Star.
London, England, 1826-09-13 00:00:00

[PRICE SEVENPENCE.

If we look at the present question, as connected *ith
our maritime strength, I contend that the,e can be
little or no danger from the arrangements which I have
now described. The states to which those arrangements
extend, from their situation, and from many other cir-
cumstances, which it is not necessary for Ire to mention,
never can become formidable as maritime powers--
they
.never can dispute with us the ascendancy on the
ocean, nor have they an interest in assisting others to
obtain that ascendancy. Their cornmercia' inte►ests, and
regard to their own security, must alike incline them
to our side.

In time of peace, it is well known, the policy of this
country excludes, as much as possible, from our com-
mercial marine the natives of all foreign. countries ; but,
in time of war, when our native :cativo are required
for the King's service, we are under the necessity of
admitting volunteers from other countries to man our
Merchant ships. The consequence is, that from odr
multiplied intercourse with those secondary states, their
seamen, in time of war, tempted by higher whges and
other advantages, assist in manning our merchant ships
and thereby afford us great facilities for carrying on our
extensive commerce. On the restoration of peace, these
volunteers ale, most of,ahecn, forced to seek employ-
ment again iri the merchantmen of their own countries ;
and their return thither contributes to give increased
activity to the commercial marine of those countries.
If. therefore, by this system of extended reciprocity, a
somewhat larger share of the carrying trade between
[Great Britain and these secondary states devolve to
their shipping, in time of peace. so far as this partic:.
pation is obtained at the expense of any diminished
employment for our own shipping, we may regret the
diminution; at the same time, if the circurrs,tances
which lead to it be unavoidable, it is some cAisolation
to know, that the corresponding increase, elsewhere,
is divided among those countries which cannot be
dangerous, and are likely to be most useful to us in
time of war.
The timber trade with Norway has, at all times, been
carried on chiefly in the ships of that country, Trey
are built for the purpose, in the cheapest manner, but so
rudely constructed, as to be unfit for the conveyance of
almost any other article. In respect to the Prussian
timber ships, they are also of a construction very inferior
to the shipping of this country. built for the purpose of
general trade. We are told by most of the Petit oners,
and figures are adduced to prove the statements, that
they are sent to sea and navigated at less than one half
of the expense of British ships. If it be so, the restora-
tion of the discriminating duty, to the repeal of which
these Petitioners attribute all their present difficulties,
would be of little avail to protect them. That protec-
tion was 2s. 9d. upon a load of timber, being the differ.
ence between 575. 9d. the duty in a foreign, and 555:
the duty in a British ship, exclusive of some difference
on account of lower port charges, and light money paid
by the British ship. Against this advantage, therefore,
in_ our pert% was to be set off the al'en duty of Bs. lid.
a ton, imposed on British ships in the Prussian port.,
whether with a cargo or in ballast. The balance, there.
fore, on our side would be next to nothing,totally in.
adequate, upon the shewing of the Petitioners, as pro•
tection ; but just enough to excite irritation, and to
afford a pretence for vexatious restrictions on British
commerce, and the introduction of Bi itish manufactures
into the Prussian dominions. It has also been stated by
some of the Petitioners,that ship building in this country
is rendered more expensive by taxes on the materials,
from which otber countries are exempt. I am not aware
that, in the petition from the Shipping Interest in the
port of London, praying for a continuance of the dis;
criminating duties, the Petitioners urge the direct taxa-
tion upon the materials employed in ship building, as
a ground of complaint. It has been alleged that. the
Americans build their ships upon cheaper terms than
we do. This Ido not believe. Timber, I admit, is
cheaper in the United States, but almost every ether
article employed in ship building is as dear as, and se-
veral of them dearer than, in this country. Labour like-
wise is dearer, and the pay of the crew full as high as,
if not higher than, in England.
After all, there is nothing new in the complaints now
made of the increased employment of the Shipping of
the Northern powers, in their trade with this country.
Similar complaints were made after the American war.
In the year 1786, the ship owners represented that our
laws gave too great an advantage to foreign ships, and
especially to the foreign ships employed in the importa-
tion of timber from the Baltic.

In consequence of this representation, the Board of
Trade of that day entered upon an inquiry into the sub-
ject. Mr. Reeves, in his work on the Law of Shipping
and Navigation, states, in reference to this inquiry, that
441 n the year 1788. it was observed, that the quantity
of foreign ships employed in the impotationsof goods
from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and tbeEsst Country.
was mach greater in proportion to the British, than the
foreign tonnage employed in other trades; and that it
was Increasing in general, and the British Shipping em-
ployed in some of these trades was, at the same time,
decreasing. A reference was made, an Consequence, to
the Board of Customs, to see whether it might not,be
proper to augment the duty, cilled the Alien's Duty, or
petty custom, on such of the goods enumerated. and
described in the eighth and ninth sections of the Act of
Navigation as were then subject to it, and were imported
from the before mentioned oruntries ; and whether such
increase would materially operate to increase the bur.
then: on, and consequently the prices of, those articles,
if such duty were increased gradually ; that is, by An 4 k-
ing it double from the first of January, 1787, and treble
from the first of January, 1788; and in case the Board
of Customs should be of such opinion, then they were
called upon to consider, whether some advantage might
not be given to British-built ships employed in those
trades, by lowering the duties on those articles when
imported in such ships ; or whether both these methods
might not be pursued in such proportions as might best
attain the end proposed, and not materially affect the
revenue." " • ' •

As it does not appear that recourse was had to these
expedients, it is to be inferred thin; upon tuit:ier consi-
deration, it was fouad it would 'net be safe to risk the
experiment. The Northern-Powers had not then cow-
l:stained of our saints% alien charges grin ihifir dhipping;