The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-26 00:00:00

Petitio►l of Merchants of Montreal, in favour of Tubber Duties.

A Petitiem of the there-undersigned merchants, and 'others, of Montreal, in
the preevince of Lower Canada, interested in the timber trade, was presented,
and read; s tting forth, That the petitioners are greatly alarmed at the prospect
of alterations in the duties upon the import of timber and other lumber into
the United Kingdom, which alterations, if carried into a law, they cone;-Lee,
will be highly injurious to the maritime and manufacturing interests of the
mother country, and ruinous to the British North Amerieee colonies; the
petitioners haze been taught from their infancy to belieeee that the security of
the British empire mainly depended upon its snar'e'ee prepotolerance ; and that
that preponderance was cherished and promoted by the navigation laws, and con-
sequent employment of British ships 'end seamen in preference to foreign, as
thereby furnishing a nursery for a eepply to the royal navy; the colonial timber
trade extensively contributes to the formation and support of 'that nursery; that,
with such strong impressions on their minds, they view with extreme concern
doctrines now maintained which are at variance with the principles that have raised
the nation to a clegree of prosperity and 'glory unexampled, and which tend to
weaken the bands that rotiferthe colonielto the mother country, by proposing to
transfer t. foreigners advantages to which the colonists are fairly entitled, under
the restrictions of trade to whiCh they are subjected, and cheerfully submit to, with
a view to the general benefit; that the petitioners observe also with surprise that
he alterations in such duties are solicited under the disguise of extending the ex-
pert and consumption of British manufactures and colonial produce ; but they are
confident these would prove delusive if reduc d to practice, and that for every
additional pound in valve of such manufactures and produce that would thereby be
exported to foreign countries, three pounds would be diminished in the export to
the colonies; and further that foreign ships would in a three-fold degree par-
ticipate in the freight of the additional foreign export, and at least two thirds of
the British shipping now employed in the trade to the North American colonies be
thrown out of enTioyment ; the proximity of northern nations would in itself de-
prive a great newly ships of employment, even if the whole foreign extra trade in
timber to be, created by the contemplated alterations were conveyed in Britislr
shipping; that the nations to whom such sacrifices are to be made are those who,
by their hostility to the United Kingdom in the day of her peril, and with a view
or
her naval strength, unintentionally revealed the secret of the capacity
the North American colonies to furnish supplies of. timber and lumber, indepen-
dent of the enmity or caprice of foreigners, wile are now sutiering by the reaction
erg their own measures ; that the colonies are by law, as well as by habit, restricted
',to the use of British manufactures, and foreign production through British me-
dium, whereas foreign nations are by law and by halit prohibited the use of many
)rinds of British goods; to sacrifice therefore what, under our own control, affords
,a certainty in the one case, for not merely a doubtful benefit, but an almost certain
injury, by the operation of foreign control, in the other case, is respectfully con-
tended to be neither expedient nor wise: in proof of the hazard to be run by the
adoption of the measure, it is only necessary to cite the Returns laid before Par-
liament, whereby it will be found that the exports of British and Irish produce and
manufactures to the British North American colonies for the last six years, have
been more than double the like exports, to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and
Prussia. In point of employment of British shipping. the difference is still more
in favour of the colonial trade, as in the number of ships and quantity of tonnage
employed in the trade between Great Britain and those nations, those of foreigners
have been double that of British, whilst last year above 1,500 ships, measuring
