The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-06 00:00:00

power in this question, Ind if she entertained the inten-
tion imputed to her, that, sunless we relaxed our 'Shy iga-
tion Laws, she would tighten hers, it was just and equi-
table that she should give us explicit notice of her
intention. With regard to oar colonies, these laws
imposed a tax upon them for the sole benefit of this
country. The question, however, concerned another and
a vital point—the defences of this. country ; and he was
not prepared to proceed with this measure if he were con-
vinced that it would injure the carrying trade of this
country, and deprive our navy. of the resource of our
mercantile marine in case of war. But he was prepared
to alter these laws, because he believed that the effect of
a judicious change in them would not be to limit, but to
strengthen and extend, the commerce, and with the
commerce the navigation, of this country. The right
hon. gentleman contended upon various grounds that our
ship-builders and ship-owners could maintain a successful
competition with those of other countries. There was
another element in this part of the question beside cheap-
ness, and it was a significant fact that our ship-owners
were building ships dearer and dearer every year. It was
not the cheap but the dear countries which we bad to
fear—the countries which threatened to compete with
us in capital, skill, and enterprise. What our ship-
owners requited was, freedom from restrictions, and
if the Baltic ships were really so cheap, why should
they be debarred from the power of buying them ?
With respect to the qualifications and character of
our shipmasters and seamen, he thought that the
standrrd of professional qualification might be im-
proved. He should have preferred a more gradual
measure; he wished that the-Government had adhered to
the uniform course of precedents, and made large con-
cessions conditional upon reciprocal concessions by other
powers. To a small extent this was a conditional mea-
sure ; but he objected to the discretionary power proposed
to be lodged in the Queen in council, with a view of ex-
torting reciprocity, which was a discretion too large and
too delicate, and the Government would have acted more
safely and wisely by undoing piecemeal, rather than by
introducing a measure of so sweeping a character. The
right hon. gentleman censured the policy of excluding the
coasting trade from this measure; we should have offered
to admit the Americans to our coasting trade if they
would admit us to theirs. Upon the whole, in his opinion,
the preliminary question of time had been marked m.this
case by a singular combination of circumstances, and this
change in our commercial policy, though characterised as
a " theory," when tested by. its results would show, as in
other cases,- that it was a wise measure, justified by past
experience, and that the dangers apprehended front it
were imaginary.

Mr. HUDSON recapitulated the unequal terms upon
which our shipbuilders would have to contend with those
of other nations. and challenged the result of those free
trade principles upon the supposed success of which this
perilous measure was based. The object of such a mea-
sure should be to increase employment for our poor,
whereas our shipbuilders represented that it would force
them to abandon a profession which afforded support to
thousands. They would do as he would if he were a
shipbuilder—transfer their capital to the place where the
timber was grown.
Captain BERKELEY entered into some explanations
respecting the military part of the question. He differed
in opinion from Sir James Stirling. considering that the
royal navy was dependent on the mercantile navy ; but,
at the same time, the merchant service depended upon the
navy, and he was glad that this reciprocity existed. It
had been said that if the Navigation Laws were done away
with, it would upset the registration of British seamen ;
but he had watched the working of that system, and pro-
nounced it the greatest farce ever invented. It was hate-
ful to the men, and drove a great many out of the country.
He had no doubt that we should easily man our navy
without this system.
Captain HARRIS defended the registration system, and
hoped the Admiralty would give it a fair trial. The gal-
lant member likewise deprecated the total abolition of
the apprenticeship system, which worked beneficially for
the mercantile navy.
Sir A. HOOD condemned the, measure, and all the ex-
periments of free trade, which had brought distress into
our manufacturing districts, and vagrancy into our colo-
nies.

Mr. CLAY would have been better satisfied if the change
in the Navigation Laws had been preceded or accompanied
by the announcement of some measure to set at rest the
question how our navy was to be manned in time of war.
If all restrictions were taken away, he did not doubt that
the whole of the interests which had been protected by
the Navigation Laws would not suffer by their removal ;
but without some assurance of this kind he could not
support the measure.
Mr. NEWDEGATE complained e the manner in which
this measure had been forced upon the house, without suf-
ficient inquiry, and without any expressed opinion of those
whom it had appointed to inquire. He complained also of
the manner in which statistics had been used in this discus-
sion, especially by Mr. Wilson, whom he accused of mak-
ing comparisons which were unfair and inconclusive, and
an abuse of statistics.

Mr, WAWN gave his opposition to the scheme, conceiv-
ing it to be fraught with mischief.
Lord INGESTRE also opposed the measure, for which the
government had not shown that there was any urgent ne-
cessity. He believed that this scheme would prove highly
detrimental to our maritime supremacy, and consequently
to the best interests of the country. The noble lord dis-
putad the opinions expressed by Sir J. Stirling, which he
delivered were in direct opposition to those of naval officers
in general. He regarded this as another attempt to sacri-
fice a great interest—our " ships, colonies, and commerce"
—to the untried theory of free trade, and he thought that
the time selected by the government for introducing the
•-•-`*-~4- inappropriate with reference to the state of
the continent.

