Statement of the Number, Tonnage, and Crews of Vessels (including their repeated voyages), that entered Inwards to, and cleared Outwards from, the several Ports of the United Kingdom, from and to Foreign Parts, during each of the Three Years ending 5th January, 1850. Account of the Number of Vessels and of their Tonnage, built and registered in, and of those belonging to, the different Ports of the British Empire, from 1825 to 1852, both inclusive; specifying the Number of their Crews, and distinguishing betweeen those of the British Islands and Possessions in Europe and those of the Colonies. 1821 182) 1830 1831 182 1833 1834 Ships. Ships. Tons. Ships. Tons. Ships. Tons. Ships. Tous. 1825 1,003 124,029 536 80,895 1,530 204,924 20,701 2,328,807 1826 1,151 119,086 588 86.534 1,719 205,640 20,968 2,411,461 3,657 224,183 1827 911 95.038 529 63,908 1,440 163,946 19,524 2,181,138 3,675 279,62 857 90,060 484 50,844 1,321 140,913 19,646 2,193,300 4,449 324,891 734 77.635 416 39,237 1,450 116,872 19,110 2,199,959 4,343 317,041 750 77,411 367 82.713 1,147110.130 19,174 2,201,592 4,547 330,227 700 85,707 376 84,2.0 1,136 119,997 19,450 2,224,356 4,792 357,608 739 92,915 386 43,397 1,145 136,312 19,664 2,261,860 4,771 356,208 728 92,171 431 52,476 1,159 144,647 19,689 2,71,301 4,696 3/3,276 806 102,710 425 55,817 1,231 158,527 19,975 2,312,355 5,080 403,745 1835 916 121,722 455 63,230 1,371 184,952 23,300 2,30,363 5,211 423,458 1836 709 89,636 441 66,604 1,150 156,240 20,388 2.349,749 5.432442,897 1837 1,005 135,922 510 71,306 1,515 207,224 20,536 2,333,521 5,501 457,407 1838 1,147 161,459 606 79,947 1,753 241,406 20,912 2,420,759 5,697 46,842 1839 1,278 186, F03 703 109,025 1,981 295,928 21,670 2,570,635 1840 1,448 220,064 771 43,288 2,219 363,35% 22,654 2,768,262 1841 1,152 168,309 668 32.857 1,860 301,166 23,461 2,935,359 1842 971 133,275 558 75,662 1,529 208,937 23,954 3,041, 420 736 85,273 424 55,904 1,230 141.277 23,898 3,007,581 731 95,876 525 69,837 1,256 166,753 24,016 3,044,392 890 124,919 638 90,€96 1,528 215,615 24,388 3,123,180 1846 841 127,458 745 113,558 1,586 241,056 24,771 3,199,785 1847 981 149,924 756 155,313 1,737 305,237 25,200 3,307,921 1048 878 125,940 653 101,988 1,533 27,923 25,633 8,400,809 1843 771 121,266 691 123,864 1,462 245,150 1850 725 137,530 714 124,953 1,439 262,433 1851 702 152,563 546 122,576 1,249 2,5, 139 1843 1844 1845 25,02 3,485,958 6,075 492,798 27,745 3,0 8,433 191,283 201,340 20.052 8,512,430 210,108 30.815 3,619,850 181,047 Ship Building.-The cost, including the outfit, of the ships built in the United Kingdom in 1852, may, we believe, be taken, at a rough average, at from 127. to 141. per ton, or 137. at a medium, making their total value 1,983,319. London, Sunderland, Newcastle, Liverpool, Hull, Yarmouth, &c., are the principal building ports. The business has increased with extraordinary rapidity at Sunderland: so much so that while only 60 ships, of the burden of 7,560 tons, were built in that port in 1820, no fewer than 146 ships, of the burden of 51,823 tous, were built in it in 1851. Ships built in London, Liverpool, Bristol, and other western ports are, however, in higher estimation than those built in the Tyne and the Wear, at least for those branches of Trade where the best ships are required. Within the last dozen years the building of iron steam ships has been immensely extended on the Tyne and the Clyde, especially the latter, which has become the grand seat of this branch of industry. According to a statement published by Dr. Strang, the well-informed chamberlain of the city of Glasgow, it appears that during the 7 years ending with 1852, no fewer than 247 steam-vessels had been built on the Clyde, of which 14 only had wooden hulls, the others being of iron. The burden of the wooden steamers amounted to 18,331 tons, and that of the iron steamers to 129,273 tons. Dr. Strang estimates that 10,820 persons are constantly employed on the Clyde in the construction and repair of steam-vessels and their machinery. Sailing vessels are now, also, very frequently constructed of iron. Classification of Ships.-Until very recently ships, how much soever they might differ in other respects, were classified at Lloyd's with reference solely to their age and the place where they were built. Thus, supposing two ships were launched about the same time in the Thames, the Wear, or anywhere else, they were enrolled together in the highest class in Lloyd's Register, and stood there for a certain number of years, how different soever they might have originally been, or how different soever they might afterwards become ! And underwriters and merchants, seeing them thus standing together, and having no other test of goodness to which to refer, insured and employed the one on the same terms as the other! It is unnecessary to dwell on the preposterous absurdity of such a system. Practically it operated as a high bounty on the building of defective, or what are called slopbuilt, ships; and there cannot be a doubt that it tended materially to depreciate the character of our mercantile marine, and to multiply shipwrecks, which have increased to a frightful extent. We are, therefore, glad to have to state that a new system of classification is now in the course of being introduced, by which the place of ships on the register will be made to depend, not on their age, or the place where they were built, but upon their actual condition.-(For full details as to the old and new system of classification, see Commercial Dictionary, Art. SHIPS.) Numbers, &c., of Persons engaged in Manufactures and Trade in 1841. We have already given detailed estimates, formed from the best accessible materials, of the number of people employed in the principal manufactures and trades. The following tables embrace most part of the information to be found in the late census in reference to that subject. We have already stated our reasons for thinking that the number of people employed in agriculture is underrated, and that of those employed in manufactures proportionally overrated in these tables. II. Abstract distinguishing the Numbers (with the Age and Sex) of Persons engaged in Commerce and Trade, and those engaged in Manufacture in Great Britain in 1841. I. Account of the Persons engaged in Commerce, Trade, and Manufacture, in the different Counties of England, Wales, and Scotland, in 1841, distinguishing between Males and Females, and between those of, and above, and below 20 years of age. In Ireland out of a total population of 8,173,966, as returned by the census of 1841, 1,953,683 were engaged in and dependent upon manufactures and trade. At the same time 5,406,743 were engaged in and dependent upon agriculture, and 813,535 upon other professions and pursuits. 