728947-1847-10-Jul-1847 — Page 3

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that any goods imported from the continent of En rope in foreign ships should be chargrabin with ad ditional rates of duties. With regard, therefore, to Three quarters of the globe, Bruich abipping had an absolute monopoly; and with regard to the remain ing quarter, it was protected by high discriminating duties. So far, however, as our intercourse with Asia, Africa, and America, was concerned, the con- templated restrictions were in a great measure a dead letter down to the beginning of the preset cen tury, insma-h-as-nearly the whole of our trades, ti that time, was confined to British possessions. For example-as long as the United States remained a dependency on this country, nearly the whole of the North American continent stood to us in the rela. tion of colonies, to which the restrictions referred to did not apply. Then, with respect to South America, the greatest portion of it formed depen dencies of Spain and Portugal, which dependencies | possessed no shipping of their own, and the trade of which was regulated by the parent statea in Europe. Again, with respect to our trade with Asia and Africa, the whole of it was carried on either with our own dependencies, or with countries who, hav ing no shipping of their own, never felt the privi- leges enacted in favour of British shipsany grievance of inconvenience. Our trade to those portions of the globe consisted chiefly of that carried on with our dependencies at the Cape of Good Hope, the East Indies, and to China. The two former, having all the privileges of colonial possessions, were ex- cinded from the restrictions of the Navigation Laws; and the latter, having no shipping with which our laws interfered, experienced no inconvenience from them. As far as regarded all these countries and their trade with us, our Navigation Laws were a dead letter. Vessels built in America or the East Indius had all the the privileges of those built in England. China and other foreign countries with which we traded out of Europe, having no ships of their own with which we interfered, were uncon scious of the nominal disadvantage under which our laws placed them. In short, our trade with those countries would have gone on precisely as it did, ir Tespective of any law which contemplated an inter- ference with the ships of those

THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.

he imported into Great Beltnin direct from America ships, and Briksh manufactures could be imported by American clips, on the same terms as in British in America, direct from Great Britain, in British ships, on the same terms as in American ships. It was thus that circumstances forced the firel change in the Navigation Act.

SHIPPING Lered inwarde and outwards.

181 LATS.

Towards. Oanwards.

Tera.

Tous. ,6-8.535. 1, HE, B

67,780.. 3.8,7:4

1,00%, bus

BRITISH SHI

Gibraltar.

Lape of G., and Coast of St Helena

Fast Ladies

New Hostales British North America British West Indies. Guermey and Jersey

Total Prithh porarsalens Tet

foreign neutral countries 1125

Grand total to all countries ... LICHS The account souws that we era dependent, för the employment of our shippeZ MAN OUT the essent of state three poisy, upon tries, where we enjoy na práctica meet in spen cómpsitti e che sig

while our own (Bassione, in when to Etch bare exclusive priviléges emsy only forty eren per cept of our stops and curaeon wind, songs cara more ruang y how host extorial protection can ba instared upon, on the grounds cores are the main May of our great Keanautori murme de min samaree of the supply of semen

in consequence Such is the vicious circle in which prophecies of the shipowner of 1823 bave been error cons But it un ece boir far the dolelet fulfilled or falsified by events, notwithstanding Se admitted disadvantages under which, and quite ostin Islands recently, they have been relieved of many of them, in spite of themselves The gloomy fears of the But the same principle which applied to our Ame shipowners of that day anticipated that the privi rienn trade, in the absolute exclusion of their pro leges granted duce, except in British ships, applied practically to

to foreign ships, would transfer all the trade of this country in those who, il was estertod, our trade with the Continent It is true that we did not absolutely prohibit European produce in salves. The American trade was to be carried on eeld build and sail their ships cheaper then cur- European ships, but we placed discriminating duties exclusively by American ahisa. And the continen- upon the hips themselves, and upon the goods im-tal trade by Prussian, Nurweigen, and other foreign ported in them, which led in a great measure to the ships; and, in fact, our shipping, in fature, was to same inconvenience. they were either obliged to come to this country in

Continental ships found that he confined only to our own colonies. What has ballast, or, if not, at a great disadvantage of duties,

been the result? For seven years prior to 1923 in-order to carry back cargoes from this country.

