The Sun.
London, England, 1825-02-14 00:00:00

SHIP-OWNERS' SOCIETY DINNER.

The Anniversary Dinner of the Ship-owners'
Society took place on Saturday, at the City of London Tavern.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL took the Chair, as President of the
Society. His Lordship was supported on the right by Mr. Can-
ning, and on the left by Sir Charles Long, Bart., M.P.
Amongst the distinguished members of the Society present, we
noticed Wm. Manning, Esq. M.P. ; Thomas Wilson, Esq.
M.P.: Alexander Robertson, Esq. M.P. ; Mr. Alderman
Wood, M.P. ; Mr. Alderman Brydges, M.P. ; Mr. Alderman
Thompson, M.P.; Geo. Lyall, Esq. (Chairman of the Corn.
mittee); Benjamin Shaw, Esq., &c. The dinner was very
numerously and respectably attended ; and the entertainment
was served up in the style of excellence usual to this establish-
ment. On the removal of the cloth, Messrs. Broadhurst,
Taylor, Goulden, and Master Smith, wlso, throughout the even-
ing, contributed their vocal talents to promote the hilarity of the
company, sung, " Non Nobis Doosine ;" after which the fol
.lowing toasts were given :
" The King" (three times three). Great applause.—'
save the King."
" The rest of the Royal Family."—Glee.
" The Duke of York and the Army."—" How merrily we
'live that soldiers be."
" Lord Melville and the Navy.," Rule Britannia."
Lord LIVERPOOL rose.—ln proposing the next toast 1 shall
- trespass but for a few words on your attention. I have often
had the opportunity and honour of meeting you on similar oc-
eas,oas, and under circumstances far less auspicious and cheer-
ing than the present.—(llear, hear !)—I now meet you at a
time in which I may safely say you are partaking in the
general prosperity
I .of the country.—(Applause.)—Of that pro-
sperity feel the importance, not for your sake, only, hut for
'.the sake of the general interests of the community, of which you
..are members; because I never can forget that the shipping in-
terests of this country is the main pillar of its strength, its
greatness, and its glory.—(Cheers.)—l beg to propose—
" Prosperity to the Shipping Interests of the United King-
dom," (three times three).—" Life's like a ship in constant
motion."
dr. LYALL rose to propose the health of the Noble Lord,
who did the Society the distinguished honour to preside at their
annual festival that day. He was happy to have this opportu-
nity, on his own part, and that of the Society, to return to that
Noble person their grateful acknowledgments for the uniform
kindness and attention which he at all times showed to the in-
terests of this Society, through which they had been released
of those restrictions, the removal of which, as far as circum-
stances would allow, with a due attention to other interests con-
nected with them, had effected so great and general an im-
provement. The Noble Lord had also manifested a disposition
to afford every facility in his power to advance those useful oh-
- jects of the Society, which they may have had to carry, not in
hia immediate province, but in other departments of the Go-
varnment. This Society would never sufficiently attest the
extent of the obligations it owed his Lordship. He could only
say, that his services were deeply felt, and gratefully appre-
-ciated by its members.—(Much applause.)—He would, with-
- out further preface, propose the health of their Noble Presi-
dent, the Earl of Liverpool.
This toast was received by the company with loud cheers,
which lasted for several minutes. When the cheering had
begun to subside,
The Earl of LrvEitroor. rose and addressed the company
to the following effect :—Gentlemen, I beg to return you
my sincere thanks for the honour you have done ine. I
should be ashamed In this society -to say any thing that I
would not also say in any other company in the world, but
I have always declared it to -be a part of my political creed,
that, amongst all tile great, interests of the country, the inte.
rests of navigation are the most prominent and important.—
(Applause.)—This is what I have always said, and firmly
maintained, though I am well aware that some have. thought I
did rot fully appreciate the length to-which they carried their
opinions,spractically applied to this subject. .I have always
_ held that though it was the duty of Government to.keep an
equal balance among the great interests of the country, not
showing favour to any one to the prejudice of the others, yet
. if there was any one isefavour of which the balance-ahould in-
dine—if there was any interest that should be cherished, fa-
voured, and protected, it was the interest of navigation_
(Great applause.)—lt is now the object of Government to take
advantage of the present period of peace to remove the incon-
veoient restrictions that have, from -mistaken views, been im-
posed or. the commerce and navigation of the country, and :t is
equally our object to extend that commerce and navigation to
every part of the world to which it can properly be extended:—
(Applause.)—But, Gentlemen, in pursuing this object, wa
have carefully regarded the just rights and feelings of others.