340,537 tons, entirely British, navigated by 17,63.4 seamen, were cleared out to
the North American colonies, compelling one sevenths of the whole carrying trade
of the country, and nearly one fourth of the whole export trade from the British
Isles; and the employment of which tonnage and seamen-weld:l, by an alteration
in the duties, be reduced to one third its present amount ; indeed, it is undeniable
that no increase in the foreign timber trade can possibly take place but at the ex-
pence of a decrease in the colonial greatly disproportionate, and of conse luenees
alarming, in their nature and degree ; that the ships or vessels entered- inwards
and outwards at Quebec, previous to 1786, were under 80, and previous to i 808,
when the Baltic exclusion, and great extension of the colonial timber trade com-
menced, were under 240, but there have been years since, as well as last year,
when the: number exceeded 600 ; thus the colonial timber trade is most important
in all points of view; the northern nations are acknowledged to be too poor to
afford to consume our goods, and were they not so, they would not be willing to
restrict themselves thereto, in payment of their timber, as the colonies are; that
the value of colonial timber cei: fly results from the labour and expense of cutting
and bringing it to the port of exportation, and the freight afterwards to Great
Britain : the former is spent in the colonies, promotes circulation there, and is
invested in British manufactures, the capacity of the colonists to consume such
fleeing increased by the value of the timber when shipped. The value of the timber
before it is cut being small, may to some appear a trifling object to the proprietor
of the ground, but when the effect of the timber trade upon the circulation and
consumption of the country is considered, and that the landed proprietor benefits
thereby in its facilitating payments, and in appreciating the value of the land and
its produce, it cannot be doubtei that he derives a great advantage from that trade,
AS does every colonist, whether immediately employed or concerned therein or not,
by the increased circulation and consumption consequent thereon, giving an in-
creased value to exchangeable commodities, and an additional field for employ-
ment; that it is no solid of to the trade that a small part of the timber is
brought from the States, the original cost, as has already been observed, is little,
but the increased value in the shape of expences is material, and centres in the
colonies; the freight. which is the most material part of the value of the timber
shipped in the colonies, whether of colonial or foreign growth, bring all in British
ships, and greatly valuable in that respect, because of its great bulk, contributes
to the benefit of great national interests; whereas the freight in foreign ships, of
articles consumed in the United Kingdom, tends to promote the maritime impor-
tance of nations, who recently have been, and may again become, our inveterate
enemies ; that it is also a matter of serious consideration that capital to a large
amount has been invested in sate-mills and other establishments connected with
the timber trade in the colonies, which would be sacrificed and rendered useless by
any alteration that will divert that trade from the colonies to foreign countries;
and further, the timber trade has become of increased consequence to Canada,'
since that the whole ef the fur trade (that of the North-west excepted) hitherto
enjoyed by it, has, by the operation of treaties, been transferred to the United
States, and become lost to us for ever. The petitioners crave leave to refer to
the very able and convincing statements and documents contained in the pe itions
to the House from the ship-owners of London, from the merchants and others
engaged in the trade with the British colonies in North America, and from many
of the outports, all of which, exhibit such weighty considerations, that the petitioners
implore the House not to consent to alter the existing duties upon timber in any
way that may give advantages to foreigners greater than those which they now
possess, the continuance of,the present duties being alike necessary to British and
colonial interests of the first magnitude.

