Collection of Interesting and Important Reports and Papers on the Navigation and Trade of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Colonies in the West Indies and America...

builders which appeared to them to have led to the conclusion of those disputes.

5thly. The committee had, during the last session of parliament, deemed it expedient, from motives of public duty, to oppose the duties which were attempted by the Bell Rock Light-house Bill to be imposed on all ships passing the line of the latitude of Bell Rock, on which a light-house was proposed to be erected, so far as such duties would have affected the Baltic trade; and it appears that the duties which were to have been so charged would have produced upwards of 10,000. per annum to that light-house, but for the timely interference of this committee *.

6thly. The committee had likewise obtained in the last session of parliament an exemption from the payment of the duties (usually called dock dues) imposed on all ships entering inwards or clearing outwards from the port of London in ballast, by the Act for the Improvement of the Port of London, which, with the fees, &c. amounted to upwards of 4000/. per annum.

"In addition to the objects before stated, many other matters had been incidentally submitted to the consideration of the committee, who had not been unmindful either of the peculiar situation of many ship-owners, whose masters had inadvertently lost or mislaid their Mediterranean passes; or the many inconveniences which had arisen from several of the regulations adopted at the West-India docks, but which, from the explanations recently given by the directors, they were led to believe will be in future avoided.

* Vide 46 Geo. 3. c. —, which is founded on the following resolutions of the House of Commons on the 27th June, 1806:

1. That it would be of great benefit to the trade and navigation of this kingdom if a light-house was erected on the Bell or Cape Rock, lying on the east coast of Scotland, near the entrance of the Firths of Forth and Tay.

2. That every ship or decked vessel of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, navigated according to law, which shall sail to or from any port or place on the east coast of Scotland, between Peterhead on the north, and Berwick-upon-Tweed on the South, inclusive; and whether the said ship or vessel shall be outward or homeward bound, or on a foreign voyage, or sailing coastwise; as also, all ships and vessels as above described, which shall sail within a line drawn from Peterhead on the north, to the said port of Berwick on the south, both inclusive, shall be charged with and pay to the commissioners of northern light-houses towards erecting and maintaining the said light-house, a sum not exceeding one penny halfpenny for every ton of such ship or vessel; and every foreign ship or decked vessel sailing as aforesaid shall be charged with, and pay a sum not exceeding three pence, for every ton thereof.

[N]

"The committee flattered themselves, that the shipping interest of the country will be most materially benefited by the permanent establishment of the society; its principal object being to give effect to the old maritime principles of the country, and the establishments which have arisen out of them. The committee have not thought it necessary to notice particularly the various papers and documents which they had printed relative to the tonnage duty; but beg leave to refer to them, and again to declare," that their investigation of the several subjects which had been submitted to their consideration since the establishment of the society had been conducted with the greatest impartiality, and that they had not been on any occasion influenced by private views or party feeling; and that their anxiety to give permanency to the establishment of the society arises from no other motive than a due sense of justice to their country and to themselves a high sentiment of the national importance of the shipping interest, and the remembrance that to it is to be attributed the glory and greatness of the British empire."

Resolved unanimously, That the report of the committee be confirmed.

The secretary then reported, That he had received from lord Sheffield, for the chairman, a copy of his lordship's "Strictures on the Necessity of inviolably maintaining the Navigation and Colonial System of Great Britain."

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of the society be given to lord Sheffield, for his important observations on the "Necessity of inviolably maintaining the Navigation and Colonial System of Great Britain ;" and that the secretary do communicate this resolution to his lordship.

(Signed)

R. CURLING, Chairman.

At a meeting of the committee of ship-owners for the port of London, held the 19th April, 1804:

Mr. AKENHEAD in the Chair:

THE secretary read the several papers presented by Mr. Chapman, relative to the suspension of the Act of Navigation.

Resolved unanimously, That a petition be presented to parliament against any further suspension of the Act of

Navigation, and praying that the same may, in future, be

strictly enforced.

(Signed)

J. AKENHEAD, Chairman.

At a meeting of the committee of ship-owners for the port of London, held the 10th May, 1804:

Mr. W. CURLING in the Chair:

THE secretary read the petitions to parliament against the further suspension of the Act of Navigation *.