." God

We have done no act that was not founded in justice, and, at

the same time, perfectly compatible with our engagements to
other Powers, and as much for the benefit of mankind at large
as of these dominions to which we belong. His Lordship sat
down amidst the general applause of the company.
Mr. MANNING, 31. P., rose to propose the health of another
Cabinet Minister, who had done the Society the honour to fa-,
your it with his presence that day, and of whom he would say
what he sincerely -believed, that there was no person more
-strongly attached 'to the Naval and Commercial interests of
this country.—(Hear, hear;}-He has proved this by the at-'
tendon and success with which he has devoted his exertions
to promote these, as well as the other interests of the country.—
(Applause.)—ln whatever new treaties had been, or might he
formed, whilst he held the seals of office, he was satisfied all
these interests would be duly consulted.—( Hear, hear!)—lt
was
.gratifying ,to them, as merchants, to have heard the First
Minister of this country pronounce so favourable a sentiment
towards this Society ; it must have excited a proud feeling
within them, and was alike grateful to their feelings, and ac-
vantageous to their interests.--(Applause.)—The Shipping In-
terest had certainly a pre-eminent claim on the- support of the
country—in peace anclan war they contributed to its glory and
its strength: in peace, by the commercial intercourse which
Great Britain carried on with all parts of the world ; and in
war, by being the nursery of that navy which displayed the
valour and sustained the greatness of the people of these coun-
tries. He concluded by proposing the health of the Right
Honourable George Canning and the rest of his Majesty's

