Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/164



Witnesses examined by Mr. Ricardo's Committee: Mr. J. S. Lefevre, Mr. Macgregor, Mr. G. R. Porter—Their extreme views not conclusive to the Committee—Evidence adduced by the shipowners—Ships built more cheaply abroad—Evidence of Mr. G. F. Young, and his general conclusions—Mr. Richmond's evidence—Asserts that shipping is a losing trade.—Replies to the charges against shipowners.—Views as to captains of merchant ships.—Praises their nautical skill and capacity.—His character of common seamen.—Attacks Mr. Porter.—Offers valuable details of ship-building.—Is prepared to go all lengths in favour of Protection.—His jealousy of the Northern Powers—Evidence of Mr. Braysher, Collector of Customs in London.—General effect of the Navigation Laws on the Customs.—With the Northern Ports and America.—Difficulty about "manufactured" articles.—Anomalies of the coasting and internal trade—Committee's last meeting, July 17—General dissatisfaction with the results of the inquiry—Commercial panic and distress of 1847—Suspension of Bank Charter Act.

Having now laid before my readers the substance of the state of the Navigation Laws at the time of the appointment of Mr. Ricardo's Committee in February 1847, I shall proceed to state generally the principal facts put forth by the leading witnesses on the side of the Free-traders and of the Protectionists respectively.

On the side of the former, Mr. John S. Lefevre, Mr. Macgregor, and Mr. G. R. Porter, officers of the Board of Trade, and decidedly inclined to the total repeal