Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-11-10

the recent change in the former which is to take eff
feet on the list January next.-.N 0. Price Cur.
THE BRITISH NAVIGATION LAWS.
We have recently seen copy of the instructions
from Mr. Clayton to Consuls abroad, on the sub
iect Of the late repeal of the British Navigation
laws, and the effect which that repeal acI have and
what 1T 10W not have, as regards American shipping.
And here we will first observe, that all the credit
which not only British writers, but also consdcra-
BILE portion of the American press, disposed to be-
stow on Great Britain for what they call this offer
on her part of reciprocity in free trade is wise
due to her, but, on the contrary, it is the United
States that have made the offer, not only to Great
Britain, but to the whole world, which they did by
the act Of Congress Of 1877. That offer has ever
since been at the command of Great Britain, and
now, after deliberation of hrtytlcO years, she has
finally concluded to accept it. Our act is full and
clear on the subject that no further action on the
part OF Congress is necessary, and the British Gov.
eminent were promptly advised that the mere pas
sage of the late act of Parliament was all that is
required in order to carry the arrangement into effect,
SO far as the United States are concerned and to
place British vessels full footing of equality
with our own, in all the foreign trade of the coun-
try after the Isl of January next the period design
ated by the British law. 1t is therefore the United
States that have first made the offer to Great Bri-
tain, and not Great Britain to the United States
We mention the fact in Justice to own country,
and that may g render unto Cesar the things
which are C;csar's."
BY the act of 1917, the reciprocity granted to Bri-
fish vessels is regulated and is to the same extent
as that granted to American tonnage by the acto Of
Parliament, and Mr.. Clayton, in his Instructions de-
fines tine latter to be, free participation i'll all the
trade OF the United Kingdom, except the home md
colonial coaStiRg traLe. The inter trnte of the col
onies Is, however, open to the American flag Our
vessels can trade from port in colony to port
in another colony but not from one port to another
in the same colony. They can also trade from
point iii any colony to the mother country, and UCe
UerSa.
An American vessel can load a cargo of teas in
China and proceed to Singapore. At the latter place
she can take In another cargo and carry it to Cal
cutta, and from thence third cargo, and carry it to
London, but she cannot load cargo at Calcutta and
land ii at Madras Bombay, for all the possessions
under the Governor General of India. are considered
in the light of one colony. An American vessel,
however, can trade between Canada and New Bruins
wick, or Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, as they
are distinct colonies, and under distinct colonial gov
ernments. Our vessels in like manner can carry
cargoes Tor consumption from Russia France to
England, or between England and any of her West
India colonies, or from OF the latter to another
There is only one part of the act of Parliament
about which there is at present any doubt, but on
MhfR we 81 at t5s thiC IorGgn may trade
with g port in each c0tolty," and the question
has been mooted whether this port is to be any one
at the option of the foreign parties on each voyage,
or whether the British Government is to designate
one port in each colony, as the only one to which
foreign vessels to be admitted on footing OF
equality. The question is one, which as we have
already said, does not think, admit OF doubt,
and that the q one port" evidently means any one
the foreign vessels may think proper to sci 'ct on each
voyage; bat, having thus made her secction she can
not go to a second port, or in other words, cannot
perform coastng voyage in the same colony. Any
other construction of the Law would, at the discre
ton of the British Government, render the whole
privilege illusory. If it can designate any port as
the only one to which foreigners can trade, it could
select obscure p)rt at the extremity OF the In
dian Pcninsular, and thus exclude foreign vessels
from the great trading ports of Calcutta, Madras
and Bombay, being the only ones where the Ameri-
cans have trade of any amount it could select
obscure port at the extremity Of Jamaica, and
exclude us from Kingston and Port Royal. Such an
Interpretation would not only be to keep the word
of promise to the ear and break it to the hope" Du
would, we think, involve an absolute ahsurdity.-
Still the acting British Minister at Washington, Mr..
Champion, when applied to on this point, with true
diplomatic caution replied, that he had no nstruc-
tions the subject and unable to give the need
full explanation. Mr. Lawrence, however, has been
instructed to ask explicit regards it,
the administration is determined nothing shall be
left in doubt as to rights and privileges but that
everything shall be fully and fairly understood be-
fore the arrangement goes into actual operation
Such Interpretation would also, i'll many cases,
act even against British interests. An American
vessel for example on voyage to Calcutta, gener-
ally stops at Madras her way up, to order certain
kinds of goods that can only be procured at that
port, and which are manufactured during her deten-
ton at Calcutta, and she calls for them her way
home This export trade in India is not only very
raltable but absolutely necessary to British inter
ests; and it would therefore not only be very nuri
Gus to themselves to designate specially one port
only at which American vessels can trade but 1t vii!
be found necessary and advantageous even to modify
the provision of only one port on the same voyage,
at least far deportation Is concerned, even II
they rigidly adhere to the rule for iaaportations.
If, however, contrary to all reasonable cxpecta-
tions, the British Government should insist on de-
signaling a particular port in each colony as the
only one at which vessels trade, there can
be doubt to the proprcty OF our Rejecting the
whole arrangement, and little, that such will be
the determination of the Administration. We, how
ever, anticipate such result as the British Gov
eminent fully understand commercial affairs, and are
always disposed to take enlarged and liberal views
on the subject, in entering into, or interpreting ar
rangements of this kind
As we have no colonies, (and God grant we may
forever be without them) the arrangement, far as
British vessels concerned, is very plain and SIM
pie They at once come into full and equal parti-
cpation on terms of equality, with American vessels,
in all the immense of this country, Grcept
only olu' coaStiag trade They can bring hemp and
iron from Russia--wines and hrandes from France
fruit and oil from Spain-piece and silk goods, in
digo and sugar from Bengal, and teas from China,
paying only the same duties, pilotage, tonnage and
light dues as American vessels pay. They are also
| accorded further privilege, which we have acayS
conceded to all foreign vessels of landing any por-
ton of their ra'd cargo at port, and then pro-
ceedng to land the remainder at any other port or
ports denying them only the right to take in any
fresh cargo to be conveyed between the different
ports which they thus might visit. We presume on
proper representation this privilege would be acced-
ed by the British Government to vessels not
only in the mother country, but also between ports
in the same colony.
The vessels of the two countries will also have a
free trade between their respective ports on the
can vessels loading wheat ana flour at Chicago Mil
waulie, Detroit and Buffalo, and proceeding by the
Nnllnnl Gan,l nd th.. 81 To I.iyernnnl.