The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-03 00:00:00

NAVIGATION LAWS.(

1.
The Select Committf e App. inted by the Houst of Com-
mons to inquire into the Operation of the navigation
laws met on Tuesday. The following Members vestr-Tre-
sent,—Mr. M. Gibson (chairman), Mr. Ricaron stir.
Mitchell, Mr. Liddell, Sir R. Peel, Mr. Bering, Admiral
Dundas, Sir Howard Deugles, and Mr. Villiers.
Mr. George Frederick Young's evidence was continued.
By Mr. Liddell—On my last examination I believe I
restricted my statements to the relative costs of British
and foreign ships ; I did not go into the question of
wages and provisions. In reference to the first of
these matters, I find that there is a very con-
siderable difference in favour of most foreign nations
in the amount of wages paid in the navigation
of their ships as compared with the navigation of
British ships. I have made out a statement showing
the comparative expense of navigating British ships and
the ships of the United States, Holland, Bremen,
Sweden. and Prussia. For a ship of 500 tons the ex-
pense for a voyage of twelve months' duration, taking
the average of wage es, insurance, interest on capi-
tal (calculated at per cent.), depreciation of
property (which I have always found to amount
to 10 per cent. per annum)-_I find that the ex-
pense of a British ship for such a voyage, costing
8.7501., would be 2,6231. 10s. ; the expense of a
United States' ship, costing 7,2501., would be
2,1911. 10s. ; the expense of a Bremen ship,
costing 5,500, would be 1.626/. ; the expense of a
Swedish ship, costing the same sum, would be 1,5501.;
and that the expense of a Prussian ship, testing
4,7504, would be 1,3291 • making a difference in favour of
American ships of 4321, in favour of Duch ships of
513/. 10s., in favour of Bremen ships of 997/. 10s., in fa-
vour of Swedish ships of 1,0731. 10s., and in favour of
Prussian ships of 1,294/. 10s. The comparative cost of
victualling British and foreign ships I have found it diffi-
cult to ascertain, but I have a thorough knowledge of
the dietary on board British ships, and I must say that
the quantity of the expensive articles of food used
greatly exceeds the quantity used on board all foreign
vessels, except those of the United States. I have cal-
culated that the wages on board a British ship of '5OO
tons for a year would average 786/.; on board a United
States' ship, 6694; a Dutch shin, 6401.; a Bremen ship,
4711.; a Swedish ship, 3954; and on board a Prussian
ship, 331/. 10s.

By Sir R. Peel—l stated when I was last examined
that I had sold half of a cargo of oil that I expected
shortly to arrive for 901. per tun, and that that price
was higher than usual, in consequence of the de-
crease in the amount of British shipping engaged in
the whale trade. I admit, however, that on the
average of th 3 three years previous to 1842, when the
duty on oil was taken off, that the average price of oil
was higher. In 1839 the price was 95/. p r tun ; in
1840 the price was 1041. per tun ; a,lci in 1841 the price
was 98/. per tun. lam decidedly of opinion that want
of confidence in the protection of the Government had
led to the falling off in the whale fisheries.

By Mr. Lid& ll—The rate of insurance on foreign
vessels is the same as the rate on British ships, but the
latter pay more because they cost more.
Mr. Young was cross-examined at considerable length
upon the evidence he gave at the previous sitting of the
Committee, but no new facts were elicited.
The Committee adjourned.