APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 413 



combating numerous and powerful 

 classes of opponents determined by 

 prejudice, or stimulated by interest, 

 could only be surmounted by that 

 union of zeal, perseverance, and 

 ability, which were on this occasion 

 combined, and being sanctioned by 

 a provident policy in the legislature 

 (fortunately for the commercial 

 prosperity of London), proved suc- 

 cessful. These opponents although 

 silenced were not reconciled. To the 

 origin and character of the esta- 

 blishment itself, as opposed to in- 

 dividual and petty exactions, may 

 be traced the source of much of 

 that spirit of discontent and hostili- 

 ty which it has since encountered, 

 and which has pursued its object, 

 by misrepresentations, most gross, 

 and yet too frequently credited; 

 but it is a rigid inquiry into their 

 conduct, and an impartial investi- 

 gation of their principles and pro- 

 ceedings, that will furnish to the 

 company the surest means of vin- 

 dicating themselves, and demon- 

 strating, that they have, in all libe- 

 ral construction, accomplished the 

 good purposes of the undertaking, 

 and fulfilled their engagements to 

 the public. 



By the general view of its merits 

 and demerits, and not by its adapta- 

 tion to any one particular occur- 

 rence, ought every public establish- 

 ment in fairness to be tried ; but 

 your committee are confident that 

 the company need not shrink from 

 a more minute scrutiny, and in- 

 quiry, how far its provisions and 

 regulations are already compatible 

 with the separate and distinct inte- 

 rests of different bodies connect- 

 ed with the West-India trade ; 

 although they may and will on the 

 test of experiment, and by sugges- 

 tions of those most interested, be 

 ultimately still farther perfected. 



The security afforded to proper- 

 ty, and the prevention of frauds, 

 are purposes which your institution 

 is universally admitted to have at- 

 tained, and in these objects, the 

 interests of the public revenue of 

 the importers and proprietors of 

 goods, and of the ship owners, are 

 all intimately blended, and most 

 essentially promoted; and yet these 

 topics, of the highest importance 

 to the state, and to individuals, 

 (when clamour is to be excited 

 against your system), are seldom 

 adverted to, and although it would 

 be no difKcult task to prove that 

 the duty saved to the revenue, and 

 the property preserved to individu- 

 als, by these means, amounts annu- 

 ally to many hundred thousand 

 pounds, yet your committee ab- 

 stain from a superfluous illustra- 

 tion of a fact so generally acknow- 

 ledged, and proceed to details 

 which are more connected with 

 some late discussions concerning 

 the conduct of your establish- 

 ment. 



If the warehousing system be 

 productive o^ great practical bene- 

 fit both to internal and foreign 

 commerce, it must not be over- 

 looked, that so far as the West In- 

 dia trade is concerned, it could not 

 have been carried into effect, with- 

 out some establishment equivalent 

 to that which thus originated. It 

 is well known that during many 

 years of his administration, the ad- 

 vantages that might result from 

 that system both to the revenue 

 and to the trade, had presented 

 themselves to the comprehensive 

 mind of that able minister the 

 late Mr. Pitt, and that he only sus-^ 

 pended its adoption, until some 

 adequate improvement should be 

 made in the port of London, under 

 which it might be safely carried in- 

 to 



