The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-20 00:00:00

ROMAN CATHOLICS.

(From" JOHN BULL," May 19.)
To the Right lion. Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parl;a-

men t assembled:—

We, the Archdeacon and Clergy of the Archdeaconry of
Sarum, deeply impressed with the importance of the treasure
now brought before Parliament, relative to the admission of
Catholic Peers into your Honourable House, (a measufaswhich
can be contemplated only, it is presumed, by thinking men,
as the beginning of evils ; it being regarded by its most Zea-
lous supporters as the stepping-stone to a still more general en-
croachment on the Constitution of this country,) beg leave, with
all becoming respect and humility, to present ourselves be-
fore you. Gratefully mindful of those political advantages
which, under a gracious Providence, we have long been per-
mitted to enjoy, and tremblingly alive to the preservation of
that pure branch of the Apostolic-al Church, of which, in this
country, we have been made the accredited and responsible
Ministers, we cannot refrain from expressing our most serious
apprehensions at the adoption of a measure which saps the
very foundation upon which the Constitution of this Pro-
testant Country has been built ;—a measure which, if carried
to its full, and, as we understand, projected extent involves
in it, not only an indirect reflection upon the wisdom of our fore-
fathers, but also a gross dereliction of established principles,
together with a lamentable indifference to the preservation of
true religion in this favoured land. Acquainted, as your Lord-
ships unquestionably must be, with the awfully-eventful his-
tory of past times, and alarmed, as your Lordships cannot fail to
be, with the threatening complexion of the present, we presume to
address ourselves with some degree of confidence to you, as here-
ditary guardians of our envied Constitution, in the humble hope
that you will not sufferyour soberjudgmerit to be influenced by the
miscalled liberality of the day; nor your good sense carried away
by the specious arguments and tinsel oratory ofpopular declaimers
But that, looking forward to what may sooner or later be thecon-
sequences of political power in the hands of religionists,whe,arro-
gating to themselves the title of being exclusively the Members
of Christ's Catholic Church. unequivOcally profess themselves
adverse to the Protestant Establishment; whilst, at thc same
time, taking into consideration that zeal for proselytism to the
Romish faith, now, alas ! so actively and so alarmingly em-
ployed among us, your Lordships, we humbly trust, will look
the present Suspicious measure full in the face ; and, by a frm,
temperate, but decided opposition to it, will thereby, under the
favour of that Divine Being to whom this country has been is,.
debted for the most distinguished blessings, set that harassing,
unconetitutiOnal question, here referred to, for eve: at rest.—
And your Petitioners, &c. &e.

On the 2d instant, a hair-dresser, who lives in Water-street,
Newry, after having made a libation to Bacchus, imagined
that he was to be hanged, and that the officers of justice
were entering his house to carry him tn. execution. Und.er
this strange impression, he contrived to get on the roof of
his habitation, along which he darted wits uncommon ve-
locity. From his own roof he was seen bounding over sere-
ral other, roofs, now and then pausing when he came to a
chimney, and either peeping into the funnel, or listening so
his imaginary pursuers. Meanwhile, several of his nel.Eh-
hours collected together, anxious to secure the man, and
prevent his expected fall. Be saw them, mistook them fer
bailiffs, and having run rapidly along the roof of Mr. WlC-
lace's stores, proceeded to that of Mr. John Quinn's stores,
over which he rushed with much fleetness and security,
till he came to the gable, from which he jumped With
dauntless intrepidity upon an adjacent dwelling.house, a
descent of about eight feet, imagining, no doubt, that it wag
neck or nothing with him. From thence he proceeded to Nil-.
Nlr.Sinith's roof, where he stripped a proportion of the chimney-
of bricks, and, squeezing himself into one of the funnels, pelt-
ed the people who wisled to secure him with these missiles,
as long as his supply lasted. In this situation he was seized,
secured with ropes, and lowered down to an immense multitudeof the market people, who were gazing with astomshmentat the
funny gambols of the frisky frisseur.

i .

NAVIGATION LAWS.

FOR THE SUN.

