The Sun.
London, England, 1823-07-03 00:00:00

SHIP-OWNERS OF LONDON.

To the Honourable the Commons of the United Ti inplom of
Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled.
The humble Petition of the undersigned SHIP-OWNERS of
the Pow' of LONDON,
SIIEVETH,—That your Petitioners have seen, with the ut-
most alarm, that a Bill has been introduced into your Honour-
able House, entitled a " Bill to authorize his Majesty, under
certain circumstances, to regulate the Duties and Drawbacks on
Goods Imported or Exported in Foreign Vessels ;" which de-
clares it to be expedient, " that his Majesty should be em-
powered to allow the importation or exportation of any goods,
wares., and merchandiZe, in Foreign Vessels, upon payment of
the like duties, and with the like drawbacks, bounties, and al:
lowances, as are now by law paid or granted upon similar
goods, wares and merchandize, when imported or exported in
British 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,
waxes, 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."
That as it cannot be doubtecl that a rule by which the Foreign
Shipping interest will be greatly benefited ;--whichsubverts a
principle that has been acted upon by this country during the
last 200 years ; and which has so essentially conduced to the
establishment of her naval superiority, will be readily and ex-
ultingly adopted by. every nation that has the means, and is
desirous of possessing an extensive marine, your Petitioners
are unable to contemplate the proposed alteration in the law
In any other light, than as a change of system, directly tend-
ing to the exclusion of British Ships from all participation in
the trade of those countries.
That your Petitioners trust that such also will be the con-
viction
of your Honourable House when you take into your I
consideration, that the British Ship-Owner is subject to heavy
duties on some of the most important articles used in the con-1
struction and equipment of his ships ; and, that three fourths
of the crews must be British Seamen, whose wages are higher
than others ; whilst the Ship-Owners of the Baltic and Norway,
have the means of building, equipping, and navigating their
ships at an infinitely less cost, having all the materials at band
free of duty ; the expence of victualling their seamen being
much less ; and their wages not being one half the amount paid
to British seamen on similar voyages.
That even the existing differences of duties and bounties on
particular articles, in favour of British Ships (the removal of
which is contemplated by the said Bill), are not found to. be
sufficient to enable them to sustain the competition to which
they are exposed, in the trade of the north of Europe, as will
be seen on a reference to the official Accounts, by which it'
Willappear, that of the considerable increase in the tonnage
.entered froth Holland, Norway, Prussia, and Sweden,. in the
last three years, the largest proportion has been in the ships of
those countries, viz
Tons Brit. Tons For.
In the year 1820 - - 160,288 137,336
1 - 181,40 136,432
2 - . . 199,484 187,181
the removal therefore of such difference of duties and bounties,
cannot but be attended with the most injurious consequences to
your Petitioners.
That since the return of peace, British Shipping has fallen
in value one half, and has been, tbr the most part, unproductive
*to the Owners ; and the consequence is, that the number of
Ships is annually diminishing ; and that Ship-building is
rapidly on the decline ;as . will appear from the following ex-
tracts from the Of cial.ACcounts
Number of Ships, Tons, and Seamen employed in Navigating
them, belonging to the British Dominions :
• Ships. Tons. Men.
In the year 1818 26,607 2,674,468 173,607
19 - 25,482' 2,666,396 174,378

