The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-02-12 00:00:00

SL%vr. AND TRADE TO SPAIN.

Oia the itlitti Lott' CASTLEBEItiii the Mouse
re-s.lertl ttveir mitt a C.,ittittiltte of Supply, Awl the
SPE 4KER duels kit the r.

I.i the Co 1111 l otter 1.0.11 CA•rt V ni Aritt 91)setvetis
float drier the kill awl lengtlocord ih‘co sign which
the cpir,t o t 114.1 wt .1.1..4.,..e t.. 1 Isl;tht,
Ile WuV is- t I.lllsou'd t,. IrCfistli La it's '1•11

_
Mr. lATTELToN rose to Insure the [louse, it was
by sto means has intention to disturb by any ob.:cr-
eations originating with himself, the harmialy mid
unanimity which .had on a preceding night charm.-
teriied the codoidtratines of the object of that
Treaty ; but, ani the present occasion, I.t felt Lima
self called sepou to protect the intereoto of the Mile. • - • •
cantile hotly trading with Spain. The arraagrenent
of On r commercial relations with that country WZ.Is
become a mutter of considerable national iiitereat.
It was pretty generally known, there existed on the
part or Spain no great cordiality to this country,
imil he had been instructed to say, that lift‘
fish merchants trading to Spain were now liable to
greater hardships than ever they had been hitherto.
It was well known cotton goods lead been for a [flag
time prohibited by Spain ;however this might affect
our merchants, it was an evil of which they were
beforehand aware. Woollens and linens were also
intended to he prohibited, and in feet a duty equi-
valent to complete exclusion had been imposed
upon these article*, amounting to HO/. per cent.
This duty was, when takers in conjunction with
other parts of her conduct, a oteffieieat indication
on the part of Spent, of her indionseation to friendly
commercial relations with this country ; and though
it was a political adage, that a commercial griev-
ance was not u just ground or came of proclaiming
war, yet it might fairly, and unlerd ought to con-
stitute a strong reason for a diplomatic remon-
strance. It had beets further represented to him,
that the iliterest of meichants trading to Strain were
not only subject to extreme hardships, Inn es-en to
unwarratitable caprice, exercised in defiance of all
equitable consideration. in cases of iuerrase of
duties on goods imported, it had been, he appre-
hended, a general rule to give six mouths notice of
such intention, to apprise the ratri,git bailer ; but
in the instance of Spanish additional t!ntirs, no
such notice had been lately give'', ;m:1 the dirties
had been so suddenly laid 011, that the British ship-
per, acting %spout the both of the tipani.h toposta
COntinuillg the twine, could not by possibility be
apprised in time, and his ohipment was prralucti,,e
or nothing but loss to him ias'esed iir profit. The
tax on iron upon importation was equally oevere
nod heavy, and the additional duties unposed Ii l
been imposed with the same levity mid baste. It'
it was the wish of the Spaniali Goveritneent to pro-
hibit altogether, or simply to tax excessiy, ly the
produce of our manufacture, let it be due ; 1111',
in Gud'a name, let theist fairly give timely notice,
so as to prevent the British consigno:cots arriving
under such disadvantagi ous &reelist:nicer.. that they
must return to the port of shipment, sir be sold at
an enormous loss. lie therefore entreated the No-
ble Lord to inform him, whether there was now any
thing in contemplation, either in form of a treaty
between the two countliera or a remonstrance upon
the part of our (iovernment, relative to the com-
mercial relations of this country I
Lord CAsTLERILSOII hoped the Hon. Memie,:r
would not buffer any objections he might have to
make on minor points of mere/fertile arrangement,
to be mixed up with the conoseleratinu of u goes-
time or such motneut and importance ;to that before
the Committee.—(hear, hear.)-1-le felt it impossi-
ble to deny that Foreign States had lint an imper-
fect and prejudiced view of the great principles of
commercial intercourse between nutmeat. Whilst
this country lamented the existence ofthese
pre
judices. we should look upon them with suit-
in-
duigrace, when it was recollected that we hail.
for a long time, suffered ourselves to its de-
luded by similar absurd ideas as to exclusive m)-
nopolies and restrictions im trade.—(hear, hear.)
lie lamented the existence of these (to eis)
anti-
quieted prejudices, us well on Spain's account al
our own, satisfied, us he was, that if she adopted
a more equitable tariff 011 imports, it would be ul-
timately beneficial to herself, and extend her gem-
rat commerce. At present, the result of torte-
absurd restrictions was, that the pritierval part of
this commerce was carried on claiiilestinel, ;0-
though declared contraband. The British Ga.
err ttttt ent, ever attentive to the interesto of the
meicantile body. had made lately two proposi-
tions to the Court of Spain. In expectation t-f
being able to induce her to establish a more
liberal turd!' or scalar of duties on articles the
produce of this country—(hear)—which, however,
he was sorry to say was productive of nu bent Betel
effects, although Government had endeavoured to
awaken Spain ton seose of its just and true inieresia
ill this respect. As far us the restriction ~11; tied
the importation of cotton in any shape, he was not
aware sit' ally grievance experienced by our nu r •
; for of any
iuu
n lancets nta.tc
slat:
Iln ly:lel:: it
hl
ta:ixteleutirt) e ret of
urm
rn of ‘diatatilt ge/t c:
to leis slo ttt i t nos's; for as Tar back as the year I 7at.'.
all cotton was prohibited. mid the existence of such
a prohtbition now was only a return to die unciebt
oystem of Spain as to mercantile restrictions. Hot as
we had ourselves but just iisen superior to such ine-
quitable regulations in commerce, Government could
not, with a good grace. turn round 0:1 Sp-un fur tner
than where it saw sufficient g ttttt nds of complarot
ill cases presented to its consideration, to make such
cameo the subject of the strongest remonstrance.,
more especially iilitreser such cases appeared to to-
volte it general ptiueiple. Nothing could he tune
41,,u0i,1e 111.111 that the different foreign Cover,-
merits, wlio still adhered to systems proved to be
practically lirrjn,i vial in trade, should abolish..
the.- iiii.ocial and anti commercial pninaideo. It
wi!it•tl most sincerely they wee

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