Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-23

,h rs is ALREADY known, having already, nj our
REQUEST been reduced 10 its present low fa'e py '"e
Customs Union
mon, nro,r sec tha, tie U S should give 10 the Gus
toms IN an proper equivalents, by reducing the heaVy
du,es =, the nTesenl tariff upon silks, ookng.lliss
plates wines toys, haens and such DINER af'G,Ts a.
| are not Of the growth o: niahuacllte VI ''' o
Stctns H.,
whole conss4 Of h proceedings IN reference 10 liis III
teresno subj CT ard d,ut not w'll be sa,!s'a,t ~
10 Congrss should tina, body chocsa 10 call 'of te
In the msantimr, ly before you the correspondence
between MIR Wheaton and the. Baron Haow, winch
gives The outline Of the proposed arrangement
The reduction on tobacco proposed on the part o. me
German Customs Union brins t. ous vle", IN strong
light III unfortunate state OF the trace WIN
France and AUSTRIA in that great staple OF our county
In Engi,nd we have I, complain OF an enormous duty
of three shllinrs pound about s0O per Cent on US
value =, he place of expectations: at The same 'e II 10
permitted to sell the article freely in that country
In F,ance however although every minister oil the
u. s. from the year l1e0 to the present t'he' na a
nesty pressed the subject upon that Government, no
chance mas been effected. The Government oil france
still continues the monopoly or regle when stops nn
ell the avenues tat trade, whilst the u D ADMIT al
the products of French industry.
| In Austria the plan oil monopoly or rcgie de-
strovs The prospect any productive trade 10 obncco;
and ou minister at that Court holds out no ihauceeh'
to hope for any change for the better.
1t mar be proper to remark, that the proposed treaty
will not effect the provisions OF existing tfeaies WIN
other foreign Powers. The st'puli,ion IS found IN
many of them, that, It the u S should grant more Ia
voralle terms any other nation, those terms should De
considered extending TO the haiions parties 10 'hese
| treaties.
| But this stipulation is always understood az condi-
tonsl: that is tina, the advantages of the ne. treaty
shall be gveen only on the same terms on which they
are given 10 the party of that treaty
f,hey be given without equivalent, they must also oe
given 10 those nations without equivalent; II lhey oe
gwen in consideration Of equivalents, nation can
claim them under he general stipulation above men
toned, without Offering ike equivalent.
The dates imposed on the importation oi particular
commodity may, therefore, with proprety be reopceu
as TO articles the produce aud manufacture o! one cou-
,ry h en- consideration OF such reduction, r.
duce It's duties OH staple productions, without CIV
! ing 10 any other nation, with winch we may nave
such treaty stipulation, right 10 require the same
reductions as TO lis productions or manufactures, I'M
less such nations Will under the same condi
tons The treaty Of 1899 with France is precedent IN
point
Denmark has, by sutierance, continued 10 impose, up
TO this day, most singular tax upon ell goods winch
pass in or out of The sound, koard OF every ship
that enters leaves the Baltic by this highway oil
nature.
Denmark cannot demand Ibis toll upan any principle
OF natural public law, nos upon any cher ground
than ancient usage, which finds no Jurisdiction IN The
existing state OF things. She renders 10 service tor
TINS eyactiuu and has nll lie CLAIM Oh power 10
enforce ii.
A great and general dissatisfaction IS felt by al IA
lions interested the Baltic trade ct this unnecessary
ana hum'l anG esactior. respectfully suggest mai
the time has arrived when the United States may pro
perry take decisive step 20 retrieve OF. Baltic
trade from tbs oppression.
| For more foil Information upon this subject, refer
to the report Of Mr.. Webster, herein before alluded To-
No essential change has taken place since the date o.
that report and vessels 10 lower tciI top
I a.. 4. ,kns., tn
Denmark.
The condition OF navigation and shipping inter
demands, this time particular attention from our
Government The great aud constantly increasing
amount of foreign shipping in ports shows the ne
cessy of prompt legislation for the protection and en-
avgeInent of our commercial marine. There IS reason
appehend that, if the best advised measures be not
promptly taken. American commerce Will soon be en-
crossed by the ships and saamen of Europe There can
be doubt That the OF this great evil is ID be
found in the s'pulaons of our commercial treaties.
which place The shipping of foreign countries on an
equality with that Of the u S. in the indirect rs welies
the direct trade.
This necessarily operates to the advantage Of the ma
tons who can build and navigate their vessels at lie
least cost.
II is well known, that most Of the nations with
which have concluded such treaties, and especially
those of the North Of Europe, have decided advan'
taae u.s. in both these particulars. Nearly al the
materials of shipbu ding, are much costly in the
United States, than in Enrope. The wages pay to
our seamen are nearly douh and the general scale OF
living on siipboard is much better, and, equeny,
much expensive The consequence OF ali this is
that ship owners before they can frd employment
for their vessels; obliged TO wait in their ports
until Swedish Danish and Hanseatc shipping has taken
off much freight as IT can carry and yet we per-
suade Ives treaties with all these powers
have placed commerce upon footing Of perfect re-
ciproci;y.
The treaties At present existing with Denmark, Swe.
don tho H Rcnublic PRUSSIA Austria. and
Russia have already extended beyond their original
limitation, and are subject to be discontinued al one
years notice
The remaining treaties, in which the reciprocity p-n
cias adopted the b-oadest scac may be made the
subject OF consideration, the term of their duration
approaches. The remedy is consequently in our own
hands, and have only t. re,race steps, and make
known the determination of this Government, 10 regu
late its foreign trade in future upon such principles OF
reciprocity, shalt extend beyond the direct i'm
poralion trade in the produce and manufactures of The
contracting parties.
| BY the accompanying table, shoung a comparative
account of the domestic and foreign tonnage employed
in The foreign trade OF the United States for the last
fifteen years il will be SEEN that the average proportion
of American shipping, to foreign shipping, as fol-
lows per cent per cent
1898 10 1882, American, ST. Foreign, 1873
| ls32 10 1897, Coz 33
1888 to lsi2, 691 500
The first period comprises the time when the treaties
allowing indirect trade, contacted with the Hanse
Towns Sweden, and other powers, in 1927 and sue
ceedng years, first began to operate, and. although du
ring the latter years the proportion OF foreign vessels
rapidly increased the average Of the whole but Is
per cent.
/ TIE second period commenced at about the time
when impulse added TO The already increas-
ing foreign navigation by the Colonial arrangement
wth Gsoat Dr.lun in 1881 and 1892. During these
FIVE years, the proportion Of foreign tonnage nearly
doubled, while TIE amoaat thereof increased from two
20 six millions.
During the les, Eve years, period marked by extra
ordinary commercial fluctuations, the acquired proper
ton OF foreign tonnage has been preserved with remark
able uniformity. This latter fact evidence that,
howeve. the commercial interests Of the Uaitrd States
may have been depressed by these revolutions and
fluctuations the navigation interests Of foreign powers
have net been seriously affected in their intercourse
wi,h us.
! The able report of the Committee of Commerce of
the House of Representatives. mo. $50, May, 1872
embraces all The facts and Statistics retng ma
vigation and shipping INTERESTS and refer you to it
with pleasure for full Information. All which is re.
spcctfuiiy Submitted A. p. UPSaUR.
! To The President OF the United Suites.