The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-23 00:00:00

GENERAL ORDER.

ITORSt GUARDS, MARCH 10, 1824.—The King having
been pleased to decide that one uniform system of Field Exer-
cise and Movement ahall be established throughout his Army,
the Commander-in-Chief has received his Majesty's commands
to direct, that the Rules and Regulations, approved by his
Majesty for this important purpose, and now detailed and pub-
lished herewith, shall be strictly adhered to, without any devia-
tion whatever ; and such orders, hitherto given, as may be
found to interfere with, or to counteract their effect and opera-
tion, are hereby annulled.
All General-officers, Colonels, and Commanding-officers of
Corps, are therefore held strictly responsible for the due and
accurate performance of every part of these regulations ; and in
order that no deviation may creep into practice, so as to dis-
turb the exact uniformity which must be attained and preserved
in all movements, it is his Majesty's further pleasure, that no
formations shall be executed, except such as are here prescribed,
without due and competent anthority ; and General Officers on
the Staff will report at the periodical inspections, whether these
his Majesty's commands are strictly complied with.
The Commander-in-Chief has received his Majesty's further
commands to direct, that every Officer shall provide himself with
a Copy of these Regulations, and Commanding-officers of Corps
are to take care that this Order be duly observed.
By Command of his Royalliighness the Commander-in-Chief,
H:TORRENS, Adjutant-General to the Forces.

PETTT SESSIONS.--MOSt of the Judges OR the
present Circuits have recommended the general usage of hold-
ing Petty Sessions frequently and regularly. No regulation
could tend more to preserve the peace of the country, and to fa-
miliarize the peasantry to the advantages flowing from a just,
prompt, and impartial administration of the laws. The good ef-
fects of this system are found to be incalculable in England, and
why it should not be brought into immediate operation in this
country we cannot conceive. There is one part of it (Clonmel)
where, we observe, these Sessions are frequently held by the Ma-
gistrates, and in which that truly patriotic Nobleman, the Earl
of DONOUGUMORE, takes an active part; and the peaceable
state of the neighbourhood, with one or two exceptions, fully
establishes the benefits which have resulted from the union
and co-operation of the Magistracy in Petty Sessions. Every
town and village of any note has a number of Magistrates
residing in the vicinage, whose assembling in this manner
would confer great advantages in the speedy administration of
justice. All favouritism and partiality would be destroyed, and
the peasantry might be taught to look up with respect and con-
fidence to the proceedings of such a body. Several of the trifl-
ing informations, which are now reserved for the Assizes,
might be returned to this Court, and a prompt decision had
upon them, without waiting for the tedious and expensive pro-
cess of a trial before the Judges of Assizes. In, fact, the benefits
likely to accrue from the extensive adoption of this regulation
are innumerable, and we trust and hope it will be acted upon
in all parts of the country, more especially in those places most
subject to disturbance. and crime. If an outrage should occur,
who is more capable of tracing out information which might
lead to the detection of the offenders than a body of Magi-
strates assembled at these Sessions, aided as they would be by
such an efficient police as is at present embodied in several
districts ?—(Dublin Correspondent, March 20.)

UsErni: DISCOVEILY.-1 t has long been a pro-
blem, to make or find a kind of cement or mortar for general
use, with the property of hardening under water, or enluring
in building whose foundations are laid in marshy or wet ground-.
Puzzelana earth, from the Mediterranean, is known to possess
this property, and is consequently used for this purpcse ; but,
from the expence of transport it is not within general reach.
A French engineer (M. Vicat) has lately discovered that lime-
stone, half burnt, or taken out of the fire before it is converted
into quick-lime, will answer the same end. When it has un-
dergone this process, it may, he says, be bruised, and formed
into a kind of plaster which hardens like ferruginous earth, un-
der water.

ON the RECIPROCITY of DUTIES BILL

(No.
TO THE LORDS OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOUR

ABLE PRIVY COUNCIL.

The Humble PETITION of the San' OWNERS of the
PORT of LONDON,

SLIEWETH—That the. Bill to authorize his Majesty, under
certain circumstances, to regulate the duties and drawbacks on
goods imported or exported in foreign vessels, which declares
it to be expedient that his Majesty should be " empowered to
" allow the importation or exportation of any goods, wares, and
" merchandiza, when imported or exported in foreign vessels,
" from or to those countries in which no other duties are
" charged, or other drawbacks, bounties, or allowances granted
" upon the importation or exportation of any goods, wares, or
" merchandize, into or from such country, in British vessels,
" than are charged or granted upon such goods, when imported
" or exported into or from such countries in foreign vessels,"—
having passed into a law, and your Petitioners being the more
convinced, the more they have inquired and reflected upon the
subject, that if the powers given to your Lordships by the said
Bill should be acted upon, and the rules thereby laid down be

