The Sun.
London, England, 1824-11-27 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE.

it REVIEW of the WAREHOUSING SYSTEM as con-
nected with the PORT of LONDON. Taken from Par-
lamentary Reports and Official Documents. Dedicated to
the Earl of LIVERPOOL. By HENRY LONGLANDB, Escj.
As this is a commercial country, as well as an
ntpire.distiuguished for its naval military and
literary character a strong interest must attach
to whatever relates to its commercial welfare.—
We therefore.deem it an act of politiCal duty to
draw the attention of our Readers to the Work
before us. The name of the Author of this Tract
is well known to the Public by other publica-
tions of the same nature. If we are rightly in-
formed, he is the Secretary to the West India
Docks, and, after having practised as a Barrister,
bas 'renounced law for commerce. As we have
Barristers enough and to spare, it is gratifying to
we a man of talents and literature direct his at-
tention to fubjects of vital importance to our
commerce, foreign and domestic, This will be
found a very valuable Tract to our political as
well as commercial Readers ; and therefore,
without further preface, we shall submit to them
some Extracts from the Work itself, particularly
-recommending it to public notice. The Intro-
duction explains the object of the Authoethus :
" The attention of the compiler has necessarily been much
directed to the early authorities and °pillions,. illustrative of
the principles upon which the Warehousxng System was esta-
blished ; these from hoe of time have become much dia.
posed, and he has therefore been impressed with the import-
ance of reviving the recollection of them, with reference to the
ideas which now seem to prevail. In collecting the following
official notices of that System, it is his object to show that it
fermi a separate and distinct branch in commercial legislation,
.and that it is erroneous to apply to it that line Of policy which
is at present pursued in respect to the foreign commerce of the
coo:try.
The Right Hon. Thomas Wallace, in his celebrated speech
'on the 25th of June, 11121, marked tint the line of distinction
thus--" Prom the view I am at present taking, I studiously
exclude all Acts arising out of the necessity of creating re-
venee, or for the protection of particular manufactures—these
%tend on principles not only distinct from commerce, but in
some degree adverse to it, and rest on grounds of particular
eepediency—with these I have now nothing to do. It is to
trade itself to which I look—to settle the law relating to the
pities from which—the ships in which—and general regula-
.tions under which, it-is to be carried on." This passage clear-
ly designates the general purview of the Navigation Laws, as
distinguished from those for the security of the revenue, and
the protection of national industry which, strictly speaking,
coostitute the Warehousing System.
Admitting that the bills introduced by the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman for the removal of some of the restrictions of the Nevi-
genon Laws are calculated to prove highly beneficial to coin.
merce, the compiler cannot admit that every speculative inno-
vation upon the Warehousing systeM must of course partake
theirof merit, being convinced that in the exact proportion in
which facilities are efibrded in the one instance, the more rigid
preeautione ought to be adopted in the other t—This opinion is
thus confirmed by the Right Hon. Gentleman himself :—"
As
it is my object to invite and facilitate us much as possible, by
every degree of practicable freedom, importation for the pur-
n'Ose Of subsequent exportation, and. as with this view I am
prepared to relax the existing provisions of the navigation laws,
so tar as to allow an entry to goods and merchandize, in any
ship,. and navigated in any' manner whatever : on the other
hand, I feel that for the sake of preserving those laws,'as they
sfinct importation for the supply of the country, peculiar pre-
caution must be resorted to, that goods not imported under the
restrictions prescribed by the Act of Navigation may not come
into consumption underany pretence, or by any authority what-
ever; and the arrictest regulations will be made on that
tie beet." •
he following extracts will show that the true policy of a
'well-regulated warehousing system was as thoroughly under-
stood in former days as it is at present; and that that system
bat been extended as the foreign commerce increased, and as
sesCient means were in consequence provided, by the erection
of secure warehousing establishments.
The commerce of the country has flourished, in proportion
to the extension and improvement of the system, as aided by
.thnso estanlishipente t. and the Question for consideration is.
whether steady pereeverance m tee safe and prudent course
liecetofore successfully pursued, would not be more consistent
with sound policy than a speculative departure from it, in defe-
mice to the too prevailing disposition to view the results of past
experience as " prejudices which have nothing but the rest of
antiquity to recommend them."
With these views the author proceeds to show
the origin of the Legal (4,lilyß throughout the
m kingdo, and commences his Extracts with the
followhig preamble of the Act of the Ist of
.Elizabeth Cap i i.
" Most humbly ehewing beseechen your Highness, your
Lords and commons in this present Parliament assembled, that
where the Rome of money paid in the name of customs antlettub.
sidles of wares and merebendizes transported out, and brought
into this your Highness realm of England, by any merchant,
stranger, or denizen, is an ancient revenue annexed and it raed
to your Imperial Crown, and bath in the time of' King Edward
the Third, and other your most noble progenitors, amounted to
great and notable sums of money, till ef late years many greedy
and covtegne persons, reepenung mils! their private gain and
commoditr than their duty and allegiance, or the common
profit of the realm, have and do daily, as well by conveying the
Same their wares toed in rchendizes out of creeks and places
where no customer is resident, as also by or through the negli-
gence or corruption of the ettetoiner, searcher or other officer,
where they be resident ; as by divers other freudulent, undue
and subtle practices, and devices, convey their goods and mer-
chandises, as well brought from the parts beyond the sea, as
transported out of' this remir realm of England, without pay-
ment or agreeing for the payment of the cuNtimts and subsidies
therefore due (3) whereby th:l yearly revenue aforeeaid is
very much impaired and diminished, to the great loss and
damage of your Highness, and to the great burden and charge
of your loving subjects, who by ocemion thereof, have of late
years been more charged with subsidies and payment for the
supplement of the said loss and damage, than else we should
have been."
After reciting the consequent enactment which
"ishlished tits. 1,4. gal Quays, the author adds—.
This Act was recited in, and further authority given to the
Vrown by the 1 3th and I,ith of Charlet' 11.; but that authority
was not exercised as reepects the, port of London beyond the
first grant of theeprivilege, it appearing by the Second Report
of the Committee of the House of Commons, of Mit, that
" Legal Quart below Loncion-hritige, which were established
by a law passed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, have not been
emlerged since that time."
As the inadequacy of the Legal Quays was felt, a partial
remedy was found. by eetablisliing Sufferance Wharfs; but this
measure appear* to have been altogether ineffectual, although
carried to a greater extent than was deemed consistent with the
security of the revenue.
Alluding to a more recent period, he says—
The improvements which have been made in the port of
Landon embrace a vast extension of the. Legal Quays, as well
as the SuGrance Wharf'', the whole of the quays of the East
Intlie, West India, and London Docks, having been esta-
laliehed as Legal Quays, by the authority of Parliament; anti
the wharfs or the Emit ountry, and Commercial Ik. ks Suf.
feranw Wharfs; certain goods are also landed on the wharfs
of the Regenee Canal and Surrey Canal..
The warehousing system was extended as these improve-
ments were made, and the grounds on which the Legislature
was induced to ',Trent privileges to the different Companies, in
conanderation of the advantages likely to result to the pub.
lie from the erection of close docks, are fully developed in
the valuable Reports of the Committee of the Rave o
, Commons.
The important extracts which he gives tend to
show, that
" As a general depot of the products both of the north and
setuth of Europe, anti also the Eastern and Weetern World, we
Possess many great and striking advantages, from our local
adulation, relatively both to Europe and America: from our
Imssessing almost a complete monopoly. of the trade of India
and China ; from the variety and superior quality of our ala-
riufacture%, %tined to everf our market ; from the powerful influ-
ente o
bleat mercanuly e and manufacturing capital, and
from me %void nei
, energy, and enterprising spirit erf our
merchants.
" By admitting all the principal articles of merchandise to
be deposited in Warehouses immediately on importation, and
requiring no .part of the duties to be advanced, until delivered
out for home consumptiOn, or if exportdd, to be subject to nO
, whatever, the revenue would also, be generally be.
littfitted. And this systemof Warehousingallgoods on im-
portation would be essentially' aided by the plans which have

