The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-05-23 00:00:00

14: o.

LONDON;

forced upon it an inferior article. It was sot this
shipping, but the old shipping interest that •was at
all concerned in the Colonial timber trade. But he
(Lord Lauderdale) contended that there were two
interests—the one was the old shipping, and the other
a capital of 150,0001. laid out in the construction of
saw mills. It could nut be contended that it was
beneficial to our Colonies, because the prefit of their
timber enabled them to clear lands; for it had been
proved that clearing their lands by burning, which
produced the exportable atticle of pot-ash, was more
beneficial to the lands. With these views of the goes-
thin he would not trouble their Lordships with any
fdrther Observations, but move as an amendment, That
the Bill he committed that day six months.
Lord ELLENBOROUOH said, that although he
agreed in almost every point offered by his Noble
Friend to their Lordships, he could not agree to his
amendment, because be thought there was some little
good in the Bill before the House, and because he
feared that if they rejected that Bill the shipping in-
terest had that extraordinary power in the country to
prevent any other measure with any good in it from
lbeing brought in. With respect to the Bill itself, lie
regarded it as a measure offering a bounty for the in-
troduction of the dry rot into every buildigg in till
country. Ile would not detain the House at that time ;
but before he sat down, he must declare that he shoold
never again attend a Committee of that Horse on fo-
reign trade with any expectation of doing good to
his country.
Lord KING took the same view of the question as
the Noble and Learued Lord, and strongly deprecated
the Bill.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said that the Bill before
the House had not his entire concurrence, as he consi-
dered it to be drawn up on an erroneous principle;
but at the same time, although it did not apply a re-
medy of that full and universal nature which was so
desirable, it cott:iiiited souse good in it, and as "halt
a loaf vros better than no bread," he should support
the Bill. Ile admitted that the plan on which the
measure was framed, nes contrary to the doctrine
which inculcated the seeking the best article at the
lowest price; yet it must be obvious to their Lord-
ships, that there might be circumstances net of policy,
but of justice which would authorise their acting in
contradiction of that priasciple. Interests, connected
with this branch of tratle, had been so fostered Ind
encouraged during- the war. which it would not be al-
together right to abandon now. The question wit
whether the Bill went further than the Report on the
table and also, whether it did not go to place the
trade on a better footing than it was before? With
regard to the first of these, Le was ready to admit, th..t
it did ~t go further than lb* Replete ; but it did aloe
ii
place the trade on a better footing than it was before.
for it reduced the iltity on foreign timber from 3/. lbs.
to 2/. !Ss., which was an alteration for the better not
to be slighted. Another consideration of some weight
was, that it employed a great number of our trans-
ports. And is reply to the arguments of Noble Loris
on that particular point, be had only to observe, that
it was not the employment of the vessels alone that
was to be considered, but the value of the employment
of British seamen as well as the ships. It had been
the practice of their Lordships to give protection
the inJurtry of their own country, in preference to the
industry of a foreign, and that was a principle he
could perfectly understand ; hut he could not ander-
stand why we should :rive the preference: to the in-
dewy atid productions of one foreign nation ewer ano-
ther. It was that principle of the Bill alone that he
ilisappiosed u:—in other respects, for reasons be bad
stated, hr was willing to support it.
The as of LANSDOWNE said, that after
having obtained an unanimous concurrence of opinion
in a eve.iiiii:tee of Weir Lordships, which recoil'.
mended me sires founded upon right principles, they
were told by the Noble Earl at the head of his Ma-
je..te'a Government, that they were to pass a Rill
found d upon other and erroneous principles, add that
such a measure was to remain a part of env penma-
n rat system. The Noble Marquess aretted that Nor-
way ought to receive the sante encoaragemeat as Rus-
sia, and contended that the latter was favoured fey the
Bill on their Lordships' table, lie confessed that
henceforward he should look with deep despondency
towards the placing our commerce upon principles of
,surd policy, after the failure of such efforts as had
been made upon the present occasion. He should be
anxious for one to continue those efforts, although he
dish so in perfect despair, and always to adhere to
principles, and to resist the consideration of Weal in-
terests. There was one question which he wished to
ask of the Noble Secretary of State, namely, whether.
there was any understanding with the Colonists, or
any other bode, that these defective arraugemeoss
were to be considered as permanent? He was aware
there could be no direct engagement of this kind, but
what he wished to be satisfied of was, that there was
no indirect understanding.
Earl BATHURST could only repeat In reply to
the que.tion of the Noble Marquess, which he had be-
fore stated, that lie knew of 110 engagement whatever
of the nature of that to which he alluded.
The Amendment was Coen put and negatived.
Before their Lordships went into the Committee.
The Earl of I.AUDEIIHALY, said that
.he wished
to s uhtnit a case to their Lordships. which he ronctiv-
e3 to he one ..f the greatest hardship. There wets
many merchants who hail sent out ships for cedars that
were expected home in the course of a few weeks, sad
by the provisio,s of the Bill such timber would be
subjected to the payment of the double ddty. He
frosted that some exception would be made in their
favour.
The Bill was then committed, and after the Repeat
had been received, ordered to be read a third time to-
morrow.—Adjourned. • •

HOUSE OP COM
This was the day appointed to %Mitt*
ton Committee. At fonr n'eloat tsttpMsti'ljtit
anembers prese-it, and as WO were Ito *fir on `itscit
an .ccasio the Matte adjourned till to-mu-11,w.