CANADA.

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

The humble petitioi of the undersigned land owners and others, inhabitants of the

province of Lower Canada.

We, your Majesty's most faithful and loyal subjects, inhabitants of the parishes
on the banks of the river St. Lawrence in the province of Lower Canada, humbly
beg leave to represent to your Majesty,
That we have heard with great alarm, that your Majesty's government pro-
pose to make an alteration in the existing laws on timber imported into the United
Kingdom, which, if adopted, would operate to the inury of the timber trade of
this province ; but the anxiety which your Majesty's government has invariably
shown in promoting the welfare and prosperity of your Majesty's- subjects in every
part of the British dominions, induces vs to hope, that so ruinous a measure will.
not be adopted : we say ruinous, because we cannot furnish timber at a cheaper
price than that for which it now exported, and because even with the present
duties imposed upon that article in Great Britain, foreigners can import and sell
there a greater quantity of timber than your Majesty's North American subjects;
all which facts we are informed have been submitted tb tge consideration of your
Majesty's government.

We humbly represent to your Majesty, that during the war with the United
States, many of your petitioners, encouraged by English merchants, erected mills
in various places on the banks of the river, where the white pine grew in abun-
dance, for sawing this timber into deals, and also constructed a great number of
vessels, for the purpose of transporting the deals to the ports of embarkation for
Great Britain; all which was done at a vast expense, and by dint of great exer-
tions, and in which undertakings nothing would have induced your petitioners to
embark, but the expectation of continuing to enjoy on its present footing the trade
in timber.

That many of your petitioners have expended large SUMS of money, and be-
stowed considerable pains and labour in forming establishments in the lower
parishes of the Bay of St. Paul, the Falls of Malbaie, the Wolf River, and other
places, incited by the hope that our timber, converted into deals, would amply
indemnify us—that our lands would be cleared—and ourselves and families settled
on faints, which would in future contribute to our support and comfort.
We therefore entreat your Majesty to reflect on the consequences that would
result to us, if any alteration in the existing duties were made, which must have the
effect of depriving this province of its timber trade: the capital, labour, and time,
bestowed in the execution of mills for sawing timber, in the construction of ships
for its transport, and in opening new establishments, would be wholly lost to us;
many of your petitioners would be ruined, and all would suffer more or less. '
We further entreat your Majesty to reflect on the consequences of such an al-
teration on the numerous classes of workmen who are employed in this trade, and
who would in consequence be thrown out of all employment.
We have heard, that the durability of the timber of these provinces has been
questioned ; but we know that our timber is very durable, and that, in fact, build-
ings constructed of it have lasted more than a century; in proof of which we trans-
mit certificates to your Majesty's government in the ordinary course, and we beg
to draw the attention of your Majesty particularly to this point.
We humbly trust that your Majesty will not exclude us from the benefits
always enjoyed by your Majesty's other colonies—of admitting their production

into the United Kingdom in preference to those of other countries ; the produce
of your Majesty's West-India Islands is imported without competition, and We
flatter ourselves, that %ve shall at least be permitted to participate as we have
hitherto done in the advantages conceded to foreigners, and that we shall not be en-
tirely excluded from that participation by ait alteration in gib existing duties on
timber, which must be attended with such a result.
We Make with confidence these representations to your Majesty, conscious of
theirjustice, more especially because we are precluded as a colony from the liberty
of trading with other countries.
We beseech your Majesty to take also into consideration that we import in
English ships, and consume in this province, a large quantity of English mer-
chandize, and the productions of the English colonies; and since all the articles
which we require are procured from the mother country, we think we are entitled
to enjoy greater privileges and advantages than foreigners ; and we fear, that in
the event of such a stop to the trade as the Imposition of the proposed duty would
occasion, we shall no longer be in a condition to import and pay for those goods,
and shall then he abandoned entirely to our own resources.
We humbly solicit your Majesty to direct your attention to our situation ; and
entreat That no alteration may be made in the existing duties on timber imported
into Cheat Britain injurious to the trade of this colony.
And your petitioners will ever pray for your Majesty.

Petition of Merchants of London trading to the British North American Colo-

nies in favour of timber Duties.

