COMMERCE OF THE COUNTRY (Hansard, 26 March 1807)

. Lord Auckland

called the attention of the house to a practice, which, from a sense of duty, he had so often pursued, in bringing forward, for the information of parliament, such annual accounts as were connected with any office that he had happened to fill. He was more especially induced to this, as he had resigned a few days ago the presidency of the committee of council for trade, an office of great importance and responsibility, which no prudent man would undertake or hold, unless he felt that he could have the confidence and co-operation of a strong and enlightened government. He was proud to believe that he had possessed the unreserved confidence of a government entitled to those epithets. The efficient offices of that government had been filled 230 by individuals of eminent talents, well suited to their respective departments. They had been aided in their councils by colleagues equally distinguished. They had stood high in the opinion of parliament, ant in the esteem and respect of foreign countries. In closing this description he felt a want of language to express what was due to the character of his honourable friend (lord Grenville); to the integrity, wisdom, and energy, of his mind; to his indefatigable zeal in the discharge of his public duties; to his solicitude for the interests, security, and prosperity of the empire. It was fair to attribute to such an administration some part of the wonderful increase which had taken place in our manufactures, commerce, and navigation, in the course of the last year. The papers for which he would now move would exhibit proofs of that increase far beyond all expectation and example.—The comparative account of imports would shew that the total value, exclusive of prize goods, and of the India and China trade, had been,

For the year 1804	£22,016,000
—— —— 1805	23,130,000
—— —— 1806	24,358,000

Their lordships would be aware that a large proportion of those imports consists of materials of manufacture, such as flax, hemp, hides, iron, wood, yarn, dying goods, wool, and cotton; or of necessary consumption, such as, wine, spirits, oils, fish, fruit, and grain.—The comparative value of British produce and manufacture exported from Great Britain for the same period, had been,

For year ending Jan. 5, 1805	£23,935,000
—— —— 1806	25,004,000
—— —— 1807	27,403,000

And here it might be material, to remark, that a similar account for the year 1794 had amounted only to 16,725,000l. He would not enter into the details, but would only observe that in the last year, ending the 5th of January 1807, there had been a great increase in the export of cottons, hardware, and woollen goods. He had also seen, with much satisfaction, and their lordships would find, that the prosperity of Scotland had kept pace with that of England. Such had been the effects of British energy, under an enlightened and provident government! Such was the actual predicament of the British empire, which our unprincipled and implacable enemy had vainly hoped to reduce to a bankruptcy, both of finance and of com- 231 merce. As to the bankruptcy in finance, his noble-friend (lord Grenville) had shewn, and had proved, to the conviction, and benefit, of his successors in office, and to his countrymen, that new taxes are no longer necessary, even for a prolonged war on the actual state of expenditure. As to any failure in commerce, the accounts now to be produced would give a splendid exhibition of imports and exports, far beyond what it had ever been in any period of peace or of war.—Having said, in the opening of his speech, that he had enjoyed the full confidence of the late ministers, he requested permission to explain that in one great and essential point he had differed from them radically and most decidedly. His noble friend had been apprized in an early stage of the business, that it was his intention to oppose even the very limited measure which had been made the cause, or occasion, of the change of government; but having stated that dissent, he never felt, he never could feel, that alarm and anxiety which others feel, or pretend to feel, for what they call the safety of the church. It had happened to him only two years ago to be the teller on the, catholic question, when their lordships divided 178 to 49. He knew too well the consistency and honour of their lordships minds to have the smallest particle of doubt, that the principles which prevailed in 1805 would equally prevail in 1807. He sincerely lamented the misunderstanding and its consequences, which threatened to place this great empire in a state of divisions, weakness, and distractions, ill suited to the circumstances of the War, and to the tendency and unexampled dangers of the times on which we are thrown. Lord Auckland concluded by moving for several accounts of the official and real imports into and exports from Great Britain, for nine years, ending the 5th January, 1807; and also for comparative accounts of British shipping for the same period.