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

NAVIGATION LAWS.

The Select Committee, appointed to inquire into the navi-
gation laws, re-assembled yesterday, at one o'clock, in Com-
mittee Room No. 25, for the purpose of continuing their in-
quiry. On presenting themselves in the committee-room,
the reporters found that strangers were not to be admitted.
After some time, however, they obtained admission, but had
hardly seated themselves when the room was ordered to be
cleared, and a discussion took place as to the propriety of
their being present. The discussion resulted in their being
admitted. On re-entering the committee-room Mr. G. Shaw
Lefevre was being examined. He was proceeding clause by
clause to explain the provisions of the Navigation Act, and
had concluded several clauses before the reprters were ad-
mitted. He was understood to say that by the (then in ex-
planation) foreign ships might export goods from this coun-
try, and that a large portion of the export trade was carried
on by foreign ships. Of late years several instances had oc-
curred of the privilege being given to foreign ships to bring
foreign goods from foreign ports, other than those to which
the ships belonged. This privilege had been granted to
Austria. Austrian ships arriving from the ports of the
Danube were admitted into the ports of the United King-
dom in the same manner as if they came direct from
an Austrian port. This privilege had been granted by a
treaty. Several other treaties had also been made, by which
similar privileges were granted to eight countries, viz., to
Russia, Prussia, the Hanseatic Towns, Oldenburg, Hanover,
Meckli,nburg Schwerin, Mecklenburg- Strelitz, the Zoll-
verein, &c. &c. lie was not aware of the effect of these
treaties on British shipping. The only certificate of the ori-
gin of the produce brought by these foreign vessels, required
by the Custom-house, was the declaration of the master of
the port from whence the vessel came. European manufac-
tures, of American or Asiatic produce, might be imported as
European produce. Sugar refined in Europe might come in
any ship from any port, but not if it did not require refining.
Wheat, the produce of America and ground in France, might
come in under the sth clause of this law. The same with
tobacco. Cotton wool could not be imported from Europe in
any other than a British ship. Russian corn might be
brought from Hamburgh in a Rusian or Hamburgh ship; but
American produce from Russia could only be brought in a
British ship. This law imposed no restriction upon the trade
of the Channel Islands, or that of Malta and Gibraltar ; foreign
vessels could carry colonial produce to Guernsey and Jersey;
which, if it came to England, could only be brought in Ifri-
tishships. (Mr. Mitchell—A premium is thereby given to
foreign ships.) English produce could only be imported
into Guernsey and Jersey by British ships. No goods
could be imported into the British possessions from Asia,
Africa, and America, in foreign ships, unless the ships be-
longed to the country of which the goods were the produce.
With regard to the effect of the navigation laws on the East
India territories, the directors of the East India Company, by
a regulation dated December 2, 1839, in pursuance of the 7th
clause of their Act of Incorporation, permitted the introduc-
tion of foreign goods in any ship. There was nothing to pre-
vent foreign goods from being imported into China. With
regard to the registration of shipping owned by foreigners in
England, foreigners might purchase the whole of the shares
of a British steam company, or might even commence a
steam company here, and it would be registered, as the law
now stands. It would be registered in the name of the
corporate body, and not in the name of trustees. It was a
necessary condition that the owner of a ship should reside
within her Majesty's dominions, but he did not think that
all the shareholders in a ship were bound to reside in the
United Kingdom. Mr. Lefevre's explanation of the re-
mainder of the clauses was unimportant, and he having con-
cluded, the Committee, all of whom, with the exception of
Mr. Hume, were present, adjourned at four o'clock till Thurs-
day, the 4th instant.