Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-07-18
BRITISH COLONIAL TRADE. 4.
IYnshinCicn. yVtu "a


18th ultimo, communicating Proclamation
issued under your authority for the purpose
OF meeting the provisions of the third Section
of an act of Congress Of tie United States of
America, entitled " an act to regulate the
Commercial Intercourse between the U. ).
and certain British Colonial Ports, have the
honor 10 inform ydu that the Declaration
therein contained, with respecito the equal
lzation of duties and other charges on
British and American Vessels and their
Cargoes, would doubtless be considered
satisfactory by the American Government,
as far as the Province of New Bruins
wick is concerned, but the President is not
prepared TO issue his Proclamation for the re-
moval of the discriminating duties, still levied
IN this country on British Vessels entering
from the open Colonial Ports, until he receives
similar declaration with respect To all the
Ports enumerated i'm the above mentioned
Act Of Congress.
With reference to this point, and the diff
Guilty arising out of it, ] have the honour To
inclose herewith, for your further information,
the copy ola letter which have recently had
occasion TO address on the same subject, to
His Excelency the Lieut.. Governor of Nova
Scotia. have the honour Ia be, SC.
STRATFORD CANNING.
The Hon. Ward Chapman, &c. SC. sc.
Y
SIR: have had the honor to receive your
Excellency's letter of the cad ut. certifying
that no higher dulles are demanded from ships
ut the U. States on entering the ports of N
Scotia than what are levied on British vessels
and requesting that will take the necessary
steps To induce the American Government TO
place British vessels, when entering the
harbors ofths country, from Nova Scotia, on
like footing of equality, with those of the U.
States. This subject has for some time en-.
gagged considerable share of my attention,
and the state of my correspondence respecting
1t with the American Government has alone
prevented my making an earlier communica-
ton thereupon, as well to your ExcelIency,
as to the other colonial authorities 1t is now
IN my power 10 state, what appears to have
been overlooked in some of the Colonies, that
the American government require, as previ-
Gus condition OF the removal of the discrimi-
mating duties on their side, AN authentic decIa-
ration, not only as TO their vessels, including
the cargoes, being placed on footing Of per-
feet equality, in point of duties and charges of
whatever kind they may be, with British yes
sells, IN the open colonial ports, but also that
no goods imported into the Colonies in their
vessels, should be charged with higher duty,
than is levied on the like articles imported
from elsewhere, that is, as they intend it, froth
expectation. 1t is further required that
declaration TO this effect should be given with
reference 10 all the colonial ports enumerated
IN the Act Of Parliament.
The Certificates inclosed in yonr Excellen-
cy's letter are therefore not satisfactory to the
American Government, inasmuch as they es-
tabiish two only out of the three points re-
quired with reference To Nova Scotia. They
sher that the British and Americans are charg
ed alike with respect TO their vessels and to
the articles, considered merely as IA cargo, i'm
ported in them, but they do not shew that all
the imported articles, considered with res
pect to the place reproduction or expectation,
are put upon equal footing as 10 duty, with
the like articles admitted from other places, the
British Colonies themselves included.
The character of the third and supernunle-
rary condition, will doubtless arrest the atten-
ton of His Majesty's Ministers, at prpsent it
can only be certified as matter Of fact, and
am Under an impression that the duties pre-
scribed IN Schedule C.. annexed 10 the Act of
Parliament, under which the trade between
certain of His Maiesty's Colonies and the u.
States is now open" oppose an effectual bar
To The delivery OF such declaration as that
which is required by the Am. Government
III am in an error on this point, your Excel
lency has only To send me declaration, pro-
perly certified and sufficiently comprehensive
to embrace all the conditions required as far
as Nova Scotia is concerned, hut | must re-
quest you TO observe, that even the reduction
OF Two pence per ton IN favor Of Provincial
Vessels, which is mentioned in the memorial
forwarded with your EXcellcncy's letter,
would most probably be considered by the
American Government as inconsistent with
the terms of the Act of Congress notwith.
standing that the Vessels of Great Britain APP
pear to be as much affected by it as those of
the United States.
/ have the honor to BE. &c.
(Signedl STRATFORD CANNING.
His Excrllency Lieutenant General Sir
JAMES KEMPT, X. y. Sc. &c. &c.