Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-06-06
NETWORK, May -.
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
Hou,s OF Lokps, MARCH 81.

Aurkland's motion on the subject, wish.
ed to move for some farther documents,
in order to place, in a clearer point Of
view than the papers on the table admit.
ted Of, the number Of ships and their
tonnage, belonging TO British ports. H.
Ihecordingly moved for accounts of the
aumber Of ships which had cleared out
81, and also the number built in the dit.
irr.nt ports Of the British empire, with
heir tonnage, which after few words
IRON Lord Sheffield and Lord Holland
in explanation, were ordered.
LDrd Auckland then rose to make his
promised motion, which he prelaced by
entering into several details. Bv the
Navigation Acts of Char. II. and Will
am III. all trade to the British Colonies
in foteign bottoms was, he said prohi
bited. Il was evident. that the vessel
Of the United States of America were
foreign bottoms, and therefore came un.
DEF the prohibitory clauses ofthose Acts
From the peace Of 1888 to 1898 they
we're precisely iE this situation. In the
latter year legislative measure was re.
sorted to upon the subject, which con.
tinued I'LL the wear 1898, from which pc.
Rod till the year 1904, the Governors
Of the British Colonies IN the West. In.
dies exercised the power of granting, as
necessity required, permission to import
provisions and lumber from America,
and every year bill was passed to indem.
nifty those concerned in advising or sx.
ercismg this measure, for their acting
contrary to law. Ithappened, however,
that in 1901, owing to the confusion a.
rising from the cham Of Administrati-
on, bill Of this description was omit
ted to be brought forward, and the sub
ject had escaped attention until the pre-.
sent time, when, on turning to its con-
sideration, he found this to be the state
Of the case. 1t became therefore neces.
sary TO indemnify four Administrations,
including that now in Office, for haviug
thus acted contrary to law since the year
1901, as we'll as the Governors Of the
West India Islands this was the object
Of the bill, which it was his intention to
introduce, ard which he had no doubt,
would be support-dby all those Noble
Lords who had formed part of the four
Administrations to which he had allu-
ded With respect to the sub ect itself,
it was certainly of the greatest impor.
lance that our W. India Colonies should
be regularly supplied with prvisions 1,
from the nature OF their cultivation they
could only grow a very small part Of the
provisions necessary for their subsis-
tence. He was not disposed to quarrel
with the United States Of America for
supplying the West India islands with
| these articles, on the contrary he was
disposed to think II an advantageous in
tercourse. 1.-THE islands were lett to de.
pend upon this country for supply, it
must necessarily, in time of war, be pre-
earious, whilst in the event Of scarcity,
ships sailing from this country would, Of
Course, go to these islands where they
expected to get the highest prices and
probably pass those which were most in
want. A regular supply Of provisions
to our West India islands could only be
ensured to them from America, and, his
opinion was, that the enactment Of our
laws ought motto be followed up with
any. view Of preventing the Americans
from deriving any advantage from the
Intercourse. The neutral bottoms Of
the Americans were of use to US in time
OF war--the advantage was mutual. The
United States Of America had grown
with Our growth, aud strengthened with
our strength, aud had contributed much
to the increase of our commerce, a com
merce which had risen to an unexampled
pitch Of prosperity, aud which was great
iy superior now to what il ever had been,
even in TING of peace. Thus il appear
ed from official documents, that the va.
lue Of the exports from this country OF
British manufactures, which on the ave.
rage Of the FIVE years ending in 1898,
$50, ooO, 900, amounted, on the average
of .h. CO. ysona ar,dspr 40 aanS RS1