•
VDITQR—It IS obvious that commercial
. .
regulations, which grow out of a state of war, are not likely to
-te adapted to a state of peace; and that it is far more
awry to retain trade in its old channels, than to bring it back
again'after it has found its way into new ones. It might have
been expected that hisi Majesty's Ministers, from these consi-
deraticirisnviould immediately, on the return of peace, have set
about a general revision of our corrimercial system; but instead
of so dotag, for six-years; they not only remained in a state of
perfect apathy theeirselves, but opposed the attempts made, by
others; to call theattention of the' Legislature .to this import-
ant subject. They defeated the motion made for repealing our
nevidiouifandinapolitic duty on the transit of foreign linens;
• for continuing which we are now suffering so severely under
the retaliatory measures of Russia. During the war we car-
'tied on the commerce of nearly the whole of Europe ; and
Many branches ohm& which we have now lost might have
been preserved bytimely and judicious regulations, adapted to
the change of circumstances, occasioned by the transition from
war to peace. At length the complaints of our 'Merchants and
Ship-owners have roused his. Majesty's Ministers from their
shin-then and they seem now to think they may make amends
tier' having done nothing- so long, by running into the oppo-
site extreme, and doing infinitely more than is consistent either
with true policy or sound discretion.
• All agree that something ought to be done; but the question
is, what ? The prevailing cry of the moment is for a free trade,
and in compliance with that cry the present Bill is brought
forward. The advocates for free trade affix very different
ideas to those words; perhaps as many as the Reformers do to.
the -word Reform. Many of them (of whom I profess myself
so be one) act in the spirit of moderate Reformers; and merely
naisin that while our intercourse with Foreign Powers is encou-
raged as far as possible on a principle of perfect reciprocity,
every practicable freedom and extension should he given to
British commerce, by removing all those impolitic restrictions
and prohibitions which at present embarrass and cramp its
operations. With this view I feel the necessity of simplifying
and consolidating the laws relating to trade ; of facilitating,
extending, and- perfecting our warehousing system ; of re-
clueing our deck rates and port charges ; of abolishing all those
total prohibitions and excessive duties, which only benefit the
-smuggler at the expenee of the fair traderi and of the Revenue;
and of putting an end to those monopolies which sacrifice the
interests of British commerce, to the exclusive privileges of
Corpozate bodies. Others there are (your ultra Reformers)
who are for going far greater lengths, and for taking off every
restriction-on foreign competition, without any previous stipu-
lation with other, nations, that if we make our trade free to
then, they will snake their trade free to us in return; or with-
out any regard to the disadvantages that must inevitaly result.
.to Great Britain front this new system.
The Bill now before the House of Commons is framed so
nompletely in the spirit of these ULTRA FREE TRADERS,
that it proposes to repeal the Navigation Laws, by which our
commercial intercourse with all the four quarters of the globe
is regulated. It might have been -thought that some respect
saes due to that system under which we have attained to a :de-
gree of commercial prosperity and naval power unparalleled
in the history of mankind; that we should have, approached
it with 'some degree of reverence and veneration ; that we
should have proceeded step by step in this work of demolition;
.but, on -the contrary, despising the wisdom of our ancestors,
And •sicrificing the benefits of experience to the rage for inno-
vation and experiment, we are desired to abolish at once the
ewhole of our navigation system. , Before we commit this rash
eact let us eeenesider the principles upon which our Navigation
_Laws arefounded, and the consequences that •will result from
our departure from them in the manner proposed.
Our Ancestors were well aware that an extensive carrying
trade, as a nursery for seamen, was the only foundation of a
Belligerent Navy ; and in this conviction they enacted that
--all commodities brought into Great- Britain should be import-
ed- either in British ships, or in ships belonging to the country
of which the commodities were the growth, produce, and ma-
•.nufacture- By this regulation, while they placed all foreign
.shipping on a footing of perfect reciprocity with British ship-
ping, in carrying on the commercial intercourse between their
.own e•onntey and Great Britain, they, at the same time, re-
served to British ships our coasting trade 'and fisheries; the
freight of all produce imported from OUR OWN Colonies or de-
pendencies, and also from all Countries having no shipping of
their own, which was -then the case with the whole of Asia,
enfriesa and America, and is so still, with the exception -of the
'United States and the Brazils. Under this system our carry-
ing trade rapidly increased, till it far exceeded that of any
• other Won on the globe, and our naval power augmented in
the same proportion.
' Instead of receiving the produce of Asia, Africa, and America,
el;reei revel., the places of their growth, and in British Ships
- only, we fue now called upon to admit tbem from EVERY
rART of the world, and even from the CONTIGUOUS ports of
. Europe, after they have .been imported there. in FOREIGN
-.Ships. This sweeping measure, which involves the great ailk
of our carrying trade, and in tile same proportion our Naval
_Power, is of the utmost importance re and any wrong icalcula-
etien or erroneous conclusion as to its results, will he ruinous to
the great sources both of -our wealth and greatness. The sub-
ject, therefore, demands .ourmost serious consideration. -It is
nobvions, that if the carrying trade we now reserve to British
Shipping exclusively were thrown open to all the werld, in the
manner proposednit must in the nature of things soon fall into
the hands of those who can carry it .on at the cheapest rate ;
and it is equally dear, that many Foreign .Powers build, equip,-
and navigate their Ships, at less expence than ourselves. The
:evidence given before the Corrineitte on Foreign Trade proves,
that Sh:ps, the building and equipping of which cost near 18111
hper ton in this country, cost only 101. in Prussia, and less than
M. in Norway.; and that provisions and searnens' wages are
-also much lower there than in Great Britain. These calcula-
tions are unfortunately confirmed by experience andtVesevi-
dencenf facts, which prove that various branches of trade, that
"helve betn thrown open to equal competition since the peace,
-are lost Lb this country, and ENGROSSED BY FOREIGNERS.
By the treaty between Greet Britain and the United States of

..America, the Ships of bOth countries are placed upon an equal
-footing as to their direct commercial intercoursie with each
other, and the witoLE of the trade between the two countries
is now carried on in the Ships of the United States. Formerly
--tlrf.at Britain emplbyed about 800 sail of vessels in trading from
Port to Port in the Mediterranean, and between the Mediter-
"Tanan and the -Black Sea, in consequence of the advantage we
enjoyed under our treaty with the 'Dey of Algiers; by which
-we were protected from capturehy.the Barbary .P'owers,a risk to
which the.-xessels of other nations were exposed. In one of our
fits of Inimanity and Oilantrophy, we sent out an expedition
-to bombard AllierS, and obliged the Dey to respect the Flag
,of oritEtt Powers as much as our own. FroM that -moment
'they began -to supplant us in this trade ; and, as is proved in
'the evidence given 'before -the Committee on Foreign Trade,
mot a single .British Ship is now engaged in it. Such are the
-results of equal competition. In like manner, during the war,
we carried on all.the European Trade of Cuba • but since' the

