§ Earl Stanhope, in presenting a Petition from the Shipowners of Kingston-upon-Hull, praying that a reduction of the expenses in every department of the Government might be effected, and that means might be taken to produce a more equal distribution of the burthens of the people, observed, that it was no answer to the complaints of the Ship-owners, to show that a large amount of tonnage was employed, for he could prove, that in that respect, the greatest possible fallacies existed; for though the amount of tonnage was considerable, the freights were very low. He wished to ask the noble Duke at the head of the Government, whether he had any objection to the appointment of a Select Committee to consider the state of the Shipping Interest?
§ The Duke of Wellingtonreplied, that he did not understand the noble Earl to have shewn any ground for appointing such a Committee. If the noble Earl made a motion upon the subject, he should be better able to give it a direct answer.
§ Earl Stanhopesaid, he was quite ready to make such a motion; but he begged to remind the noble Duke, that this was by no means the first petition which had been presented on the subject, so that it could hardly be new to the Government. The noble Duke called himself (as no doubt he was) a friend to the Shipping Interests; but he declined to take any means for in-creasing the freights of the Ship-owners. He would give notice of his motion on a future day.
§ The Duke of Wellingtonsaid, he had not declined to do any thing that would assist the Shipping Interest. All he had said was, that he could not adopt means to benefit them, by raising their freights, 298 without making some other class suffer from the advantage conferred on them.