The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-16 00:00:00

States had not in that time increased in such a
ratio as to justify this increase in their building;
the • increase, in fact, was accounted for by the
opening which the repeal of the navigation laws
had given to the American carrying trade. Our
imports had increased from 1842 to 1857 from
£65,000,000 to £136,000,000, . but our tonnage
had not increased in anything like the same ratio. In
fact, we had not built enough, but the United States
had steeped in and supplied the deficiency. The
British shipowners when the repeal of the navigation
laws was passed, were led to believe that they would
obtain an indemnity for the privileges they then lost
in the counter-advantages which would then be
opened to them in foreign trade, but experience had.
proved the hollowness of this promise. For instance
the trade with Brazil was open to all the world, but
out of 41 ships which cleared out from Rio Janeiro
for London last year, amounting to 13,138 tons,
and employing 468 men, only 7 were British, and.
only 75 of the men were British sailors. (Hear.)
This was a fact which the commissioners now sit-
ting to inquire into the best means of manning the
navy ought to take into their most serious con-
sideration. On the Ist of the present month there
were in London 17,258 tons of shipping loadingfor
our Australian colonies, of which only 6,984 tons
were British, and of six ships loading for Adelaide
not a single ship was British. (Hear.) Again, in
1855-56-57, 399,542 emigrants were conveyed to
America. Of these 10.5,246 were conveyed in Bri-
tish vessels, and 294,296 in foreign vessels. That is
another proof of the extent to which foreign ships
are stepping into our trade. The last accounts from
Batavia, where we have a reciprocity treaty, state.
that of 29 ships lying there only one vessel is Bri-
tish. From Calcutta, from Singapore, and from the
Chinese ports we have the same talc of vessels lying
inactive. One great fallacy by which people were
misled was that the interests of the consumers were
benefited by the reduction of freight to the full ex-
tent of the 'difference which must exist between the
sum paid tothe English carrier and the sum aid to
the foreign carrier. That was a pure delusion.
With respect to a large proportion of articles, im-
ported freight did not enter into the price at all. In
bulky and heavy commodities freight, no doubt,
constituted an important item in the cost of the
article in the market in which it was sold ; but in.
goods of a valuable description and not of any bulk
it entered less, and it diminished gradually accord-
ing to the diminution of the bulk and the increase
of the value, until in the most valuable it ceased to
exist at all as an element of price. But there could
not be a greater mistake than to contend that, if a
shipload of timber were brought over by a foreign
vessel at a freight of £1 per ton, instead of £2 per
ton by a British vessel, the consumer therefore
would get it at per ton cheaper. In all such
cases the reduction of freight was added to the
price of the article by the foreign producer,
and he alone got the benefit. The price of an article
was not regulated by its cost of production in the
market, but by the proportion of supply and de-
mand in the market. When the Navigation Laws
were repealed the ports of Great Britain did not
present a single petition in favour of the measure,
but the West Indian colonists did petition. Their
object was to get their sugar conveyed home cheaper
—not that the consumer here might have the bene-
fit of a reduced price, but that they might put the
difference between the higher and lower freight
into their own pockets. For many years he had.
been an advocate of what were called the principles
of protection ; but he was neither bigottcd to pro-
tection as a principle, nor to free trade as a princi-
ple. He objected to every attempt to carry out
principles in themselves good to results which were
pernicious. The Navigation Laws could never be
reimposed in their integrity, and they ought not to
be, but there was much of good in the Navigation
Laws, and that good ought to be restored, or the
maritime commerce of Great Britain must sink
from the position which it had so long occupied.
(Hear.) The hon. gentleman concluded by moving
the resolution.
Mr. ANDERSON seconded it, and it was carried.
unanimously.
Mr. S. R. GRAVES, of Liverpool, moved the second
resolution :

" That, after the experience of eight years, it is proved
that the indiscriminate admission of all foreign shipping to
the privileges of British ships has failed to induce many
foreign Governments reciprocally to admit British ships to
equality of privilege with their own ships, and that British
navigation is, consequently, in many cases impeded and in-
jiu•ed by prohibitions, restrictions, and regulations inconsis-
tent with fair and equal competition, for the express purpose
of meeting which contingency the following clause was in-
troduced into the Act by which the Navigation Laws were
repealed, was continued by the Act 16th and 17th Victoria,
cap. 107, and is now the law of the land :—' If it shall be
made to appear to her Majesty that British vessels are
subject, in any foreign country, to any prohibitions or re-
strictions as to the voyages in which they may engage,
or as to the articles which they may import into, or ex-
port from, such country, it shall be lawful for her
Majesty (if she think fit), by order in Council,
to impose such prohibitions, or restrictions, upon the ships
of such foreign country, either to the voyages in which they
may engage or as to the articles which they may import
into or export from any part of the United Kingdom, or of
any British possession in any part of the world,' as her
Majesty may think fit, so as to place the ships of such
country on, as nearly as possible, the same footing in British
ports as that on which British ships are placed in the ports
of such country.'"
The resolution was put and carried unanimously.
Mr. ATKINSON, of hull, proposed the next reso-
lution :

