It must be satisfactory t...
The Times, 1824-08-18T00:00:00

It must be satisfactory to all enlightene(d men to ob- serve how steadily (at least in Europe) those ancient practices, which disfigured the policy of most commercial states, are giving way to a systeln of interinational regula- tionis, at once more liberal gnd more profitable. Our Ministers, we conclude from circumstances which have actually takep place, did not mean to impose upon the public by an empty declamation, when they abjured in their speeches all voluntary adherence to the narrow princi-. ples of our prohibitorylaws, and declared their dissent from the mischievous and selfish error, that any one great mari- time nation can promote its own solid and lasting interest, by institutions which go to obstruct the industry and to impair the resources of its neighbours. In conformity with their avowed sentiments, the Cabitlet have laboured, and not in vain, to communicate to other Governments the lessons of E,glish experieace. Several of the friendly Powers of Earope have shown their willingness to act towards this country on maxims of reciprocal confidence and good fellowship. Prussia and the Northern States of the second order have signed, or are negotiating treaties, for the mnutual admissioli of each other's vessels on the same footing as native merchantmep; and we find that the Court of the Netherlands has even outstripped the progress of the more formal negotiations, by assenting to a prov i- sional agreement, which, dating from the 14sth instant, equalizes the duties on goods respectively imported into eitller country, whethar in Dutch or in English vessels. This agreement, of course, cannot be regarded as definitive, until the gcneral e" treaty of commerce"-which we are happy to see is now pending between the two Governments, and calculated for the welfare of " mutual interests"-shall have been finally concluded. There is another quali- fying clause in the agreement, which, however, we hope to find much narrowed in its operation by the effect of the " commeroial treaty" itself. This clause excepts from the equalizing tendency of the agree- ment " those goods of which the importation under " the Netherlands flag is specially favoured by the getieral " law, or by the tariff of duties inwards and outwards." We do not mean to disguise from our readers the fact, that e " aencral 1Tw" or " tariff" may be so constructed as com. pletely to annul the bencfits held out to this country by tho complaisant language of the agreement. Should the Netherlands extend, for instance, to Europe, the tariff re- cently published for the hindrance of all friendly coIn- merce in the Asiatic Seas, the signature of a treaty, suigect to such arrangements, would be a gross imposture. Should the Dutch Governmetnt, indeed, without reference to Eu- rope, continue to enforce the Indian tariff, so justly com- plained of by the merchants of Great Britain, we shall not place any large reliance on Dutch professions of liberality either here or in the East. At all eveNts, on terms of reciprocity, if our Ministers take care that it is not an Irish reciprocity, we have little fear that either Britislh merchants or British shipo.owners will fare the worse for any rivalship whicll they may encounter, when the energies of the two countries are fairly and otl equal terms called ilto action. Holland will never again be the sole carrier, nor Flanders the most successful mnanufacturer among nations. We can see nothing in a repeal of prohibitory or partial laws, but a stimulus to the enterprise of our shipping and manufacturing interests; and we trust that no clamour from litnited bodies of our countrymen, alarmed for their personal concerns, will prevail upon Ministers to deviate an inch from the broad, and safe, and direct high-road upon which they are now advancing.