The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-15 00:00:00

THE NAVIGATION-LAWS.

The Select Committee appointed by the House of
Commons to inquire into the operation of the navigation-
laws met on Tuesday in Committee•room No 2. There
were present Mr. Milner Gibson (Chairman), Mr. Ri-
cardo, Hon. Mr. Liddell, Sir Howard Douglas, Sir G.
Clerk, Mr. T. Baring, Alderman Thompson, Mr. Hume,
Admiral Dundas, Mr. Lyall, and Mr. Mitchell.
Mr. Richmond was recalled and cross-examined by Mr.
Ricardo—He considered protection indispensable to the
prosperity of British shipping, and he thought the reci-
procity treaties should be repealed, and matters placed
as they were prior to the signing of those treaties.
Speaking as a shipowner, he certainly should have no ob
jection to see the Prussian trade stopped. Perhaps the
exclusion of the French ships would be an inconvenience
to the shipowners, and still more to the merchants. But
he objected to this line of examination, because he
thought these were questions more for the consideration
of the Committee than for the witnesses. He iA as willing
to answer any question of fact, but not of hypothesis.
As an individual, he should have no objection that all
the goods going from England to America should be
carried in American ships, and that all goods coming
from America to England should be brought in English
ships, and he knew then that the balance would be
greatly in our favour. He thought, upon the whole,
that it would be for the advantage of England that the
same principle should be carried out with regard to all
other nations ; for, in fact, that was so at present with
regard to America and France ; Spain and Italy were
fast following the example. At the same time he had
no wish to see these extreme opinions carried out.
By the Chairman—He did not see why the navigation-
laws should not apply to iron ships as well as to wood
ships. It was true we could at present build iron ships
cheaper than in any other country, and that might in-
duce for, igners to build their iron ships in this country ;
but he was satisfied this would only be for a time. If it
were proposed to abolish the navigation-laws, and to give
the shipowners compensation in money, that might meet
his views as a shipowner extremely well, but it would be
very injurious to the country at large ; for it would re-
move ship-building out of the country altogether. The
shipowners would then " sell their birthright for a mess
of pottage."—(Laughter.) The protection now given by
the navigation-laws was so trifling, in consequence 01
their mutilated state, that any compensation the ship-
owners might claim for an abrogation of them would be
little or nothing.
The room was then cleared, and strangers were ex-
cluded for some time. On our return, _ _

Mr. Grieve, working shipwright, was examined by
Mr. Liddell—He had been a shipwright for the last 45
years, and had a general knowledge of the practice of
ship-building in the various yards of London. He was
satisfied from what he bad seen that foreign shipwrights
were not so good or so quick as Englishmen. He little
expected ever to have been asked the question, whether
English shipwrights received a day's pay for the third of
a day's work? Mr. Browning must have been mad at
the time when he made such an unfounded statement.

If his information was no no more correct on other points
than on this, it was worth little. The price which was
paid for shipwright's labour did not exceed 455. to 50s.
per ton.