A petition of the there-undersigned merchants and others, engaged in trade
with the British colonies in North America, and in the fisheries of Newfoundland,
Neva Scotia, and New Brunswick, resident in London, was presented, and read ;
setting forth, That the petitioners have observed that there has been lately pre-
sented to the House a petition from certain merchants of the city of London, in
which they submit their conviction of the impolicy and injustice of the restrictive
system applied to foreign commerce; and express their objections to every
restrictive regulation of trade not essential to the revenue, against all duties
merely protective from foreign competition, and against the excess of 'Mich duties
as are partly for the purpose of revenue and partly for that of protection," and
therefore praying for their repeal ; that although the said petitioners pray for the
removal of such restrictions generally, yet it is evident to the petitioners that one
of their principal objects is to produce a change in the practice by which the inter-
course with the British colonies iq North America is at present regulated, for the
purpose of diverting a portion of the trade of those colonies to foreign countries in
the North of Europe ; that the petitioners are extensively
.engaged in trade with the
New
said colonies, and in the fisheries of Newfoundland, Brunswick, and Nova
'Scotia, and some of them have erected in the said coloAies, at 'a vast expense,
mills and buildings of various descriptions, and steam-engines, for sawing timber,
deals, &c. and therefore the petitioners cannot but feel alarm at -the attempts
of the said petitioners to obtain the removal of those protective duties and re-
strictions which have been provided by the legislature, and upon which the pro
sperity of the said colonies so greatly depends ; that the petitioners hope that
upon the present occasion it will be permitted them to remind the House that the
general principle of colonial legislation has always .been one of protection and
restriction—protective by means of-duties as to articles the produCtion of foreign
countries similar to those produced in the colonies, restrictive by placing the latter
at the disposition of, and requiring that they shall take the whole of their supplies
from, the mother country, and employ only British ships: that the chief article of
exp qt from the said colonies is timber, either in masts and logs, or converted into
deals, planks, staves, &c. the supply of which it appears to be the desire of the
said petitioners to reduce and discourage, either by lowering the present duties
payable upon those articles the production of foreign countries, or by imposing a
duty upon those the productions of the colonies; that, in whatever' degree such
results would be produced, the petitioners would be injured, and the trade and
prosperity of the colonies and British shipping be diminished ; that the petitioners
acknowledge with gratitude the protection which was afibrded to the said colonies,
and their properties embarked therein, during an eventful period o• warfare; but,
at the same time, beg to express their humble hope that this country has every
reason to be satisfied with the return which has been made in the loyalty of the
colonists, and in their successful exertions to furnish supplies of timber for general
purposes, but especially for the use of the dock-yards, to which they were urged
by his Nlalesty's government, when the system of exclusion adopted by the
enemy had deprived us of such supplies frail the North of Europe; that, at the
period alluded to, assurances were given that the said colonies, as well as the
petitioners, might rely upon the permanent protection of the mother country,
and they beg on the present occasion to express their humble but confident
reliance that they shall not now be deserted, or their interests sacrificed, which
could not fail to be the case if any alteration should be made in the existing
duties that would place the timber of the said colonies upon a less favourable
footing than at present ; that the petitioners trust that the House will be of
opinion, that, in soliciting protection for the said colonies, they ask nothing
inconsistent with sound policy and the true interests of the mother country, as
will be evident upon an attention to the following considerations: Ist, That the
said colonies form a most essential appendage to the United Kingdom, in the sup-
plies of fish and lumber which they afford to the colonies in the West Indies;
2d. That they receive, employ, and maintain an immense number of British subjects,
the surplus population of the United Kingdom, whose occupation consists princi-
pally in cutting the timber, cultivating the soil, arid fishing on the coast ; 3d That
the said colonies receive from the mother country the whole of the manufactures and
articles of necessity for clothing, andfor the general use of the colonies and fisheries
which they require, amounting to nearly two millions sterling annually, and which_
are all carried in British ships; 4th. That the entire productions of the colonies and
fisheries are also transported in British ships alone, whether to the West Indies
or the United Kingdom, and furnish the only 'means of payment for the goods
and necessaries required for their own consumption and the use of the fisheries ;
sth. That the importation of timber from the British possessions abroad has ever
been deemed of much importance to the encouragement of British shipping
and navigation, insomuch, that in the early part of the last century, boun-
ties were paid upon such importatio .s, in like manner as,e)with a similar
view, bounties are now paid upon vessels engaged in the Greenland and southern
whale fisheries; 6th That foreign ships being wholly excluded from the
trade) there were cleared out from Great Britain for the said colonies last
year, no less than 1525 ships, of the burden of 340,',37 tons, and navigated by
17,6-1-1 mariners; that the petitioners having thus brought under the view of
the House those points which they trust they will deem deserving of the most
mature consideration in deciding upon this important question, most humbly
beg to observe. that while they admit the principle that "freedom from restraint is
calculated to give the utmost extension to foreign trade, and the best direction to
the capital and industry of a country," the petitioners cannot but doubt how far
that principle is applicable ( in the extended sense prayed for) to a country situated
like Great Britain. an island in the neighbourh-od of many warlike and maritime
nations possessing numerous colonies, with an industrious population, fur fishing a
demand for her manufactures, and employment to her shipping and seamen; and
the petitioners arc quite satisfied, that any material diversion of the trade to
foreign countries in Europe would not be attended with such an additional demand
for manufactures as to compensate for the extensive and permanent injury which
would result to so many British interests; the petitioners, upon these considera-
tions, most humbly solicit that the House will not consent to any alteration in the
existing duties upon timber that may have the effect of giving advantages to
foreigners greater than those which they already possess, the continuance of the
present duties being alike necessary to the state of the petitioners, and that of the
British colonies, as well as to British shipping, and all the important and national
interests dependent thereon.