20 . 25,374 2,648,593 174;414
21 - 25,036 2,560,802 169,179
2,519,044
Number of Ships built in the British Dominions : 166,333
Ships. Tons.
In the year iota - 1,059 104,366
- - 1,125 112,173
20 - 883 84,582
21 - - 872 74,847
22 - 723 62,534
That your Petitioners observe that in the votes of your
Honourable House, the said. Bill is termed the " Reciprocity of
Duties Bill;" but your Petitioners humbly beg to submit to
your Honourable House, that there is no " reciprocity" in an
equality of duties and drawbacks, so long as British Ships are
subject to heavy burthens, of various descriptions, from which
Foreign Ships are exempt : and as to foreign countries retaliat-
ing upon British Ships, in their ports, the higher duties which,
for the protection of British Shipping, are pa able upon certain
articles when imported into this country in Foreign Ships, (thel
effects of which it is proposed to avert by removing such differ-
ence of duty) your PentionZrs humbly beg to remind your
Honourable House that almost every ship that arrives from
those countries, imports; a cargo, whilst not one in three of them
takes back any goods from this country.
Yonr Petitioners beg fiarther to point out to your Honourable
House, that an equality of duties, as proposed by the said Bill,
would, in effect, be a repeal of the most important part of the
Act of the first and second of his present Itlejesty, cap. 37,
Altering the duties on timber, which was passed after the most
minute inquiry ;—the examination of numerous witnesses on
behalf of the merchants, and othersengaged in trade with the
north of Europe ;—anti the most deliberate consideration of
the subject by your Honourable House ; and if it was not then
deemed expedient to make so hisportant a concession to fbreign
countries, your Petitioners confidently hope that your Honour-
able House will not deem it to be necessary or proper at the
present period, when the shipping of those countries is in-
creasing with the increase of their trade, and the shipping of
this kingdom engaged in trade with the north of Europe, is
evidently on the decline.
That your Petitioners are not insensible that attempts are
making by Foreign Countries to induce this Nation to with-
draw the protection hitherto afforded to her shipping, by mak-
ing distinctions in the dutiei on goods which they import, to
disadvantage of British Ships ; (which proceeding they af-
fect to consider as founded ou a principle of reciprocity); and
that the effect of persevering in that system, and of the adop-
tion
by this Nation of the necessary measures of counteraction,
by encreasing the duties on goods imported from thence in , the
Ships of such countries, must eventually be, that the importa-
tions would be made In British Ships, and the exportations in
Ships of those countries ; the return voyages, in both cases,
being in ballasts-
That your Petitioners are no less sensible how greatly such
a system of Commercial warfare would be to be regretted ;
but your petitioners are notwithstanding of opinion that such
a state of things, supposing that any Foreign Country should
think fit to
.persist in that system, but which, fronta regard
to its own interest, it is conceived' that no Foreign country is
likely to do,) would be infinitely preferable to that of super-
seding the employment of British ships in the trade of Europe,
by the operation of the said Bill; as this nation need never be
at a loss for an adequate supply of the articles which such
country produces.
' That the principle of affording. protection to domestic in,
dustry, from Foreign competition has been recognized and
acted upon from the earliest periods of our history ; and under
its continued operation, the British Shipping Interest, as well
as others of the most valuable' branches of native productions
and manufactures, have been fostered intoimportance : your
petitioners therefore humbly submit to your Honourable House,
that the relaxing that
.principle in favour of Foreign Shipping,
to the prejudice of British Shipping, whilst protection still con-
tinues to be afforded to Agriculture and Manufactures, would
be such a procedure towards the Ship.owners, as your Peti-
tioners confidently trust that your Honourable House, in its
justice, will not agree to sanction, without at the same time re-
.solving to compensate the Shipping Interest at large, for the
ruinous depreciation of their property to which they will thereby
he exposed.
That under these circumstances, your Petitioners humbly
hope that your Honorable House will not think it fit to
nish the protection which the existing laws afford to British
Shipping, by passing the Bill in question Into a law ; since the
effect must be, to expose an important branch of it to gradual
but certain decay ; and so far to deprive the empire of that re-
source for seamen for the supply of the national marine, which
the Commercial Shipping of the country has hitherto been made
the means of affording ; but, on the contrary, your Petitioners
humbly entreat, that your Honorable House will discuunten-
mice every measure 'calculated to deprive British Shipping of
protection from foreign competition, until the former can .be
relieved from the burthens andrestrictions to which it is at pre-
sent subied ; and instead of a power being given to his Majesty
to equalize the duties and drawbacks upon articles imported or
ekported in British and Ships, ,as Ships ,as proposed by the said
Bill, that his Majesty maybe enabled by your Honcirafile House
to effect the purpose thereby intended, by an authority to make
such alterations,. 41 the duties and drawbacks, as may from
time to time be found necessary to countervail those differences
of duty-which may be made in foreign ports, to the discourage-
ment of British Shipping,
And:your Petitioners will ever pray.
London, June 27, 1823.