"That, in the opinion of this meeting, the time has now
arrived when all who are interested in British shipping
should concur in an urgent appeal to her Majesty, praying
her Majesty to exercise the powers thus vested in her, and
to place the ships of all such countries as may continue to
refuse to reciprocate the benefits conferred on them by the
liberal concessions accorded to their navigation, nearly
as possible on the same footing in British ports as that on
which British ships are in the ports of such countries"'
Mr. WAWN, late M.P. for South Shields,
seconded the resolution, which was carried unani-
mously.
Mr. MITCHELL, in proposing the next resolu-

UM),—
" That with this object the address now read be approved
and adopted ; that it be signed by the chairman on behalf
of this meeting, and by the chairman of the General Ship-
owners' Society and the members of the various deputations
now present from the ports on behalf of the shipping int e-
rests of the metropolis and of those outports respectively ;
and that when so signed it be placed in the hands of the
Right Hon. the Secretary of State for -the Home Depart-
ment for presentation to her Majesty,"—
quoted from the Customs returns of Montrose, Dun-
dee, and Aberdeen, to show the great decrease of
British shipping, and the increase of foreign ship-
ping in those ports since the 'repeal of the Naviga-
tion Laws. The hon. gentleman also expressed his
belief, founded on the Earl of Malmesbury's letter,
that the present Government were anxious to do
justice to the shipping interest.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
The meeting then separated.

THISDAYS RKE TS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

IMPERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES. - Wheat, 41s Od ;
barley, 35s ld ; oats, 22s 10d ; rye, 38s 6d; beans, 41s 8d;
and peas, 43s Bd.

THE SIX. WEEKS' AVERAGES. Wheat, 41s 7d;
barley, 35s 3d ; oats, 22s Ild ; rye, 31s lld ; beans, 42s 7d ;
peas, tits 7d.
ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK.—Wheat, 105,311;
barley, 111;641; oats, 9,549 ; rye, 129 ; beans, 3,578 peas,
1,445 quarters.

METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.
A full average time-of-year supply of beasts were on
offer in to-day's market in excellent condition. All breeds
moved off freely, at fully Monday's currency—some of the
primest Scots having sold at fully ss. 2d. per Blbs. We
were fairly supplied with sheep; the quality was good.
The best downs and half-breeds sold steadily—other kinds
slowly, at previous quotations. Prime calves were scarce
and in request, at full prices ; but inferior calves declined
2d. to 4d. per Sibs. Pigs and much cows were in fair
demand, at last week's currency.
Per 81bs. to sink the offal.
• s. d. s. d.
Crse. & in
beasts 3 4 3 8
Second quality do. 3 10 4 2
Prime Lrge oxen 4 4 4 8
prime Scots, &c. 4 10 5 2
co. & inf. sheep 3 4 3 8
Second quality do. 3 10 4 4

s. d. s. d
Prime crs-wool d 0.4 4 4 6
Pme. S'thdowndo. 4 8 5 0
Large crse. calves 3 4 4 2
Prime small do 4 6 5 0
Large hogs 3 0 3 6
Small porkers 3 8 4 2

Suckling calves, 17s to 20s; and quarter-old store pigs,
17s to 21s.
TOTAL SUPPLY.
Beasts 1,964
Sheep
Calves 312
Pigs

FOREIGN SUPPLY.
Beasts l2O
Sheep
Calves 120

Pigs

HAY MARKETS.

SMITHFIELD.---Meadow hav, Nto£4gs Od ; clover,
do., £3lss to £5 Os; and straw, ss. to £1 10s. per load.
A fair demand.

CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 8s; clover
do., £3 12s to £5 Os. ; and straw, £1 5s to £1 10s per
lead. Supply good, and trade dull.
WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 8s Od ; clover,
io., £3 15s to £5 Os• • and straw, £1 5s to £1 10s per load.
Trade dull.