The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-18 00:00:00

THE NAVIGATION LAWS.

The Select Committee appointed by the House of
Commons to inquire into the operation of these laws met
on Tuesday, when the following Members were pre-
sent :—Mr. Milner Gibson f(chairman), Mr. Ricardo,
Mr. Liddell, Sir George Clerk, Mr. Alderman Thomp-
son, Admiral Dundas, Sir 11. Douglas, Mr. Lyall, Mr.
Mitchell, Mr. Villiers, Mr. Thomas Baring, Mr. M'Car.
thy, and Mr. Hume.
Mr. MeQueen, the witness who was under examina-
tion on Thursday la,t, was recalled, and examined by
Mr. Alderman Thompson—He proceeded
_in hs
condemnation of the policy pursued by England in
regard to the United States, by which the latter
country had gained so much at the expense both of
the colonies and the mother country. Of the
tonnage engaged in the American foreign trade, six-
sevenths were in the British trade, which showed that
the Americans had very little foreign trade except with
England. He found that the Americans were increasing
their tonnage at a much greater rate than the English.
If England 1 ad given due eacouragement to her own
colonies, C,-‘l,la would at this moment have bed a popu-
lation of 10,v00,000, with a trade in proportion. The
imports of America in 1839 were 20,000,000 of dollars,
and her exports in the same year were 29,000,000 of
dollars. The amount of American tonnage engaged in
the foreign trade, inwards and outwards, was 1,600,000
tons, while it" amount of foreign tonnage engaged in
the same trade was 800,000. The foreign trade was a
post prethable one to the Americans, because it
was an exportation of their own domestic production-,
chiefly agricultural, which required a large amount
of tonnage to convey them—which employed great
numbers of the people—which obtained full and large
freights, end which enabled them to pay for foreign
articles, chiefly luxuries, which they required, with their
own productions, for which they would otherwise have
to pay in specie. The operation of the American navi-
gation laws, therefore, was to increase in every way the
prosperity of the United Statf's, by confining to their
own population-the carriage of their own productions.
Their rising navy showed how this commerce was re-
cruiting thLr naval strength. In further proof of this
the witness was proceeding to read some extracts from a
speech of Mr. Webster, delivered in February last, when
Mr. Villiers protested against his doing so. Such a
proceedile, '.vas unusual, and it a stop was not put to it
there would he no end to this inquiry. The session was
nearly at a el„se, and it was necessary that they should
hear evidence only which bore immediately on the oper-
ation of the navigation-laws. The committee were not '
required to go into the whole question of protection,
and he could not see what a great portion of the
evidence given by the witness had to do with the naviga-
tion-laws.
Mr. Alderman Thompson said his object was to show
that the pe-eperity of the United States had increased
during the operation of the navigation-laws.
Mr. Mitchell also objected to the reading of Mr. Web-
ster's speech, and sulenitted that the evidence of the
witness was irrelevant to the inquiry.
The examination was then proceeded with.
By Mr. Alderman Thompson—The trade carried on
by the Americans with the British colonial possessions
had been n-arly doubled in the five years from 1834 to
1839. In consequence of the increase of the provision
and lumber trades between the United States and the
British colonies, Ireland especially had been very much
injured. He was decidedly of opinion that the repel
of the navigation laws would prove prejudicial to British
interests generally ; :that it would be ruinous to our
shipping interests, and consequently deprive us of the
means of efficiently manning our navy.
Mr. Cumming, on underwriter at Lloyd's, was next
called and ex nined.
By Mr. Mitchell—He considered that the table of
insurance rates handed in by Mr. Young was decidedly
incorrect. He had Lever known Prussian, Bremen, or
Swedish ships to have been insured for a twelvemonth's
voyage. The rate of insurance on British ships for a
voyage from London to Java and back during the last
year had been TOs. par cent. He did not think that
there were more than 'werity Prussian ships insured for
twelve months in this country. They had been insured
at from 10 to 14 guineas per cent. There had always
been a different', in the rates of insurance paid on
British and on foreign ships. The general opinion of
underwriters was that a difference should be made in
favour of the former. Six per cent, was usually paid on
Dutch ships trading between Holland and Java.
By Mr. Liddell—He thought that an A 1 British ship,
standing fur nine years, on Lloyd's register, for a voyage
to Canton and back, would be insu, e 1 at 903. per cent. ;
and at a little lower rate for voyages to Bombay and Cal-
cutta.

