Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-07-28
AMERICAN NAVIGATION LAWS.


LONDON, May I5.-Esery thing is always of
importance which, III any material degree
TOUCHES the interest of The commerce aud ma
NiPa'ion of England At lie present time,
apd amidst lie universal pressure upon every
branch of our national Industry, aiIy ci,crn,-
stance OF the above nature becomes of don
bic consequence. Ii is not, therefore without
very Sulhcient reason, tiat we now invite TIE
ausntien OF our ieaders to new system of
the Navigation Laws of America Since the
Peace of Paris, or rather OF Vienna, the u
States have indeed passed new Navigation
Code. But liz tie law Just passed, they have
made aD extension OF this exclusive system.
By the ac.S of Congress in 1916 aud 1917, tie
vessels OF every conEiry or port were excluded
from American ports, 1t coming last from any
country OF port whence American vessels
were excluded IN other words, it we wOuid
n"t allow them TO fetch our COLONIAL pro-
duce from our colonies. they would not allow
our colonial vessels 10 bring it. As these acts
began to press upon the sale Of colonial pro-
unce, thS III SliSt government, III order Ia
meet and cOuhteTact them, began 20 enlarge
the former system OF free-p ports aud with tuis
view established Bermuda as the generaI en-
trepOt OF the West Indies To ihis island an
The colonies were allowed 10 send their pIo
dnce III store and depot, aud II foreign vessels
were permitted 10 fetch il from thence. As
American vessels were admitted into ILe puTts
OF ms euGepOt, the Navigation Law of Con-
gTess ala not, of course. extend 10 It's vessels
OF TO vessels comimg from beHce aud accord
'''Eig ift di'u Scl curative ttdue kiAtgu mol
ouIy beiweeR America and Bermuda, but.
through Bermuda, between America and all
the BfitisG West Indies
Blu! though tile cGOct Of this free-port svs-
TEN was in one pUiut OF view of equal al san-
tdge to America aud England (ibe Americans
lnhs receiving our colonial Produce DIRECTLY
and Oy Shert voyage, and GLAND aud the
Silndies thus selling more ,ban they would
nave sold under longer aud more Indirect
trade y II had likewise the effect of rendering
nugatOry the main object Of the Americas le-
eiSldiuTe-that OF procuring the abolition of
the English COLONIAL system and Tree iptsr-
course between America aud the British colo
mes. English veSselsslIll fetched the whole
OF Tie lumber trade for the wants aud con
sumption of the Islands To This manner"
san Que OF tile American leaders in Cnngrss IS.
Lngianh ieeds her own maine aud shipping
interest at tie eXpCUse Of the fair ciaiius Of
The American merchant ana ship-owheI TIE
Eughsh Yves, lUdieS take, aud are Obliged 10
take. about one mil ion OF dollars "a Inntber
thonr, pork and stavps) from America, and IN
Slsi np00 taking al tine Americas produce iu
TIER own vessels --f,tching ali. aud allowing
u ;e bring none. Bni surely the American
sWp-OwneT has n fair aud reasonable claim 10
he permitted 10 carry The produce OF his own
cOnhtiN. surely il Is but d fair share HAT
~ selling our own pic dHee, WE may br allow
cd TO use on O%n shirs Let England, there
tore, put her cOlou,a trade npJn Ills fair, lust
ana equal Iooting. OF let us decline TO trade
WIN lhtse unequal lmpOSilions"
iIest representation % the American ship
Ping interest, have al length produced their
eject 10 COugrsss, and the former sVsteu, l,as
u, en- now 20 faf tNtchdt d, as 10 intcrdict Brit
iSh vessels coming from the free ports and
what Is more iHip"riAht. iTOm the pOrIs OF
Lover Ca1add and Haitian. The oitpct If
ans extension IS 10 gtrs~ upOu the Bmi>i
planters ard BRUSH v eSi Indies; and there.
by hIQngu thc ~ -dirm c! tEis dlsutss aud