Sir William Temple, Sir Josias Child, Mr. Lediard, Mr. Addison, Mr. Gee, Mr. Missisippi Law, Dr. Campbell, and many other writers of former times, as well as to several eminent writers of the present day; but ABOVE ALL they rely on the principles constantly recognised by the LEGISLATURE up to the year 1793, and which are so admirably illustrated in the two Reports of the Privy Council now presented to the Public. The Shipping Interest had for several years forborne to represent to Government the apprehensions they entertained of the evil consequences which would arise from the suspension of the Act of Navigation, and such forbearance, they trust, will appear justifiable, when the circumstances in which the Country was placed between the years 1793 and 1801 are recollected; but immediately on the appearance of Peace they availed themselves of the opportunity, and in the short period which intervened between the late and the present War, they made frequent applications to Government during Mr. Addington's administration, which proving ineffectual, they reluctantly petitioned, in 1802 and 1803, the Legislature against any further suspension of the Navigation Act, but unsuccessfully: no enquiry was then instituted on the subject, and the Navigation Act continued during the remainder of Mr. Addington's Administration to be more generally suspended than before under the Act of the 43 George 3. c. 153. which authorises, under Orders in Council, the Importation, in Neutral Ships, of any goods from any place belonging to any State, not in Amity with the King, during the present war, and for six months afterwards. The Shipping Interest was thus circumstanced on Mr. PITT's return to Power, in the summer of 1804. The Shipowners in London and at the Out Ports then lost no time in renewing their applications for Relief, and several interviews took place; after which the expectation was held out, which has already been alluded to, with respect to the European and Colonial Trade: very little doubt indeed could be entertained of such an intention on the part of the then Administration, as Mr. PITT expressed HIS CONVICTION of the necessity of some alteration being gradually made in the Relaxations which had taken place in the Navigation and Colonial System of Great Britain. The Ship-owners had indeed good grounds, for confidence in that intention, from the measures* actually taken by the then Ministers, on the recommendation from the Committee for Trade, for confining, as far as circumstances would immediately permit, to British Bottoms the whole of the Colonial Trade, and of reclaiming that most salutary principle, that all Supplies, from whatever Country they came, should be conveyed to the West India Settlements in British Ships, as well as from HIS AVOWED INTENTION to except the bringing brandies + and other spirits from the general importation in Neutral Vessels direct from Enemies Countries, which would not only have materially relieved the British West India Planters, but have considerably benefited British Ship-owners without any loss to the Revenue, which surely may be much more effectually secured and protected whilst Trade is carried on in British than in Foreign Bottoms. This acknowledgment is an Act of mere Justice due to the Public Merits of the most transcendant STATESMAN that ever adorned the Councils of this Nation, not more conspicuous for his Talents, inflexible Integrity, and Firmness, • See Earl Camden's Letters, in September 1804 and January 1805, to the Governors of the West India Islands, and Lord Castlereagh's Let-> ter in September 1805, and various Minutes of the Board of Trade. † See a Letter on this subject, dated London, April 1806, in Yorke's Political Review, vol. i. p. 917. Also other Letters and Essays in that work. than for HIS CANDOUR in retracing HIS OWN MEASURES, when it appeared to him to be necessary to do so. The Ship-owners are desirous also of expressing the obligations they are under to LORD SHEFFIELD, for his excellent "Strictures on the Necessity of inviolably "maintaining the Navigation and Colonial System of "Great Britain,”—and to JOHN STEPHENS, Esq. for his learned, animated, and patriotic Work, intitled "War in 'Disguise;" both which they beg leave, at this important crisis, most earnestly to recommend to the serious attention and consideration of THEIR COUNTRYMEN: for unless the principles so fully elucidated and so ably defended by these eminent writers are in future strictly adhered to "We cannot rear or retain our Seamen, the grand support of our present pre-eminence, nor preserve our "Country from falling below the level of surrounding "Nations.”