New-York tribune., 1841-04-28
Our Trade with the British Colonies.

RgroRT of COMMITTEE Of he Boston Chamber Of Com
relation t. the present Comaercial arrange
meats ruth Great Britain.
At special meeting OF the Boston Chamber Of
Commerce., letter from the Hon. JonN RUGGLEs
Of the United States Senate. respecting the present
commercial arrangement with Great Britain. was
laid before it. The subject was referred TO COM
mtee, and their report is as follows:
The Committee whom was referred the operation of the
present commercial arrangement with Great Britain
tended that subject and respectfully their with
regard it.
They think will be found injurious the
Of country; that its tendency foster British
ton the expense Of and that in effect, it has
done this to 4 deplorablc
The arrangement allows the imposition without limitation
Of duties produce imported the British Colonies
from the United States and that they vary different
Colonies that when imported into any Colony such goods
be naturazed considered productions of that
Colony and transported any other free duy that goods
be transported from Colony Province another
only by British vessels that American vessels bring
the Colonies Provinces nothing but the products Of the
United States.
To avail herself of the advantages which such arrange
mcnt offered England Immediately imposed heavy, and, in
instances prohbiory duties products when
ported the West Indies from the United States and adj
med the articles free of duty when imported circuit
ousy through the provinces.
Such are the benefits to British Navigation from the ar
rangcmcni that your Committee are informed, Americas
have become OF British vessels very considerable
extent, in order avail themselves of them.
Before aducing the statistical facts which your Comtee
think abundant support their assertion they will
Of the modes in which the arrangement made subscr
Went TO the interests of British sipowners
Articles of produce, n very large amount daily
ordered be shipped the British Provinces they
in British vessels, nominay landed and naurazed and
directly the West Indian colonies the vicinity of number
Of ports the Provinces where this can be effected whn
DAYS sail from BOSTON, renders this almost equivalent
direct voyage from ports the West Indies and it
in which American vessels participate. As
readily be supposed every facility given such ports of
naturalization.
There is another msdc in which the arrangement avors
British shipping, deserving of particular att2gtea.
vessels proceed Southern ports "a cargo Oh yer
pine lumber the Provinces naturalze the car
and carry to England The duty this article thus
carried is so much less han direct Importation from
the United entirely preclude its being carried IN
American vessels This Is done to considerable extent
and your Committee that 1t such discrimination OF
duy on an article VIGOROUSLY produced in the British
Provinces be consistent with the existing arrangement they
reason why similar duty may not be apPea 10
our other staples so throw the whole carrying trade
between United States and Great Britain into the hanoS
of our commercial! competitors.
Again. with regard to flour: this article Is admitted INTO
the Provinces from the United States, tree OF duty Inc
amount thus imported BY mmense but insignificant III
with that carried into the Provinces over Inc
,oners The duty England flour fran the Provinces
is five shilngs per quarter for the highest rate and may he
as low as sixpcncc per quarter On the same article I'M
ported directly from the United Satcs the duty ranges IRON
shilling pcr quarter twenty-five shilngs and eghpencc;
rho ,t If duty depends on the price England and is
a about twenty hngs per quarter four times greater
than the duty on -four from the Provinces Here Is vast
field for the employment of British vessels to the exclusion
of our own, in the transportation OF our own products.
There !, another mode in which the arrangement avors
British hpinc the creation of what has been called the
triangular voyage Formerly British vessels engaged IN inc
Colonial trade went the Colonies in ballast or but partially
laden they often remained there long time for the prePa
ration Of their cargoes with which they returned to nglnnd
Now they take full trcights the United STATES thence
full or partial cights the West Indies ana thehce u
frcghts to Engla.d Or they proceed with rcish's from
rlard 70 the West Indies whence few days, they ar
100 NJ our Southern port where they obtain full eights tor
r,ropc British vessels thus employed have decided adj
vantage over Us IN the direct rcShts to ana from our
own ports. =. =, PIT
We ladies' seems an inevitable result of the arrangement;
the Discrimination articles imported there Directly
from the United States and the same articles "nen M
nored crcuousy through the Provinces Will eScitu urn
Tho whole course of trade that direction he duy on ouf
f rho Ired States FIVE shillngs and on beet and PORK
more than twenty shngs per barrel on lumber II Is weh
weight shilugs and shingles more tna three u"is
,r thousand All these articles from the Provzccs are au
,ed free of duty; of course, most OF them are imported
cpto,sl7 And not only so but the first freight to the
PROVINCES from the United States is in British vessels IL
consequence the facilities enjoyed by them at the ports
naturalization for transportation to the west lhdes In o
7o5 and 1916 the American tonnage which entered our
morris dircc, from the british West Indies, was 292I Oo tons;
in 1887 1888 and 1882 has Diminished to i9o'Soo tons
If such be the state of direct trade, we have not uc
TO console Us in the cooperative increase OF Drt'n
and our own in the whole of the Colonial and FRO
ncal trade The British cleared from our ports
for the Colonies and Provinces il 1924 lG9 and 1910 was
81 900 tons: the American tonnage was ~ ioo 's' III
Zoo d 1890 The clearance of British a
abors was 500 tons, and If Amsrean but ll26ooo
tons the increase of British in ~ own ports during
h whole period being times greater than that OF
our ;,or
have obr advantages over The OF building YES
sells in the Provinces less by about one-thd than ta d
udns ours and they likewise manned and eqapse
more ceapy 1t that from their manifest nor own
hoy do NOT command the rates OF freight - 49,
@ their Influence is powerful for evil against Us fro;ar
A. ,be .our4e whence the Nayy-our r'eht boo, a
@ " =. H., ,s ,bole strength, II mas ever Ooei oH