77 PART IV. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT, CIVIL AND RE- CHAPTER I.-SKETCH OF THE Rise and Progress of the THE functions of every civil government are of a twofold description, internal and external. In the performance of the first, it makes laws for those subject to its authority, provides for the observance of these laws, and conducts the public business of the state. In the performance of the second it represents the community, as an aggregate body, in its intercourse with other communities, and acts as its authorized organ of communication in all international transactions. The means by, and the mode in, which these objects are attained determine the character or form of government. In the English, which is usually styled a mixed form, the legislative power is kept distinct from the executive, the latter being vested in the King alone; while the legislative power is vested in the great national council termed the Parliament, composed of the King and the three estates of the realm, that is, of the King, and the Lords Spiritual, the Lords Temporal, and the Commons.* The King is supreme; his office is hereditary; and all new laws purport to be enacted by him, with the consent of the two Houses. The Lords Spiritual and Temporal consist of the prelates and peers of the realm. The Commons consist of representatives chosen by that portion of the people invested with the elective franchise, partly for counties, and, partly for cities and boroughs, at the commencement of every parliament, and retaining their seats for that parliament only. The Lords form one House, and sit by themselves; the Commons form another, in which they also sit by themselves. The King sits with the Lords; but he occupies his seat only on formal occasions, as when he opens the session, or gives his assent to Bills which have passed the two Houses. According to established practice, he cannot be present at any deliberation, nor is he supposed to be acquainted with what passes, either in the Lords or in the Commons, until it be officially communicated to him. No law can be made, and no tax imposed, without the assent of Parliament, that is, of the King and of the Houses of Lords and Commons; this assent being given by each separately. The King has no deliberative, but merely a negative voice; and no measure can originate with him, unless it be an act of grace. The two Houses may indiscriminately originate all measures, with the exception of Bills affecting the rights of the peerage, or containing any grant of money; the former of which must be always introduced in the House of Lords, and the latter in the House of Commons; and in neither case is any Bill so introduced into one House permitted to undergo any alteration in the other. Parliament is called together by the King, who may prorogue or dissolve it at pleasure. He must, however, call it together "once, at least, in every year, or * The King is not one of the three estates, see Hale's Jurisdiction of Lords, p. 10. oftener, if need be." A prorogation is the continuation of Parliament from one session to another; a dissolution is its civil death, which happens by law at the end of every seven years from its commencement, unless it be previously dissolved, (as is uniformly the case,) by royal proclamation. The powers of the King, as laid down by lawyers and constitutional writers, are of the most extensive description. The whole administrative and executive duties of government are performed by him or in his name. He is held to be not the chief only but the sole magistrate of the nation, all the others acting by his commission and in subordination to his authority. The powers of all courts of justice, and of their various functionaries and officers, such as judges, sheriffs, justices of the peace, constables, &c., are derived, mediately or immediately, from him. He is the grand conservator of the public peace, suppressing, by the agency of his officers, all disturbances, and preserving public tranquillity, every violation of which is, consequently, termed a breach of the king's peace. He makes war and peace, negotiates treaties with foreign states, sends ambassadors abroad, and receives them at home. The armed force of the nation, military and civil, is at his sole disposal. He is the fountain of honour and dignity; and it is a fundamental maxim that he can do no wrong, and is responsible to none. (See post, Chap. V. On the Powers and Duties of the King.) But, though in theory the regal powers are all but unlimited, in practice they are confined within comparatively narrow limits. The King, as such, can do nothing directly, but must, in all cases, operate indirectly through the intervention of his ministers; and though he is not, they are responsible, for every act of the executive government. If the King's ministers do not command the support of both Houses of Parliament, or, at all events, of the Commons, they must resign, and the 'sovereign has no resource but to choose others, which, though less agreeable to himself, may be more acceptable to the popular representatives. His ministers must be chosen, and his measures framed so as to harmonize with the views and prejudices of the latter. The Commons might, in an extreme case, withhold all supplies till an objectionable or unpopular minister had been dismissed. But such cases no longer occur; the sovereign always selecting his servants from the leading members of the party which happens to have at the time the ascendancy in parliament.* In tracing the history of the English Constitution, we are naturally carried back to our continental ancestors, in whose rude institutions, as described by Cæsar and Tacitus 1800 years ago, ingenious inquirers have thought they could discern the germs of those principles of civil and political liberty which time and a happy concurrence of circumstances have gradually matured into the government we now enjoy. But it will be sufficient, for our purpose, to commence with the Saxons, who established themselves in England in the fifth and sixth centuries. A succession of invasions from the northern shores of the Germanic continent was followed by the establishment of several independent states, Those who wish to learn the circumstances that gave rise to the wide difference between the theoretical and practical powers of the sovereign may consult the learned work of Mr. Allen, On the Rise and Growth of the Royal Prerogative, Svo. London, 1830. |