The Sun.
London, England, 1812-04-06 00:00:00

M 0 DA 1; APRIL 6, 1812.

EAST INDIA TRADE.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, March xi', 1812.
A T, a . GENERAL ME.ETING \of the MER-
-1-I.'. CHANTS, 'SHIP-OWNERS, MANUFACTU-
RE RS, and Others, interested in the ,Trade of this Port,
and the Neighbourhood,, convened by the Right Worshipful
the MAYOR, and held This Day at the Gui,dhall, for the
Purpose of taking into Consideration the'Expediendy of
Adopting, preparatory to the EXPIRATION of the EAST
COMPANY's CHARTER, such MeJsurcs as
may be.calculate& to obtain a General Participation in the
Trades jiitherto confined to that Company exclusively ;

GEORGE FORSTER, Esq. Mayor, in the Chair.

It was unanimously Resolved,

a. That it the undoubted Right of every British Subic&
to exercise a Free Trade with every Country, dependent
upon, or in amity with, the British Empire,
.strbjett only to
such RestriCtions as the nature of the Trade may renter
necessary.
2. That. the Monopoly hitherto enjoyed by the East India
Company, while it has precluded the Private Merchant from
participating in the Trade,'has been so far from operating to
the advantage of the Company, that it has reduced them to
the necessity of Applying to-Government, for repeated and
enormous Loans of the Pir•lic Money to support their Esta-
blishment.

.....
3. That the exclusive Privilege in question, is attended
with this peculiar circumstance of aggravated hardship, that
while it excludes sue liritish Merchant trout all participa-
tion in the Trade, Foreigners are permitted to share its Ad-
vantages.
4. That the Argument which has so ofte, been used in
favour of this Monopoly, that the Capitals of Private Mer-
chants are inadequate to the prosecuting of so extensive and
distant 'a Trade, is completely 'answered by the tact that,
Foreign Merchants, previously to the late. Restriction 00
Neutrals, had succeeded in taking to themselves more than
one halt of the East India Trade.

S. That if any reasons were wanting apinst the continu-
ance of this Monopoly, the obstacles which political circum-
stances have almost every where interposed to cramp and
letter the operations of British Merchants; would furnish
the most unanswerable.

6. That this Meeting being firmly impressed Witt; .these
Sentiments; deems it expedient that Petitions, founded on
the,. basis 01 these Resolutions. be immediately prepared and
presented to boils Houses of Parliament, praying, 7 :t the
Monopoly, enjoyed by the East Indiacompany, tray be
suffered to expire with their existing 42,.arter ; --That the
Gentlemen below be a Committee, for the Purpose of Pre-
paring such Petition ; and that they he authorised to print
and circulate of these Resolutions, and of the Pea-

tions, and to corresin,• ft and co-overate with the Commit
tees appointed for siiii .ar put, cises in other parts of.the
Kingdom.
7. 1 hat a Subscription be immediately opened, for the
purposed of cal tying these Resolutions into efK•et.
b. That Earl Grey and Lord Percy be requested to pre.
sent the Petition- to the House of Lords, and S r Matthew
White Ridley, Bart. and Charles Donn tirandling, Esq.
Manners for this 'town and County, to the House of Com-
mons; and that they, and tha Members for the Counties of
Noritiumberlind and Durham, be requested to use their ut-
most exertions in its support.
. GEORGE FORSTER, Mayor.
The Chairman haying lett the Chair, • .
Resolved unanimously, . • • . :
That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Right

Worshipful the Mayor, tor his readiness in Convening the
Meeting, And tot his able and impartial Conduct in the
Chair.

--- •
COMMITTEE.
The Right Worshipful the Mayor. •
The Master of the •Triuitv House..
Sir Ctir-I,,rorth
loseph liultnr, Esq. 'South Shields.
Nicholas Fuilless, Esq. ditto.
WilLam Linskill, Esq. Tynemouth Lodge.
Thomas Einerson t-leadlain, Esq. Catcalled.
William Claik, Esq. Long Benton.
Thomas Smith, Esq. Newcastle.
Benjamin Sorsbie, Esq ditto.
Mr. john Graham Clarke, (tato.
Mr. lulin Walker, De,:kura.square.
Mr. P. I. Bulgier, Leinington.
Mr. lohu Hawkes,. Gateshed.
Mr. William Redhead, Carville.
Mr. Robert Rankin, Newcastle.
Mr. Matthew Plummer, ditto.
Mr. Joseph Lamb, ditto.
Mr. Snallet Dale, ditto.
Ni. Miles Monkhouse, ditto. -
Mr. William Arinstroo4, ditto.
THONIAS BROWN, Secretary.