Peace,• which 'opened it to the competition of the other Euro-
pean Powers, it has gradually left us and gone to them ; and
our-present hare in it is so circumscribed, as not to amount to
on twentieth part of ttie whole. We certainly retain a greater
:proportion cf the Brazil Trade; but this is owing to our treaty
with Portugal, under which British Manufactures are admitted
into her dominions at -9 per cent. less duty than those of other
European Pows ; and even with this advantage, which might
• be expected to secure us almost the monopoly of that corn-
-coerce, a far greater share of it goes to the ports of other Pow-
-ors than comer to -tliose..of Great . Britain. These are plain
and positive facts ; and as the same cause will naturally. pro-
duce the same effect, they prove that in all cases 'we must lose,
if Lot the whole,. the greatest part of those branches of trade
-that are operetO general competition. In fact, they only con-
:firm the proposition, that loaded as we are with taxes whioli
enter into the price of all commodities, and govern the wages
of labour,. we cannot compete with other nations who are more
el'avoterably circumstanced in these respects; and therefore to
-expos?. ourselVes unnecessarily to such a competition, ,would be
an act of-gratuitous folly. We are too apt. to indulge in the
delusive idea, that British industry, enterprize, and skill will
.carry all before them; and, under fair and eqUal advantages, I
believe they will : but in this case they are so overmatched,
.that they.mustibe overpowered. The British farmers •find that
they cannot compete with Foreigners in Agriculture; and, for
the very same'caeises, the British Ship Owners cannot compete
'With them in cheapnesa'of 'Navigation.
If, under this new pia~:,,-the loss of our carrying trade would
.gradually take place in time of peace, how much more sud-
-den.lv as well • as certainly would this -be the case in time of
•viikfr British shippingtruist then be navigated at war freights'
Acid. war premiums of insurance, from which WICTITRAI. ship-
ping would be exempted, ;and of • course would immediately'
monopolize all the carrying trade : so that, in addition to the
loss our commerce, we should lase the means of maintaining
our naval force; at the very moment when the demand upon
our merchant service for the supply of seamen would be the
most urgent, and when.the want of that supply might be fatal
to the greatness, and even to the independence of the British
Empire. The loss of our carrying trade would inevitably lead
to ognstiqu'ences of the Most serious nature. Our ship builders,
and the •various 'classes of- tradesmen connected with and de-
pendent upon them, boat builders, mast Makers, rope' makers,
sail makers, block makerS, anchor smiths, coopers, carpenters,
joiners, blacksmiths, painters, lighterrnen , shipwrights, •
ballast-heavers, and -an infinity of others, whose occupations
:.kre derived from shipping, would be deprived of their means

of subsistence; and above all our seamen must either emigrate,
or starve. The history of the late war has taught us which
alternative then. will choose.. We then found the Navy of one
hostile Power half manned with British seamen ; and our dis-
comfited Commanders Might have exclaimed in the words of
Macbeth,
Were they not forced with those that should be curs,
We might have met them dareful, beard to beard,
And beat them liackward home. •