PETIT ON IN FAVOR OF THE TIMBER DUTIES.

To the King's Most Excellent Majesty.

The humble petition of the merchants and ship-owners of Saint

John, in New Brunswick,

SHEWETH,

That the discussions which have of late occupied the attention of Parliament, re-
lative to a proposed duty. upon timber imported into the United Kingdom from the
North American colonies, have filled your petitioners with anxiety. and. they in-
treat your Majesty not to concur in a measure assuredly fraught with most dis-
astrous consequences to the commercial property of this province. '
Your petitioners refrain from enlarging on those peculiar circumstances which
might, perhaps, be justly urged in their favour, as having, with their predecessors at
the peace of 1783, from motives of loyal attachment to the mother country,
abandoned their property and connexions in the land of their birth, preferring an
inhospitable wilderness; but which, under their persevering efforts and great
privations, has already become a valuable and important colony.
That your petitioners do not conceive it necessary to enter into all the ar-
guments which may be used, in order to shew that the timber trade with the colo-
nies should be preferred before that with foreigners in the north of Europe, all the
great and leading principles being so fully and ably elucidated in the various repre-
sentations that have, from other quarters,-been lately pressed upon the consideration
of your Majesty : • they beg leave, however, to advert to several matters that have
been brought before the committees of Parliament, and to notice some other' cir-
cumstances which are essentially connected with the interests of this ttade.
It has been observed, that the imposing a duty of ltos. 3d. per load on timber
imported from North America, would have the effect of encouraging those countries
in the north of Europe from which timber is imported, to take a greater supply of
British goods, while, at the same time, it would be so small a tax on colonial timber,
that it would not be severely felt. nor would it materially injure the trade. Your
petitioners humbly beg leave to state, that the very reverse of the latter part of this
observation would be the result. Unless a like sum of 10s. 3d. per load additional
was placed upon European wood, the trade with the colonies must inevitably cease;
for, as only a certain quantity of timber can be consumed in Britain, from whatever
quarter imported—and as colonial timber can now hardly compete with that from
the Baltic, even with the duties which the latter pays, a duty of lOs. 3d per load
imposed on the former would, for reasons stated in the next paragraph, effectually
decide the matter.

That the rates of freight on voyages to these provinces have of late been so IoW,
that it will be impossible, with the strictest economy and most persevering efforts,
to make any further reduction, even should ship-owners be compelled to alluw their
vessels to decay by the wharfs as, but for the timber trade, hundreds must, ere now,
have done. "f he price of wood in this country can never be reduced below the rates
at which it has this year been shipped. The prices in New Brunswickhave, on
an average, been —for

Yellow pine . . . 20s. sterling per load.
- _

Red pine
Birch

. . 25a. ditto.
. . 25a. ditto.