the shipping trade of this country was nearly str These countries, seeing the process hy which Ame. shipping which was entered towards and outwarda tionary. The following is a comparison of the rica had compelled Great Britain into the recogni tion of a just and reciprocal system in 1815, and

in 1915 and in 1823, the last year prior to the feeling the growing inconvenience of the existing

passing of the Reciprocity Ads- system, began a few years afterwards to adopt similar retaliatory course, after having made raio attempts to have similar privilegea recognised with- our doing so. fish ships similar restrictions in our trade with that In 1923, Prussia imposed upon Bri

tering our ports. It then became obvious to every country, that we imposed upon Prussian skips en- reflecting man, that we could no longer maintain the Navigation Act. To have negotinted with Prussia, as we bad done with America, would bare left us with only the same task to perform towards every other country separately. Mr Hushion then clearly saw that the case was only to be met safely and wisely by a general law, applicable alike to all based only on the same principles which dictated countries. The retaliatorycals of Prussia, though our laws, were the object of mach clamour and com- plaint, on the part of the British shipowners of the day, who thus showed how little they approved of a principle adopted by others towards them, which they considered essential for them to adapt towards others. This state of events led the government, in 1823, to propose the Reciprocity acts of the 4th and 5th of George IV, which authorised the King in council to repeal all discriminating duties on the ships of such foreign countries entering our ports. as were willing to place our ships in a similar posi independent country. No longer possessing the

tion as their own, in their ports It was against privileges of colonies, their ships were debarred from

these acts, dictated by such an covinus principle of bringing cargoes of their own produce to this coun:

fairness. and by such an absulute necessity of events, try; and the consequence was, that those American day was so loudly and an incessantly raised. Inpur that the clamour of the British shipowners of the suance of those acts, treaties have been entered into with-

hers of those countries. The first circumstance which really brought the provisions of the Navigation Act, as far as it related to the countries ou

out of Europe, into practical ope. ration was the erection of the United States into an

Prussia,

Hanover, Denmark,

Oldenburg, Mecklenburg, Greece, Bremen,

Hamburg, Luback, Btales of La Plata, Columbia,

Holland, France,

Russia,

Portugal,

Inwards. Outwards.

Tom,

Tons British. 1,312517.. 1,8-1,714 Ferdigs. 473,681 --

C71,385 Total..1,986,504 1,953,014 2,197,956

the increase was only about five pres pent.

Taking all our shipping during those seven grats Let us then see what progress it has made under the freer system since 1923. Lest we should be charged with profiting in this co parisen by the eximedi used in a great messine by the repeal of thei nary demand for shipping darin, the last four guats, very system of protection which the shipwaters themselves strove so much to maintain, we will be content to make the comparison between 1923 and pressed for the shipping interest of late years. The 1844, which was notoriously one of the most de comparison will be thus

SHIPPING Entred inwards and outwerds. 1542. Inwards Tons.

Outwards. Tons. British.. 1,668,316 1,43.504 Foreign. 528,720.. 515,774

Inwards. Outwards.

Tens.

Tens, 3.2291.725 3.27,076 105, 03 1,2:2,176

4,677,446

4,50 26

Total..2,197,0.6 1,989,360

Thus, during the period when the shipping in- terest was to suffer such decay, the extent of British shipping has more than doubled, and the shipping

100 per cent! of all kinds, which entered inwards and carwars in the trade of the country has increased more than

But let us examine how far we were indebted to our colonial trade for this increase, and how far to Sweden & Norway, the foreign trade, ia open competition with the ships Mexico,

of all the world For if it could be shown that the Brazil,

chief increase of British shipping had been to our Austria,

colonies, where we still enjoyed a strict protection, even this increase would not prove the groundiese ness of the fears entertaised by the shipowners, If, on the other hand, it can be shown, that at least the same proportion of the increase of our soipping was to those foreign countries, where we at foreign ships.in open competition, an ! where whad no ex- clusive advintages, then it will be conclusive evi dence, thas the apprehensions of the shipwners were groundless, and that compeition had worked for them the same advantages it has done to the silk manufacturers and to the iron mastra. We have before us Parliamentary returns, showing the proportion of our shipping engaged in the ca. lonial and foreign trade, in 1820 and 1918, from which we gather the following facis.

