Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/474

 power has long since ceased to exist, when once granted to corporations or individuals it became assignable, like other property. It was, therefore, no easy task to abolish them without conceding the exorbitant demands of their owners, as the Board of Trade found out when the Vice-President, Mr. Lowe, brought the subject before Parliament. But France insisted on their abolition, and, since then, the great bulk of them have been removed, by purchase or otherwise.

By Article 1 of the law of the 19th May, 1866, all materials raw or manufactured, including marine engines, intended to form parts of the construction or equipment of iron or wooden vessels, were admitted into France duty free. Article 2 abolished the premium granted by the law of the 6th May, 1841, on all steam-engines manufactured in France intended for international navigation. Article 3 permitted, after the expiration of six months from the promulgation of the law, the admission of foreign-built and fully equipped vessels to registration on payment of two francs per ton admeasurement; while Article 4 abolished all tonnage duties upon foreign ships, except such as had been or might be levied for the improvement of certain commercial harbours.

But other changes were more tardily made: Article 5 providing that, only after "three years from the promulgation of the present law, the surtaxes on the flag (surtaxes de pavillon), at present applicable to productions imported from the countries where they are produced, otherwise than under the