If, therefore, the first of these be taken, and to its cost here (205.) add the freight
of 50s. to Liverpool or the Clyde, to which the principal quantities are shipped,
and alloW 8s la loss in measure, yard rent, insurance, commission, and all uther
charges. the whole will amount to 78s. per load, a price f.r above what it is now
selling for in either of those markets, as neither the freight nor the cost of the
timber can be reduced, and as the charges will not be lessened, it follows that 78s.
per load for yellow pine in the Clyde or the Mersey is the lowest at which it can
be afforded : and that if any duty should be laid on colonial timber, leaving out of
the question so large a sum as-10s. 3d. per load, the trade must be abandoned until
the market shall materially improve ; of which, however, there can be no expecta-
tion, for the Baltic timber, as heretofore, will effectually prevent any high price
being given for that from the colonies.
As intimately connected with the matter of the preceding paragraph, and of im-
portance to their cause, your petitioners would refer to the late report of the com-
mittee of the House of Lords, Appendix No. 8, wherein they shew that Canadian
timber in 1819, left the importer only ss. 4d. per load to pay first cost 255. and in
the present year the result will not be more propitious, as, although freights have
experienced a reduction, the sale prices have been proportionably lower. Their
Lordships moreover declare, that they " would by no, means recommend any altera-.
tion by which wood the growth of Canada might be entirely excluded from the
moms of competition in the British market."
That, if your petitioners be unable to send timber to Britain, they must imme-
diately discontinue the importation of goods from thence, absolute necessaries ex-
cepted, having no other means by which to pay for them. Prior to 1808, when
the timber trade fi a grew into importance, the scanty population of New Bruns-
wick was nearly altogether supplied with East India, and even with many British
goods, smuggled from the United States of America, a small part of which was
paid for in plaster of Paris, fish, and grindstones, but the chief amount in money ;
all the specie which came into the country being paid to the Americans in support
of this baneful traffic. . . .

That according to official documents laid before Parliament, exhibiting the value
of goods exported to the North American colonies froth 1199 to 1819, the whole
amount imported into this province was, in 1807, 64,3951 ; whereas, in 1819, it
had increased to '218,7471. To the timber trade and services of employment
arising out of it, do your petitioners attribute this remarkable and important change
in so short a period ; and they cannot omit offering their opinion, that the loss of
'this trade would rapidly impoverish the country, and bring it back to the condition
of 1897. _

That if your Majesty will inspect the amount of imports and exp6rts from this
province during 1819 ( as per statement furnished by the Custom House, and here-
unto attached), you will find that the number of vessels cleared, independent of
coasting craft, was 1,333, containing 257,293 tons, and navigated by 11,945 men
—an account of tonnagtc exceeding that of the clearances from Great Britain to the
West Indies during the same year, the latter being only 22.6,218 tons. It will also
be observed by your Majesty, that there are only four principal heads under which
our exports range, viz.:—

For the West Indies.

Ist. Fish and oil, boards, scantling, shingles, staves, &c. also articles brought
in under the " Free Port Act."
For the United States.
2d. Gypsum, certain descriptions of fish, grindstones, &c.
Also,
3d. Produce brought from the West Indies,—and ,
For the United Kingdom.

