Dutch Policy.
The Times, 1824-08-24T00:00:00

TO T11E EDrTOR OF rT-IE TIMES. Sir,-In common with .miauyiof`your reae#rp, JI"have seen witil surprisete he pbilica'tiou iif yestdrday's ,i T;fAi, under the head of -' Trade wit the Netherlands,!' "purportifig to be a.decree for the admission of BritiAh goods by British v6siels upon the same duties ts those of the.Netherlands. In yoaf eoraments upon the decree in question, you express consiclemble-doubt ef its beneficial effects upen our tvade, in cotisequence of the eaving exceptioxs contained in the 2i1 artioe, which extends to " all goods of, which the importation uinder the NetheWitids fiag is speciaily fnvoored by the general law, or bvytbe tarifTof cduties, inwards or outwnrds." This, in fact, ren- ders the decree a pt rfcit nullity in its effect; for the articles thus specially excepted are precisel' those wlich would malte the appa- rent concession- in article I of' aty use or advantage to British com- merce. They saw *'hat the news of the Indian tariff wouldl make an imupression atid .-cite suspicion, wilch thev bave endeavoured to set at rest bv this last decree. With regard to the Indian tarifl thiere can be no question that it has originated st thie Hague. anid itt a hpi- rit of jealousylto British trade. The DStehI atnn at the entire ex- lusion of our manufacture.- from those regions where they have insen.tbly s nd rapidly been making tlieir way-a trade, in fict, which was created by tlie British, and fromn whicil they (thie Dutcl) are now endeavouring to drive themn by imposing heavy duties, to make wav for the substitution of their own tabrics. It is not tininstriuctive toi mark tteir cautious but gradual approaches to this end. In the yar 18111, when tihe duties on ir.poris antI exports were regttl:led ini Javai by the Commissioners of his Netherlands. Majesty! who took over the colony tromil thic British, goo:ls of every descrip- tion imiiportet by Dutch Ships were subjectcd to an import Silu y *f li per cent. utponi an invoice to whiji 1( per cent. hal becn added, inakinv about 8 pet ccat. actual (tdoy j!l the prime cost. Foreign ships (iluiding llritich) to pay double-i. e., about lt per cent. ouil the value of th carticles imported. Althoug eh mtanv Bitisil slibiects (and particularly those residnclt ia tire island) conlceived thilat ouir nego:iators, when agreeing to resiore thhi fine colonv to the Dutch, mnight }mve stipulated for somie distinctiol it the scale of dtitties betweeen British andt othier foreigicrs, who ha(i no such claim (if they coulll hot expect to be admilitned ol tile same footing as the Dutch theninelvcs), vet, with refercnice to the scale cxisting in our ueuw Indiian c.oloies, we colil not nrtrhaps have cousistently mtlrmuredl ; andl uiidler a disadvanta:e ot 13 per ceuitj BriAtish trade hatld nothing to 1ear fioni DIttcl contipItition. TI;; I wat soon discovered by the litter,anl a fuirther protection alffhrdel tt, their own mianuo:ictures by a decree which cxcmiipte thrm fromt 'ill im.tir/ duOire, upon the production of c riificate, of their Nether- lands origint. ]ven thlei, witlit taiflerence of 1; per cent. aainist; wi. t1ritisli spirit, anl the superiority of our mnachiierv, *niabledI us- to keep ouir gr-mrnd, and successfuliv compete witlh th':it Not. restniir at tl:is pn,int, the (lovernmenit oi the Netherlands has nlalld :t::oihcr Z,pproach at exclusion ard nionopoly in thc latetariff; * here thei dutir, arrc advanced to 25 lper ccot. upon every ar;icle of cotitoi ntd wOol len toatiufacture. 'lucy maU?y iust aHwell d.crI,c a prohibli. tioD ,t our iuatililhacturcs altogtthcr, atl: it nmay fairIY be precurmed, by the gradlual advances they are inakuig toward.s it, that this will l,e their ri-xt stip. Fro.m the naiurec of the trcat v sitne timie cince concl led be ween oLIir (ioveintisent and that of thc Netherlaails, together with the Iriendlyv tone of tlie notes whit h passed betwe.n the ncgotia.ors ' ;ion tinat occ:LAorit, every otie stipliosed thti, the Indiian tarili wnouli irtucl iiately have becn disavouwed bv onle ot these negotiators vhi a4t51resent represents tihe House of Orange at ottr Court, and t.at it wvoldi be ifilo wed by an assurance that this tirilF woo wId it attirally ceasL to operate alen iec tSriaty its(lf slioull r each Java : biit it is .;id tli:tt tile answer of his Lxce lency to tlie patties cotnplaittinir has b:en of a very dliffcr:nt lescrititio't. i, Truc, (ic metn,ltt the late treaty adnltiit,Braisil slips titid sciljewls. and providles that thev sItti 1- ,t in alny catse be charge;e itiore i tan I doitle ttie ti ties wh;iti Ncuiieriii,i,le,s pay, but it says notvihiig of goIes !" Is this tt ibbic vw*orthy ot a statesmnan Now triarlI the contrant. While tAic Bri- tishi Gtovernnient, acting 1p )m good filith, an4 the i pirit of the treat,N have alloweil Nvtlierl:inls cottos itud wvool ers to Ihe :tdtitted il otirn I "`ia.. orts, upon paymnit ofli per ciit. d utics, (just doublethiit whi hj British stibjects paty) )ours atre suloecte,: at Galtavia to 25 per ict. Tuc principle anti spirit o*f the ate treat.y weas tinlotibt- rdlly a recipricitv int comnlercial (luteis; but only one part' seents to hv c beetn sincere iii this cietstrtuti, ; intl d teir la!e dccree i, qitiic of Z piece with their treaty. I trust, lioitever. th:t ouir Go- ve:rument it too wise to be antilsei3 anti decrivedl liv iirolcsiot Oi friendatship, ol wliicit ule ilte Netherlandi IeSrccr iS a Sam tile, aitd :hat they will watch cardfully our British intereste in any future treatV or trentieS o ornmmere-. A FRIEND TO 1,11ERAL PRINCIPLIES. ,Ond!onl, I'th August, 1824. DUTCfl POLICY.