By Mr. Ricardo--That would be equal to Gs. per day,
and some smaller ships had not paid that.
By Mr. Liddell—As a proof that English shipwrights
could do more than foreigners, he might mention that
two East India ships, the Duke of Cornwall, 500 tons,
and the Coromandel, 600 tons, had been overhauled,
caulked, shipped, and coppered, in five days. After
some other observations illustrative of the activity of
English shipwrights, he said he never heard of foreign
dock yards turning out their work in such quick time.
He denied Mr. Browning's statement that the Ship-
wrights' Combination advertised their meetings, and he
indignantly repudiated that witness's other state-
ment, that their combination had led to secret assassi-
nation ; that was the worst and most unfounded of all
Mr. Browning's calumnies. He had been connected
with the association for the last forty-fire years, and
had never heard of so much as a common assault arising
out of it. He denied also that the shipwrights were un-
grateful towards their employers. When Mr. Brown-
ing said the men had been ungrateful to Mr. Green, the
extensive shipowner, the witness (Mr. Grieve) went to
that gentleman, for whom he had been working the
greater portion of his time, and asked Mr. Green if
that was correct. Mr. Green turned round, and stared
at him, and asked who is Mr. Browning? I don't know
anything about him ; he had better mind his own
business, not mine. The witness had also waited on
Mr. Henry Green, who oho said ho knew nothing about
Mr. Browning. For the last twenty two years there
had been no act on the part of the Shipwrights to coerce
or intimidate their employers. Their unions partook
very much of the nature of benefit societies, He should
say, for the last twenty-five years, that the average rate
of wages had been about 355. per week ; of late they
had been less, and since Christmas he had not himself
averaged 21s. per week, and he was sure ho had worked
as much as half the shipwrights of London.
By Mr. Ricardo—He thought the foreigners could not
do as much work as Englishmen. He was not afraid of
giving a foreigner one side of a ship and taking the other
half himself; but he should be very sorry to see it, for he
thought there was enough of shipwrights already. The
question had never come before the union whether they
would allow foreigners to work hero or not.
By Mr. Mitchell—The Shipwrights' Union had at
present from 5,0001. to 6,0001. in hand. There had been
no material alteration in the rate of wages for the last
higherlll r .
now Mitchell—Aretha
twenty years. Provisions had not much fallen off, as he
would show by a table of his present expenditure.
you
time award thatthe lipsrtots6'
than at anyinsioynesarasr?e
fir. rGi
eve—l am going to show that we have been
running into debt.
Mr. Ricardo—Then wages do not dependthe •
on price
of provisions.
Mr. Grieve—We have found that they do not.
Mr. Mitchell—And do you say that the question was
never mooted among you what you would do if the
masters reduced your wages?
Mr. Grieve—We never stirred the question, because
we never heard any intention on the part of the masters
to reduce the wages. The wages at Sunderland were
14s. ad. a week, which, allowing for the cost of living
in Sunderland was better than the rate of wages here.
A Sunderland shipwright paid Si. a year for his house—
witness paid 13/. A Sunderland shipwright got a ton of
coals for 7s. 6d.—witness paid 275. The price of labour
was nominally cheaper, therefore, in Sunderland than in
London, but he was satisfied the London wages could
not be reduced in accordance with the rate oiving in
London.
By Mr. Ricardo—Had you not better work regularly
at a low rate of wages, than irregularly at a high rate?
Mr. Grieve—Certainly not. Ile knew it was the
opinion of some political economists that they ought
only to be permitted to live—to the credit of his em
ployers he must say, they did not take that view of the
case.

By Mr. Ricardo—Tie had bAen requested by twenty or
thirty of his friends among the shipwrights to attend
here and give evidence, in order to rebut the calumnies
of Mr. Samuel Browning. lie was not deputed by the
Union. lie was not an officebearer of the Union, but he
was a member.
The Committee then adjourned to Thursday next at
one o'clock, which we understand will be the last day
of the Committee's-meeting. We understand also, that
while strangers were excluded, it was agreed, atter
some discussion, to give no opinion of their own upon
the subject of the navigation-laws, but content them-
selves with reporting the evidence to the House.

MURDER BY A A
st was held
inquest
on Monday last at Killeenadenna, near Loughrea, by
Thomas Walsh, RFT, coroner, on view of the body of a
child, nine years old, named APHugo, who was killed by
a maniac named Fahy, while in a frantic state. He has
been subject to occasional fits of insanity, and was al-
lowed to be at large, anti unfortunately he met this child
while labouring under one of his delirious moods, and
dashed his brains out with an immense stone. A ver-
dict was returned in accordance with the facts stated,
and the unhappy man was removed to Galway gaol.—
Galway Vindica(or. • ,
HAYFlELD.—Accorqing to appearance, there will
be a rather short crop of Lops, the vermin inavitz in-
creased very fast within thee©. latt few dap. 1.114
thence is general through 'most of the plantatious ; and
should it continue much Linger wi!hout a change, the
crop will fall very short. Thu potatoes continue to look
well, and all other crops are progressing favourably,—
Brigliton Guardian.