The Sun.
London, England, 1822-04-12 00:00:00

- its environs ' - •
Shewesh,—That your Petitioners are either professionally
Seamen, or have embarked their capital under the faith of the
Navigation Laws, or are otherwise so dependent on the Ship-
Ping, that any measure tending to its employment would
prove ruinous to your Petitioners.
That your.Petationers beg leave to submit to your Honour-
able House, that, they have suffered a greater depreciation in
their property since the conclusion of the war,ahan perhaps any
other class of his. Majesty's subjects ; and that the great sur-
plus of shipping have so lowered the freights, that the proceeds
from them are not sufficient to pay the expences of their voy-
ages.
That the shipping are charged with heavy duties on every
article necessary to their equipment, exclusive of a gross ton-
nage duty, of which nothing has been reduced since the con.
°osier' of the war ; and, added to these burthens of taxation,
they have to pay a higher rate for provisions and wages than
the shipping of other countries. From these causes foreigners
are enabled to take freight at a lower rate; and as the smallest
difference in that respect determines the preference of the mer-
chants, the carrying trade must be wrested from us unless en-
couragement is given to the British Shipping, by a close adhe-
rence to the Navigation Laws. In considering the importance
of these laws, from the early period of our history we learn the
high value our ancestors set on the shipping-interest of the
country; from the infancy of our trade, it was fostered by
them with the greatest care and attention, by enacting, at dif-
ferent periods-of time, a series of wise and salutary regulations,
.for the express purpose of preserving to British ships (under
certain regulations) sundry portions of our trade with foreign
countries, together with the whole of our coasting and colonial
trade. The great benefits which have resulted from this wise
System are too obvious to require detail; it is sufficient to ohs
serve, that it has increased the ,wealth and naval strength of
Old Engasnd to a high pitch of prosperity and power, and
Placed her in the most distinguished and pre-eminent situation
,as a great maritime nation. These truly venerated enactments
nad their best principles consolidated into that ever memorable
Statute, the 12th a Charles 11., of which the declared object is
"to increase the Shipping and Navigation of this, Nation,.
Wherein, under the good Providence and protection of God, the
wealth, safety, and strength of this kingdom is so much con-
cerned ;" and after the country has experienced the beneficial
effects of this act for nearleetwo centuries, the Committee of
the Honourable House of Commons, sitting on the Navigation.
Laws,, pass an etilogium that " a just respect for the political
wisdom from which the enactments of the Navigation Laws
orighiated, and a sense of the national advantages derived from
them, in their effects on the maritime greatness of the king-
dom, have rendered them objects of attachment and veneration
to every British subject."
That your' Petitioners fully participate in these sentiments,
and are moreover fully persuaded that, however wise and salu.
tary the Navigation Laws were in the infancy of our commerce,
they are now become more imperatively so ;---not only from the
Jealousy entertained by the European Powers of our maritime
and commercial greatness, and from the many forward strides
and intentions manifesteti,by the United States of America to
rival Britain in her natural element, but likewise from the
heavy duties at present imposed upon British shipping, as it
must be evident to your Honourable House, that in the first
essays in trade, the competition between us and other maritime
States- depended then on the respective exertions which each
nation made in industry ; our ships were not then fettered with
such heavy duties as have since been imposed on them from
the exigence of the State, which our maritime rivals have not
to bear in the same proportion. It therefore must be obvious
to your Honourable House, that this is not the time to make
alterations or grant -concession's, inimical to the established prin-
ciples on which our Navigation Laws are founded. This would
be.surrenderinge the benefits so hardly won, and of which the
shipping and seamen stand so much in need,—which, if con-
ceded, would increase the navigation of other States, and
thereby increase their means of offence in time of war. Your
Petitioners beg leave again to remind your House,
that they have lOng been suffering under the difficulties which
nearly all daises of his Majesty's subjects have experienced,
since the conclusion of the war of such long duration, which
had much increased the number of ships and seamen; but con-
sidering this depression a natural effect, they never attempted
to trouble the Legislature with complaints for which there
appeared no immediate redress.
That whilst thus suffering under die greatest depression,
they are not more astonished than alarmed to find a Bill pend-
ing before your Honourable House, intituled, " A Bill to ex-
Plain and amend the several acts for the encouraging and in-
cteasing of Shipping and Navigation, and to regulate the im-
portation of goods and merchandize into Great Britain, so far
as relates to the countries from whence, and the Ships in which,
such importation shall be made,"—the principles of which, if
carried into effect, are totally subversive of the ancient system
of Navigation, under the faith of which they embraced their
profession, and embarked their respective capitals, and which
`will tend to abrogate the principles contained in the 12th of
Charles 11., which confines the importation of all goods or
commodities whatever, of the growth, production, or manufac-
ture, of Asia, Africa, or America, to be imported direct from
thence in British ships only.
By this wise enactment was secured to this country the whole
of the long transit from three quarters of the Globe, and the
next object was to secure, the importation of the commodities,
Manufacture, and productions, ofEurope, direct from the place
of their origin, in British ships, or in ships belonging to coun-
tries of which the cargoes were the produce. .
In these enactments, your Petitioners see nothing more than
the fair and equitable principles of reciprocal justice, they see
nothing in them "hostile or invidious, nor are they any infringe--
nient on the rights of any other state ; taking it as a long ace
Ictiowledged principle, that all nations enjoy such right, and
Aven regulated their conduct on such principles, whenever it
was their interest so to conduct themselves. And that England
has found it not only expedient, but absolutely necessary, 'to
adopt it as her best means of defence ; and that the security of
her 'distant Colonies depends on her maintaining these princi-
ples.

Viewing this system as maintained through so many succes-
sive centuries, what other sensation than the strongest feeling
of alarm can youf Petitioners express on finding a Bill actually
Pending before your Honourable House, containing an entire
new principle (so diametrically opposite to the one, before,
acted upon) by which the goods and merchandize, being the
growth, production, or manufacture of Asia, Africa, or Ame-
rica, shall be imported into Great Britain from any part of