ships have been employed in a circuitous conveyance of it through the continent; or that any quantity has been imported otherwise than in British ships, and directly from the place of its growth, except in a single instance, under very peculiar circum

stances.

The trade with the United States of America, it is said, is carried on principally in American shipping; but if, as is alleged, the American vessel has no advantage over the British one in point of cheapness, the competition in any other than the American trade cannot fail to be in favour of the British ship coming to the United Kingdom, in which the voyage is performed directly; while by that in the American ship the cargo can only reach its destination circuitously, subject to the additional inconvenience, delay, and expense of trans-shipment in a foreign port.

The danger, therefore, of a circuitous conveyance being generally substituted for the direct one, or the foreign for British shipping, in the trade with distant parts of the world, does not excite in your Committee any apprehension; and this observation, as well as the grounds on which it rests, in the opinion of your Committee, apply equally to foreign ships of the cheaper description, whether of the countries in the south or north of Europe, the Greeks and Genoese, not less than those of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

It has been represented to your Committee, that the effect of the suggested alteration might be, partially to reverse the course of the trade as now conducted between India and Europe. A great proportion of this trade is at present confined to British ships. The cargoes consist in an assortment of light and heavy articles, of which the heavy form the largest though least valuable part; the former

are chiefly consumed on the continent, the latter within the united kingdom. Owing to a market for the lighter and more valuable part of the cargo not being afforded except in Great Britain, the prohibition on the importation of the produce of Asia from any European port, and the necessity of an assortment of the cargo, such as described, the Continental supply of the more bulky articles has been hitherto, in a considerable degree, received through the United Kingdom. These articles, which are most affected by the rate of freight, may, it is feared, be conveyed directly to the continent by means of foreign navigation, if a market were opened to the lighter articles with which the cargo must be completed, by admitting their ulterior importation into this country.

That this may happen occasionally, your Committee think far from improbable; but it is the permanent and habitual course of trade, and not the occasional or accidental deviations from it, that is the object to which the at tention of the legislature should be directed. So far from feeling these occasional exceptions to be a matter of jealousy, your Committee are dis posed to consider the denial of facili ties of this kind to foreigners, as a policy of useless severity, which has already produced effects highly unfa vourable to the general commercial interests of the country.

The probability of the circuitous course of trade becoming habitual, must arise from the comparative advantages it promises to those who may engage in it. These must be sufficient to compensate for the inconvenience, and additional expense of the circui tous conveyance of the most valuable

part

of the cargo, and also its liabili ty, in the markets of the united king. dom, to certain competition with a supply brought directly in our own

ships; this is a considerable risk. It may be at the same time matter of some doubt, whether the conveyance of the bulky articles to the continent in a foreign ship would be upon the whole much more economical than in a British one; and if to this, the inevitable risk described, bearing upon the most valuable part of the cargo, is added, there seems little reason to fear that such conveyance would be habitually preferred, even if no peculiar advantages existed in favour of British shipping in carrying on the commercial intercourse with India.

In all the ports of the British possessions in India, (which include most of the principal ports of export,) it must be remembered that a difference in the duties imposed on the exportation of goods, to the amount of five per cent, exists in favour of the British ship. The ships from the continent are understood to be in general chiefly dependent on their return cargo to answer the whole charge of freight, whereas a British ship going out loaded with merchandize is enabled to divide the charge of freight between the outward and homeward voyage; a circumstance which gives an obvious advantage in the expense of homeward freight to a British ship. Nor must we forget that a considerable portion of the funds of the Indian trade are supplied by the remittance of the acquisitions of British subjects, to be realized or expended in their native country; that a great part of the export trade of India is through the East India Company; that the individuals through which the greatest proportion of the remainder is conducted, are sprung from the united kingdom, whose commercial connexions are with British houses and British merchants, and whose feelings and interests are exclusively British. When all these circumstances are considered, without giving to them more

