The Sun.
London, England, 1818-03-30 00:00:00

TFIE COLONIES.

COLONIAL INTERCOURSE 'IN AMER/CAN.

vEssEris.

FOR THE SUN.

Me. EntToa,—l observe you are, apprised that
a Bill is now before Paella:nem to allow American
and other foreign vessels a free intercourse with
Cie Provinces of Nova Scotia and New l;runs•
wick, not only to export the produce of these
Colonies, but also whatever may have been legally
it»noried into them, to Europe -and to all other
Countries'in amity with 'the King; It is not evi-
dent for what purpose this Bill has been submitted
to Parliament ; unless it is meant as the PRE-
CLIXSOR of an abandonment of the Colonial Sys-
tem to the United States. It Itas not been called
for by any of the• British Colonies, and no docu-
ment can be shewn to warrant that assumption,
except that a wish some time since was expressed
that fruit and seeds might be permitted to be im-
ported into the King's North American Colonies
.
from the United States in British . Bottoms, in
addition to the articles usually allorted tinder the
Governor's Proclamations. But to have founded
a Bill of such an extensive nature as the one
now before Parliament on that suggestion, leads
the Public to conclude that there is really an inten-
tion to give up the good ohl policy olthe country,
and to grant to Foreigners a free intercourse in
their own vessels with the King's Dependencies.
For can the Government consistently refuse to
extend to all the West In:lia Islands the provisions
of this Bill, if, it passes into a Law as it now

stands ?
The Public, however, must always bear in mind
that no application from the King's American
Colonies has been Made for it. Its effect upon
them will be a depression of their agriculture ;
Site ruin of their fisheries ; the anniiiikition of
their coasting trade; and a complete drain of all
the specie they possess. And for what ? No one
Can find ont, except it be to allow the Americans
to take Gypsum in their own vessels, which is an
indispensihie wide with them, and to inundate
the British Provinces with contraband goods, to the
destruction of the export of British Manufactures
But, Sir, the Bill is further inju-
rious, nay, indeed---but I will not give way to
the expres3ion of my feelings upon it---it is lite-
rally .to allow, iu the words of the old adage,
Coals to he cam►d to Newcastle;"—for in-

FROM HOME-.

stance, it is to.permit American vessels to import
into Nova- Scotia and New- Brunswick articles
which these Provinces, with the Canadas, are an 7
exporting, of their own growth, in upwards
of 1100 sail of British ships, and which can be
int:teased to any extent, if there was a demand
for th,irt. The articles referred to are " scant-
Bugs, planks, staves, heading-boards, shingies,
hoops, or spare timber of any sort." The few
articles of naval stores, such as pitch, tar, &c.
are introduced into the 13ill to destroy any appear-
ance of novelty in its general features, for it goes
far beyond the Bermuda and other West India
Thee Port Acts, and practical men think the
framers of it are not at this moment aware of its
extensive application. The other articles in its
first clause arc provisions, which may be imported
in times of necessity under an existing statute,
which,"of course, as to these articles, negatives in
Coto the expediency of the present measure. The
real object of the •Bill is to be found in its fourth
clause, which virtually repeals all the existing
restrictive Laws as to the Trade from Nova Scotia
and New Bs unswick, and permits foreign, as well
as British vessels, to trade from thence to the
South or North of Continental Europe, and all
other foreign Countries. It even goes the, length
to allow a Trade from Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick to the foreign Settlements in the East
Indies, though British North America is excluded
all intercourse with the British Territories in that
quarter. Now really, why such a measure
should have been introduced without any solicita-
t,iun front the British Colonies in America, it is
impossible to conceive. Even the Merchants lii
this Country, connected with these Provinces,
knew nothing of it until the Bill was in the House
of Commons ; but in order that the Trading la-
terests may understand the nature of this Bill, the
fourth and most material Section of it is given
verbatim,. and it is as follows :

"'And be it further enacted, 'fat it shall and may be
lawful in any British ship or veitel, or in any ship or vessel
belonging to the subjectr'pf al!Sovereign or State in anat."
Kith his Majesty, to export from the said Ports so to be ap-
pointed far that purpose, to any Country belonging to any
Sovereign or' State,in entity with his Allajesty, any Gypsom,
Grindstones, or other produet ur manufacture of the said
Provinces, and .also any produce or manufacture of the
United Kingdom, or of his Majesty's Colonies Of Plantations
in the %Vest Indies,' or any goods whatever which shall have
been legally imported into the said Provinces; any thing in
any law to the,contrary notwithstanding."

Under this clause, foreign vessels may carry
fi gat these two Provinces FM!, or any other ar-