So far I have considered the effects of this plan upon our
Navigation only ; Abut other objections to it remain founded
upon its injurious consequences to the interests of our trade
and manufactures. At present, the commodities of' Asia,
Africa, and America, can only be imported direct from the
places of their growth, produce or manufacture, but it is now
proposed to admit them from Ar.L PORTS AND PLACES
WIIATOE V ER ; so that Foreigners may bring them to Europe
in their ships, and then wemay transport them across the!,
Channel in our small craft. In other words, we are to give up
to Foreigners the I.ONG VOYAGE Of six or twelve months, and
,content ourselves with the short voyage of one or two days, or
even a few hours ; and instead of being the exporting csutory
.to Europe, we are to become the importing country from
Europe. If such were the case, " Alas, how fallen, hoW
changed," would be the state of Great Britain ! -But the
mischief does not rest here. Many articles manufactured on
the Continent arebetter adapted for sale, in distant parts of
the world, than those made here. On our present system, we
import those goods, mix them up with others of our own ma,
nuractuYe, and thus make up assorted cargoes, which we send
out, and bring back commodities (chiefly raw materials) in
,return, for which the manufactures of this country offer the
only certain and advantageous market. Foreigners having
little or no demand for 'these commodities among themselves,
and not being permitted under our present Navigation System
to send them here, make no shipments of goods with the view
of bringing them home ; but sf you take off their hands those
return cargoes for which they/have no use, you remove the
only obstacle to' their engaging in these branches of commerce.
Large shipments of their goods will immediately be made, and
will supersede the sale of our goods in various markets, where
at present you have little or no competition. Palm oil, ivory,
and dye woods from Africa. Cochineal hides, tallow and in-
digo from South America, and indigo from India, for which
our manufactures offer the great market, are now exclusively
imported from the places of their growth, in return for British
3; but open your market to them from the contiguous
foods
of Europe, as this Bill proposes, and they will be brought
from the places of their growth in foreign ships and in return
for foreign goods. The same observations apply to various other
commodities; but these examples will suffice to show the
injurious effects of the present Bill, upon British trade and
British manufactures. I hardly need add, that any change of
system whLehOdeprives OUR MANUFACTURERS of employ-
ment, .anslobliges them either to seek occupation in another
country or to throw- themselves on the Poor-rates for relief, will
increase thedistress of our Agriculturists ; and, therefore, that
THEY have as strong, though not perhaps so immediate an
interest in this discussion, as the Ship-owners themselOes. •
The repeal of our'Navigation 'Laws, even as to Europe, is
liable to. very powerful • objections. It will defeat the object
His Majesty's Ministers profess to have in view, of making
this Country the Emporium of Trade, and transfer all the be-
nefits.af the Warehousing System, from us to our neighbours
The Right Honourable the Vice-President of the Board of
Trade has began-at the wrong end of his plan. He ought first
to have brought in -his Bills for the improveMent of our Ware-
housing System, and for the reduction of our Quarantine Dues,
Dock rates and other port charges ; and then we should have
been better able than we now are, to see how far we are able to
compete with foreigners. 'We must recollect, that Warehouse
rent and Port charges, are much lower in Foreign Ports than
here, that they are free from our expensive and harrassing
Systems of Quarantine and Excise Laws ; and that these ad-
vantages'induce not only-Foreign, but even British Merchants,
to-lodge.bulky commodities in their warehouses,to -be sent here
only when they are wanted for actual consumption. , Brandy,
Geneva wines, and Mediterranean. produce of every descrip-
tion, may be warehoused in Holland and the Netherland's, at
much greater advantage than in the Port of London. A British
-Merchant who was examined before-the Committee on Foreign
•Tradeodeclared that his' House had saved a fortune-by f'onning
an Establishment for these purposes at Antwerp. -It was also
proved before that Committee, that the rate of warehouse rent
paid there is just one fourth of that charged in the 'Bin of
Londoneo that the' Owners of spirits and wines are not liable
to any duty for deficiences, either in strength or quantity, that
they may alter the strength of their spirits, so as to make them
suit any Foreign-market o that they • may mix -spirits in bond
with wines in bond, to make the wines keep the better on any
foreign voyage ; that they may bottle their wines while in bor4
and all this without any of those •expeuces• or restrictions to
-which they -would be subject in this country. It is not impos-
-sible but that such a-reduction of rates may follow in the abo-
lition of the Charters "of the several Dock Companies, and that
such regulations may take place, both with respect to our QUa-
rantine Laws and Excise Laws, as will enable us to maintain a
more equal competition with Foreigners ; but till this is ascer-
tained,-.the measure -proposed is highly premature as well as
dangerous.
Toshew the consequences Of it, under present circumstances,
I will give the instance of two vessels, a British vessel bound
to London, and a DutCh vessel bound 'to the Netherlands,
sailing tooether from Smyrna, laden with cargoes of fruit and
other goods; The British ship bound to London would pro-
bably afrive in the-River Thames about the same time that
the Dutch ship would arrive at Amsterdam. The British yes-
' sel, on reaching Stangate Creek, is subject, by our quaran-
tine laws, to a probationary airing of fifteen days. In the
course oi-two or three days more, the goods are landed, and
put'into a Lazaretto. Ten days afterwards, the fruit is per-
mitted to be sent to London in-lighters ; after which, the yes-
'sel has to perform twenty days, and the other goods thirtydaYs'
ouarantine ; the whole detention amounting to near sixty days.
The goods- are subject to a quarantine duty, which varis-
from 16s. 'to -245. per ton, according to their bulk ; and
to this must be added the wages and maintenance of tivi mat-
ter, officers, seamen, and pilot. The Dutch ship, being sub-
' ject so far as respects fruit, to no farther restraint than is prac-
tised at the quarantine ports in the Mediterranean, may imme-
diately discharge the fruit into a vessel bound for London, at
about the same freight as the lighterage from Stangate Creek ;
and at the expiration of eight days tranship her other goods
for London, which, being accompanied with certificates of
their having performed the usual quarantine, will be admitted
to entry here without either difficully or delay, and be brought
into consumption within fifteen days from the date of their ar-
rival at Amsterdam, while the goods that came in the British
vessel direct to the River Thames are detaitied sixty days, and
saddled with enormous charges, from which. those that came in
the Dutch ship are &ea.
Other examples of-the same nature might be adduced; but
this will be sufficient to show; that if the present Bill passes
into a law, unless very different regulations and charges from
those_that now exist in our ports are introduced, the inevito,
-ble consequence will be that the ports of Holland and the Ne-
therlands will again become the' depot - of Foreign commoo
dines, even for the supply of these kingdoms. What are the
arguments by which a measure so pregnant with mischief to
all the best interests of this country is supported? One is,
that if a British ship liedS, in a Foreign port, articles that are
-the produce of any other quarter of the globe, and brings
them home, her owners are subject to. the penalty of confisca-
tion, both of ship and, cargo. Another is, that if a foreign
ship inadvertently brings tp thil country any commodity Which
our laws do not petmit her to import, she is not allowed to get
rid of them on any condition, but must absolutely take them
away, to whatever inconvenience or disadvantage the so doing
may subject her, or however incompatible it may be with her
future engagements or destination. After the length of time
- that our navigation laws have been iniforcee they must' be too
well understood for cases of this sort to occur very frequently ;
`but surely they might be satisfactorily provided for, and both
British and Foreign ship owners be relieved, by permitting,
such goods to be warehoused for exportation only, or if any of
them are admitted to home consumption, by subjecting them
to such additional duties as should effectually prevent any in-
tentional transgression of the laW.
.Another argument is, the
invidious restrictions and exceptions 'made against *produce
from Holland and the Netherlands by our present Navigation
Lap. The original restrictions have been much narrowed by
subsequent statutes ; but it must be admitted, that although
those Countries are placed on the same footing as all others, as
to their own shipping and to their own productions, they are
not so as to certain enumerated articles, which are the growth
or produce of other countries. Be it 'remembered, that Hol-
land was formerly the Emporium of Europe, and would have
so continued, but for our Navigation Laws, which depriOed
her of great part of the advantages she enjoyed, and transfer-,
red 'them to this country. The question, therefore, is, whether
we shall repeal the laws- by which this beneficial -change was
'effected. In passing those laws, our ancestors .did but follow
the exathple, and copy the policy ..of Holland herself ; and we
ought never to forget how extensive. was her trade, how nu-
merous her shipping, and how formidable her naval power, till
that policy was counteracted by this country. If, therefore,
in adopting the same systetn, our Ancestors were actuated in
sonic degree by national animosity, it- must also be admitted
that they were influenced by considerations of sound policy
and necessary self-defence. What is there in the present state
of the two Countries, more than at any former period, which
diiqualifies-Holland and the Netherlands from again becoming
the Ltoporium of Europe, in opoosition to Great Britain ?
They enjoy the same natural advantages of inland navigation,
by means of doeir communication with those great rivers which
run up into the heart of Europe, and enable them to supply
all the countries through which they pass, with foreign produc-
tions Ot.a cheaper rate than they car possibly be conveyed from