—It has been justly observed by Sir William Temple, that "the numbers and courage of our Men, "with the strength of our Shipping, have for many ages "past made us a match for the greatest of our Neighbours "at Land, and an over-match for the strongest at Sea*" The Society of Ship-owners think it important to state, that the numerous body of Men whose Capitals are "If we wisely keep at home the Army, which may be essential to our "domestic safety, act only on the defensive on shore, and assert firmly 46 our belligerent Rights on the Ocean, we shall find it more frugal by far to ❝continue at open War, than to suspend hostilities again, for a year or "two, by an anxious and dangerous Peace. Such a Use of our maritime power as the State of Europe and the World would abundantly justify, "and as the late Conduct of the Enemy invites, would give us means of maintaining the Contest for fifty years, if necessary, without an ad"ditional tax, except such as France, her Allies and States under her "influence, would pay." See "The Dangers of the Country," page 97also ibid, pages 5, 6, 98, 108, 109, &c. embarked, at this time, in British Shipping, are not engaged in other Mercantile pursuits, but depend wholly on the returns they expect to receive from their property so employed. This observation is considered the more necessary from recent inquiries which have been made to ascertain who the Ship-owners were, they never having been before considered distinct from the Merchants, and that the property in Shipping had generally belonged to that very respectable and intelligent class of his Majesty's Subjects. It was evidently from the experience the latter had acquired, of no profit being to be derived from Shipowning, that they withdrew their capitals from such concerns: it will be seen by the comparative* Statement of the expences incurred in the outfit of Ships, extracted from Accounts of actual disbursements and receipts in the years 1780, 1795, and 1805, being periods of war, that Provisions of all kinds have, on an average, advanced £84. 8s. 2d. per cent.; that Materials and Stores of all kinds have advanced in like manner £122. 10s. 2d. per cent.; and that Seamens' Wages have, on an average of the different classes of Seamen, advanced £39. 7s. 1d. per cent.; whilst the Rates of Freight have, on an average, decreased £6. 10s. 4d. per cent. † * Vide post, Supplement, page clxxviii. ↑ Vide post, ibid, page lxvii. for a similar statement in periods of peace. These and the other Statements in the Supplement shew the Loss actually sustained on Capital embarked in British Shipping. It is with great concern the Ship-owners understand, it is contemplated by his Majesty's present Ministers to make the Duties on the Tonnage of Shipping PERPETUAL, although it was expressly stated in Lord Sidmouth's Administration, when first proposed, that it should be a WAR TAX, and cease with it: Vide post, Supplement, xci, and the Debates in Parliament in 1802 and 1803: indeed, it was declared, at that time, by the then Administration, to be a Tax of Experiment, and an Assurance was even held out, that if the Ship-owners could prove that the Payment of the Tonnage The Society of Ship-Owners pledge themselves to sub stantiate these statements, and also the various other accounts adduced by them, in order to shew the inadequacy . of the employment of British Shipping, arising principally from the increased competition of Foreign Vessels, by the impolitic admission of them into the Trade of this Country, and the ultimate depression it will produce on the naval power of Great Britain. As the Account of the number of Ships and Vessels built in Great Britain between the 5th January, 1806, and the 5th January, 1807, distinguishing the Tonnage of each Ship and Vessel, and the Ports or Places where built, has not yet been produced, and laid before Parliament, the Society of Ship-Owners forbear to comment, further than in stating they are apprehensive it will ap pear that there has been a very alarming decrease in Shipbuilding throughout the Empire, and that the number of average sized Ships built in the last two years is not equal to the actual consumption of that class of shipping within that period. London, Tonnage Duty was adding to their Losses, instead of taking from their Gains, the Tax should be abandoned. This fact can be proved by testimony the most credible, and which must be within the Recollection of many of the eminent Persons who supported, at that time, the Shipping Interest. ERRATUM. Page xix, line 23, for House of Committee, read House of Commons. |