By Mr. Alderman Thompson—lt was, of course, na-
tural for foreigners to insure their ships in their own
country, and it was quite true that whe'i foreigners came
to this country to insure their ships, it was generally
thought that there was a screw loose, and a higher rate
of insurance was, therefore, asked
The Committee adjourned.

Wednesday the officers of the Guards entertained
the staff of the Rifles and the 43d Foot at a banquet laid out
beneath a tent on the ground facing the Wellington Barracks,
Birdcage -walk. His Royal Highness Prince George presided.
The Hon. Commissioned Staff of the Household Brigade also
displayed a wonted hospitality to their brethren of the line.
The Havre papers publishes the report of Captain
Garbe, of the Allah-Kerinn, detailing the extremities to
which himself and his crew were driven, and the privations
suffered on a long and dangerous voyage from Rio Grande,
whence they sailed in February last. This document con-
tains most serious complaints against the masters of two
English vessels which he encountered on his route—one for
not aflordie 4- him assistance in the shape of a supply of bis-
cuit for els iamished men, notwithstanding the offer of pay-
ment ; the ether, for misdirecting him in the course the
ship ought to have taken. The name of the Berward, of
Newcastle is given, as the vessel refusing supplies of biscuit,
although the crew themselves admitted, according to this
statement, that they possessed more than sufficient for their
own wants. The name of the other vessel is not recorded ;
but the French Captain says he felt these incivilities the
more since no longer ago than his last voyage to the same
port (Rio Grande) he gave 20 days' provisions to aLiverpool
(English) ship which found she was short of supply "with-
out receiving a single farthing."
ATTEMPTED ESCAPE OF CAPTAIN JOHNSTON.—
About three weeks since the notorious Captain Johnston, late
master of the Tory, whose trial for the murder of several of
his crew attracted so much attention, endeavoured to effect
his escape from Bethlehem Hospital, and all but succeeded
in the attempt. To facilitate his plans, it appears he had cut
away all the wires connected with the alarm bell, and in all
other respects made his arrangements with admirable skill.
The rumour runs that he had bribed a person in the esta-
blishment to wink at his attempt by a promise of 201., and
that the litter, not finding the money forthcoming, allowed
him to go on till the last moment, when he gave information.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has received
from_" B. W." one-half of a Bank of England note for 500/.
" for the use of her Majesty's Government." The Chan-
cellorai of the Exchequer has also received 10/. from " R. 8.,"
n payment for duty upon income that has been overlooked,
to be accounted for in the regular way." The amount will
be paid into the receipt of the Exchequer.
EXTENSIVE Ronilessy lli
was receiyedAb PU B LIC -IIOUs E
Wednesday information
the police that Mr.
Josiah lame, of the Blakeney's Hcreidepnutliiocn-hsuse, Bar-
had, whilst in the
en plundered Tavern,3 in
Bar-
tholomew-close,
the Liberty of Glassheuse-yard. be
0/,
namely, 20 sovereigns, eight 51., two 101.,n 201., and
two 501. Bank of England notes. Several of the constables
of the G division were called in, but although a most rie°
ous search was instituted the money could not be found. 'Prhra- •
numbers of the notes are known.
THE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. Returns
moved for by Mr. Evelyn Denison, respcting, the Ecclesias-
tical Commission, show that the fees and emoluments paid to
counsel and solicitors by the Commissioners amounted in
1845 to 3,637/., and in fB4G to 4,7701. The amount paid to
architects was, in 1845, 6931., and in 1846, 1,010/, of which
Mr. W. Railton, of London, received 1,0001. The amount
paid to agents and surveyors was, in 1845, 2,3631., and in
1.8tp214,,
_lpaB4s seven sees were augmented to the ex-
rBslllVAß6glither ; and in 1846, eight sees to the ex-
„teak of ~ Chichester, 6311. ; Hereford, 1,3591.;
~to sa ‘,4i) d, 3,463/. ; Peterborough, 1,1161.;
ItoetCster, 1,820/. ; and St. David's, 1,553/.
ir'ataitisi4ner44vibeeti toll' to the amount of 38,257/ , and es-
-147 tiaisienebsiestlife es-fount of 24,7001.
. •
The_ s.arharyin /(0-Qv4rnment have just completed
\ --their conrracrfdr Lear rails for the great Turin Railway, for
valid their had requested tenders. •

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