The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-31
From the ~. Y. Journal Of Commerce.
AMERICAN TRADE WITH THE BRITISH
COLONIES.

more FREQ uent discussions between the governments
of the United States and Great Britain tnan 'ha' u
trade with the British Colonies; particularly 'nosc
in the Western hemisphere From The very ongin 81 our
Republic, and before, disposition mas been NAM
Tested on the part of the British government 10 deny
the enjoyment of that trade upon reciprocal Terms
a fact which is not SO much TO be wondered at when
IL is considered that her Colonies are continual source
of expense to her. and that the advantages she Is able
to derive from their commerce, about the only e
she receives is likely to receive, for the ex
pense thus incurred So far respects the trade be-
tween Colonies and the mother country, We can
not perhaps complain of the monopoly which she
claims and exercises: bat the trade between the Co.
lones OF the United States another matter, In re-
gard to which We have voice well as herself. we
cannot indeed insist that her Colonies shall be per-
miled 10 trade with us-because every nation has
night determine whether il will trade with Its neigh
bors ot-but the other hand, it is for US to de-
eide whether We will submit to traffic on unequal
terms.
The products of the British West Indies being for
the part entirely dssimlar to our own, the trade
between them and the nited States, if unrestricted,
would be large and mutually advantageous. II would
seem therefore, that the interests Of both countries
would be promoted by establishing 1t ON liberal basis
The sagacous William Pitt thought when at the
head of the British Ministry in 1888, and brought
into Parliament bill to admit American vessels into
the ports Of the Vest Indies, with goods and mer-
chandlse of American growth or produce, and to ex-
port from the Colonies any goods or merchandise
if they had been the property Of British subjects,
and had been imported exported in British vessels
This BILL however, failed to become law the Minis
try itself dissolved and the regulation OF inter
course between the two countries was LETT to the ds-
erection of the King and Council who soon after Is
sued orders excluding American vessels entirely from
the British West Indies, and prohibiting several OF
the staple articles of the United States from being
carried thither even in British bottoms. On the adop
ton of the American Constitution in 1857, the Con-
of the limited States ar dis
eliminating tonnage and other duties upon British
vessels These, in connection with the European war
which commenced soon eter and which rendered
supplies from the United States indispensably neces
sary to the Colonies induced Great Britain to mode
rate her pretensons and accordingly in 1874 Treaty
of commerce concluded, which in many respects
placed our trade upon more favorable footing put
the article in regard to trade with the West In
dies stricken out by the American Senate, as be-
ing unequal and unjust and the Treaty was ratified
by both governments without that article thus leav-
ing trade with the West Indies dependent as be-
FORE upon the caprice of the British King and Coun-
Gil in which condition it continued until after The war
Of 1812-I5 The necessities Of the Colonies, how
ever accomplished for what we might In vain have
sought other grounds, and accordingly from 1873
1907, both inclusive trade with those Colonies
was immensely large; amounting, on an average, to
five or six millions per annum, each way. For parti-
cuars the reader is referred to the first of the annexed
tables, which have compiled from the annual state
ments of the Treasury Department, Ptkins Stats
TICS Seybers Statistical Annals. and other docu-
ments'
commerce. nsomuch that our total exports in the year
ending Both September, l8O8 only $22 43O $50,
whereas In the three preceding years they had ave-
ragged more than l0OO0OOOO per annum. Among
these the attack by the British ship Leo
pard of 50 guns, upon the American frigate Chesa-
peake in the American waters, June % 1907, In con-
sequence of which, on the I'd Of July following, all
British vessels ordered to leave the ports of the
United States Then the British Orders in
Council November 18th, 1907 and subsequently i'm
posing severe restrictions upon trade while at the
same time the famous Berlin Decree issued by Napo-
leon November 81, 1906, was in operation, declaring
The British Islands state of blockade and prohl-
biting the whole world from any communication with
them Last of all was our own embargo, laid on the
Odd of December, 1907 upon all the vessels in the
ports of the United States. That Act continued in
force until the LIST of March, 1909. During this pc
Rod, will be from the table, our trade with the
West Indies reduced in about the same proper
ton commerce generally, say IS per cent Nor
has it, at any subsequent period, reached the magnl
tude which it attained prior TO 1903. In 1913 and
l6l4it was totally suspended by the war.
In the Commercial Convention between the two
countries July g. 1916 the United States agreed to
the equalization of tonnage duties in their intercourse
with the British European nations, while that with
the British West Indies and North American Colo
MES left entirely in the hands OF the British gov
eminent. Accordingly, by that government, the
s
participating III the West India trade,-which, not
withstanding regained by means Of British vessels
portion of its former Importance. The enect was
disastrous to shipping interests, while II greatly
benefited those of Great Britain memorial pre-
scented to Congress in 1877 from ship owners In New
York thus states the operation of the system GAS we
are now situated, foreign ships may load cargoes In
Europe, and proceed with them to the United States,
the terms our vessels; alter Whlcn they
may take on board articles of American produce,
than II, nd
colonial goods, and return with them, either to the
United States or Europe thus enabling them, by coup
ling the two voyages, to carry three cargoes, at rate
much too Loc to defray the ordinary expenses OF our
vessels, while confined to participation OF the SINGLE
voyage We are therefore, not only deprived Of the
half Of foreign commerce. but the other half is rem
dered Of little value."
A reference to the table will show the amount OF
American and British tonnage respectively which en-
tered the ports of the United States from the British
West Indies in 1916; the former being to the latter
about as to three. To counterfeit this state OF
things, Congress in 1917 laid duty of two cents q
ton upon all British vessels arriving In United
States from the West Indes and in April, 1873 pass
ed an Act closing the ports OF the United States
against British vessels coming from any British colony
or territory which was closed against American yes
sells. Thus trade with the British West In
dies again suspended, nearly SO. 1t being subse
auently found that West India produce was brought
into the United States by way of Nova Scotia &c:
Congress IN May, lS2O passed an Act pronlniuhg al
intercourse from the United States, in British yes
sels with any colony and also the importation Of al
colonial productions except such as were wholly pro-
duced in the colony from which they were directly
imported. This created distress in the West India
Colonies, to remedy which, Parliament in June lo2s
opened certain specified ports in the West Indies ane
North American Colonies, for the importation OF GER
tain enumerated articles, either British vessels OF
in vessels of the producing nation, provided only thai
the voyage should be direct and also for the exporta
ton of the produce of said Colonies direct to the
country to which the vessel might belong. The priv
eges of the Act confined to the vessels of such
countries should grant like privileges to British
sells in their ports On the receipt of this Act the