-

elps which traded direct to Great Britain were nbil zed to come in ballast, m order to carry a cargo hack After long and re

and repeated attempts, on the part of the United states, to induce the English Go vernment to enter into an arrangement, by which so inconvenient and so wasteful a system might be obviated and, despairing of success, they had re Course to a system of retaliation, and enacted against British ships a law corresponding to our law against. their ships. They prohibited the importation of By these treaties it will be observed, however, British goods in any but Amer can ships. Thus, that the privileges given to each country extend the trade of these two large and important countries only to direct importation from each country. This was reduced to this absurd and anomalous predich. however, was the strongest test to which British ment English ships sailed to America in ballast in ships could be exposed, of their power to compete order to bring home. Ameriena produce, and Ame with foreign ships. If American ships could ex. rican ships smiled to England in ballas, in order to tinguish British ships in any trade, it was in brin carry home British manufactares. Just double the ging the produce of America to this country-in quantity of ships necessary to conduct the commerce bringing their own colton, tobacco, and rice from of the two countries were thus rendered needful; their own ports. If Prussian ships could suCZESS and, as the frrighis obtained for the voyage one way fully compete with British ships in any trade, it was must have been suficient to defray the cost of nu- in bringing their own corn and timber from the vigating the chips both ways, the transport of the parts of the Baltic. pradace of each country must have cost just double country had the means to destroy the trade of If the ships of any foreign that it otherwise would have done. American col British ships, it was surely in bringing the produce and tobacco were brought to England at double of their own country from their own ports. Those the cost of freight, which additional cost injured treaties, therefore, as far as they went, exposed the consumer in England, by adding to the price, British ships to as much real competition as if the and injured the producer in America, by limiting the privileges had been extended, without any restric consumption. British manufactures were carried tion, to the produce of any country brought from to America at double the necessary cast, which in any port. All that was left in the shape of restric jured the consumers there by adding to their price, ions was no real protection, but acted only as and also injured the producers here by litating their wasteful and inconvenient annoyances, harassing consumption. And both countries were deeply into the merchant, and inconvenient to the true in jured by a wasteful and useless application of much capital, which otherwise might have been applied Such, then, are the changes which have been to other national and profitable objects to the con made in the Navigation Aci, as first passed, up to struction of canals or roads, the improvement of the this time. Let us shortly inquire what have been soil, or the extension of manufactures, all of which the effects of these changes. The shipowners of of themselves would have led to an extended demand the day confidently predicted the rapid decay and for shipping in a legitimate and useful way Ab- altimate destruction of British shipping. Our navy surd and ridiculous as this position may appear for was to be without men--and our carrying trade Two great countries to be placed in, yet we shall was to fal

fall into the hands of strangers. No doubt | find that the whole tendency and spirit of the Na. our shipowners of that day laboured under many vigation Laws, ereo us now existing, has a tenden- disadvantages; the high duties on hemp, subjected ry to produce the same anomaly, when they love them to dear cordage, the high duties apon foreign any effectat all. These laws, in fact, in their practimber, in protection of the produce of Canada, fical effect, are precisely the sure as if two rival subjected them to a high price for the chief material Jailway compauics, traversing the same country, which they used; and our corn and provision laws with lines running close to and parallel with each subjected them to an expensive and costly mode of other, had the power, and exercised it, of combining victualling their ships. These were great disad each other to conveying passengers and goods in yantages; but, strange to say, the shipowners, as a the direction, the carriages returning empty as if body, were always found foremost in the support Iwo railways were established between London and Edinburgh

of these restrictions and abuses; and when Hackis- The one belonging to the former city, son proposed to releive them by means of a draw and the other to the latter as if London were to pre- back upon materials used in building and victual- rent the arrival of passengers and goods in any other bat the London carriages, and at Edinburgh were to prevent the arrival of passengers and

oods in carriage De Lon

any other than the E

den carriages going to

10 bring back goods apd

burgh carringes poin

10

reiern full wired in place of one Carriages would le no

require to be

tro The

the

order

and the bin

in order

bare

terests of the country.

their abips, they actually refused the boce. So beneful was the system of prolec interest that fancied itself benefitted thereby posel Connges even in its own levOUT lancied privileges should be attacked

MANIFESTS

In 1820 the 1,549,503 tons of British shipping which left our ports, were thus distributed :--

BRITISH SHIPPING Chétred outwards to British Passemians,

Tons

Mea.