been in agitation for some time past of erecting close Rocks and
warehouses on the river Thames. Ships on their arrival would
proceed directly into these docks, and be discharged of their
cargoes under the immediate eye of the principal out-door offi-
cers of the Customs, without being inbjected in any degree
those enormous depreciations which aril at present solendly, and
I believe so justly, complained of; whilst a great saving would
at the same accrue to the revenue, by a reduction of the number
of officers in what is called the Water Guard.",
Referring to the foregoing quotations, the
Author says—
- -

" These opinions could not fail to have their due weight,
and we find that the Committee reported to the House as fol-
lows (p. 10) :—" Upon this subject your Committee also think
it necessary to call the attention of the House to the evidence
of Mr. Irving, the Inspector General of the Imports and Ex-
ports of Great Britain, taken before former Committees, con-
ceiving that it throws very important lights upon a matter in
which the political and commercial interests of the country are
deeply concerned ; inasmuch as the system in question tends to
render this country a general depot for the trade of other coun-
tries, and must necessarily increase the amount of its active ca-
pital, together with the amount of the mercantile credit at-
tached to it. And from his further evidence upon the present
occasion, your Committee collect, that if it should be deemed
expedient to carry the warehousing system beyond the articles
which the Commissioners of Customs and Excise have proposed
to begin with there are many to which the same principle might
be conveniently applied."
A note upon this extract throws a new and
•
very important light upon the subject ; it is as
follows :--

The active capital employed 'in commerce has not only
been increased by the amount of the monies which were former.
ly advanced in payment of duties, but, in addition thereto, in
thuse dock establishments, in which the business is securely, and
systematically conducted, the goods themselves represented by
duly authenticated documents, became as active and available
capital as money in the funds.
(ro be continued.)