applied to the trading intercourse between this kingdom and
the rest of the commercial world, (particularly the Northern
States of Europe), the most destructive consequences must
nursery of seamen merchant
shipping of Great Britain, and
resultthereby
to thehe which it is the means of main-
taining; your Petitioners, as individuals practically acquainted
t
with the subject, fed it to be their duty to make the present
most solemn appeal to your Lordships, against the adoption of
measures so ruinous to _British shipping, and of such infinite
danger to the mot importitnt national interests ; or, at all events
they do entreat your Lordships to defer the same until you
shall have received that evidence which your Petitioners have
been prepared to give, if an opportunity had been afforded them,
upon the important question of whether the British Ship Owner
will eventually be likely to retain any, and what portion of the

trade with the several ship-building States of Europe, if the
protection by difFetences of duty and drawbacks and allowances,
which has hitherto been found necessary should be withdrawn.
That your Petitioners have no hesitation in declaring to your
Lordships, as their most decided conviction, that the disadvan-
tages to which the British Ship Owners would be thereby sub-

ject, would be such as to make it impossible for them to com-
pete with the shipping of other countries, particularly those in
the north of Europe, and consequently, that the greater part of
that portion of the British Trade with them which the British
Ship Owners now enjoy, will eventually be carried on by the
shipping of those countries ; in like manner as the intercourse
with the United States, under the same system, is chiefly car-
ried on in American Shipping.
That the Petition of the Ship Owners of London to the Hon.
the House of Commons, against the said Bill, contains extracts
from the official accounts, which clearly shew that the amount
of British tonnage is annually diminishing; that British ship-
building is rapidly declining; and that, of the late increased
trade with Norway, Prussia, and Sweden, foreign shipping has
had much the greatest proportion.
That, in the discussions in the House of Commons, upon
the said Bill, the evidence afforded by those extracts from the
official accounts, was opposed by further quotations from them,
which shewed that the number of arrivals of British ships, in
the year 1822. exce.a.a.. by 1.474 ships, and 126,425 tons, the

number of arrivals in the preceding year.

That, upon this head, your Petitioners humbly beg to sub-
mit to your Lordships, that although an increase in the num-
ber of repeated voyage; made in any one year, might be evi-
dence of the increased trade of the country, it would by no
means follow that the shipping interest was therefore in a flou-
rishing state. With respect, however, to the fact itself, yoni
to observe, that although the official ac-
counts of the number vessels arrived in Great Britain Petitioners beg leave
(in-
cluding the arrivals frau, Ireland) exhibit an increase in the
year 1822, beyond that of 1821 (as above stated); yet those ac-
counts also shew, that the number of arrivals in the United
Kingdom, in the year 1822 (which, your Petitioners hum-
bly submit, presents the correct view of the subject), was only
282 vessels, and 64,204 tons beyond those in 1821 ; and that, if
the comparison of the arrivals in the year 1822 be made with
those in the year 1820, there is .a falling off of 198 vessels, and
4,433 tons ; and that, if the comparison be made with the
year 1619, the falling et is 887 ships and 145,501 tons.

That your Petitioners, however, beg to submit to your Lord-
ships, ,
thatthe in
accountord er to
should
the state of the foreign trade of the
be taken exclusive of the number
of ship:arrivedhat
thein
arrivalst4il
!kingdom from Ireland; when it will
appear,
in the United Kingdom from foreign
parts, in the year 1322
that
, exceeded those in 1821 by no more
than 438 tons; and that the arrivals in 1822
were
l 2 e
3s
6s
than vese
in s andlB
311 ships, and 18,830 tons, and less
than in 1819 by 832 shis
2: b 74ps, and 138,890 tons.
That on the occasion of those discussions in Parliament, your
with the most painful feelings, the pre-
valencePetit Petitioners eor s perceived,
of
great
niiaPPrehension on the part of those Hon.
Members by whom the Bill was supported, on the subject of
s
the relative durability of British and foreign Shipping, and of
the power of the British Ship Owner to build, equip, and na-
vigate his ships, upon such terms as to enable him to compete
with his rivals in the North of Europe.
That your Petitioners are prepared to prove to your Lord-
ships, that the maintenance of such competition is impossible ;
and that it must continue so, notwithstanding any remission of
duties on articles used in the building and equipment of ships,
which it may be in the power of the Legislature to grant, as
the. British Ship Owner will always have to struggle against
the effects of freight and expences on the materials necessary
for building and equipment, and likewise of indirect taxation,
which raises the price of labour, and extends to every home
production used in their construction ; together with the una-
voidable and important difference in the expense of provisions
and wages, which still remain, and form an irremediable dis-
advantage; and your Petitioners trust that the matter will ap-
pear in the same light to your Lordships, when you consider
the following circumstances, viz.
1. That no vessel is entitled to registry, unless British built
or prize.
2. That every British vessel must be manned with a master
and three-fourths of the crew British seamen ; and, if exceed-
ing 80 tons, must have a certain number of apprentices accord-
ing to their Register Tonnage.
3. That no British vessel- can be repaired in a Foreign Port
(unless such repair as may be absolutely necessary to enable
her to return home) to an amount exceeding 15s. per ton di.
4. That any sails with which it may be found necessary to
provide a British ship, in a Foreign Port, are subject on the
vessels arrival:, to a duty of 1041. 9s. 2d. per cent. ad valorem.
5. That heavy duties are in like manner chargeable on any
spars, cables, cordage, or anchors, which a British vessel may
have occasion to provide in a Foreign Port,.
That the effect of these burthens, with the other duties and
charges to which British Ship-Owners are liable, (as your Pe-
titioners are prepared to prove) is, that a British ship cannot
be built and equipped for less than from 141. to 23/. per ton,
whilst the Prussian pays from 71. 15s. to 101. ditto. The Swede
and Norwegian about 7/. ditto. The Frenchman about 101.
That the disproportion in the wages and victualling is not
less than in that of the cost of the vessel, viz., Present rate of

