Star.
London, England, 1814-04-04 00:00:00

Arvm slur P ING.

Ma.EDITOR—It appears that the Board of Con-
troul having prepared a Bill to aUth,rise the Regis-
try of India Shipping, and the same having received
the sanction of Governmait, it has been brought into
ParliaMent ; but, to the astcnishment of every one,
it has, it is said, been rl..rred to a. Select Committee,
to consider whether it is a proper till to be proceeded
in or not. Why a reference should have been made;
is not easily accounted for—it cannot be supposed, it
will either tend to al!ay the fears of the parties interes-
ted in the measure, or give any satisfacti,:n to the
public ; for on a reference to the names of the per-
sona constituting this Select C&nmitter, it must be
supposed, from theirsotEcidl .s.tu itions. th !t many of
them are favourable to the measure. What have,
therefore, the parties interested in the subject to ex-
pect, as the result of it, the Bill having been brought
in under the express sanction of the Board of Con-
troul ? besides, the shortness of the tine allowed for
the proceedings in this Committee, prior to the Re-
cess, precludes all communication with the Outports
upon it.
. The full Owing are the names of the persons on this.
CoMmkee
The Chancellor of the Eichequer, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Sullivan,
and Mr. T. courtenay; of the Board of Controal.
Mr. Osborne and Sir George Warreutler„Lovds of the Admi..
req.
Mr. Charles drint and Mi. G. A. Robinson, Last-India Di-
rectors.

Mr. R. Smith, recently re.urnod from India.
Mr. Fawcett, an Ea,t India Merchant.
Mr. Alexander, Mr. Al. xander Pad ng, Sir Robert Retie, Bart.
the Right lion. Ge•rge Ro.11*; Mr. I.a4ceiles, S,r Wm. Curtis,
Mr. Alderman Atkins, Mr Prutherve, Urrier.,l Qaseoigne, Mr.
Staniforth, and Mr. C. Elli-on

What are die opnions of the latter of these Gen-
tlemen, on this subject, is not known ; hut, surely, it
would have been more consonant to justice and to
correct practice, on a great national qitestion I.ke the
present, to have had, either an open C immntee, or to
have included in this Com!nittee, the Members for the
maritime counties and the outports; for whatever may
be the ultimate determination of the. Legislature on
the question, it would have afforded some consols.
tion to the numerous persins throughout the United
Kingdom, engaged in the various branches of mann.
Facture connected with Ship.boilding, m letve known
that their case had been Judy, impartially, and tho-
roughly, investigated, by A Committee, the majority
of whom were nqt, in any degree, by previous preposses-
, sion or alreadyformed opinions, officially, or otherwise,
prejudiced on the question. As the in suer stands at
present, it is to be presumed, the Cuasc.t.tott of the •
EXCHEQUER, with his usual candour and libeiality,
will not, either hasten the proceedings of this Com-
mittee, or object to other persons being added to it.
It is not a little remarkable, tbat neither Mr. Mzetisn
nor Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY, who presented the only Pe-
titions, this Session, against India S!ripping, should
not have been named on this Committee, u hii>t 0 e
Members who presented the Petition in favour of India
Ships is upon it.
It is to be lamented, the same course has not been
adopted on this occasion, as on most ethers relating
to trade, namely, that of appointing an open Corn.
mittee, to inquire into the state of Ship-building, and
to report to the House the evicLnce taken betui e them,
without offering any opinion On the subject ; leaving
it altogether to the discretion of Parliament to decide
on the measure.

At the present moment, when we are on the eve of
a general Peace, such an inquiry would be attended
with the most beneficial consequences to the Empue,
especially if it were not confined to 3siip.building, but
extended to the present state of the Navigation of the
country, which cannot be viewed by the calm, dis-
passionate, and considerate obsc.rver, without tear a td
dismay ; for how it is to be kept up, in the event of
peace, is not easily to be cl,.terinined ; wileNs much
more extensive changes take plitce 111 the tr tde of the
Empire than can be reasonably expected. It is not to
be supposed, that the merchants of riis country
will import goods fro,n countries in British
ships, when they can bring their goods in the sh,ps of
the countries of which the goods ate the groNth or
produce, at two-thirds less freight than iii British
bottoms. This observation will apply to foreign
trade in general, but particularly to the countries
within the Baltic.

It appears that the following are the pr;tes of the
building and outfit of average-sized ships, in diffeienx
countries, exclusive of the cost of navigation, namely,
of provisions, wages, 45‘,.. which is heavier iii Britisa
than foreign ships :
In Russia the average price of the imilding a,d
oust of Ships is about - £lO per Tons
In Sweden - - ,fit
In Prussia - . . at* i s.).
In the United States . • Jet 8
In Great Britain . . if-a
Under these circumstances, the greatest caution
and circumspection are necessary, on the part of the
British Governmei.t, before they enter into any com-
mercial arrangements with otl.er countries. Tne prt.-
sent is the most critical period in the H;story of the
Navigation of Great Britain. It it was consistent with
sound policy, to establish the principle and applica-
tion of alien duties, in former times, to countervail
the then existing trifling difference of charge between
English and Foreign Shipping, how much more
strongly does the necessity of these days require their
extension to keep up and support the Shipping Inte-
rest of this country ?
I shall forbear enlarging further, at this time, en
this interesting topic, trusting to your usual indul.
gofenrecseu,mthinagt aitn,oitiiiier o a
supbpsoreltniti will
Numberb e affordedof
your
It n, , t e.
triotic Paper. (iigned) AI LUCALDIII;.
' kkan V96l4lliNe lei Arils