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CHAPTER VI.

OF BRITISH SHIPS.

PART III.

PEACE 1783,

BRITISH

Frauds in Regiftering-Smuggling-Defects in the Registering Laws-Intended Amendments therein-Points fubmitted to the Commiffioners of the Cuftoms-Their Report thereupon-Propofals for amending the Laws-The Opinion of the Committee of Trade thereupon-Stat. 26. Geo. 3. c. 60.—Of British-built Ships-Of Registering-The Bond-Indorsement on the Certificate-Bill of Sale-Change of NameCertificate loft or mislaid-Prize ShipsAmendments made in Stat. 26. Geo. 3. c. 60.Of Shipping in the Eaftland Trade-Remedies propofed in Aid of British Shipping-Easement in Duties for British Ships-The Cafe of a Bill of Sale-Macneal's Cafe.

N the 26th year of the prefent king very confiderable alteration was made in the

IN

TO A. D. 1792. whole concern of registering fhipping, with a view of fecuring to fhips of the built of this country a preference and fuperiority which

SHIPS.

they

PART III.

TOA. D. 17926

BRITISH

SHIPS.

they had not enjoyed fo completely before. The plan of regulation then proposed to par- PEACE 1783. liament was the refult of an enquiry and deliberation of great length before the committee of privy council for the affairs of trade and plantations; and that enquiry was commenced and carried on, and the measure at length decided upon, principally by the exertion and perfeverance of a noble lord, to whom I have had occafion before to allude.

A VIEW of the change which had happened in America, fuggefted the neceffity of fome regulations refpecting the registering of shipping for the plantation-trade.

Frauds in

THE frauds which used to be committed before the war were chiefly confined to the Regiftering, West Indies; and they principally confifted in the Dutch inhabitants of St. Euftatia, and Curaçoa, and the Danes at St. Croix, purchafing British veffels with their plantation regiíters, and then employing them in the West Indies as British bottoms. Befides this practice by the Danes, and Dutch themfelves, there were many British fubjects who refided and were admitted burghers in thofe iflands, and carried on their trade from

thence

PART III. thence to our islands, the fame as if they PEACE 1783. were resident in a British plantation.

TO A D. 1792.
BRITISH
SHIPS.

BUT thefe abufes were far exceeded by those which had prevailed during hoftilities, and fince the termination of the war.

Ir appeared, that the custom-houfe officers in our plantations had granted registers to qualify feveral fhips to trade in our plantations, which were built in fome of the provinces in North America, during the time they were in actual rebellion, and of which the owners as well as the mafters were now really and truly fubjects of the United States, and refident there. These registers had been granted under an idea, that veffels built before the acknowledgement of the American independence, and while his majefty filed them his rebellious fubjects, were to be confidered as plantation built, and the owners and mafters as British fubjects.

THIS was a very important confideration in the commerce of the colonies, and involved in it a point of law, upon which it was neceffary to confult the law-officers; when it was held by them, that a veffel built in America during the exiftence of the prohibitory

PART III.

TOA. D. 1792,

BRITISH

SHIPS.

hibitory acts, could not be confidered as intitled to the privileges of a British-built fhip; PEACE 1733, because the ships and effects belonging to the inhabitants of the revolted colonies were declared to be forfeited; and thofe colonies had never been restored to his majesty's peace, but had been declared Independent States.

THUS, all fhips built fince the prohibitory act 16. Geo. 3. that is, fince the beginning of the year 1776, were held to be foreign ships in point of law. But the evil, in point of fact, would ftill in a great degree continue to prevail, and it was neceffary to refort to fome remedy that would have the effect of making such registers useless.

FROM the registering of plantation ships, it was natural to pafs on to the confideration. of British shipping in general; refpecting which fome points of great importance prefented themselves.

Ir appeared upon enquiry among merchants and underwriters, that by the course of infurance, the shipping of this country had upon the fame voyages a preference over the shipping of all the other countries in

Europe,

PART 111.

PEACE 1783,

TOA. D. 1792.

BRITISH
SHIPS.

Europe, and over that of America. With respect to American fhips bound to and from America and the northern parts of Europe, the premium of infurance was double that on Britifh fhips; and to and from the fouthern parts of Europe the dif ference was confiderably greater. This preference was to be afcribed to Britifh fhips being better built, better fitted, and better navigated; but the difference in the latter cafe was to be afcribed to the war carried on against the Americans by the Barbary States; that although there was not much difference between the two in the insurance to the West Indies or to Africa, the preference would, for the firft of the above reafons, be given to a British fhip.

IT appeared alfo, that British shipping had greatly the preference of the thipping of Ruffia, and of Denmark; of Sweden, except their Chinamen, which are few in number, and of the shipping of Hamburgh, but not fo great as over the more northern nations; that it was preferred before the Dutch fhipping, the Spanish, and Portuguefe; but that the premium on French and British shipping was much the fame. Upon the whole there feemed, on a general view of the commerce

of

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