SPEECHES

OF THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE

WILLIAM HUSKISSON,

&c. &c.

EXPOSITION OF THE STATE OF THE NAVIGATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

May 12, 1826.

A Petition from the Ship Owners of North Shields having been presented to the House, on the 27th of April, complaining of the Alterations recently made in the Navigation Laws, Mr. Huskisson took occasion to give notice, that he would, on an early day, enter into an Exposition of the present State of the Navigation of the United Kingdom. Accordingly, this day,

Mr. HUSKISSON rose, and spoke, in substance, as follows:

Sir:-In the course of the last session of Parliament, the honourable member for Grampound * frequently took occasion to indulge himself in certain oracular denunciations, foreboding the ruin of this country, as the result of the Commercial and Foreign Policy of the Government. At that period, the commerce of the country, it must be allowed, was at least sufficiently active, and the demand for mercantile Shipping greater, perhaps, than had ever before occurred. Whether from these circumstances, or from the solemn tone of mystery in which the honourable member's • Mr. Robertson.

denunciations were delivered, they did not, at the time, make any considerable impression, either in this House, or out of doors.

Recently, however, a variety of Petitions have been presented to Parliament, from persons connected with the Port of London, and with several other commercial towns, expressing their apprehensions, that the Shipping Interest is in a state of decay, and that the foundations of the prosperity and security of the country are, in consequence, likely to be undermined. When such impressions have been created in quarters, where the authority of the Petitioners, so far as their observations go, is entitled to the greatest consideration, I trust that no apology will be requisite, for claiming the attention of the House-or at least of that portion of it, who are now present-to a subject of such vital importance to the maritime power and greatness of the country. I am well aware of the reluctance which honourable gentlemen must feel to a statement, from its nature, necessarily dry and tedious; but, I am also aware, that the matter involved in it is of too much importance not to demand the deepest attention; for, if the fears expressed in the petitions on the table of the House be well founded, it is scarcely necessary for me to say that the sooner an inquiry takes place the better.

The House, Sir, is aware, that our Navigation Laws have a two-fold object. First, to create and maintain in this country a great commercial Marine; and secondly (an object not less important in the eyes of statesmen), to prevent any one other nation from engrossing too large a portion of the navigation of the rest of the world.

Acting upon this system, the general rule of our policy has been to limit, as much as possible, the right of importing the productions of foreign countries into this country, either to ships of the producing country, or to British ships.

There certainly have been exceptions to this general rule, but it is the broad principle upon which the navigation system of this country was founded; and it is obvious, that the motives for adopting that system were, first, that such portion of the carrying trade of foreign countries as does not devolve to British shipping should be divided, as equally as possible, amongst the other maritime states, and not engrossed by any one of them in particular; and secondly, that countries entertaining relations of commerce with this country, and not possessing shipping of their own, should export their produce to England in British ships only, instead of employing the vessels of any third power. But, when I state that the first object of our Navigation System was to create and uphold a great commercial marine, I think I may add, without fear of contradiction, that that object could not have been effected solely by regulations, restrictions, or prohibitions, however judiciously devised. The only true and durable foundation of a large commercial marine is to be laid in the means of affording to it beneficial employment. Without such employment, without, in short, extensive commerce, and great capital, to sustain and invigorate that commerce, no laws, merely protective, will avail. Whatever, therefore, contributes to extend the general commerce of the country must, incidentally, I may almost say directly, contribute also to improve and extend its navigation. These two great elements of our power and wealth are, of necessity, closely and intimately connected. I do not mean to say that their interests are always identified. I know they are not so. I know full well, that every thing which interferes with the freedom of commerce is more or less disadvantageous to the capitals which are employed in it. I am ready to admit, as consistent with this general principle, that the regulations of our Navigation System, however salutary they may

be, must, more or less, act as a restraint on that freedom of commercial pursuit, which it is desirable should be open to those who have capital to employ. I am, however, at the same time, bound to say, that those regulations are founded on the first and paramount law of every state, the highest ground of political necessity, the necessity of providing for our own safety and defence; the necessity of being prepared to afford security to our numerous colonial possessions scattered throughout all the seas of the world; the necessity of protecting the different branches of our widely spread commerce, against all the risks attendant on a state of war; and, lastly, the necessity of preserving our ascendancy on the ocean, and thereby sustaining the high station in the rank of nations, which that ascendancy, more than any other circumstance, has given to this country.

Entertaining these opinions, I am as ready as any man can possibly be, to say that it is our duty, on all occasions, to look to the peculiar nature of this State necessity ;—and that, whenever the interests of commerce and navigation cannot be reconciled, the feeling which ought to be uppermost in our minds should be,-(I, Sir, have no hesitation in stating it to be my feeling)-that the interests of Commerce, in all such instances, ought to give way, and those of navigation to have the preference.

I trust that I have, in this brief statement, now placed myself fairly before the House. And, if the measures, recently adopted by his Majesty's Government, have laid this country open to the danger, with which, according to some, it is threatened, certainly I have imposed on myself no light task, in attempting to vindicate and defend those

measures.

I begin with laying it down as a general position, that, in looking to the interest of the Ship-owner, we ought not to cramp commerce beyond the degree which state neces

sity requires for the protection of our navigation. I say that, apart from the considerations upon which the Navigation Laws were founded, we are bound not to depress one branch of industry, in order to give undue encouragement to another.

The questions, therefore, which we have to consider, are these

First; whether the Alterations which have been made in the system of our Navigation Laws have, or have not, exposed the great public interests, for the support of which that system was established, to jeopardy and hazard?

Secondly; whether those alterations are such as to have placed any particular branches of the Shipping interest of the country in a situation of difficulty, such as to entitle them to specific consideration?

Thirdly; whether, in the alterations which have been adopted, his Majesty's Government have been actuated by a mere gratuitous desire to make experiments, and to try the effect of innovation; or whether those alterations, even if attended with some inconvenience to particular interests, were not called for by circumstances, in order to obviate greater inconvenience, which might have arisen to the general interest, if we had rigidly persisted in the course which we formerly pursued?

Now, Sir, before I join issue with those who call in question the necessity or expediency of the alterations which have been made in the system of our navigation laws, the House will, perhaps, permit me shortly to recall to their recollection the principal outlines of that system; -a course which is necessary, in order to mark more distinctly the alterations which have been made in it.

The Great Charter of the Navigation System of this country is the act of the twelfth of Charles the Second. The different modes which that act provided for the en