(}rest Britt-15A ; and also. enable them to transport the commo-
dities of :hose countries to foreign markets, at the lowest pos-
sible rate of expence.. Their ports are contiguous to the sea;
and the same wind with which their ships sail, will carry them
to the place of their destination in any part of the western
world.. London is at a distance of near one hundred miles
from the ocean ; and the misfortune of the navigation of the'
River Thames that ships must inevitebly wait a change ot
wind before they can proceed on a voyage across the Atlantic: 1
A northerly or easterly wind, with . which a vessel may sail
from Holland, makes it impossible for a ship to leave the
port of London ; she must remain there till the wind comes
round to the southward or westward, and then she can
proceed no farther than, the Downs, where she must wait
again for another northerly- or easterly wind to carry her on
while, in the mean time, the Dutch ship may have performed
her voyage ! With these disadvantages to contend with, if we
unnecessarily expose-ourselves to the foreign competition, we
d
commit an act.of. political suicide. All that Hollan and the
Netherlands, ur any other country, can claim from Great Bri-
tain, isohat their shipping should be placed on the same foot-
ing as British shipping, in the export and import of their re-
spective productions.. But neither Holland nor ,the .Nether-
lands, nor any country, has a right to claim ifie privilege
given them by this Bill, of bringing into our ports the pro-
ductions which they may have imported from other parts of the
world.

