Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-07-06

owners go a step ifNber; they have not Only pre-
pared u tor the dangers which, during the last SEES
son "i Parliament, were prOphesed, with respect
to The silk manufacturer, but they atc posi,y,ly
'hat these results have taken place, which. the
Their instance, were ouIy sn,icips ed they declare
that the shipping interests have already gone to de-
cay. am not stating that which am not autho-
rsed TO state, because have read all the petitions
that have been laid upon the table of the House Of
Commons, with reference TO this mpor ant subject
4 there IL of then. which d not assert that
foreign shipping has increased TO an alarming ex-
tent, and that British shipping has decrea.ed in
proportion. Then, of cOu,se, the natural con Sc
Quence OF such increase Of egn, and deer Of
British. shipping will be, that foreigners will SUI
percede the British in the foreign trade of this
country. Ii 60, to what nciu- ions are we TO ar
rive Ii the fact be tue, the differences are Just; if
so, It ~ duty 10 consider how remedy The
ev TO ii that evil be the result of the measures
referred to, by what other course. that CIV il is
TO be obyiated. Then, ! say, this question is a
mere question of facts. Ii the facts be thus we
have only one course to adopt; bat if the facts be
not so, will call on the House 10 say, that no in
curry IL necessary, that question is 30
into, and that the appointment Of a committee
would be at hest an ideal proceeding, which has no
other grounds than that OF inducing the House to
cast doubt and suspicion upon the fitness of pur-
suing the course which his Maiesty's Government
thought the interests OF the country called upon them
10 oiing into rarliameht. The gallant General
slater, was not his fault that The question was not
brought forward eslier in the present session. /
thi.k 1t would have been better for his purpose if
IT had been brought forward earlier because the ne
cessary papers, which were laid upon the table
OF the House Till the latter end OF March, or printed
until the middle OF April, would not then have
osen here Tor TO refer to. will not saw of the
petitioners that they were aware, that when these
accounts were brought forw ard all their statements
would be overturned; but Will say, that the al
ale in fhPr
random. No doub', the persons by whom those
petitions were signed. believed those allegations
10 be well founded, because we now, when parties
upon whom devolve the task OF what is called
getting up petition" raise an ouicry upon any
great public question, il is no difficult matter for
them TO get those who sign such petitions, TO be.
lieve whatever they told: ,heI efore, for aught
Know to inc contrary, The petitioners did actual
ly and implicitly give credit to the statements 10
which they affixed their names: vet, I confess
md among those allegations some which little
surprise me, because ii appears to me that tie ere
duiIty OF those who signed them must have been
largely dawn upon nasniueh a.. of their own per-
sonrl knowledge, they ought 10 have been aware
now incorrectly some of the statements w ere made
These petitions, have stated have deliberately
perused. and 10 some of them feel it necessary 10
sIude. 1 he House need not fear that am about TO
read all these petitions. j shall consent myself with
referring to one or two OF them, TO show how much
'hey are, IN reality, worth. The first, which was
sent in on the 10Th Feb. from the place W hch has
The honor 10 return you, Sir, the (Speaker, 10
Parliament (the Port OF Scarborough) states the
value OF ships TO have diminished wenly per cent
since the year eighteen hundred and twentry-fye-
DIS may have been the case, but il proceeds TO state
also, tie great alarm that exists the increasing
number OF Baltic vessels entering all British ports
Ih!s Is the statement made by the inhabitants of
Scarborough, and their allegation is that, in 1926,
the entrance OF foreign vessels had increased 10 an
alarming cegree Now, in referring to the re-
'urns To WHICH have alluded, find the compare
tive numbers OF the years 1925 aud 1896, therein
stated; and accerding TO those returns fiud that
Ia he yea 1870, there entered iu 10 the port Of Scar
borough IL British vessels OF g 5i tons and II |
foreign vessels, bearing eos tons-and also find.
mat In The year 1876, the tina, created so much
alarm amor &, and so overwhelmed with de.pair
those Inhabitants of Scarborough II British vessels
oil 2.S43 ions, and two foreign essels of I49 tons
enteie ed that port. So much then for the petition
from scarborough, and SO much for their know
ledge and estimation Of what they signed The
next port wiligo to, is the port Of GIeenock, !
larger por, than that OF Scarborougli-but tie ne
tiiion Fl ON Gfeenock contains similar aIe,atio,s
and, as The House will perceive, founded upon a |
similar OASIS. Those petitions declare that the |
British trade will soon be totally destroyed How
lar this declaration Is correct, will not presume
SO say; but as they also proceed upon the assump.
ton, that the ncxease of foreign shppn has beep
will shew, by the returns, 10 what credit this as
seruon ID entitled, 40 far regards their know
euse and experience. In the year 1926 there |
entered into the port OF GTeenock, POI British YES
sells, bearing 900 tons; and 81 foreign vessels
oi 6,3CO tons; in the 1896, the year when ter
ninaiion 10 British vessels of all kinds was con-
emplsied and prophesed, find tie quantity Of
tonnage was 53,O0O British, and 2,3GC Foreign -
so much, then, FOR This Pc lion en- the inhabi
ANTS OF GIeenoek. II go on TO tie other ports
rom which petitions have been received shall
Dc enabled TO eXhbl! similar statements rom similar
returns, and the House will judge Of the yaiue that
ought 10 attach TO their allegations Bat this course
oi proceeding would be unnecessary, and would
occupy too much Of the lime and lie attention of
ne House IheTe rs, however, one other pei
ion TO which will allude, because IT refers 10
hat ,opic which has been made use OF in another
manner, as bearing upon the poorer classes of the
IL emsnated from persons connected
Win The port OF London, and employed in various
departments, and as ls5ourers about the shining:
nd It states, that in the year 1925, they were in
prosperous slate, with plenty of employment, but
hat, IN 1926, owing in great degree to me and to
ny measures, which promoted the influx of foreign
hips they were in grea, want of employment,
md, consequently, suffered great distress. Now,
SIR, hnd by the returns TO which have so ire
luenIy had occasion to refer, that, in the year
1870, SOZ UOO tons were brought in by foreign ship
ping; ana mat IN The last yeap, The year 1926 the
onnage entered by foreign shipping v as only 2I5.-
'oO so that, as matter Of course those petitioners
'ugb' 10 have had more employment during the
past year. than during the year previous: is il moi
hereiore, evident, That the effects complained of
must have proceeded from oher causes? Yet these
petitioners wee overwhelmed with disnay. 10
Zoe their own words, and to the circumstances I
laVe noticed, they have referred al their difficult
les.