The Sun.
London, England, 1823-06-30 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

OBSERVATIONS on the intended RECIPROCITY.
DU TI ES on the 511 P PING of ALL NATIONS, and
on the EFFECTS which it will produce on BRITISH
SHIPPING.
The importance of this subject imperiously
demands our most serious attention ; for, in whatever way we
view the Protective System--whether M ancient or modern
times, we see the excellent effects that have resulted from it;
and it has now become so interwoven with' National benefits
and' National interests; that to allow a breach to be made will
lead to inevitable ruin. One argument used for abandoning
so wise a system is, that Foreign Powers are resolved either to
compel us to adopt their propoaals, or they will lay on such
countervailing duties will exclude our Shipping lay
their
Ports.—This threat of exclusion of our Trude by compulsion
should make us pause ere we make a false step which it may
not be so easy to recover,--e step derogatory to the character
of Great Britain. Another argument is, that it is necessary to
assist our Manufacturers: but,, with what propriety do they
claim to have the restrictions on Foreign Shippmg removed ?
on a speculative chance of serving their interests; the result of
which will be to ruin the British Nevigation,—a much older
interest, and more essential to the State than theirs; and this,
too,' while they themselves claim a protection, and are protected
by restrictive laws and duties.
Indeed There is nothing in this pretended Reciprocity but the
name; the advantage of trading to a profit is now actually on
the side of the Foreigner, who is yet claiming another boon that
will give hint a still more deckled advantage: The value, sail.
ing expences, and taxation, on a British Ship, are considerably
more than double that of the Foreigner.* When, if this is the
fact, how will the bestowing on him another boon make a reci.
procity ? It may be a reciprocity so far as the National duties
are concerned, but not as regards a competition in the expence
of Navigating ;
for, were all the duties removed which bear on
the equipment of British Shipping, they then would not be on
a reciprocity with Foreigners.—ln short, nothing can give them
a reciprocity but that which no man who has a National feeling
would Countenance, viz. allowing the Ship-Owners to purchase,
build, repair, store, and man their Ships wherever they can
procure them at the cheapest rate.
There is one thing most essential for our consideration in
forming Our judgment on this
question, which is, Whether the
Shipping and Seamen have or have not as strong
.a claim, to
Nations protection as the Agricultural, Manufacturing, or any
Other Interest : The Ship-Owners have embarked their capitals
under the laws,—they are made to build, repair, and store in
Britain, and employ native Seamen, and to rear apprentices.
The Seamen thus formed are a distinct body. of men from any
other in the State, as their services are required not as volun-
teers, but by compulsion,—they are taken on board the Na-
tional Ships of War to serve the State, whenever their services
are thought necessary, either for defence or offensive measures.
In this service they become subject to martial law, and their
wages are email compared with the earnings of the other classes
of the community. They are sent to all parts of the Globe to
fight the battles of the Country ;---how they have performed this
Service the history of the Country, if not its gratitude, will be a
lasting memorial. Their performances seem to have made more
impression on all other countries than on that which their
valottr served
;•forlAstrange as hinny appear, Britain is actually
giving more encouragement to Foreigners than to her native
Seamen.
If these arc facts—and we challenge a refutation of them—it
is then surely time that the British Lion were roused from his
slumber, when wo are told-that Foreign Powers are forcing on
us Commercial regulations to suit their own purposes, wllich
will deprive our Seamen of a large proportion of their present
employment,
Agricultural, and lead to the annihilation of it.
Pl:he Naviffatio
and :Manufacturing Interests
are the three great leading interests in the State, and the inte-
rest of each are blended with the other; but a sudden transi-
tion front war to
on which
the inimulacturing economists immediately were loud in their
complaints, and type
ra e political economists declared that naviga-
tion cm peace naturally.staggered the whole,
crimped our operations and sales. In war they are pro-
tected by navigation, for without the seamen keep the sea open
to transmit their goods, the manufacturers would nearly stand
still. The old Statesmen of this country, up to the first Earl of
LivEneeme, in balancing the scale of interests always gave a
protection to navigation as a sure means of securing the best
object of the State. The Statesmen of this new era may be sa.
enticing navigation to the intrigues of Foreign Powers, and on a
speculative chance of benefiting the Manufacturers.
It may safely be said, and that without vanity, that the sea-
men have a !higher
e---claim to protection than any other interest in
the State, their services and deeds fully entitle them to it; and if
they are sacrificed to either the speculations of Manufacturers
or Foreign illerchants—the visionary schemes of Political
Economists.—or to Foreign Powers_ it will be an act of the
blackest ingratitude to that hardy and brave race of men, and
I an act of the most pusillanimous degradation that this great
country ever submitted to. X. X.

* A new North of England built ship, of 400
tons, cuts per ton . . £l6 0 or 6400/
A new Russian ship of the same size - 8 L 3300
A new Swedish s IT of the same size - 7 0 `2OOO

A REPENTANT SLANDERER.—A girl, who had
been telling some scandalous stories about some of the females
residing in the same neighbourhood with herself, made a most
extraordinary application to the Lord Mayor on Saturday. She
said, that in a moment of anger she had. uttered - falsehoods of
several ladies, and that the slanders having reached their ears,
they determined to punish her with a white sheet and bare feet,
or some other terrible infliction, if she did not forthwith con-
tradict every word of what she uttered to their prejudice,
and produce a written evidence of her submission and contrition.
She therefore thought the best and most effectual way of satisfying
those she had calumniated, was by taking her oath before the Lord
Mayor of London that all she had said was a lie ! !—The Lord
Mayor reprobated the mischievous tongue of the applicant, and
assured her that it was quite unnecessary for her to take an oath
upon the subject, as those who knew her would doubtless bite
her word on that question, although they might not believe her
on any ottier. The girl departed, greatly dissatisffed with his
Lordship s refusal.