The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-05-31
The New Hritish N.viaatiou Act.

The New York Evening Post publishes the ma
teral parts of the bill, which, at the latest ac-
counts, was pending in the British House OF Lords,
for amending the Navigation Laws. The SUBJ
stance of the Act is contained in the general re-
pealing clause of all the existing statutes which
impose any restrictions whatever upon the carrying
trade in favor of British ships or seamen.
The remainder of the Act consists of the enume-
ration of certain restrictions and limitations which
are retained reimposed, and the conditions upon
which relaxations may be allowed in favor OF other
countries.
The coasting trade between the United King
dom and the other British Isles, and among the ports
of these islands, is forbidden to all but British
ships. The coasting trade among the ports of
any of the dependencies of Great Britain, in Asia,
Africa, or America, is prohibited in the like man.
ner. This leaves open to American shipping not
only the direct trade with the United Kingdom
and her dependencies in Europe, and the direct
trade with the colonies in all parts of the world,
but direct trade between Great Britain and the
East and West Indies, and all her colonial possess
sions beyond the British Isles. There are provi-
sions which look to the relaxation of the restriction
upon the trade from British colony TO another.
The Crown is authorized to open the ports of any
colony possession with any other port of the
British dominions to the trade of other than British
ships, on the application of the local legislative
authority; or the trade between any two posses
sions may be put on the same footing on the joint
application of their Legislatures. So also with re-
gard to the coastng trade among the British ports
of the East Indies. The Governor General is
authorized, at his pleasure, to admit other than
British ships to convey goods and passengers-tbe
regulations being subject to revision in England
like all other regulations made by the Governor.
These are vast Improvements on the old British
theory OF projections grand step in advance to-
wards that state of free international commerce
which Is lie surest guarantee of the peace, and next
to the influence of Christianity, the best civiizer of
the world. The English Government, in tender
ing this example to other nations, merits the high
est praise for its enlightened spirit, and the courage
with which, in pursuit of the true interests of its
people, ii encounters and dees the formidable COM
bination of selfish class-interests which assaif the
measure, and are preparing for a grand effort to
overthrow its authors.
Some of the benefits of the bill, in its full extent,
depend upon the legislation of other countries
One of the sections (he l0th) provides, that the
Queen, in Council, may counteract any discrimina-
ton made against British shipping by foreign ma
tons, by limiting the privileges enjoyed under this
Act, so as TO place the shipping of the two coun-
tries upon equal terms The British offer is that of
a widely, enlarged, and liberal commerce, which
all other nations may enjoy precisely the extent
in which they are willing to reciprocate in their
own commercial legislation.
1t will, of course, become leading question at
the next session of Congress, how far free and re-
mn Ann 10 H.
liberal policy in which England has the great
honor of taking the lead. We need not say how |
ferveniy we hope, for the honor of free institutions
and the interests of humanity, that we shall be |
found unwilling to be outdone in so noble compe-
ion for the enlargement of profitable intercourse
and the spread of goodwill among nations.