4th. Timber, masts, staves, deals, lathwood, oars, handspikes, &c.
The first of these trades your petitioners still enjoy ; but as the returns generally
consist of West India produce, this branch of commerce can contribute little in aid-
ing remittances to Great Britain.
The second is worse than useless, and probably must so continue, until measures
shall have been adopted by Act of Parliament, for securing to Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick some of those important benefits that might be derived from the ex-
port trade in gypsum ; but which, as at press nt conducted, accommodates only the
artful monopolizing policy of the Americans, and a m,st extensive system of illicit
traffic on their eastern frontier ;—to the great detriment of provincial revenue and
the fair trade, and having a pernicious and demoralizing influence on the people pur-
suing it.
The third is at an end ; the ports of America being shut, not only against vessels
from the colonies, but, since the 30th of September last, West Indian productions
carried by United States vessels from the free ports are ekcintiecti
The fout'th, that is, the ekportk on timber, &c. is the only means by which your
petitioners can pay for British goods, and of which they humbly trust that your
Majesty, upon due consideration, will not be inclined to deprive them.
Thatwhile the timbershipped from the colonies to Great Britain is all conveyed in
British vess, s, and its value returned in British goods, the timber from Europe is
principally imported in foreign ships, and the car}. es drawn for In bills of exchange,
a small part of which only is laid out in the purchase of merchandize. And as the
foreigners take manufactures in return for part only of the timber now imported
from the Baltic, it appears not probable to your petitioners that a much larger
supply would be received by them, even were a monopoly of the whole timber
trade for the consumption of Great Britain thrown into the hands of the northern
powers. Should it however happen, that, on acquiring the whole trade, they were,
to take one-half more British goods than they now do, still would the exports
from Britain be lessened, as a reduction in those in the' colonies, to double the
extent of the increased supply to the north of Europe, must inevitably ensue.
That, with a view of encouraging by every practicable means the use of their
own manufactures, those countries in Europe from which timber is imported. ex-
clude at present all kinds of British goods, unless such as are indispensable; and
it wo•ild appear that their population and wants are diminishing, whereas the
people of these provinces are rapidly increasing in numbers, and consequently in
their need of British manufactures ; they are, moreover, restricted to the United
Kingdom alone for their supply. Your Majesty will be pleased to observe, that,
according to the statements before parliament, the whole value of British and Irish
goods exported in 18 9, for all the northern powers (with the exception of Russia,
which affords but little timber), was city 720,6691., while the supplies sent to the
North American colonies amounted to 1,523,1331.

That it has been alleged, that British shipping, in times of peace, can be na-
vigated cheaper than vessels of any other country, and consequently that freights
would be given to them in preference to foreigners, should it be resolved to en-
courage the northern powers to supply Great Britain with timber, by imposing a
duty on that from British America, which must put a total stop to its importation.
On this bead your petitioners humbly beg leave to state, that vessels can neither
be built nor navigated at so low a rate in these provinces as in the neighbouring
states of America; hence it follows, that, as colonial vessels cost much less than
those built in Britain, so must the latter be much higher than American, and
consequently than Baltic ships, which are built and navigated on lower terms than
those of any other part of the world. British vessels, therefore, will require larger
freights to make gold the charges on the increa•ed amount of the capital employed,
and the extra loss, by the gradual depreciation of the property. It must also be
known to your Majesty, that, besides the just mentioned evidences, which gave a
decided advantage to foreign vessels in the Baltic trade, there is another impedi-
ment in the way of equality, viz. the duty which is charged in Sweden and other
places on shipping, while no such duty is imposed on their own.
Your petitioners cannot imagine that the proposed duty of 10s. 3d. per load on
provincial timber tor a reduction of 10s. 3d. per load on that fr.tm Europe, which
would have the same injurious tendency) could be an object of great moment with
the northern powers, but for the monopolizing effect of such duty. By official
returns it is stated, that, in 1819, there were imported into Great Britain, from the
colonies, 266,552 loads of fir and oak timber, which at 10s. 3d. would only make
136,7091., an amount too small for these powers to interest themselves about,
were they not confident that the provinces could then no longer support a com-
petition with them, and that they would thus acquire the whole timber trade to the
United Kingdom, and employ in it exclusively their own shipping ; thereby de-
priving of bread 17,000 British seamen, now engaged in the colonial trade.
Your petitioners humbly conceive, that the conclusion which has been formed by
the committee of the House of Lords, and stated in their report akeady referred
to, against the duralility of the North American timber, does not rest upon the
basis of satisfactory proof. It is an established opinion in this country, founded
upon observations drawn from long experience, that the perishing of wood from
dry rot is chiefly' caused by the cutting down of trees at an improper season of the
_year; and that certain species of timber, particularly hard wood, are invariably
liable to premature decay, if felled when the sap is rising from the root in support
of vegetation, and farther suffer your petitioners to add, that this objection cannot
be urged with any just effect against the yellow pine, which is no longer used at
your Majesty's dock-yards in constructing the hulls of ships, but is there, as well
as generally throughout Great Britain, confined to purposes in which it cannot be
affected by the dry rot.

