they discovered the circumstance, were at no torts to form correct '
suflottoini of the thieves. Two of the boats' sews instantly board.
el Von's ship, which wait lying becalmed close by, and unceremo.
niously demanded their lines, and the flak which had been caught
by them. At (list the Captain protested bin Innocence, laying his
bander' his heart, and saying, s• Peathe, pestle!" but the fisher.
n,en would have no peace, and threatened to take the vessel Into 1
btonehaven; whereupon the lines were produced, from which the'
whole hooks and tippets had been cut, to avoid detection, and the
flab were also give.' out of the vessel's hull. The fishermen, after
noting her name and pert, then took leave of the rascally Dutch.'
man. We understand ghat the proper application to the Ad.
tniralty, forhaving this infamous transaction punished, has been
made.—Catrloni.in ;lfercu►y.
ELOPEMENT EXTRAORDIN A ttE.—P3T:IPLIOUth, Ohio,
April 111.-IVe have to record the too.; unnatural transaction that'
e"r came to our knowledge. It is the elopement of a husband
from his wife and queen children ; and of a wife from her hushioni,
Its child of two years old, and from her infint at the breast. The
alfiir took plate in Alexandria, opposite this loan. one night last
week. It appears that on the night of the elopement, the !unhand
~f the absconding wile retired to bed with her and his children, and
that as soon as she found heto secured by siren, site arose and dressed
herself. took all her clothing, and immetlian ly kilning her seducer,
they took to their boat which was in readiness, and went down the
river. What in most remarkably relative to this transaction, the
woman has heretofore borne a good character, is of a respectable
indly, was affectionate to her husband, kind to her children, and
1.. general esteem by her acquaintances. Among the numerous
ic' of human depravity which have been recorded in newspapers.
we (hi not recollect ever before to have seen an instance of a mother
tiesertit.g her infant. The name of the wretch whose artful viilany
I 5. thus deprived a fond husband of the companinn of his bosom,
and helpless children of a nioth_r's care, nay, involved a simple
Iranian in misery and woe, deserves that public indigestion should
for ewer rest upon it. It is John Serogling.---Arere York Ercning
Putt.

II PRESS.

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