a

Mr. Huskisson then proceeded to of the lamentations of the ruin of consider the evidence arising from our foreign trade? It must althe general shipping returns. He ways be recollected that 1825 had been accused, he said, of garb- was a year of speculation, as ling these public returns to serve compared with 1826. The dehis own purposes, and had been

crease in British shipping in 1826, charged with the clumsy and paltry compared with the preceding year, trick of jumbling the foreign and was 230,000 tons; while foreign the coasting trade together, in order shipping, meanwhile, had fallen to lead to a false result. It had off 250,000 tons. Thus there was become his duty, therefore, so to a less decrease in the British than shape the returns as to repel the in the foreign shipping; and a suspicion of his having adapted triumphant answer was given to them to suit the purposes of mis- the objections founded on the representation. But, in order to relative increase of foreign and make a fair comparison, it was British shipping. In whatever way necessary to consider the Irish the matter was looked at, the protrade as a foreign trade, because, portion of increase was on the side by a mistaken policy, we did treat of British shipping. Allowing the it as such up to 1823, and sub- reciprocity system to be in operajected it to all the restrictions im- tion, and that foreign shipping posed upon the trade of foreign occupied a greater portion of toncountries. Now the result was, nage than last year, still the shipthat, excepting that extravagant ping had increased in a greater year, 1825 (and the year 1826 ratio. He had examined the acwas necessarily influenced by that counts in various ways, by averages year of speculation), there had of five years, of ten years, and been a comparative_increase of lastly of three years subsequent to British shipping: Even 1826, the ten years (excluding 1825); though a year of depression, ex- and in whatever way he looked at hibited a greater number of British the subject, in whatever mode ships entering inwards and out- human ingenuity could be emwards than any year (except 1825) ployed, the result was and would since the restoration of

be, that British shipping would be tonnage of British vessels entering seen to possess very considerable inwards in 1826 was 2,478,000 ; advantages over the foreign. Then, in 1814 it was 1,846,000. But as in order to exhaust the subject in Ireland was now separated from every possible way, he would the foreign trade, he had required notice the objection of some, that that its tonnage should be separa- the colonies and British North ted in each year from the accounts America, where there was of foreign trade properly so called, foreign competition, should be exsince 1814 ; and here the compari- cluded as well as Ireland. He son was still more favourable. The

had accordingly called for the tonnage of British vessels trading following returns:- First, of Bri- , . between Britain and foreign parts, tish shipping carrying on trade , excluding Ireland, in the year with ports out of foreign Europe, 1826 exceeded considerably that exclusive of the Mediterranean ; in any one year

since 1814, except secondly, of British shipping the year 1825. Then what became

entering Ireland from ports out of 1

peace. The

no

Europe, -excluding the Mediter- sarily opened the trade of our coranean; thirdly, of the trade with lonies to the shipping of foreign the East Indies; fourthly, of the countries. If he had so opened trade with Africa ; fifthly, of the the trade to foreign ships, he had trade with the West Indies; not in the slightest degree insixthly, of the trade with British jured the British shipping in. North America ; seventhly, of the terest engaged in the same trade. trade with the fisheries ; eighthly, The British shipping engaged in of the coasting trade (which could the trade with the West-India cobe furnished only for three years); lonies last year was greater in and from these accounts it would amount than in any year since the be seen whether he had been peace, always excluding 1814 and justly charged with having jum- 1815, because in those years we bled the foreign and coasting trade possessed colonies which had since together in order to mislead. From been restored to foreign powers. the account of the tonnage of Bri- British shipping, so far from havtish vessels arriving from foreign ing suffered from that measure, ports, excluding the British colo- had gained, and was gaining by nies in all parts of the world, it it.. Then the trade with our appeared that the quantity in 1826 North American colonies had inesceeded that of any year sincecreased in a gigantic degree

a 1814, except 1825. There was Instead of amounting to only not a single year besides that 151,000 tons, as it did at the peace, which was not greatly inferior to it now amounted to 397,000 tons. 1826. He did not deny that, in It had more than doubled, and the the foreign trade, there was a con- trade of last year exceeded that of tinued tendency to increase ; but any former year, always excepting if our shipping continued to in- 1825. With the East Indies our crease also, were we to proceed to trade had increased from 50,000 measures of hostility, because, for- tons to 72,000 tons. With the sooth, there had been an increase coast of Africa it had increased in foreign trade as well as in our from 9,000 tons to 26,000 tons. own? In the trade with all parts It now only remained for him to of the world strictly foreign out of refer to the state of the timber Europe, the amount of British trade with the Baltic. To assist tonnage employed in 1814 was him on this point he had called for 535,000 tons. In 1826, it was a return of the state of the trade 878,000 tons, being an increase of for every year since 1784; and if 3-8ths ;-while, with the single there was any kind of evidence exception of the United States of more satisfactory than another of America, the foreign shipping in the increasing prosperity of the that trade was greater in any one country, it was to be found in a comof the six years preceding 1814 parison of the state of the timber than it was last year. He now

trade in 1784 and at the present turned to that portion of our trade period. In 1784 we had imported which was immediately from British North America 700 under our own control-namely, loads of timber, and from the Balthe trade with the colonies. Hetic 108,000 loads. In 1825 we had been accused of having gra- imported from British North Ametuitously, unwisely, and unneces- rica, instead of 700 loads, 407,000

