A REPORT O F The Lords of the Committee of Privy Council, appointed for all Matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations, Ο Ν The Commerce and Navigation between His Majesty's Dominions, and the Territories belonging to the United States of America. 28th January 1791. At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the 28th January 1791. By the Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Council appointed for the Confideration of all Matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations. OUR MAJESTY having been pleased, by your Order in YOUR Council of the 30th September 1789, to refer to this Committee an Act paffed by the Congrefs of the United States of America on the 4th July preceding, entitled, "An act for laying a "duty on goods, wares, and merchandize, imported into the United "States;" and also, another act paffed by the said Congress on the 20th of the faid month of July, entitled, "An act impofing "duties on tonnage ;" and Your Majefty having directed the Committee to confider the faid acts, and report their opinion on the fame to Your Majefty; the Lords of the Committee loft no time in calling for such accounts, and collecting fuch other information, as might (4) might best enable them to form an opinion on the probable effects of the faid acts, and of the measures which, in confequence thereof, it might be proper, under all the prefent circumftances, to pursue for the fecurity of the British commerce and navigation. With this view, the Committee referred several questions to a committee of Merchants of the City of London, concerned in the trade to the United States of America, and to the Merchants and Ship-owners of Bristol, Liverpool, and Glasgow, concerned in the fame trade: for, as this trade is principally carried on from the ports before mentioned, the Merchants and Ship-owners, refiding therein, were, in the opinion of the Committee, beft qualified to judge of the effects, which any regulation, made by the government of the faid States, is likely to produce on the Commerce, the Manufactures, and the Shipping-interest of Your Majesty's dominions. The Lords of the Committee thought it right alfo to apply to Your Majefty's Confuls, ftationed in the United States, for fuch information, as they, from their refidence, were best able to afford on many parts of this fubject. Some time of course elapfed before the Merchants and Ship-owners of the ports before mentioned could return answers to the questions proposed to them; and it was neceffary to allow ftill further time to Your Majefty's Confuls, refident in America, to collect and tranfmit the information required of them. And the Committee must confefs, that, even after they had received all the neceffary information, they found great difficulty in forming a decifive opinion on the fubject referred to them; efpecially as, in difcuffing the various points arifing out of it, they were unavoidably led to enter into a full confideration of this branch of commerce commerce in all its parts; and the difficulty was increased, when they observed in the answers of the Merchants and Ship-owners before mentioned, (who appear to have paid great attention to the queftions propofed to them,) that they expreffed their fentiments with much hesitation, and fome difference, concerning the measures beft calculated to promote their interefts: It happened alfo, that other circumftances afterwards occurred, which induced the Committee to think that some suspension in making their Report might not be inexpedient:-But as the Duke of Leeds, one of Your Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, has lately acquainted this Committee, that it is Your Majefty's intention forthwith to fend to America a Perfon, authorized on the part of Your Majefty, to treat with the Government of the United States on commercial as well as other matters; and as His Grace has fignified Your Majefty's commands, that this Committee fhould take into confideration, and report, what are the propofals, of a commercial nature, proper to be made by the Government of this country to the faid United States; the Lords of the Committee have thought it their duty to refume the Confideration of this bufinefs, and to proceed without delay in making their Report on the whole of this extensive subject. As it may be of ufe to be informed of all, that the Merchants and Ship-owners, trading to America, have urged in fupport of their respective opinions, the Lords of the Committee will place in the Appendix to this Report, the whole of the Answers* given by the faid Merchants and Ship-owners to the Queftions propofed to them, availing themfelves in the Report, which they now prefent to Your Majefty, of fuch facts, ftated in the faid Answers, as appear to the Committee to be important and well authenticated, and of fuch arguments and calculations, as appear to be well founded, particularly * See the Answers of the Merchants and Ship-owners of London, Bristol, Liverpool, and Glafgow, to the Questions referred to them, in the Appendix (A). |