660 ADDRESS TO THE CONVENTION 



its, tobacco and the equally pernicious trade 

 of : ::g bribes, at the expiration of every 7 



.irs, by which they are enabled to pay off old 

 fcores, and to drag through a n.iirr ihU: exiilence, 

 unprofitable to tlu-ir fan.ilits and their country. I 



. c made fome progrels on the iubject of harbours, 

 and 1 expect, in a fhort time, to be poflfeflfcd of 

 the prefent ftate of every harbour in the kingdom, 

 with eftimates of the exp^ncc in cle.mling, deepen- 

 ing, repairing or enlarging, where neccfiary. 



Such, gentlemen, is the field in the maritime line, 

 which demands attention. Your eftablifhment is 

 amongft the moft antient in Europe; the powers 

 delegated to you by the dates of the nation, fmce the 

 middle of the i2th century, are almoft unlimited in 

 all matters relating to commerce, navigation, and 

 fifheries, of which you are the hereditary guardians. 

 Though your eflablifhment funk to little more than 

 a name under the depreffion of your country, during 

 thefe laft 150 years, its invigorating powers ilill 

 cxifl, and may be called into action at the very firlt 

 meeting of the convention. Your late fpirited con- 

 duct relative to the enormous cuftom-houfe fees, i 

 a good effect ; your memorial relative to the pi; 



< of fiihing on the coafts of Ireland and the ifle 

 of Man, brought the commiflioners to their ienfes, 

 ar\d humbled their pride, ; : rs by their late cir- 



cular letter amongft the fi fliers ; but this felf-raifed 

 tribunal, this terror of (laves, feems ftill inclined to 

 difpute every inch of ground with the antient and 

 only legal commercial court of the naticn. Thoi 

 its pretenfions are Ipurious, its influence is gr< 



: rLere lies the danger. It is evident, from rc- 



"it laid \ipon it by the London agent or merchant ; 

 ami to 30 per cent. abo\c the j ; 



' ti tO 



:..nci, vhc:- lit Itc lold to flicp- 



rhe London pricci, they would thereby cruflv, 



'y 



cent 



