Benns: British West India Carrying-Trade 61 
States than in the indirect or circuitous voyage, thru New 
Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Bermuda, or other intermediate 
ports. 
4. As the voyage from the United States to New Bruns- 
wick, Nova Scotia, and Bermuda was a short one and would 
yield but little profit, the duties and charges must be as great 
on the British ships, and the articles of the United States com- 
posing their cargoes, arriving in the British West Indies thru 
these intermediate colonies, as on similar ships and articles 
arriving directly from the United States ; otherwise the direct 
trade would be deserted in favor of the circuitous trade, and 
thereby the object of the arrangement would be defeated.^® 
These, the committee believed, were the points to be kept in 
mind by American diplomats in case negotiations were to be 
continued. As for themselves, they were of the opinion that 
it might be prudent to allow the negotiation to remain where 
it was for the present, and to try the experiment of allowing 
the American navigation act to have its effects. Inasmuch as 
that law seemed to have had advantageous effects already, if 
it were re-enforced by cutting off the trade with New Bruns- 
wick, Nova Scotia, and Bermuda, it probably would prove to 
be more advantageous to the United States to adhere to the 
law and decline any convention with Great Britain touching 
the colonial trade.^® 
Due to the shortness of time for discussion in the Senate, 
this report was referred to the State Department which, in 
turn, held conferences with members of the Administration 
during February, March, and April. These conferences re- 
sulted in the decision that the articles as drafted by the Brit- 
ish plenipotentiaries “would have the effect of leaving the 
whole intercourse at the discretion of the British Govern- 
ment”, and consequently ought not to be accepted without 
considerable modifications. It was therefore finally agreed 
by the cabinet that Rush should be instructed 
to prepare to accept the limitation of both the lists of articles as pre- 
pared by the British plenipotentiaries, upon condition that the duties 
upon imported articles shall not be higher upon importations direct 
from the United States than upon those made indirectly through the 
North American Colonies. 
Reports of Com. on For. Bel., VIII, 27, 28. 
VIII, 28. 
2TAm. State Papers, For. Rel., IV, 403. Memoirs of John Quincy Adams, IV, 272, 
316, 322, 323. 
2»76iV., IV, 316. 
