The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-20
THE BRITISH NAVIGATION ACT.


We publish this morning copy Of this
important act as it finally passed the
House of Lords.
The germ of the English navigation
laws was in the act of 1850, prohibiting
all ships Of foreign nations from trading
with the West India islands without Ii
cense from the Council of State. There
was double purpose in this act. One
was to punish the plantations, which were
disafected to the commonwealth, by stop
ping their gainful trade with the Dutch;
and the other to "clp the wings Of those
over-opulent and aspiring neighbors."
In the following year an act was passed
for the express purpose of wrestling the
carrying trade of Europe from the Dutch,
by whom it was then almost monopolized.
This act is entitled can act for increase
of shipping and encouragement of the ma
vigation of this nation" 1t provided that
no goods should be imported from Asia,
Africa, or America, into England, or any
of its dependencies, except in English
ships, under the penalty of forfeiture of
the goods and ships; nor from any part of
Europe, except in such vessels as belong
ed to the people Of that country of which
the goods were the growth or manufac-
ture, under the like penalty. These pro-
visions were continued by the act of IL
Charles H., c. Is, with the additional re-
quirement that the master and three
fourths of the mariners should also be Brit
ish subjects.
In the reign of George Nv. all former
navigation acts were repealed, and new
system introduced, which was embodied
in several acts, which have in their turn
been superseded by statutes of William
w. and Victoria. The effect of this sys-
tenn has been to secure to British shipping
and British commerce, as distinguished
from those of foreign countries, certain
exclusive privileges in favor of the mother
country and her colonies.
|. These acts provide, as to the import
trade, that certain specified goods, being
the produce of Europe, shall not be i'm
ported into the United Kingdom to be used
therein, except in British ships or ships of
the country Of which the goods are the
produce or manufacture, or from which
the goods are imported. They further
provide that Subject to certain exceptions
no goods Of Asia, Africa, or America, shall
be imported into the United Kingdom to
be used therein, unless they be those of
the country in Asia, Africa, or America,
Of which the goods are the produce or
manufacture, and from which they are i'm
ported; and with exceptions) shall not be
imported from Europe into the United
Kingdom, to be used therein in any ship
ping whatever. That no goods whatever
shall be imported into the United Kingdom
from the channel islands except in British
ships. That no goods whatever shall be
imported into any British possessions in
Asia, Africa, or America, in any foreign
ships except ships of the country of which
the goods are the produce, and from which
they are exported.
ii. As to the export trade; they provide
that no goods shall be exported from the
United Kingdom to any British possession
in Asia, Africa, or America, nor to any
OF the channel islands, except in British
ships.
I'LL They provide further, with regard
to the coasting and intercolonial trade, that
no goods shall be carried coastwise from
one part of the United Kingdom, or one
part of any of the aforesaid islands, or Of
the Aforesaid possessions, to another, or
from one Of the aforesaid possessions to
another, except in British ships.
The permitted intercourse between the
Colonies and foreign States is confined by
these acts to the ships Of foreign countries
having colonies Of their own, which shall
I
grant the like privilege of trading to Brit
lsh ships, or which, not having colonies,
shall place the commerce and navigation
OF the United Kingdom and its foreign pos