CHAPTER V 



SAILING CRAFT : UNDER THE UNION JACK 



WHEN Canada finally became a British posses- 

 sion in 1763 she was, of course, subject to the 

 navigation laws, or the Navigation Act, as this 

 conglomeration of enactments was usually 

 called. The avowed object of these laws was 

 to gain and keep the British command of the 

 sea. They aimed at this by trying to have 

 British trade done in British ships, British ships 

 manned by British crews, and British crews 

 always available if wanted for British men- 

 of-war. The first law was enacted under the 

 Commonwealth in 1651. The whole series was 

 repealed under Victoria in 1849. Exceptions 

 were often made, especially in time of war ; 

 and there was some opposition to reckon with 

 at all times. But, generally speaking, and 

 quite apart from the question of whether they 

 were wise or not, the British government in- 

 variably looked upon these navigation laws 

 as a cardinal point of policy down to the close 



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