The Sun.
London, England, 1820-12-07 00:00:00

THE REPORT.

" The Committee✓ have now the satisfaction
of reporting, that the Legislature has adopted
several of those matters chnportant to the ship-
ping interest, upon which, in their last, year's
Report, they stated'themseives to be engaged :
aid of communicating- the progress which has
been made in others, in the course of the present

year;

- 4 6 Although the Committee cannot in, their enu-
meration: of the, first class, include any altera-
tion of the laws which regulate the registri
of 'ships, they have reason to believe it to be alone
attnibutable to those causes which during the
last twelve months have operated in so peculiar
a degree to obstruct and retard the public busi-
ness in general ; and they have grounds tor be-
lieving that a bill for that purpose will be intro-
duced into Parliament in the next session.
• " Excise. In the Excise department, the great
inconveniences- and delay to,which the Commit-
tee haNw'frequently adverted, still continue ie
full force : no Registry of Petitions has yet beer
established -:—the Solicitoes business is still cap
ried on at his house in Bloomsbury Square ;-L-
-andthe Committee-regret to say; that to 'former
ground of complaint, the Shipping and Commey-
cial interests have. now to add the demand of
duty ,on deficiencies of wine (arising from leak-
ageor evaporation) which may. have been sent
from this country on a,yoyage to a warm climate,
for the improvement of its quality. Were it not
for this practice of the, Excise, there is reason to
believe that, under the. facilities afforded by the
bonding system, such shipments would be made
to i considerable extent.
So nwty advantages haying accrued to the ship-
ping, and..trade of the Country from the measures
of the CommissionerS of Inquiry as applied to
the Customs department, this Committee look
forward to the result of their examination of that
of the Excise, with the fullest confidence, al-
though they cannot but regret that it has been so
long delayed. -
<< The Committee have recently addressed a
Pressing Memorial to the Lot=ds'of the Treasury;
entreating that- their Lordships will be pleased
to: request the early attention of those Commis-
sioners to this important branch of their inquiry.
" Pilots. It is a subject of deep regret to .the
Committee to be under` the necessity of stating,.
that all their efforts to obtain the -introduction
into Parliament, of an Act to reduce and modify
the rates of Pilotage, have not yet been success-.
ful ; and that the directions given by the Lord
Warden of the Cinque. Ports, for the relief, of
Masters of Ships, who, (acting from ignorance
or misconception of the Order in Council of the
31st October, 1818,) may have exposed them-
selves to the penalties of the. Act 52 G eo.
c. 39, have been very far.front obtaining for them
relief which his Lordship intended, it being
the practice of Mr. Pain, the Register :to the
Court of ,Loadmanage, whenever the Master of a
ship has committed the error of not taking the
first Pilot who offers, instead Qf calling upon the
Master for an explanation, to cause a writ to be
issued against him ; so that, however satisfac-
tory may be the explanation which the Master.
may be able to give, he cannot have the-benefit
of his Lordship's order, without becoming liable
to a serious law expense. Cases have indeed
occurred, whicloyould have afforded ground; to
conclude, that some Pilots had designedly con-
firmed the Masters'of - vessels in their misappre-
l'iension, with a _view to the consequent penalty,
were it. not that the Committee have been fre-
quently assured, that the Pilots themselves
.are
in no degree benefitted by these proCeedings.
The-Committee still hope that the promised Bill
will be introduced into Parliament soon after the
meeting of the Houses-; but, if again disappoint-
-03 they, will feel_ it their painful duty to con-
vene a public meeting, to consider of the further
measures proper to be adopted in this important
matter.
" Under these- disappointments,. however, it
affords consolation to reflect, that -Committees
have been appointed by the two Houses of Par-
liament to' inquire ,into the means of extending
and securing. theYoreign Trade of the Country;'
and that the Committee Of the House of Com-
mons have reported, that their ' investigation
will be hereafter necessarily applied to the bur-
-thens to which foreign merchandize Is liable, and
the inconveniences which, under the existing
practice, attach to it, in its importation into, or
exportation from, the 'United Kingdom : Tit:Art.lre
Port. charges,, the demand for pilotage, the dues
for: lights, the claims in consequence of different
acts, for the maintenance of particular harbours;
and the manner in which payments are exacted
and. enforced,—are all subjects of discontent,
_and unquestionably may, under certain 'ciicum-
stances, have the effect of deterring Foreign
Trade' from our coasts, and be highly injurious
to the character and commercial interests 'dile'
.Country.; and that a-s the advalv .;e of removing
any obstacles arising-from these' causes, if found
to exist, is manifest the mode of effecting that
object, will constitute a fit subject for- the future
Consideration of the Co'mmittee.'
" In the progress of such inquiry, this Committee
trust that the necessity and expediency of
,‘ the
Consolidation of the numerous and voluniinous
Revenue and Navigation Laws; and the disenr