Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/116

 "These facts," added Mr. Ricardo, "speak for themselves, showing the unprotected tonnage has just doubled the increase of the protected tonnage." He concluded by remarking that commerce was the parent of the merchant marine, and that if the parent were nourished the child would flourish.

Mr. Thomas Milner Gibson, then Vice-President of the Board of Trade, with whose concurrence the motion had been made, gave the Government's sanction to the motion, and recommended on their part that the Committee should be appointed. His proposal, however, was strongly opposed by the Hon. H. T. Liddell (now Earl Ravensworth), who asked what could be gained by a Committee, as the Navigation Laws were already suspended until the 1st of September next. He quoted the opinion of Mr. Huskisson, who, in making certain recommendations


 * [Footnote:

Inward. Outward. Tons. Tons. 1826 Protected         939,321        839,558 Unprotected    1,011,309        897,867 -     -            Total     1,950,630      1,737,425 -     -

1844 Protected       1,460,882      1,551,251 Unprotected    2,186,581      2,301,571 -     -            Total     3,647,463      3,852,822 -     -

In 1826 the total amount inwards and outwards, } 1,778,879 protected, was                              } In 1844      Ditto           ditto              3,012,133

Showing an increase of 1,233,254 tons, or 69·32 per cent.

In 1826 the total amount inwards and outwards, } 1,909,176 unprotected, was                            } In 1844      Ditto           ditto              4,448,152

Showing an increase of 2,578,976 tons, or 135·07 per cent. ]