Resolved unanimously, That the right honourable John lord Sheffield be requested to present the petition to the House of Lords.

Resolved unanimously, That Sir Charles Price, Bart. be requested to present the petition to the House of Commons. (Signed) W. CURLING, Chairman.

At a general meeting of the society of ship-owners of Great Britain, held at the London Tavern, on Thursday, the 7th day of June, 1804;

THOMAS HORNCASTLE, Esq. in the Chair:

THE secretary then read the votes of the honourable the House of Commons for Thursday the 31st of May last, setting forth only part of the petition from the ship-owners. of the port of London, respecting the suspension of the Navigation Act.

Resolved unanimously, That the whole of the petition presented to the honourable the House of Commons from the ship-owners at this port respecting the suspension of the Navigation Act be inserted in two of the Daily Papers, in order that the country may be acquainted with the merits of the said petition, and of the ruinous consequences resulting from the continued suspension of the Navigation Act.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to lord Sheffield, for presenting the petition of the

* Vide Collection of Debates on the American Intercourse Bill, &c. Edition, 1806,

ship-owners of this port to the right honourable the House of Lords, respecting the suspension of the Navigation Act.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to Harvey Christian Coombe, Esq. alderman, and one of the representatives in parliament for the city of London, for presenting to the honourable House of Commons the petition of the ship-owners of this port on the same subject.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to the honourable Henry Lascelles, for presenting to the honourable the House of Commons the petition of the ship-owners at the port of Scarborough, on the same subject.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to Sir William Heathcote, Bart. for presenting to the honourable the House of Commons the petition of the shipowners at the port of Portsmouth, on the same subject.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to Sir Ralph Milbanke, Bart. for presenting to the honourable the House of Commons the petition of the shipowners of the port of Sunderland, on the same subject.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to John Staniforth, Esq. M. P. for his attention to the committee of ship-owners for the port of London.

The treasurer's accounts for the last year were then presented, read, and approved.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to the treasurer, Mr. Isaac Robinson, for his strict attention to the duties of his office, and to the general interests of the society for the last two years.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this society be given to the secretary, Mr. Atcheson, for his active and indefatigable exertions in support of the shipping interest of the country, and for his unremitting attention to the business of this society.

Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this meeting be given to Mr. Horncastle, for his attention and impartial conduct of the chair.

(Signed)

THOMAS HORNCASTLE, Chairman.

Mr. Coombe presented this petition, in the absence of Sir Charles Price from indisposition.

At a meeting of the general committee of ship-owners for the port of London, at Wills' Coffee-house, the 28th day of February, 1805, convened to take into consideration the propriety of presenting a memorial to the right honourable the lords of the committee of council for the affairs of trade and foreign plantations, on the present alarming state of the shipping interest of Great Britain, in consequence of the result of a recent interview with that board on the subject:

ROBERT CURLING, Esq. in the Chair:

Resolved unanimously, THAT as it appears necessary that the inconveniences and depression complained of by the shipping interest should be distinctly stated in a memorial to the board of trade, according to the suggestion of that board that the secretary be instructed to write a circular letter to the ship-owners at the out-ports, requesting their co-operation, and at the same time to recommend to them the expediency of previously establishing a fund for defraying the expences attending the investigation of so im

*At this period his grace the duke of Montrose was president, and the right honourable George Rose vice president of the board of trade. See extract from minutes post, June 19, 1806.

"Resolved unanimously, That it is the opinion of this committee that it is now more than ever important that the exertions which were begun by this committee in 1801, and continued in the years 1802 and 1803, to obtain attention to the interests of British shipping, should be renewed with increased activity, as the good effect of the measures adopted in Mr. Pitt's last administration in 1804, for gradually regaining the inestimable advantages this country must at all times derive from the Navigation Act when enforced, began to be manifested; and if those measures had been followed up, with others dictated by wisdom, which there is good reason to believe was intended, the carrying trade between America and the West Indies would soon have been restored to British ship-owners."

Livros

Collection of Interesting and Important Reports and Papers on the Navigation ...