The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-29 00:00:00

NAVIGATION LAWS, &c.

On Mr. WALLACE'S and Mr. ROBINSON'S BILLS,

NAVIGATION LAWS, &c. &c.
To the Right Honourable THOMAS WALLACE,
Vice-President of the Board of Trade.
Silt,—By the public prints of this day you are
made to say, in answer to Mr. ROBINSON'S ob-
servations on your Bill, (which infringes on our
venerable and useful Navigation Laws) that you
felt rather surprised at his saying the landed and
manufacturing interests had any thing to do with,
or could be affected by, that Bill, or words to
that effect.—Now I am not surprised at this de-
claration, as it only goes to confirm me in my
former opinions, that you never knew the con-
nexion of our several British interests, or the
effects of your own well meant though ruinous
measures, nor of the mighty resources of the
British Empire, or of that system of commerce
and finance that I have so often named to you,
and which is so necessary to bring those resources
into action for the public good ; but you believed
commerce and manufactutes were, balloon-like,
unconnected with other British interests; and I
further perceive, that from the lively interest
which certain persons connected with foreign
trade take in promoting your measures, that the
roots and general bearings of them are seldom
(for the public good) deliberated on.—Thus,
like a man who abandons his own virtuous wife
for a harlot that proves his ruin, do your measures
destroy British for a foreign trade that will ul-

Ornately ruin the nation.
It is that portion of your Bill permitting the
products of continental Europe to be carried in
foreign vessels to any port or ports in Europe
not British, and' allowed to be warehoused, re-
shipped or transhipped directly on board native
or English vessels, as well as that part which
puts English and foreign on an equal footing in
the ports of their respective nations, that I object to.
Now, Sir, to any one who knows the effects of
our American treaties, or may be capable of cal-
culating the difference of building, equipping, and
navigating Danish, Swedish, and Prussian ships,
(Russian ships I know but little of); still I see
no' reason why they should not navigate still
cheaper, as Russia possesses the elements and
requisites for cheap navigation, when compared
with the building, navigating, &c. of English
ships, the difference of expence in foreign ports
and warehouses, all arising out of our national
debt and expenditure. This knowledge every
President and Vice-President of our Board of
Trade ought to possess, or they must depend on
selfish men for such information, and which is not
always correct; he would immediately perceive
that all the products of countries beyond the
limits of Barcelona on the one side, and Copen-
hagen on the other side of Europe, would pay to
be brought to Rotterdam, Antwerp, and other
convenient ports on the other side of the channel,
in foreign vessels, warehoused there until wanted
for our market, and then, or on arrival, trans-
shipped in British or native vessels at about 1-3rd
the freight which is paid from the place "of their
production.
I don't know what number of tons of British
shipping are now so employed, nor do I care,
for my present purpose as principle (not detail)
is only necessary for State questions ; if a single
ton should be so employed, it is enough for my
purpose; but without doing more than referring
to the recollection of the common occurrences of
my life, I think, if I say there are 200,000 tons
employed in furnishinc, us with supplies from
countries beyond the aforesaid limits, that I am
not far wrong; still I will calculate, for argument
sake, that only 50,000 tons of British shipping
shall be deprived of profitable employment by
your Bill; this alone would be sufficient to deter
those who love their country from proceeding
further with such a Bill. With respect to what
relates to putting our shipping on a footing with
other countries, I contend that the industry of the
world should be protected according to its value
to that State to which it belongs, that would en-
title the ships of England to large protecting
duties.
As the great object I have in view is to shew
you how the Manufacturing and Landed Inte-
rests are connected with your Bill, I shall leave
other questions as much as possible out of sight.
I presume you will allow, Sir, triat there is not
a Calling in the United Kingdom (I say, owing
to our unwise laws preventing our doing our own
work with our own people,) but what has more
people than it can employ,—consequently, every
man deprived of employment by your or any
other Bill, must fall on the Landed Interest,
through the Poors'-rate. Now, according to my
calculation, whether right or wrong, as I said
before, I care not, as State questions have no-
thing to do with detail, still I will stake 1001.
that I am rather under than over the mark ; that
every 100 tons of British Shipping, when pro-
fitably employed, is the means of giving employ-
ment to 12 British subjects, as builders, equip-
pers, manufacturers, sailors, &c. &c. They,
again, give sustenance to the like number' of
British families, more than if we employed Fo-
reign shipping to do the same work.—This, on
the trifling number of 50,000 tons of British
Shipping, and say 1,000 men as employed in our
warehousing interest, would amount to about
7,000 in number, and they, with their families,
at 201. per man and family, would cost the Land-
ed Interest, through the Poors'-rate, equal to
140,0001. per annum ; add to which the loss of
Customs and the cost of Paupers occasioned by
those Shipping being deprived of profitable em-
ployment,—the people of those Shipping, as well
as those depending on them, would also expend
one half more in excise articles, when employed,
than when Paupers. Thus we may reckon the
loss of revenue at least 100,0001. per annum—also
a loss of National wealth and political power ;
for not one of those new created foreign ship-
' builders, sailors, warehousemen, &c. &c., but
what will in time of4war fight against us ;—say
for this loss 100,0001. per annum.
Our manufacturers will now only get hall
(where they used to get whole) customers ; add
to these their consequences,—charge only for
them 100,0001. per annum. Thus, on the mode-
rate calculation of your Bill depriving only