Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/14

Consul at Dantzig—The Consuls of Genoa, Ancona, and Naples—Mr.
Consul Sherrard—Mr. Consul McTavish—Mr. Consul Hesketh—Reports
from the Consuls in South America—General conclusions
of Mr. Murray, Nov. 22, 1847, and suggestions for remedies—Board
of Trade Commission, May 17, 1847—Its results—Shipowners condemned
for the character of their ships and officers—Views of
Government—Necessity of a competent Marine Department. 27-52


CHAPTER III.

High estimate abroad of English Navigation Laws—Change necessary,
owing to the Independence of America—Other nations at first Protectionist—Mr.
Pitt's proposals with reference to trade with America—Mr.
Pitt resigns, and a temporary Act ensues—Shipowners and
loyalists in America successfully resist his scheme—Congress the
first to retaliate—Restrictions injurious, alike, to England and
her Colonies—Commercial treaties with America between 1794 and
1817—Acts of 1822 and 1823, and further irritation in America—Order
in Council, July 1826—Conciliatory steps of the Americans in
1830—Foreigners look with suspicion on any change in the Navigation
Laws—Reciprocity treaties of 1824-6—Value of treaties in
early times, but inadequate for the regulation of commercial intercourse,
and liable to unfair diplomacy—Reciprocity treaties only,
partially, of value, and do not check the anomalies of Protection—Committee
of 1844-5 promoted by the Shipowners, who seek protection
against Colonial shipping—Reciprocity must lead to free navigation—New
class of Statesmen, well supported by the People—Exertions
of Lord John Russell, who leads the way against Protection—Richard
Cobden and the Anti-Corn-Law League—John
Bright—Effect of the Irish Famine, 1845-6—Sir Robert Peel carries
the Repeal of the Corn Laws, and resigns 53-80


CHAPTER IV.

Lord John Russell's first steps as Prime Minister: the Equalization of
the Sugar Duties—He suspends the Navigation Laws, January 1847—Mr.
Ricardo's motion, February 1847—Reply of Mr. Liddell—Mr.
Ricardo's motion carried—Committee appointed, February 1847—Meeting
of the shipowners, August 12, 1847—Their arguments—What
constitutes "British ships"—State of Navigation Laws in
1847—Rules in force in the Plantation Trade—their rigorous
character—Their history from 1660 to 1847—First infringement of
the principle of confining the American trade to British vessels—Absurdity
and impotency of these laws—State of the law before the
Declaration of American Independence—Trade with Europe—Modi-*