Gibraltar.. Malta*** Ionian Islands.

14,375

300

7,50%

Cape of G. H. and coast of Africa St. Helena Mauritius

21, 39

1,35

#53 51.133

436 1,210 9.1

34160

出

4,16 11.200

East Todia

New South Wales

British North Amaries British West Indies.

Guernsey and Jeisty..

Total to British possessions.... 149,500 Totul to foreign deutral countries 59 1.636

$2,8:0

95.840

Grand total to all pinces...... 1,610,308 We thus see, that even in those times mea were so little aware of the actual facts connected with bar shipping, that, while protesting to nar pologies was maintained by many, chiedy on the ground that they were the sole dependence of our shipping in terest, and the only nursery of our wameo

of use o

New, let us see how the forte te, daling this persed of Buitisk shipping employed to me multar les compares with that repayed in the fire ga mostra markets of the world. The credrag wil be an follows:

BRITE SNIPPEG adına suurde

1849.

To British passeušaa........... 14*** **** To foreign vectral countries 4 IN

Total...

1,549,500 4915020 Thus showing that that trade, which was to be the only fatere support of our stripprog, icresard during the period in question simpuroga par čezit, while that which, according to the prophecies of the shipowners in 1523, was to be murely lost to the country, increased no less Thso one hundred and sixty four per oral ! !

Cas we have tay stronger evidence of the ground- leases of these apprehensions, which arise from a fear on the part of the British sawser to ca. baunter any competition which endly possibly be brought against lim? And it so direng a case is made out to show how groandes range fears were #oring the last twenty-five years, how mech leas ecasor is there for such appretensions-new, that the day on hemp has been entirely repealed; tow that the duty Frogs beber is only about one

ぶ

Aird that it was thut, and new thes on skips are allowed to be victualled with provisions and stores of all kinde from our bonded warehouses, free hom the

payine of duties of any kind. Is another article we will endeavour to show that the protes tion at przzem enjored by British abipping is a mere name and a civitas hasing so other exfret that embarrassing the merchant ned decusing the ship. owner, and that it might be severed without any posible injury to the oas, but with great ap ranta jo-to the other,

It would, deabiless, be too much to expect that. during the present wussion, the Government wit introduce any measure, on the salon of the Nari- gation Laws; but we cannot doubt that the inquiry, when is newgoing on before Mr Ricardo's com

1.ce will lead to a measure early in the first sea- sin of the new parliament calculated to remote the useless, but highly injurious, obstructions to our commerce, which these lewe indic; and we feel the more contient on this subject from the enlightened views, and the firmness of purpose in a wise course, possessed by the noble lord the President of the Board of Trade.

TAE INLAND TRADE, NATIVE COTTON, &

The public market at this place displayed on Monday morning har an novented degree of apie mation, by the arrival town of Mr Heary Harley with a large quantity of rateable produce from the intertor to the E. This trader has bon sasent about two yests, during which parind he penetrated as for usube new seulement of Crisberg, in the pa raffel latuule to Delagos Buy, besides diverging considerably both to the riga and kit of that parul ia the course of his perembulatkans The acount he olide circumstances of the Dutch Engrants

brings

in that country is upon the whole faratade produce brought by him to this market consisted ohledy of Ivory and Ostrich Erstbers - Nou 6,000 The of the former wing sod 21 the sverage price of ds id per 1o. Tay purchasers were 3). How sa und Me÷sors Black de l'hompson, by far The largest portion by the latter. The best of the Ostrich Feathers fealised the haninge price 205 per here were 1.37 5.

being es mal to the existence of our shipptes, early fiftentico per cent of British tonnage, eveu then, was employed in a foreign trade, where we had no protection, hat natered into free compention wath the slippagofing woule ways. Hadrucun fant, qui cha

been well kisu, si duly Goucher the apprehensions of our shipowners,

of free trade might have been entirely rem

Letos bow see abir im Benish slupping ing to 3 $75, 10 tons were distributed, arbica

—ALL MABleen fearg eIDE

of the Reciprocity Acts

all except our colonial trade. The follo

OF VESSELS CLEARED FOR CHINA

BAHAMIAN LITERPOOL, for

SOUTER JOHNNY

Again, double