The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-17 00:00:00

THE STATE OF MERCHANT SHIPPING.

The select committee of thAlou- e of Commons appointed
to inquire into the state of merchant shipping, the opera-
tion of the burdens and restrictions especially affecting
merchant shipping, and the various statutes relating
thereto, have presented their report, which is of consider-
able length. They state that our condition with reference
to the laws which regulate national intercourse between
France, Spain, Portugal, and the United States of Ame-
rica is most unsatisfactory ; that during the last three
years the merchant shipping of the United Kingdom has
been in a state of great depression, and in the struggle of
competition to which British shipowners are now exposed
with foreigners, they view with the greatest jealousy the
restrictions still imposed by foreign nations upon our ship-
ping. In the home, colonial, and foreign trades the rate
of freights has been for a long time wholly unremu-
nerative. The burden of passing tolls, and the unequal
and onerous charge for lights and pilotage, with the
vexatious and anomalous regulations which are enforced
by numerous pilotage authorities in various parts
.of the
kingdom, have been the subjects of complaint, ana vari-
ous minor regulations embraced in recent legislative en-
actments constitute petty grievances which harass the
shipowner in the prosecution of his business. Many of the
suffering classes ascribe no little portion of their present
distress to the unconditional repeal of the navigation laws,
while others feel the severity of competition with steam-
vessels which are fast superseding sailing vessels in various
branches of trade, These inevitable results of the progress
of science, however productive of transient ;injury to in-
dividuals, are unquestionably beneficial to the general in-
terests of the country, and are admitted to be beyond the
reach or province of legislation. In all cases where steam-
vessels have occupied the lines of passenger or goods traffic,
or both combined, a vast development of the carrying trade
has resulted. This transition seriously affects the relative
employment of sailing as against steam-vessels in the short
voyage trade, and in those lines where costly merchandise
of small bulk is required to be rapidly transported over sea.
In comparing the relative cost of British shipping with
that of the various maritime countries with whom we are
engaged in the race of competition, the committee say they
have no reason to doubt, when every point of comparison is
duly taken into consideration, that the first cost of building
vessels in this country is as cheap as in any other, while it
is undoubted that steamers can be built in this country at
much less comparative expense, and are greatly superior to
any produced abroad. But with these advantages in our
favour, various causes since 1850 have conspired to inter-
fere with the successful prosecution of shipping adventure.
The act of 1849, by throwing open the trade with our colo-
nies and possessions, has dealt a heavy blow to existing
shipping interests.
The c enmittee, in alluding to the repeal of the Naviga-
tion Laws, say, whatever may have been the complaints
preferred against the policy of the repeal of these laws in
its general tendency, not one of the witnesses has proposed
to recur in its entirety to the restrictive system which pre-
vailed previously to 1850. Some of the witnesses wish to
make a reservation to British ships of our colonial trade.
But the committee, looking especially to our relations with
Canada, our possessions in the East and `Vest Indies, and
above all in Australia, think it their duty unhesitatingly
to declare their opinion that any proposal having for
its object to re-establish an exclusive monopoly of the
carrying trade to and from our colonial possessions might,
both on political and commercial grounds, be rejected as
impracticable; and that while it would be unjust to our
fellow-subjects in the colonies; it might embroil us with
foreign powers to whom we are bound by existing treaties.
On the subject of reciprocity, the commissioners say that
the question of the expediency of requiring foreign powers
having colonial possessions to reciprocate every advantage
to our navigation which Great Bi itain has unconditionally
accorded to them is one which demands peculiar attention.
The British shipowners are placed at an immense disad-
vantage in the unequal competition which they have to en •
counter, while they have the mortification to see ships re-
sort to our own colonies and secure much higher freights
than our own ships when chartered to a port
in Europe. Whatever difficulties may stand in the way
of having recourse to those retaliating measures which
we have the power to exercise in order to obtain re-
ciprocity from foreign powers, there has been an apparent
apathy on the part of the Executive Government to deal
with this important question. With respect to the coasting
trade of the United States, the committee express their
regret that a more liberal policy has not been adopted by
that Government, and state that although they are not pre-
pared to recommend the exclusion of the ships of the
United States from our colonial carrying trade, they are
of opinion that the unremitting attention of her Majesty's
Government should be directed to this question with a view
to remove the last and only obstruction to a more free in-
tercourse between the United States and this country.
With respect to the question of belligerent right at sea,
the committee express a hope that the house will agree with
them in opinion that in the progress of civilisation and the
cause of humanity the time has arrived when all private
property, not contraband of war, should be exempt from
capture at sea.
In considering the question of the liability of shipowners
in case of loss of life, the committee say that the present
law inflicts a heavy punishment on the owner of the vessel
best adapted to provide for the safety of passengers ; and
they are of opinion that an absolute sum of £l5 per ton, gross
register, whatever may be the actual value, should be
established as the definite valuation of the ship, and that all
consideration of freight should be excluded.
On the subject of light dues, the committee, considering
that the lighting of our shores is a high imperial duty
which we owe, not merely to ourselves, but to strangers
whom we invite to trade with us, recommend that the na-
tion generally should pay the cost and maintenance of the
lights—subject to certain conditions which are pointed out
In regard to passing tolls, the committee are of opinion that
a scheme of administration, and of future management,
with due provision for the payment of all existing liabili-
ties, should be prepared• by the Board of Trade for the
sanction of Parliament, with a view to the speedy and final
abolition of the passing tolls levied on ships for the main-
tenance of the harbours of Dover, Ramsgate, Whitby, and
Bridlington.
The committee then pointed out the effects of recent
legislation with regard to measurement, shipping offices,
discipline, desertion, seamen's fund, wreck and salvage,
passengers, surveys, and stamp duties; and in conclusion'
say that although they have not felt it necessary to offer an
opinion on matters purely of detail, they trust they have in
an impartial spirit given to the all important questions
referred to them their most attentive consideration, and ex-
press an earnest hope that the house will support their
views, so that their recommendations may receive at the
earliest period that attention from her Majesty's Govern-
ment which their importance demands.

THE NATIONAL DEFENCES.—An estimate was
published yesterday of the sums required to be voted for the
ensuing financial year for fortifications at home and abroad.
The fortifications required abroad are not expensive, and
£19,832 only are asked on their account. For the fortifica-
tions at home the sum required is £54.5,523. Of the iteu.s
; and th
which make up this amount the largest is £BO,OOO, required
for the western defence of DOVOTIpOrt dockyard.
.This sun
is, of course, only the first instalment of that which will be
required to complete the work, namely,. £240,000
same remark may be applied to all. tie items mentioted • e
defences
the est im ,te. Among the larger iten a are. the &Hewitt,. .11
forts for the
£70,000 for the improvement of the detences of Do-vetT,
£16,000 being also required fi r a e2sematpa .rn
....... o,„ccrs, barrack
in the citadel of the same place ; £50,003 for thesea'
of Pembroke; £65,000 for the intermediate
defence of Portsmouth, in addition. to which £15,000 will
lines, £35,000
lines, £12,000 for the Southsea lines, £2,500 for the Helsea
ilrialcil:l:ef ol
ir,:,o.rt hi Qs
be required for the Stokes Bay
ments in Cumberland F.ort,
£de_felices of commercial
fc r i mprove.
and 300 fora battery at Hirst
£5,000 is required
ronogret the l
wiIISAID
be added before the work is
Castle. linh3oe4l7us,udo
70,000, a sum to which,
hhcooamwrhpeolvueetrres,.,
for volunteer batteries,