Ministers.
The applause which followed this toast was enthusiastically
maintained for the longest period we recollect to have witnessed
on any similar occasion. It was renewed with even greater
force when the Right Honourable Gentleman rose to address-
the company. At length silence was obtained.
Mr. CANNING then spoke to the following purport :—" Gen-
tlemen, I rise to return my cordial thanks on behalf of myself
and my colleagues, for the honour you have conferred upon
us. It is true, as it was well observed by the Hon. Gentleman,
whose kindness led him to propose my health in terms so flat-
tering to me—it is a satisfactory circumstance belonging to
this fine country alone, that the Ministers of the Crown can
mix with their countrymen on occasions of this description, and
freely communicate information on matters of the greatest in-
terest with perfect sincerity, and a complete absence of all dis-
guise. There is nothing at this moment in the policy of Eng-
' land, whether external or internal, that will not bear the cru-
cible, and that will not come forth brighter on every examina-
tion.—.(Applause.)—Gentlemen, for a long time we were our-
selves under the impression that our commercial prosperity—the
foundation of our national power—arose, in a great measure, from
some mysterious combination, some artificia system, into the
depth of which other nations, were not initiated. We must,
therefore, not blame them if they have adopted a creed alto-
gether false in its principles, and altogether false in its conse-
quences. The time has now happily come when the favour-
able circumstances that surround us have given us the power to
bring into operation the just and wise maxims of a sound, not
a spurious, philosophy; and his Majesty's Government have
been enabled gradually to carry into effect those legislative
changes, by which the system of our commercial policy has been
rendered of a plainer and more intelligible character. But we
must not be surprised if other countries are not yet sufficiently
advanced in their knowledge of this question to be thoroughly
aware of the principles on which we are acting, nor if they
should think we are only adopting a new mystery, and inviting
them to follow us in a path which can lead only to the accom-
plishment of purposes exclusively eelfish.—(Hear, hear !)
If it was difficult before, even for ourselves, to learn the
secret by which we prospered, it is more difficult for us now
to teach others the important truth, that we have prospered
only by those natural mean; which Providence has been
pleased to bestow upon us, and that every other nation con-
tains within itself a similar capacity of prosperity, which it is
,our wish and interest to see developed.—'Applause.)—While,
-however, we cultivate the established relations of commercial
!intercourse subsisting between us and the other States in
i.this part of the world, we are opening new opportunities for
enterprize,in 'distant regions. The inexhaustible industry, the
accumulated capital, tie irrepressible energies, of this country,
carry it continually forward in search of new markets, and in-
duce-it to create and supply the wants of all mankind.—(Ap-
plause). If, in the train of our commerce, our national great-
ness were not also advanced, our feelings of pride and gratifica-
tion would be checked in their career.; but we know that there
is not a sea on which the commercial flag of England now
waves, where our naval superiority has not been established ;
and we may feel assured, that every new field of commercial
enterprise will become in time a scene of British valour, and a
theatre of our naval glory.—( Great applause.) No Society has
-contributed more to uphold the maritime power of this country
' than this, which I now have the honour to address. By such
a Society it is therefore to me a matter of high gratification to
be received with so much kindness.
The Right Honourable Gentleman resumed his seat amidst
very long continued acclamations.
Mr. T. Wensox, M.P. said that he had been selected to
propose the health of a Right Honourable Gentleman, the Pay-
master-General of -the Forces—a toast which he was satisfied
would be extremely acceptable to the Society. They would
bear in recollection the services he had rendered them, in the
Committee of which he was Chairman, appointed to introduce
alterations into those commercial and excise laws, which had
been found inconvenient in their operation. * His conduct in the
discharge of that duty was marked by gentlemanly deportment
and by an anxious feeling to consult the interests of the Ship-
owners.—(Hear, hear !)—lt did happen, that laws relative to
trade, which probably at an earlier period were not attended
with any inconvenience, yet in the progress of time, and from
the increase of commercial enterprise, became extremely so. It
was to remedy this evil that the Committee had been appointed ;
it had effected many improvements; it laboured zealously and
usefully, and no member of it more so than its Chairman, whose
health he begged to propose, and to whom he was glad to have
an opportunity, on his own part and that of the Society, of
rendering this tribute of their esteem and gratitude. (Applause.)
Sir C. LONG begged to assure the Society that the Com-
mittee, whose conduct his Hon. Friend eulogised, originated
with his Noble Friend (Lord Liverpool), and that the instruc-
tions which that Committee had received from the Noble Lord
was principally to consider how they could best promote the
' commercial and shipping interest—(applause)—as far as was
consistent with the just collection of the revenue. This object
they endeavoured to accomplish, and it was to them an ex-
treme gratification if they succeeded in their endeavours, so as
to promote the interest of the empire generally, and of that So-
ciety in particular, which he regarded as one of the most re-
spectable, influential, and important bodies in the country.
Lord LIVERPOOL next proposed the health of—" The Vice
Presidents."
Mr. BUCKLE returned thanks on the part of the Vice-Presi-
dents. If it only devolved on him to offer his and their grate-
ful acknowledgments to the Noble Lord, and the other
distinguished Gentlemen who that day favoured the Society
with their company, they had further to convey the assurance of
their gratitude for the very favourable sentiments they had ex-
pressed towards it, and for their approbation of its objects, and
promise to promote, them.—(Hear, hear !)
Mr. CILAPPEL also returned thanks on the part (as we un-
derstood) of the Vice-Presidents, and 'proposed the health ofthe Chairman of the Society (Mr. Lyall), who briefly returned
thanks.
" The City Members."
Alderman Woon, in returning thanks, said that he had
been connected With the City of London for thirty years, and
with the Corporation of London fel. twenty. During that pe-
riod he had frequent opportunities of observing the attention
which the Noble Lord who presided at their annual feitival
that day, had rendered to the Port of London. He believed the
same attention was extended to the other parts of the country
—but as to the improvements in the port of London—for one
measure—that respecting London Bridge—he felt personally
obliged, in particular—(A slight laugh !) —to the Noble Lord.
This measure could not be too highly praised—it was most im-
portant to the shipping interests—for what was the use of ship-
ping without modes of navigation ?—(Much laughter )—For
this he begged again to say he was personally obliged to the
Noble Lord, and he hoped to see other improvements intro-
duced into London, and the several large ports of the country
that require them, for the purpose of
affording facilities to
commercial pursuits.
Alderman BRVDGES and Mr. T. WILSON briefly returned
thanks.
Lord LevERPOOL next rose to propose a toast, which would
be, and ought to be, received by that Society. The adventur-
ous life that those engaged in the naval service underwent, sub-
jected them to calamities, and to accidents that disabled them.
It was the duty of those who were served by their spirit and
their enterprise, to pity and relieve them. This consideration
superadded a strong claim to that which the aged and the in.:
firm always" had on charitable and feeling minds.—(Applause.)
" The Seaman's Hospital:"
4"rhe- Steward of the day."
• Mr. B. Shaw returned thanks on the part of the Stewards.
But two or three years ago disappointment hung upon commer-
cial prospects of this country. The vessel was becalmed in the
waters, her flag was struck, hut now she rides triemphant
through the waters, and-transports the 'superfluities of BFitain
to the most distant parts of the globe. Her naval superiority
had been established ; her commercial greatness was also ad-
vancing.
" There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flow, leads on to fortune."
England was now so situated, and would speedily float to com-
plete commercial prosperity, the best and surest foundation of
national greatness.
Lord LevElteoon proposed the " Bank of England," an