We hear much of the invidious restrictions of our present
Navigation system e,but surely the restriction imposed by this
Bill is as invidious, and mach more futile, than any that can
be named. We are to allow foreign ships to transport foreign
commodities, from the remotest parts of the globe to within a
few hours sail of our coast; but we prohibit them from bring-
ing these commodities into our ports. After giving up the
voyage of six or twelve months, we stickle for that of one or
two days. May not the Hollanders justly say, that we strain
at a gnat and swallow a camel? As to the Americans, what
can be more invidious than to compel one, of their ship-owners,
who has a quantity of India goods lying in a port of the United
States, which he wishes to send to this country, under the pro-
visions of this Bill, to employ a British ship for that purpose,
which probably hewillbe unable to find at all, or must engage
at an extravagant rateOf freight, when perhaps his own ship is
going on the very same destination, and could take them with-
out either expence or delay. Besides this, the Right Hon.'
Gentleman seems to have forgotten the treaty between this
country and the United States of America, which stipulates
that, in the intercourse-between the two countries, the ships of
both shall be placed on the same footing. lf, therefore, British
ships are permitted to carry East India produce from the United
States to Great Britain, American ships have a rileht to do the
same; this restriction', therefere, in favour of British ships is
null and void as to American ships, being contrary to the faith
of an existing treaty.
Another argument in favour of the present Bill, is the neces-
sity of our setting the example of a more liberal system of com-
mercial policy, and the benefits that we shall derive from its
being followed by the other nations of Europe. According to
my notions, the rule of action by which we ought to be go-
verned in our commercial intercourse with other nationsnis re-
cirlrocity.; and liberality is altogether out of the question. In
the case of the abolition of the Slave Trade, we thought it
necessary to set an example to the other Powers of Europe,—
and how was that example followed ? Some- nations have
openly refused, and others, who were ashamed to refuse, have
secretly evaded.their obligations to join us inf this great work of
humanity and phiianthropy,'as well as liberality, and the Slave
Trade,' so far from being abolished, has been 'carried on to as
great an extent and• with- greater cruelty than' ever. France,
after having bound herself by treaty to abolish it, deferredsending out the necessary. orders for carrying that' treaty into
effect, till she had increased the cultivation of sugar in Marti-
nique and Guadaloupe froth 75,000 tol2o,ooo.hogsheads., The
King of the Netherlands gave instructions to prevent the im-
portation 'of slaves. from Africa, -but not from the other West
Indian Colonies; into Surinam, until that settlement was fully
supplied with Javes by. vessels from Africa, who merely
touched at Martiniqhe or Guadaloupe, and took fresh clear-
ances from those Islands; .The King of Spain, after having
agreed .by treaty to abolish the-Slave Trade 'in October, IC2O,
discovered that he had not allowed his subjects sufficient time
to finish their expeditions to the Coast of Africa, in which they
might have engaged ; and that. -sufficient time has not yet
elapsed, for .a friend of mine, who left.. the Havannali very
lately, tells me that he sailed in company with no less than four
vessels, avowedly bound to the Coast of Arica for slaves. -In-
deed, it is a notorious -fact, that our Commissary Judge and
Commissioner of Arbitration, who have been at the Havannali
for eighteen•months past, according to treaty, to punish all in-
fractions of' the abolition laws, HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED
TO ACT ; but that the. Vovernor. and Intendant at the Havan-
nah, upon THEIR OWN responsibility, have taken upon them-
selves to admit the importation of slaves from Africa, in chips
of any nation, and that they are openly sold there at the pre-
sent day. Portugal, at the Congress of Vienna, gave reason to
expect that she would loin 'in the abolition after a certain pe-
riod • but now declines pledging' herself Wdo so at any deter-
minable period whatsoever. The Emperor of Russia, our great
and magnanimous Ally, one of •the great professors of huma-
. nity and philanthrophy, who, at the Congress of Vienna, sup-
ported' the • proposition of the Noble Secretary of State for
.Foreign Affairs,: for esetadink the produce of those powers
who should not abolish the Slave Trade within a given time,
has actually granted a monopoly of the supply of his dominions
with sugar to the Colonies of the only Powers by whom. the
Slave Trade is still carried on !.! This instance :shows how
little dependence can be placed on the other European Powers
.following a liberal example. In short, a liberal system of com-
merce is the MERE cAsr of the day;' it may serve as a theme
for the display of oratorical declamation ; but the 'plain old
proverb, " that trade knows no friend," is much more to be
depended upon as a rule of policy among nations, in their ciini-
niercial transactions. Every Government will consider the in-
terests-of its own subjects in preference to those of foreigners;
and 'to -expect them to act oLlicrwise is absurd. Whether we
court foreigners or not, they will take from us those articles
which THEIR NECESSITIES require,: and which they can
PURCHAsE HERE CHEAPER than elsewhere; and if we court
them ever so much, they will take,nothing more. Most of the
, European Powers are our tivafs, both in cowrie! le and manu-
factures; and it is to, those DISTANT NATIGNs, nhoneither
navigate' nor manufacture for themselves, • in short, it is to the
NEW WORLD that we must look for indemnification against
' the jealousy and envy of the old.
The clauses of the present Bill, on which I -have animad-
verted, ore in direct opposition to the evidence given-before the
ComMittee on .Foreign Trade. Seven Gentlemen were exa-
mined as to the expedient of repealing the Navigation Laws
.in the manner proposed. Five of them were decidedly adverse
to the measure. - One thought that it might not be injurious in
time of peace, but would int ruinous in case of war ; and the
other, though' friendly to it on general principles, declared,
that he bad not made up his mind on this subject.—The
parties, whose interests are More immediately affected by this
measure, the British Ship Owners, are unaninions- in their
opposition to it, ant; have expressed their sentiments in Pett-
, .dons from every part of the kingdom, praying that the Bill, as
it new stands, may not pass into a law, and declaring their
conviction that the- repeal of our Navigation Laws will, prove
the destruction of our navigation itself. - •
H His Majesty's Ministers, in proposing this measure, seem to
be acting in 'opposition to their own declarations; for in a
.pamphlet: said to be published under official authority, en-
titled The State of the . Nation," I find the following
passage ;—" They havelearnett that the first• interests of the
Empire is in its national defence; and in the maintenance,
" in their, full integrity, of- those funds for that Maritime
greatness and revenue, under .which we have attained our
" actual conditiL. They 'perceive, moreover, that an abso-
" lute liberty of &Ade , can
eexist,.. beneficially for us, only by
" becoming a general system for it' one nation should abolish
" all its duties and restraints, whilst other nations should re,
." Min them, the former would only sacrifice its revenue,' and
" reduce all the sources of its national power, in order to
" strengthen and enrich the latter. Under these two .controul-
" ing principles, HiS Majesty's Ministers have indeed deemed
" it prudent to retain tire Navigation Laws of -.the Kingdom,
" and to Much with great caution and delicacy a commercial
" System, under which the general commerce ct Great Britain
" exceeds • the collective amount of the trade of all the nations
" in the world."—No man can read these sentiments without
applauding them ; but, alas ! the lessons His Majesty's Mini..
sters are here said'to have• learned are all forgotten ; the con-
-trouling principles under which they are statedto act ARE ALL
ABANDONED in this Bill !

