54 
After a few more observations 
from other honorable members, 
the resolution was agreed to with- 
‘outa division. 
On the 14th of December, Mr. 
Burdon presented a petition to the 
house of commons, from the ship- 
owners of Blythe in Northumber- 
land, against the new duties on 
tonnage. He stated at the same 
time, that other nations had adopted 
the principles of our navigation 
laws, and that the British shipping 
suffered materially thereby; and 
that therefore instead of any new 
burdens on our shipping, it was 
rather the policy of the country to 
foster the British navigation, even 
though our commerce should suffer 
by it. 
The chancellor of the exchequer 
admitted, that he was not then pre- 
pared to lay before the house an 
accurate statement of the tonnage 
of Great Britain; he knew that the 
shipping in the port of London 
alone, would not be an accurate 
criterion: and as to Liverpool, the 
information which he had received, 
was very different from what had 
been stated by one of its represen- 
tatives (General Gascoyne): the 
tonnage of British ships had, ac- 
cording to the information before 
him, considerably increased in the 
course of the last year, and so had 
the number of sailors. 
General Gascoyne said, when he 
spoke of the trade of Liverpool, he 
allowed that theexport of manufac- 
tures had inereased there ; but the 
West India trade in that town was 
by no means flourishing. The Rus- 
sian embargo, the war, and several 
other causes, rendered the year 
1801, not a fit period to compare 
with the present year. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1808. 
Sir William Curtis insisted that 
ship-building was going on with un- 
remitting activity, at the different 
docks on the river Thames. 
After some further conversation, 
the petition was ordered to lie on 
the table. 
The only other debate of general 
interest which took place in the 
house of commons, previously to 
the Christmas recess, was upon a 
bill brought in for appointing com- 
missioners to enquire into frauds 
and abuses committed in the naval 
department. 
Captain Markham, on the 13th, 
moved for leave to bring in this bill, 
which, was called for by the board 
of admiralty, who had not leisure 
to examine those matters with suf- 
ficient minuteness; and who, be- 
sides, were not invested with the 
power of administering oaths. He 
campletely disavowed, in bringing 
forward this measure, every idea of 
conveying censure upon the late 
administration, for whom, and the 
noble lord who then presided over 
the admiralty, he had the highest 
respect. ‘The circumstances of the 
war, however, had prevented them 
from examining thoroughly this 
subject. 
Lord Temple considered that a 
sufficient ground had not been stated 
for the appointment of those com- 
missioners; he apprehended that 
the navy board possessed the pow- 
ers which were now proposed to be 
given to this committee. 
Mr. Dickenson in support of the 
principle of the bill, made some al- 
lusions to the sending an admiral ag 
ambassador to Russia. 
‘The chancellor of the exchequer 
vindicated the conduct of govern- 
ment in this respect, and said, that 
2, yee 
