It would thus appear that, since the Navigation Laws were repealed in 1849, Government has passed no less than forty-one Acts of Parliament, and introduced seven Bills not yet passed, many of them great and important measures, besides laying before Parliament numerous instructive and interesting papers, all of them devoted expressly to the purpose of improving our merchant ships and the condition of our merchant seamen. It is idle, and worse than idle, after these facts, to charge the respective Governments, since 1849, with having neglected the interests of our mercantile marine, and the best answer to such mischievous and unjust charges is the present very high position in all respects of our merchant fleets as compared with those of all other nations.