The framers of this Bill endeavour to allay our apprehen-
sions, by stating, that the disadvantages of the double voyage
from cne of the adjacent ports of Europe to thiS country are so
great, that foreigners will never interfere with the direct trade
in British ships. I contend, on the contrary, that the expence
of the short voyage may and will be outweighed by other con-
siderations that it will Operate more heavily on goods of great
bulk and little value, • than on goods of little bulk and great
value—on the, latter of which it will scarcely be felt ; that it
will frequently be more than counterbalanced by fluctuations
in our markets ; and that if this Bill should pass, those fluc-
tuations' will be greater than ever, and our markets be worse
supplied than they now are. In the present state of things,
British merchants can calculate with some degree of precision,
from the nuniber of British -ships.thaf have sailed for any par-
ticular destination, what .sat of any commodity may be elx.
pected to arrive at our markets; but they • will be UNABLE to
form :any idea 'upon the subject, when they are exposed to
these indirect importations from every country in Europe, and
will be afraid to speculate, as they .new do, in the face of such
competition.' Admitting, 'however, for a - moment, that the
framers of the Bill are right and 1 am wrong, and that fo-
reigners derive no advantage from this Bill, all the merit it

will thee have is that of being nuatory ; but should the re- 4
verse be the case, as lam persuaded the event will prove, all
that is gained by them must be lost to us, and the Bill will be
ruinous to British Interests. Why, then, should we hazard
an experiment, in which we have nothing to gain but every
thing to lose ?
As a farther Panacea, we are told that if the Bill produces
those injurious consequences to our Navigation which we ap.
prehentleit may be repealed; for being a-voluntary act of our
own, unaccompanied by any stipulation with Foreign Powers,
we are under no obligation to continue it in force longer than
ire think proper. - I beg -leave-to deny this conclusion. We
profess to adopt this measure on principles of liberality, and as
making an amende honorable to Foreigners, for the restrictive
system, under which we have so long acted. With' what pro-
priety then can we return to a system under which we have so
long acted. With what propriety then can we return to a sys-
tem which we have ourselves condemned ? To put a case in
point,: we have admitted Foreign Powers to trade with our
Eaet
"India ppseeasions. If we now attempted again to resume
the monopoly of the trade of India, would not foreigners con-
sider this its a great grievance ? In like manner, if we grant
them permission to bring the produce of all the World close to
our ports, and then introduce it
,into our home consuMption,
will they net think themselves aggrieved by our retracting this
permission ; and will not their discontent at being deprived of
it, be proportioned to the adVantagei they derived from its
' continuance ? In short, such .a step might very probably lead
to a confederation of all the world against us, such as was at-
tempted by Buonaparte, and on the same ground of our being
the 'Tyrants of the Seas. '
We are further told, that we have prospered not under, but_
in spite of our Naviaation.system7 ,If 1 were to assert that the
family of Hone: of 'Amsterdam had grown wealthy, not by
commerce, bat in spite of commerce, would not those who
heard me think that I was making a most preposterous assert
tion ; that I was denying the connection between cause and ef-
fect. Our navigation system has been so long established, anti
has so extensive and comprehensive an effect, that had the
principle, of it been bad, we should long ago have been mines' ;
but being good, we have eminently prospered. Before we
adopted it, we were a SUBORDINATE commercial and mari-
time PowER ; but since we have adopted it, we have
become the greatest commercial and maritime power in the
Universe ! We are taught by high authority, that " the tree
" is known by its fruits ; that a good tree cannot bring forth
" bad fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."
Let, us judge of our Navigation system according to this or-
thodox doctrine,' and not according to the sceptical tenets of
modern pblitical economy.
Something yet remains behind the curtain. The Right Ho-
nourable Gentleman who brings in this Bill, must be doubtful,
whether British shipping can maintain the competition to
which it exposes them ; for he intends, in a consolidation Act,
to impose duties, for their protection, on all commodities that
may be imported under the provisions of this Bill ! How in-
consistent is this with that liberal system of commerce, of
which this Bill is the first fruits ? It is the semblance, not the
reality of liberality. It is assuming a virtue though we have
it not. We profess to Foreigners to make a relaxation in their.
aavour, and then load our- concession with taxes, which de-
prive it of all its value. "Will they not justly complain that we
• treat them with duplicity and insincerity ? It has been often
observed, that it is much easier to find fault than to mend;
but I trust that I shall not do the one without doing the other.
As far as I understand the complaints of foreigners, (and my
Opportunities of judging of them have been neither feei nor
small), they are not directed against the PRINCIPLES of our
Navigation system, which is founded on perfect reciprocity,
but against ohat obscurity and seneertainty which has been
heaped upon it by a vast mass of legislation; and against the
harpships to which they are sometimes subjected, by uninten-
tional violations of our laws. The first of these grievances is
completely redressed by the Bill, which repeals all our former
laws respecting importation, and consolidates them into one
act, "so that he who runs may read." This part of the Bill
has my most cordial approbation ; and if instead of the clause's
to which I have objected, a clause were introduced declaring
-our ports open to all vessels, as a depBt for commodities of
every description, to be warehoused for exportation.. I am •
persuaded that perfect satisfaction would be given to foreigners,
as well as to British ship owners ; and that the commercial and
manufacturing interess of this country would be greatly. bene-
fited ; without sacrificing the principles of our Navigation
system.
The difference between the Bill, as it now stands, and' the
amendment which I propose may be stated in a few words.—
As the Bill now stands, the whole of our Navination system
is subverted; because produce brought from Asia, Africa, or
America to Europe, and from one part of Europe to another,
in Foreign ships, may be admitted into the home consump-
tion of this country. By my amendment, our Navigation sys-
tem will be preserved' entire ; because such produce can only
be warehoused for exportation, and the supply for Fritish con-
sumption wilabe reserved for produce brought direct from the
place of its growth, as at present.
As the sill now stands, foreigners will be subject to the
restriction of landing the produce of Asia, Africa, and Ame-
rica in some foreign port, and then re-shipping it in British
vessels to this country,; a restriction highly burthensome to
them, without being advantageous to us; for as it may beex-
pected that the goods will be chiefly brought to the contiguous
ports of Europe, the voyage of a few hours which we retain,
is no object compared with that of many months which we
give,up. By my amendment, we give foreigners the advan-
tage of bringing all manner of commodities to our ports in
their own ships, for exportation ; and that without any res-
triction whatever. As the Bill now stands, it will exclude a
vast mass of 'business from our ports, which my amendment
would let in. • Under the present provisions of the Bill, mer-
chants in the United States of America, who have the produce
of distant parts of the world lying there, will be deterred from
sending it here, by the delay and expence of putting it on board
a British ship, and will continue to send it on to the Continent
of Europe in their own ships; but under my amendment,
which relieves them from this restriction, they will be induced
to send it here, where they can at once obtain advances upon
it, from merchants on whose intelligence and integrity they
can rely, and thus immediately raise funds for the prosecution
of farther commercial adventures. Soon after the commence-
ment of the late.war, the French troops overran Holland, and
in order to. Save. produce destined to that country,. from falling
into theebauds.of the invaders, a Bill was passed, I think in
the year 1795, called the " Dutch Property Act," which ad-
mitted all vcesels bound to Holland, to warehouse their cargoes,
in this country, for exportation. A vast number of American
vessels, laden with the produce of Asia, Africa, and America,
which, in the then disturbed state of Europe, generally cleared
out for Cowes and ii market, and- proceeded from Cowes ac-
cording to the orders of the correspondents of their owners in
London, took the'benefit of this Act. The Act was passed
for a limited period ; and before the time expired, a deputa-
tion of inerthants'had a conference with Mr. Pitt, at' which
they stated the great benefits that would be derived to the com-
mercial and—manufacturing interests of Great Britain, by the
continuance of this Bill : and Mr. Pitt was so fully impressed
with a conviction of the importance of these benefits, that the
Bill was continued, from time to time, for many years after
the object for which it was originally passed had ceased to exist.
My amendment, therefore, is supported by the high authority
of .Mr.. Pitt.. The permission granted to American vessels, of
warehouSingforeign produce here for exportation, not only
brought a vast influx of that produce into our ports, but
scarcely a vessel came to this country without taking back a re-
turn cargo of British manufactures, to a greater or less amount,
which served as the Means for purchasing more foreign pro.
duce, and thus the wheel of commerce was kept perpetually
going round. Renew the same facility, and reduce your port
charges, as the right Hon. Gentleman intends to do, and you
will revive the-saine beneficial trade, not only with the' treited
States of America, but with other nations.

