Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-06
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NAVIGATION WIS &c


The London Times of the 18th, has the following in
reference to the debate in the u S. Senate upon Sir
Henry Bulwer's letter, demonstrating against an in
creased duty on Iron:
The recent notifications of ournavgation laws have
been received as the reader is aware with an equitable
hberalty offs spirit on the part Of the United States and
the advantages accruing to commerce from the re-
formed code were signaly eXemplifed but the other
day in the exemption OF British vessels at San Francis
60 from obligations which pressed with considerable
hardshpupon the shipping OF other nations living in that
port reservation, however, as 1t hardly necessa
to add was made in the liberty of navigation thus de-
clared by our legislation The coasting trade that is to
say, the trade between the sevesa ports of the United
kingdom, still to be confined to British vessels ex
clusively 1t could not of course be expected that
other nations would forego in our favor privilege
which we ourselves preserved with such Jealous care
nor did Sir Henry Buwer dream OF desiring that the
trade along the Atlantic natural seaboard Of the
States should be opened to British shipping.
But the Mexican cessions, the colonization of Ore
gon, and the mineral wealth of California have now
provided America with seaboard on the opposite
coast which Is rapidly rising into commercial impor-
lance and which, while San Francisco continues to in
vte adventures from all parts of the EARTH must neces-
sarly attract to its ports arge proportion of Atlantic
shipping Now it is true that the trade between these
ports and the ports of the Atlantic shore of the States
may be literally described as pertaining to the coastne
trade OF the Union, and may therefore be claimed as the
exclusive property OF American vessels but it is equally
obvious mat the spirit OF the original reservation would
De wholly lost in such application OF its principles
Inc coastng trade reserved to the shipping trade of the
United Kingdom Is trade between contiguous posts de-
mandng only particular class ofvesses crcumscr-
bed investment OF capital, and limited development of
science vi the same generic character would be the
trade between Boston and baltimore between the Hud-
son ana the chesapeake, or between Charleston and
New ork But the nature of the traffic is radically
altered when between ports OF the same political com
munlty are inerposed many thousand miles of the high
seas and when the so called coastng trade involves
Ihng less than the recommendation of half the globe
before vessel can reach the Pacific ports of the United
states rom any port on the opposite Shore the whole
extent OF the North and South Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans must be traversed Cape Horn must be doubled
ana one OF the longest known voyages along coasts
lar beyond the territorial Jurisdiction of the States in
question: must be successfully performed 1t is clear
that THIS can only be considered coasting trade by
OF the original idea
;, The analogous traffic our side would be- rs Sir
Henry Bulwer pointed out not that between Hull and
arInouth, or Bristol and Swansea, but that between
british ports and transmarme possessions OF the EN-
pre- aud as tins commerce had been open foreign
ses he desired with great corresponding indulgence to
ours, and requested that British vessels might be Der
med to trade between the Atlantic and Pacific ports
OF the United States
Now it is undoubtedly possible that the reouests TINS
preferred 10y the British minister may seem less reaso-
nabe TO the Americans than to ourselves; but we can
scarcely imagine that any person would describe them
as oher than legitimate subjects for the notice of Mi
MISTER ntrusted with the of his country interest in
foreign land"
The Times in conclusion congratulates itself upon
the course the debate took and upon what conceives
LIS
and Others 1t adds:
"lmay certainly be considered in this country that
our Minister had formed accurate conception of his
autes IN bringing these subjects under notice of the
American Government, would it be easy 10 with
stand the proposals oil financial economists for the abol-
Ton oil such International missions Questions like these
are presumed to be excluded from the attention of our
dplomatists."
The Bulwer and Clayton correspondence which led
TO the debate alluded by the Times has also created
good deal of feeling in England among the Iron mon
gers who met on the 10th Of April in their Quarterly
meeting. These men represent the Iron trade in Eng
land, as by no means in fourshing condition From
the Quarterly statement We quote the following, which
shows the shifts resored to by of the Iron masters
in regard to the workmen
Amongst other matters arising partly from the cup-
duty or avarce OF masters and partly from the unhealthy
state OF the iron trade, and which now distracs the
districts OF South Stahordshire is the war wagng
against the truck or tommy shop system, the payment
OF workmen IN checks or goods instead of money for
their labor. An association has been formed for its
suppression, and every week. firms hitherto considered
respectable under the stringent act of Lord Atherton
have been convicted of the offence with which they stood
charged. In the Walsall district alone not fewer than
~ convictions have AIKEN place, and in other parts of
the mining and coal fields of Saordshire prosecutions
nave been Instituted and sustained with the same efi-
cency These prosecutions which have led to the ter
mnatlon OF the systemin several establishments have
lor hme produced an injurious effect upon the working
populatlon Masters were content to carry on when
they could obtain profit by provisions some of them
now decline to employ when the profit can only be OBJ
talned-t obtained at a--from the making of iron"