Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 2).djvu/15

civilisation—Advances of maritime enterprise—Views of American
statesmen—The shipwrights of Baltimore seek protection—Great
Britain imposes countervailing duties—Effect of legislative measures
on both sides—Freight and duty compared—Conclusions drawn
by the American shipowners—Alarm in the United States at the
idea of reciprocity—Objections to the British Navigation Act—Threatened
destruction to American shipping—Popular clamour—Opinions
in Congress—Great influence of the shipowners—Early
statesmen of the United States—Their efforts to develop maritime
commerce—First trade with the East—European war of 1803—Its
effect on their maritime pursuits Pages 345-380


CHAPTER XI.

A special mission sent to England—Concessions made in the Colonial
trade—Blockades in the Colonies, and of the French ports in the
Channel—The dispute concerning the trade with the French
Colonies—What is a direct trade?—Reversal of the law in England—Effect
in America—Instructions to Commissioners—Proceedings of
the shipowners of New York—Duties of neutrals—Views of the
New York shipowners—Conditions with respect to private armed
vessels—Authorities on the subject—Negotiations for another treaty—Circuitous
trade—Commercial stipulations—Violation of treaties—Complaints
of the Americans against the French—Language of
the Emperor—Bayonne Decree, April 17, 1808—American Non-intervention
Act, March 1, 1809—Intrigues in Paris against England—Hostile
feelings in United States against England—Diplomatic
proceedings in Paris—Convention with Great Britain—Retaliatory
Acts to be enforced conditionally—Hostile legislation against Great
Britain—Bonds required—Treaty negotiations renewed—Dutch
reciprocity—Bremen reciprocity 381-407


CHAPTER XII.

Earliest formation of wet docks and bonded warehouses—System of
levying duties—Opposition to any change—Excise Bill proposed,
1733—but not passed till 1803—Necessity of docks for London—Depredations
from ships in London—The extent of the plunder—Instances
of robberies—Scuffle hunters—"Game" ships—Ratcatchers—River-pirates—Their
audacity—Light-horsemen—Their organisation—"Drum-hogsheads"—Long-shore
men—Harbour accommodation—Not
adequate for the merchant shipping—East and West India
ships—Docks at length planned—West India Docks—Regulations—East
India Docks—Mode of conducting business at the Docks—London
Docks—St. Katherine's Docks—Victoria and Millwall Docks*