weight than is justly due, your Committee cannot find reason for presuming that the great tide of the trade from India will be diverted from its accustomed course; and that notwith< standing the proposed change in the law, the Continent will not continue still to receive the proportion of its supply hitherto furnished by British trade, through the ports of the united kingdom. No real danger, therefore, to British navigation is contemplated by your Committee as likely to result from the suggestion they are about to offer; nor do they doubt that the preference our shipping possesses will be as extensively and securely, as well as much less invidiously, enjoyed, when arising from the advantages that fairly belong to it, than when apparently the effect of legislative protections and prohibitions. When they consider, too, that under the more general freedom it would establish, British merchants in every foreign port might make their purchases, assort their cargoes, and pursue their speculations, without any of the doubts and apprehensions by which they are now checked and embarrassed; and the still greater advantage of the recognition of a principle that would tend so much to introduce clearness and simplicity into the regulations of our commercial system. Your Committee feel it their duty to recommend to the consideration of the House the relaxation of the principle of the Acts of the 12th, 13th, and 14th of Charles II., to the extent of admitting the importation into the united kingdom of the produce of every part of the world, from every part of the world, without reference to the place of their growth or produce, provided such importation be made in British ships.

Notwithstanding your Committee are able to perceive no serious objec, tion to the adoption of this measure,

yet feeling it impossible to calculate with certainty all the bearings and consequences of an alteration so extensive in, its operation, they should offer it with more diffidence, if they were not convinced that it is easily susceptible of modification, should circumstances hereafter arise to render such a modification essential to the protection of any of the great objects which every consideration of the national safety and power imposes the duty of inflexibly maintaining. Flow ing as this concession will do from the spontaneous and liberal feelings of the British legislature, neither granted as the condition of advantages obtained from other states, nor guarded by any pledge of the public faith, should it be attended with consequences inconsistent with the regard due to those objects, it may, without affording the slightest ground for reasonable complaint, or the impeachment of our justice or liberality, be subject at any time to such modifications as may required, or even, if necessary, be ab solutely revoked.

'be

The warehousing or bonding system appeared to your Committee so much connected with the subject of their preceding recommendation, that they have thought it right to include it in this part of their inquiry, as well as in their present Report. If, contrary to their expectation, any of the apprehensions created by the proposed relaxation of the navigation-laws should be realized, it is in the improvement and perfection of the warehousing system they confidently anticipate an ample compensation to every interest connected with the shipping of the United Kingdom.

The origin and progress of the warehousing system is detailed at length in the evidence of Mr Frewin, to which your Committee beg to refer. From that statement it will appear, that the privilege of being warehoused for re

exportation is confined to certain enumerated foreign articles; and that only certain ports of the united kingdom, and those unequally, are open to re ceive them.

This distinction made in respect to ports, arises only from the degrees in which they possess the means of affording accommodation and security to the collection of the revenue. When ever it appears to the Lords of the Treasury, that sufficient provision is made for these objects, every port be, comes eligible to receive the advan tage of having goods warehoused within it. Your Committee do not feel any alteration to be required on this point; as they are not aware that the exten sion of this privilege to each particu. lar port, and the limitations under which it should be done, can be bet ter regulated than by the discretion of those to whose superintendance and re sponsibility the collection of the pub lic revenue is intrusted.

To the Treasury also has been de legated the power of making additions to the list of such enumerated articles as may be admitted to ware house; which they have occasionally exercised. The principle of the law is, however, restrictive; and, notwithstanding the articles admitted are nu merous, has still a very extensive ope ration.

The result of the evidence received by your Committee on this subject, has made a strong impression of the advantages that would arise from gi ving the most unlimited extension to the warehousing system. They do not conceive the ports of the united king dom can be too widely opened to the importation of every description of foreign merchandize for re-exportă. tion to any part of the world, exclu sive of the British colonies; exempt (with few if any exceptions) from all duties in passing through them, as well as relieved from every charge and

inconvenience, which the safety of the revenue, justice to individuals, and the interests of commerce itself, do not impose the necessity of continuing. While we preserve to our own manufactures a preference in the home market, and the supply of our colonial possessions, additional facilities will thus be furnished, and all practicable inducements tendered, to foreign as well as British capital, to collect in the depositaries of Great Britain, materials for every variety of traffic with every quarter of the world.

The benefits the nation cannot fail to reap from such a measure, in the improvement of its commerce, and the augmented demand for its manufactures and shipping, are so obvious, that your Committee feel it unnecessary to occupy the attention of the House by dwelling upon them in any detail. In the examinations to this point, it is readily acknowledged, that great general advantage is likely to arise from the facility which would be afforded to British as well as to foreign merchants to make the assortment of their cargoes in this country; the effect of which, it is justly presumed, would be to render the united kingdom the place in which a great proportion of the commercial adventures of the world would take their origin. And while the assortment of British manufactures with foreign merchandize in the completion of cargoes for the respective adventures, whether on British or foreign account, would largely contribute to the demand for the productions of every branch of our own industry, the conduct of the enterprizes would be in a great mea sure through British intervention, and become the means of the increased employment of British shipping.