I am persuaded that my amendments Will accomplish all the
objects which the Right Honourable Gentleman professes to
haVe in' 'view. It Would *=RETAIN the princifn of our IN/vi-
gation Laws, which he admits to be " indispensable to our
' Maritime Power, on which the security and protection of
" .corximerce itself, and the greatness of this country, essentially
" depend ;" and it •would " remove such restrictions as may
" be removed, consistent with that principle, in order to give
" to Foreign Trade, 'itnd the productions of foreign countries,
" the utmost facility of access to our ports, for transmission
" over every part of the world."—These objects, which I have
stated in his own words, will be accomplished by my amend-
ment, but not by his Bill as it now stands ; and I sincerely
hope. that he. will so alter kat to meet the suggestions I have
oflered. If not,. I trust the sense of. the House on this highly.
important subject will be taken upon it, and that it will not
receive the sanction of the Legislature.
-May 16, 1322,

111Er1CATOR.

The LORD MAYOR and ,SiftRIFFS attended at
the. Church of St. Mary Magnus, yesterday, when a most ex-
cellent Sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. SPRINGETT,
from the24th chap. of St. Luke, for the benefit of that admirable
Institution, the Guardian Society. A liberal ,collection was
made at the doors after service.

On Thursday night about 12 o'clock, a great
alarm was produced in this town, by a violent explosion which
took place in one of our principal streets (Briggate), and which
was so loud as to be heard at the distance of half a mile.
Upon inVestigation, ieturned out to have been occasioned by
the explosion of a band-g-renade, which had been placed under
the shop-window of Mr. Hepworth, sh9e-maltcr, evidently for
the purpose of either setting fire to the shop, or of doing some
other serious mischief td the premises. The most active exer-
tions are making to discover the author of this diabolical con-
trivance.—(Leeds lifercilry.)