which the legislature has, in its wisdom, been pleased to confer on them exclusively; a measure which it must be regretted has been so long delayed, although earnestly recommended by many well-informed and disinterested persons, but which may yet, if embraced immediately, be the means of securing the privileges and the property of a most numerous. and respectable body of British subjects of preventing the undue advantages sought to be acquired by persons to whom the legislature has not intended to grant a benefit-and of keeping intire a body of laws peculiarly fitted to support and increase the commerce of the empire, the neglect of which will, it is to be feared, put it in the power of others, not merely to wrest from the owners of British ships the best produce of their industry, but to deprive them of the future means of exercising it, by excluding them from being the only carriers of British

commerce.

London, 6th November, 1801.

*The association of the owners of British ships, for the preservation of their rights, suggested at the close of this tract, was instituted at London in 1802, and it is worthy of observation, that they have on several occasions been highly applauded for their disinterestedness and public spirit, by persons of rank and literary talents. "The society has been recommended as likely to be productive of much good, by watching over one of the most important interests of the country, and by calling the attention of the legislature, and of the public, to any attempt that may be made to trench upon the principles or system of our navigation laws." Also, "The society is founded on very enlarged and liberal principles, and the vigilant wisdom with which it watches over the shipping interest of Great Britain is worthy of great praise."

No. IV.

No. IV..

PETITION PRESENTED IN 1801 TO THE BOARD OF TRADE, AGAINST THE SUSPENSION OF THE ACT OF NAVIGATION IN FAVOUR OF NEUTRAL SHIPS.

To the Lords of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council,

The humble petition of the several persons whose names are hereunto subscribed, being respectively ship-owners residing in the port of London, and interested in the Baltic and Hamburgh trade,

Sheweth,

THAT by an order of his majesty in council, bearing date the 21st day of May last, it is ordered, that it should be lawful from and after the date of the said order, and until six weeks after the commencement of the then next session of parliament, to import into any port of the United Kingdom, in foreign ships belonging to the subjects of any kingdom or state not then at war with his majesty, any hemp, flax, iron, tallow, masts, timber, square or otherwise deals, oak-staves, linen, isinglass, bristles, ashes, hides, mats, tar, pitch, linseed and rosin, upon payment of such duties (if any) as are or shall by law be payable upon such articles, when imported in any foreign-built ship. And it is thereby further ordered, that from and after the date of the said order, and until six weeks after the commencement of the then next session of parliament, it should be lawful to import in like manner any raw linen yarn upon payment of such duties (if any) as were or should be payable upon that

1

article, when imported in a British-built ship, as by reference thereto will more fully appear; which order, your petitioners beg leave to state, is now highly prejudicial to the shipping interest of Great Britain, and of your petitioners in particular, as their ships have been usually engaged in the Baltic and Hamburgh trade, inasmuch as it not only places foreign ship-owners on a footing with British shipowners, but gives them very great advantages, as they can navigate their vessels at one third of the expence incurred by British ship-owners in time of war.

Your petitioners also beg leave to state, that neutral ships are daily arriving in great numbers at all the ports in the Baltic, in order to bring into Great Britain and Ireland merchandize, &c. which would have been brought in British bottoms but for the order before recited; and that the trade to and from Hamburgh is at present almost wholly carried on in neutral vessels, to the manifest prejudice of your petitioners and the shipping interest of Great Britain, so that a very great number of British vessels are now unemployed from the circumstances before stated.

Your petitioners therefore pray your lordships will be pleased to take their case into your lordships immediate consideration, and either to * rescind the said order, or to grant them such other relief as to your lordships shall seem meet, in order that the shipping interest of Great Britain may not be deprived of those privileges and advantages which they had before the date of the said order.

And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.

*For some very interesting observations on the proceedings which took place on this petition, vide Alley's Vindication of lord Sheffield's Strictures, page 16 to 22.

No. V.

EXTRACT from the Minutes of the Proceedings of a General Meeting of Ship-Owners, held, by public Advertisement, at the George and Vulture Tavern, Cornhill, the 21st Day of April, 1802, to take into Consideration the intended Duties on the Tonnage of Ships, and the Effect which they may have on the Carrying Trade of Great Britain:

THOMAS ROWCROFT, Esq. in the Chair.

THE resolution of the House of Commons, that the several duties therein-mentioned should be imposed on the tonnage of ships, being read:—

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting that the intended tax on the tonnage of shipping is impolitic, and, if carried into effect, will be injurious to the shipping interest of Great Britain, and ultimately tend to deprive this country of one of its greatest means of support.

Resolved, That the above resolution be transmitted to the ship-owners at the several out-ports, and that they be requested to co-operate with the ship-owners in London in such legal measures as they may think it necessary to adopt, in order to prevent the intended tax being carried into effect.

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to carry the above resolutions into effect.

Resolved, That the chairman do write a letter to the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Exchequer, requesting him to honour the Committee with an interview on the subject of these resolutions, before the third reading of the Export and Import Duty Bill.

At a Meeting of the Committee of Ship-Owners, held the 28th Day of April, 1802, at Will's Coffee-house, Cornhill:

Mr. HILL in the Chair:

THE sub-committee reported-That they had yesterday attended the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and that they were unable to convince him of the impolicy and injurious tendency of the intended tax on the tonnage of shipping.

Resolved, That a general meeting of ship-owners be convened on Thursday the sixth day of May next, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, at the London Tavern, to receive the report of the committee, and to determine on such further measures which it may be adviseable to adopt respecting the tonnage duty, and the present state of the shipping interest of Great Britain.

The right honourable Henry Addington, afterwards lord Sidmouth.

No. VL