Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/190

 an abundant harvest, together with the importation of an unprecedented quantity of grain, flour, and provisions.

The Speaker having been chosen, the Speech from the Throne, delivered by the Marquess of Lansdowne, contained the following important paragraph:—"Her Majesty recommends to the consideration of Parliament the laws which regulate the navigation of the United Kingdom, with a view to ascertain whether any changes can be adopted which, without danger to our maritime strength, may promote the commercial and colonial interests of the empire."

The guarded terms in which this paragraph was couched lulled the suspicions of some of the leaders of the Protectionist party. Mr. Robinson, a merchant connected with the Newfoundland trade, and an influential member of Lloyd's, was, at that time, in Parliament for the borough of Poole. On the debate on the Address, he said, "that with respect to the Navigation Laws, he had looked with much attention to the precise words in her Majesty's Speech on this subject, and he did not object to them. He did not object to inquiry into those laws, with a view to consider any or what relaxation or modification might be made applicable to the existing state of things, and the maintenance of the maritime interests of Great Britain and her dependencies."

But though Mr. Robinson and the party of whose views he was then the exponent may have deluded themselves into a belief that Government had no intention of bringing any measure into Parliament for the abrogation of the Navigation Laws, it is, now, beyond doubt that the administration of Lord Russell,