The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-06-06
Tne Navigation Laws.

pec of being carried, the ministry having made 1t
official and the sub very naturally exciting
much attention this side Of the Atlantic, we have
come the conclusion that brief synopsis of the his
tory of the origin and character of that celebrated system
of maritime policy will not be unnterestng this time
to our readers.
! The "NdUigation Aci," which has been the basis OF
the policy OF the British government in its commer cia
lercourse with other nations during the last
turtles, and which has been famous in history, was
passed by the republican Parliament during the admins
traton of Cromwell But the passage of that celebrated
not the first origin of the system of policy which
| it mboded On the contrary, the first germs OF the
navigation laws may be traced as far back the
reign of Richard III, and to a still re-
mote period During the reign Of Henry VII they
assumed definite form, in which two of the
leading prncp pies upon which that system of policy
founded distinctly recognised, namely, the prohi.
bon Of the importation of certain commodities unless
ported in ships belonging to British owners, and manned
by British In the early part of the reign of
Elizabeth, foreign ships excluded from any share
in the British fishery and coastng trade and 1850,
these restrictions extended by the republican Para
the trade with the plantations in America with
out license previously obtained These acts, Nc
Culloch an eminent British writer on commerce and
Statistics remarks, were, however, rather intended to
regulate the trade between different parts and dependen
cies of the British empire than TO regulate intercourse
with foreigners. But in the following year, 1861, the
republican Parliament passed the celebrated navigation
act which has been the foundation of the policy of the
British government from that time 10 the present That
act provided that goods of the growth production,
manufacture OF any country in Europe should be i'm
ported into Great Britain, except in British ships
such SHIPS the real property Of the people Of the
country place IN ptich the goods produced, or
from ohi they could only be, most usually uee,
ported"
In the reign of Charles H. the clause against importing
foreign commodities, except in British ships, ships
belonging to the country place where the goods were
produced, modified TO apply only to the goods
of Russia and Turkey apd to certain articles well known
in commerce enumerated articles Other slight modi
fcatons subsequently made which it is not
sary mention. Thus the general principle adopted in
these celebrated laws was, that articles produced in
foreign country should be imported into Great Britain,
except British ships, ships owned by the people of
the country in which the commodities produced or
from which they could only be, most usually were,
exported or in British ships manned by English
To make this principle clearly comprehensive,
it only necessary to say that, under the provisions of
the navigation act, American ship manned by Amer
lean seamen could not take cargo OF the products of
our own country and go another country Ito France
Tor nsance) exchange for cargo OF wines, (ihe pro-
duct of France and then carry those wines into port
of Great Britain for sale exchange for British
modies II would be bound TO go direct to England
with its cargo of American products bring its cargo Of
wines back to its own country, or carry them to some
country in which there ere such laws the navi-
CATION laws of England. The products of America
could be carried to England only by American British
ships and the products Of France could be carried there
only by English or French ships, manned by the sea-
men of their respective nations.
The object of this maritime policy the part of Grea,
Britain only to favor its commerce, but TO
of England in the trade of the world, and, far back
the origin of this system OF restriction, at The head
of the maritime and commercial nations. McCnoch, to
whom we are indebtedior of facts remarks
corning the navigation act that at was intended not only
to promote our navigation, but also to strike de-
cisve blow at the naval power of the Dutch, who then
engrossed almost the whole carrying trade of the world,
and against whom various circumstances had conspred to
incense the English In the revolutions which have TAX
place in the condition of nations and empires, the English
merce while the Dutch dwndled away second or third
! rate power- that nation aspire to so high
rank in commercial Importance But whether this change in
the relative positions of the two nations the result OF
the policy adopted by Great Britain by those
in active operation, which bring about the rise and de-
cline of nations lot certain. Many of the most
eminent statesmen Md economists of Eng land differ
with regard to the effect produced by the operation of the
navigation laws. Adam S NTH, while he admitted their
unfavorabe effect upon the foreign commerce OF Eng
land gave them his appreciation measure of defence
and in that point of view, that eminent man regarded
them ",he wisest of all the commercial regulations
of England"
But other writers do not agree in the opinion expressed
by Dr. Smith McCuloch doubts whether the maritime
policy of England had the effect ascrbed to it, of weakening
the naval power of the Dutch He says they were very
powerful for long period after the passing OF the
navigation act and sit natural to conclude, he
adds hat the decline of their commercial prePonderance
was owing to the gradual increase OF commerce and
navigation in other countries, and to the disasters
stoned by the runous the republic had to sustain
with Cromwell Charles II, and Louis XIV, than to the
excuson of their merchant vessels from the ports of
| Cnoond md this seems to be a much more philo