170) ANNUAL REGISTER, 1827. ]

loads, and from the Baltic, instead and the price in the foreign marof 108,000 loads, 272,000 loads. ket must determine the price in Here was an increase not by tens this country. If then the sugar and fifties, but by thousands._It grower was compelled to raise his should be recollected that the Bri- produce at a higher price than that tish North American trade was at which it came into the foreign carried on exclusively in British market, he would be ruined, and vessels, and that trade was now the true question was, not whegreater than we had ever enjoyed ther a few tons of shipping more with the Baltic. Lastly came the or less should be employed but coasting trade, which we could whether the interest and safety of keep entirely to ourselves. In the colonies should be consulted by 1823 it was 7,899,000 tons; in allowing them to obtain as cheaply 1824 it was 8,110,000 tons; in as possible from foreign countries 1825 it was 8,300,000 tons; and those supplies which we could not in 1826 it was 8,368,000 tons. conveniently furnish to them ourThis trade was the best nursery selves. He had been blamed, too, for seamen, and it was one for having opened to foreigners the which must increase with the trade with the East Indies; but increase of manufactures and did any man suppose that the East agriculture, and the demand from Indies could be blockaded like some great towns. The coasting trade, little sugar island ? If we had which included the trade with Ire- refused foreign powers admittance land, was better a hundred times into Calcutta, they would have for the formation of seamen than found ports in the Ganges into the trade with Hamburgh and which they would have entered. Norway. It was a trade which No effort could exclude them. But was carried on during all seasons, the opening of the trade with and prepared our seamen to brave India was no innovation ; it had the dangers either of the sea or of been sanctioned by an act of par

liament passed in 1797. In fact, Having thus shewn that Bri- the Reciprocity System itself, which tish shipping had not been dimi- had been so much abused, did not nishing in any one great branch of originate with him, neither did the trade, either absolutely, or in com- Warehousing System, nor the reparison with foreign shipping, laxation of the Navigation-laws. Mr. Huskisson proceeded to justify The treaty with Portugal and the principles on which the trade Brazil in 1810 was the first inwith the colonies had been opened stance in which those principles to other nations. A monopoly of were adopted, and, in 1815 the trade with our sugar

colonies same principles were recognized in would not, he said, be worth one the treaty with the United States farthing to us. They produced of America. He had the authorannually 60,000 hogsheads of sugar ity of his bitterest opponent for more than the consumption of this saying, that, the principle having country required. This surplus been applied to any one state, it could find a vent only in the fo- necessarily followed that it should reign market ; its price in the be extended to all. All the meaforeign market necessarily depend- sures relative to foreign trade ed on the price of foreign sugar; which were introduced in 1821

the enemy.

had the sanction of the noble lord tion as being in no way justified then at the head of the govern- by any existing facts; and, in rement. He (Mr. Huskisson) pos- ference to his recent separation sessed no other merit than that of from the ministry, Mr. Peel said, having followed them up to their that, as, if he had remained in the consequences. “And what,” asked government, he would have reMr. Huskisson in conclusion, sisted the appointment of a com* what is the system which the mittee, which was intended to ship-owners would substitute for prove any thing against the systhat which has been adopted ? tem by which the commercial Would they have the country go policy of the country had been back to its ancient prohibitions ? modified, so there was nothing in Would they have the trade man- his present circumstances which aged by charters, guilds, corpora- would allow or induce him to act tions, and companies? Would otherwise. Mr. Ellison (member they have the 500 laws which I for Newcastle on Tyne) frankly have had the good fortune to in- said, he was afraid to vote against duce the House to repeal, re-enact, the motion, because his constied ?-It is vain in those hon. tuents, who were deeply interested members to hope that we can now in the question, would scarcely be stop in the course of the civil and satisfied without inquiry; and Mr. commercial improvement which Curwen told general Gascoyne, has commenced. England cannot that, having promised before-hand lie still while other nations are ad- to support his motion, he would vancing and increasing within keep his promise if the general dithemselves the means of power vided the House ; but that he and enjoyment."

would now be able to give no other This address was well received reason than his promise for so by the House. Mr. Peel and Mr. doing. The general, however, did Baring joined in resisting the mo- not call for a division.

CHAP. VI.

Finance The Budget-Proceedings connected with Elections-Charges brought against the Corporations of Northampton and Leicester Proceedings with a view to the Disfranchisement of Penryn and East Retford-Bill for preventing corrupt Practices at Elections-Game Laws-Bill declaring the using of Spring Guns illegal-Mr. Peel's Improvements of the Law-The Court of Chancery.-Prorogation of Parliament.