It does not appear to your Committee, that so long as their own markets are preserved to them in the uni

VOL. XIII. PART II.

ted kingdom and its colonies, the free importation of articles of foreign manufacture, for re-exportation only, can affect the interests, or ought to excite the jealousy, of our manufacturers, British ingenuity and industry, machinery and capital, may confidently meet competition, wherever the field is impartially open to our manufacturers, in common with those of foreign states, Nor does that competition seem to your Committee to become more favourable to the foreigner in consequence of his goods being permitted to pass through the ports of the united kingdom; the effect of excluding him from them would not be to obviate his competition, although it might change the place in which it would occur, and by such a change possibly render it less propitious to the interests of the British manufacturer.

A doubt has been expressed of the expediency of allowing articles actually prohibited from importation to be admitted and warehoused for exportation; and among the manufactures likely to be exposed to risk by it, that of silk goods has been mentioned to your Committee; but they do not find in the statements made in the evidence to which they refer sufficient reasons to induce them to recommend any exception to the general freedom of import and export in respect to the silkmanufactures of foreign states; or that the admission of the prohibited articles for exportation only will, if properly guarded, be productive of any dangerous consequence.

The policy of remitting the existing duty on the entry and re-export of foreign linens, imposed for the protection of the British and Irish linen trade, has, in reference also to this part of their inquiry, naturally occupied the attention of your Committee; it will be observed, that the testimony

2 c

of several witnesses examined by your Committee, principally applies to this particular question. Your Committee are fully sensible of the importance of every thing that may appear to affect the interests of so important a branch of the industry of both parts of the united kingdom; and thinking that some further investigation may be desirable (which could not be completed previous to the recess of Parliament,) before they state to the House any opinion upon the effects of this duty, and the alleged necessity of its continuance; anxious at the same time to avoid the possibility of affording the least ground for alarm or misapprehension in the present state of the manufacture in Ireland, with which more than mere commercial considerations are connect ed, your Committee beg to reserve this subject for a future stage of their proceedings, when they hope to be able to resume the consideration of it, and submit the result to the judgment of the House.

In the course of the evidence received by your Committee, several matters of importance have been incidentally brought under its observation; the most prominent are, the various charges and inconveniences incident to our present system, which may prove impediments to the success of the proposed general admission of foreign produce and merchandize to warehouse. The object of creating an emporium of trade is naturally cherished by every nation which entertains commercial views; and it will appear from parts of the evidence, that France and Holland are not insensible to it. The ports of these nations are accessible as depots for foreign merchandize, on much more favourable conditions than those of the united kingdom. The charges to which foreign merchandize is liable, and the facilities attending the deposit of it under the regulations

in the ports of each country respectively, will be found detailed in the examination of Mr Hall; from whose statement it will appear how great the advantages are of importation, for the purposes of deposit and re-exportation, in the ports of the continent, in comparison with those afforded by ports of the united kingdom; the ef fect of which is shewn in the evidence of Mr Thornton, who states, that on account of the duties and charges here exacted, a trade in which he is engaged, as well as others, is now prosecu ted through foreign ports, by British subjects, and supported by the employ. ment of British capital.

The investigation of your Committee will be hereafter necessarily applied to the burdens to which foreign merchandize is liable, and the inconveniences which, under the existing prac tice, attach to it, in its importation into or exportation from the united kingdom. The port charges, the demands for pilotage, the dues for lights, the claims in consequence of different acts, for the maintenance of particular harbours, the manner in which payments are exacted and enforced, are all subjects of discontent, and unquestionably may, under certain circumstances, have the effect of deterring foreign trade from our coasts, and be highly injurious to the character and commercial interests of the country. The advantage of removing any obstacles arising from these causes, if found to exist, is manifest; and the mode of effecting that object will constitute a fit subject for the future consideration of the Committee. In reference to the part of this question, however, which is connected with the regulation of the customs, your Committee have the satisfaction of stating, that a commission has been instituted under the order of the Treasury, which has pursued its inquiries to a considerable extent, and