Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-05-22
sELEoTIoMs.
From the Norfolk He,uidI
THE COLONIAL TRADE.
Nn "

In my Last number. gave he history OF the
origin and probable cause OF the passage of the
Act of April Is. 1918, entitled, " An &C, con
corning Navigation Judging from the report of
the Committee 10 which have before SO f. 4. uen,-
ly referred, have been oil opinion that rll,s
the effect of the misconc option entertained
hy that Committee. of the intent AMI meaning
al the last of the four articles contained in the
British proposition of March, 1917. \ miscon-
cepion which the American Executive onsbt no,
To have Suffered TO exist because the evidence
was in our own Cabinet, TO prove II erroneous
This urknown to Congress at the time, who
artiag under the mistaken IMPRESSION that a covert
and insdious proposition, had been connected by
Great Br,ain, with three others of apparent fair
ness, approved the prompt rejection OF the whole:
aud ihereuppn commenced system Of restriction
OF which this act concerning navigation vas bu,
an enteoIng wedge
lEy this act the ports Of the u. State. were
closed, after the 30lh day of September, 1913, a
Iein.t all vessels owned by British subjects com
ing from any post or place in colony or territory
OF his Britannia Majesty, that or should be
By the ordinary law. of navigation and trade clos
ed against vessels owned by citizens of the u. s.
And from and at er hat day, the owner consienee,
agent Of every British vessel. which was laden
FIR expectation, with any articles of the growth.
produce OF manufacture of the u. States, was re-
qHrei 10 give bond, with surety, TO the satis-
faction oil the Collector, that the articles so laden
on board such vessel, should he landed in some
pot or place other than in any such COLONY or
territory. This bond could only be cancelled by
producing within one year after IL date thereof
a certificate of The landing OF such article in some
such port.
The former part of this law wo1lI no, have
produced any effect upon the trade, az was car
ried on, if this had STOOD alone. The high tonnage
duty imposed by the act of March 3J, 1917, on
al foreign vessel, coming from ports into and
x...lt. IL,
permitted TO enter and trade, had already put an
end to all voyages to the u. States in BrnIsh YES.
sells, from the West Indss and hat forced the
trade into the new channel have before described
The latter part OF his act, however, requiring
bonds such | haze stated, stopped this new
channel also. But mutual wants soon susgesieI
new modes 10 Obia mutual supplies The Bri I-h
Free ports in the immediate vicinity of the u. :
were not closed by the ordinary Laws of nagiga
ton and trade against vessels owned by cjtiz.ns of
the u. $. Thither, therefore, American produc
lions required foi West India Consumption went.
and from thence the productions of the West In
dies required tor the consumption of the II. S. came
The only practical effect OF the act concern
ing navigation therefore was, ert these Free
ports into entTePOts, 10 which both parties resort
el; and from which both drew the supplies reoujr-
ed By each.
To the agricultural and manufacturing industry
of both countries, this new direction given TO the
HH0e, was lftluflOuSs ~ enhanced the of all
their productions to the consumer, by the adJi.
dtonal Ieighi, insurance, and other heavy charges
incident to the double voyage Any considerable.
increase of price, however, will always diminish
consumption; and the dimnulion of consumption
must soon diminish the demand. Surplus produce
tions will then remain unsold, or must be sold at
reduced prices. Such the precise effect of this
act upon these interests.
These disadvantages to American agriculture
and manufactures produced no counter vsiling ben
eft To American commerce THIS too suffered by
the change. AS the trade was formerly carried ON
tho British vessels brought TO the u States a car
GO from England, with the proceeds OF which aoo-
thsr cargo here purchased for the West indies
The American merchant then derived commits |
sisa upon the amount OF the sales Of the i'm !
PORTED cargo; another commission upon the amount
OF the purchase of the exported cargo; and ano |
het commission upon the disbursements of the ves-
SCI Add to these three commissions, the adyan- |
isgss ne derived from wharfage, warehousing, SC.
&c, and the aggregate will suspect, be found 10
make certain profit TO the American merchant,
upon the British capital employed in the trade
much greater in amount, than any coa.i1gent ado
vsntage he ever could derive, in time OF peace.
from the regular prosecution Of the direct trade |
upon bis own account.
now II would be difficult to prove, tba, any
cause which impairs the interest OF serirultrrs |
commerce, and manufactures. can po.siblv b.nos,
navigation. 1t is tue. that the navigation Of one
Part Of an empire, may be made TO flourish. =, the
expense Of the agriculture, manufactures and com,
mercs Of another part. This is the precise police
which dictates the colonial system. Under tia,
system sl the interests OF the eolonies, are made
70 si5sefvs that Of the mother country and Great
Britain, 70 promote her own navigation, feels no /
fsuctsnee to impair all the great interests OF her
subject colonies But such principle ought ne
yer 70 be reduced to Practice in on Empire formed
~ re Union Of sc1d inienenient soyere1gnsisz, !