Your petitioners beg leave humbly to state, as their opinion, that, if the colonial
timber trade is now to be relinquished, the ruinous consequences will be so gene-
rally and severely felt, that no encouragement held out by Great Britain would be
an effectual inducement to renew it, should any future difficulties in the north of
Europe render it necessary again to resort for timber to the American provinces.
That the loss of the timber trade would prove severely injurious to the fisheries
of these provinces, one of their principal advantages being derived from the I,w
rates of freight at which vessels coming for timbr can afford to bring out salt ;
but if that essential article can be obtained on no better terms than by sending
home vessels for it in ballast, the fisheries of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
must be abandoned, while the present very reduced prices for cu ed fish prevail,
without any prospect of improvement, in every part of the world.
Your petitioners, while with the highest satisfaction they acknowledge the great
value and importance of the Canadas, cannot help remarking that the interests of
this province should attract so little notice, as in a great measure to have been left
out of sight, and scarcely alluded to, in the late discussions on the subject of the
North American timber trade. The perusal of the Custom House returns for
1-819, hereunto annexed, your petitioners humbly hope, will serve to convince
your Majesty, that the importance of this province is such as merits a share of
attention, in whatever may relate to the welfare of British North America.

Your petitioners, with willing gratitude, make their acknowledgments for the
" Free Port Act," a measure so well calculated to benefit this province and Nova
Scotia, to encourage and increase their navigation ; and, while combined with the
wise policy of excluding the vessels of the United States from the West-India
colonies, likely to render those possessioni and these provinces of greater mutual
advantage than heretofore, and of vastly increased value to the parent state.
Your petitioners, in conclusion, while they further beg to mention that their
commerce in general is in a languishing condition ; and, in some of its important
interests, suffering under recent and peculiar difficulties, most confidently hope
your Majesty, taking the premises into due consideration, will rescue these pro-
vinces from their present alarms, by resisting any alteration in the viisting duties

on timber in favour •ef foreigners; and thus, with firmness and characteristic
dignity, continue to protect and cherish the timber trade of the colonies, in the
prosperity whereof so many British interests are involved.

And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
Saint John, New Brunswick, WILLIAM BLACK,
Dec. JO, 1820. Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.

An Account of the Number of Ships and Vessels that have entered inwards and ts
cleared outwards, at the Custom House, within this Port and District, between
the Gth of January, 1819, and the sth of January, 1820; showing their Tonnage
and Number of Men, together with the Quantities of Goods imported and ex,
ported in the same Vessels.

FORT OF ST. JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK.

Entered

Cleared

Number of Ships
and Vessels.

1,2'82

coasters are here in,

1,333

GOODS IMPORTED.

Tons,

Flour • . • .. .• . 13?)857 bike
Bread..
Corn ..
~
Beef and Pork
Wine
Brandy and ()in .. 311183 do.
Rum
Molasses
Coffee ...... . 68,379 lbs.
Pimento ..93,526 do. -

251,538

Men.

11,952

257,293 11,945

Sugar 6,744 cwts.
Salt
Tea. .
Naval Stores .......... 2,807 bill.
Pine Boards and
Planks .. 11,974,000 feet
Staves . .. 3,587,000 in no.
Shingles.... ~
Tobacco ...
Fruits and Seeds . 1,812 bits.
Rice
Coals

Packages of Mitish
tnercliandizes, in-
cluding Sail Cloth,
Cordage, Cotton,
Silk and Woollen
goods, Ironmon-
gery, Earthenware,
Linen, Shoes, &c.
&c.

23,354 1-

it,
. ,q.

eluded.