Lord J. HAY differed from Lord Ingestre. He had
considered this question, and he firmly believed that it was
calculated to produce that energy and enterprising spirit
in this country which must increase its wealth, and naval
superiority. Ile was convinced that first-class British ships
might be built and equipped cheaper in the Thames than
in any other country. In answer to the sneers which had
been cast upon the statements in the blue book, respecting
the moral conduct and discipline of British masters, he
took upon himself the responsibility, on his own personal
experience, of maintaining every one of those statements.
When in command, off the Douro, where there were 80 or
100 British ships, he was called upon almost every morning
to decide quarrels between masters and their crews ; and,
in nearly every instance, the master was in the wrong.
Mr. HILDYARD strongly urged the enormous risk which
the country, and the shipping interest in particular, ran in
this experiment ; and thought the government were bound
to show the paramount necessity of this measure, which
put in jeopardy a capital of 410,000,000, and the very ex-
istence of a large class of men who got their livelihood by,
and were only fit for, one occupation. It was idle to sup-
pose that Prussia would carry her menace into effect, for it
would cost too severe a sacrifice; the number of her ships
entering inwards from her ports in England was four times
that of British tonnage from those ports ; and, as to Ame-
rica, her Executive Government might be controlled by
her Legislature and reject our offer, and if the veto of our
Government were then interposed, it would provoke an
angry feeling more dangerous than the menace of Prussia.
The hon. member pointed out, with much effect, results
favourable to his argument derived from statistical facts ;
and concluded a speech, which was attentively listened to,
with an eloquent warning to the house of the consequences
of this irrevocable step—vestigia nutlet retrorsum,—that,
if the experiment were entered upon, it would be utterly
impossible to arrest the evil ; and we should have the mor-
tification and the remorse of reflecting that it had been
brought about through no imperious necessity, and with no
reasonable hope of obtaining a corresponding benefit.
No member rising to address the house, there were loud
calls for a division, and after some discussion, whether the
house would divide or agree to a majority by Sir J. Walsh
for an adjournment of the debate,
Lord J. RUSSELL proposed to resume the debate after
that respecting the Spanish correspondence, which had
been fixed for Monday ; but some members still calling for
a division, on the question of adjournment, the house di-
vided upon that question, which was carried by 236 against
73.

It was then arranged that the debate should be resumed
on Monday.
The Law of Entail (Scotland) Bill went through com-
mittee, and the other orders of the paper being disposed of,
the house adjourned until Monday.

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

AMERICA.

The Royal Mail Steam-ship Britannia, Captain J. C.
Lang, arrived here on Monday afternoon, with ad-
,io.o 1.. N.— Yoal tv tho lOth i.sawaut, Buxton Cu the
17th, and Halifax to the 19th instant. She brought .Z 3,600
specie and 43 passengers.
The political advices are not important.
General Scott embarked from Vera Cruz on the 30th
April for New York and great preparations were making
in the latter town to give him an enthusiastic reception.
Upwards of three hundred buildings had been destroyed
by the great fire at Detroit, and the loss is estimated at
above two hundred thousand dollars.

A fire broke out at Albany on the 15th instant, and da-
mage estimated at thirty thousand dollars was done.
The United States (steamer) will in future be employed
as a regular packet between Havre and New York, leaving
the latter port on her first trip on the 10th instant.
Judge Moore, of New York, has set aside judgment in
a case, on the ground that Aaron Bradley, as a man of
colour, was incompetent to act as counsel.
John Jacob Astor, the late great millionaire of this city,
it is said, has laid aside in his will half a million of dol-
lars, for the establishment of a free library in New York.
He has wisely limited the cost of the building to 60,000
dollars, so that his beneficence shall not, like Girard's
(of Philadelphia) be thrown away on marble and mortar.
The Indians in Yucatan still continue their depreda-
tions. They have destroyed the town of Vetlealla by
burning it to the ground. Five hundred of its defenders
had retired into forts, while the women and children were
taking care of themselves as best they could, and were
flying in all directions without money or food. Even the
; inhabitants of Balize were threatened with an attack, and
were preparing to meet it. On the 13th April there was
an action between about 300 Indians of Eli's division
and the Yucatecos. The latter were successful.
The following is the latest account from Hayti, dated
Aux Cayes, April 14 :—" Our city and its environs are in
arms. The people have determined to overthrow the pre-
sident and the present order of things, and to elect another
chief. All stores are closed. Every citizen is enrolled in
the military ranks, and performs duty day and night.
The ministers have resigned by desire of the populace,
and the newly-elected ones are afraid to accept office. All
is disordcr and confusion, and we have fears that the pre-
sent
state of things may last for some time."
Intelligence from England by the Cambria steam-ship
was received in New York on the 14th instant. it had
rather a favourable influence on the markets. Prices for
cotton had Stiffened, and there was more inquiry for ship-
kir the better grades prices were very firm, while