" The new Registry Act allows 20s. per ton.

wages for British seamen, 455. to 555. per month, according to
the voyage.
The average may be -50 s. per month.
Prussia 245. to 265. average 255. do.
Swede 12s. 6d. to 20s. -17 s. do.
Dutchman - -28 s. do.
That the difference in the expense of provisioning being
extremely variable, cannot he stated with accuracy, but is in
proportion to that of the wages ; the result'of all which is, that
the Foreigner has an advantage of 40 per cent. in the employ-
ment of his Capital over the British Ship-Owner.
That under such disadvantages nothing but the protecting
differences of duty, drawbacks, &c., arid the co-operating re-
gulations of the Navigation Laws, have hitherto enabled the
British Ship-Owners to compete with those of Foreign Powers ,
and therefore your Petitioners submit to your Lordships, that
if that protection be withdrawn, the exclusion of the British
Ship-Owner from a participition in many of the trades with
other countries will be inevitable, whilst what remains will be
unproductive of income; and that in the event of war between
Great Britain and any other Power, which would subject Bri-
tish shipping to war expences, all the considerations herein
submitted to your Lordships would apply with double force,
especially if any further permanent stipulation is made with
other countries as to duties.

That in support of what is thus set forth, your Petitioners
beg to state to your Lordships, that previous to the protecting
bounties on certain articles exported in British ships, the whole
of the trade to Hamburgh was carried on in foreign vessels;
that, at the present time, British ships have but a very small
proportion of the trade of the world not carried on from or to
British ports, (as will be evident from the fact, that out of 208
vessels arrived at the free port of Hamburgh, between the Ist
January and 3d July, 1823, only about 12 were British) ; and
that, at the present time, Prussian vessels are engaged for
freight at 20s. to 225. per load, for the supply of his Majesty's
Dock .yards and the London market with timber, &c. from
Prussia, whilst a lower rate than 28s. to 30s. per load will not
yield to the British Ship Owner an adequate remuneration for
the employment of his capital.
Tlr t since the peace your Petitioners have been struggling
against ruinous rates of freight mid immense depreciation of
capital, in a degree nothing inferior to that which the Agricul-
tural or Manufacturing Interests have sustained; and by the
Navigation Act of the 3d of his present Majesty, together with
the West India Intercourse Bill, and the Warehousing Act of
last Session, foreign vessels are permitted to engage in various
branches of the carrying trade, which, previous to the passing
of those Acts, had been confined to British shipping.
That under all these circumstances, and there being many
branches of the carrying trade in which it is impossible for
British shipping successfully to compete with foreigners, with-
out the aid of some advantages in respect of duties—
Your Petitioners most earnestly entreat that your Lordships
will be pleased not to exercise the powers given to you by the
Act of Parliament in question, without affording them an op-
portunity of proving to your Lordships in what manner and
degree the interests of British shipping will be thereby affected.
And your Petitioners will ever pray.
London, Aug. 4, 1823.

(No. II.)
REPORT of the SPECIAL COMMITTEE of SHIP-

OWNERS of the PORT of LONDON on the preceeding
PETITION.
We, the undersigned Members of a Special Committee ap-
pointed to prepare evidence in support of the Petition to the
Lords of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, dated
4th August last, praying that their Lordships would be pleased
not to exercise the powers vested in them by the Reciprocity
of Duties Bill until opportunity had been afforded to the
Petitioners of proving to their Lordships in what manner
and degree the interest of British shipping would be thereby
affected.

Having used our utmost endeavours to obtain such evidence
as might place, in the clearest point of view, the important
question whether the British Ship-Owner will eventually be
likely to retain any and what portion of trade with the several
ship-building States of Europe, if the protection by differen-
ces of duty drawbacks and allowances which have hitherto
been found necessary should be withdrawn, beg to submit the
following Report :
-