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of obtaining foreign products. Were the Naviga. tion Laws repealed, a direct trade would spring up with France and Spain, especially the former. Return French ships would take cargoes of cocoa. The trade with Venezuela might be expected to receive a large increase.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

A memorial was received last year from parties Parliamentary Paper, No. 119. interested in South Australian mines, representing

the difficulty which they found in obtaining British vessels for the conveyance of the ores, and praying that all foreign vessels taking out mining emigrants to South Australia, might be placed on the footing of British vessels in respect of any mineral produce they might import direct from Adelaide to any port in Great Britain.

page 19.

CEYLON.

At two public meetings held in August and Sep- tember of last year at Colombo and Kandy, a peti- tion to the Lords of the Treasury was agreed upon, in which occurs the following clause :--

"That the staple food of the labourers of the coffee, sugar, and cinnamon plantations is rice, imported chiefly from the territories of the East India Com- pany. This trade is restricted to vessels holding a British or a British India register. In the opinion of

your petitioners, the supply would be more abun- dant, and the price cheaper to the consumers, if the trade were thrown open to the vessels of all nations."

Ibid. pages 22. 23.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference

PLLC.O.

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO