uld be glad to take them for, did
not the differential duties in favour of the Spanish flag put all
this carrying business beyond their reach. A very large--in fact,
probably by much the greatest--quantity of goods, is in consequence
of this navigation law, carried by British shipping from our seaports
at home to Singapore and Hong Kong, where, after having to stand
several charges for coolie hire, landing, storing, and warehouse rent,
till such time as a disengaged Spanish vessel for Manilla makes her
appearance, and the number of goods at either of these intermediate
ports accumulates in sufficient quantity to form a cargo to load her,
they have to remain of course at a considerable loss, not only of
the interest of money locked up in them, but besides the new charges
for freight, insurance, &c., which must be incurred upon them, when
transhipped to the place of their destination.

In order further to protect their own shipping against the competition
of other countries, they hold out the inducement to merchants exporting
manufactures to Manilla, to embark them in a Spanish ship in Europe,
by making the duties less on the goods so imported, to those merely
brought from a short distance from our settlements in the neighbourhood
of Manilla. The following are the rates:--

When coming in a Spanish vessel direct from Europe, they pay 7
per cent.

When coming from Singapore, their voyages to that place and back again,
occupying about three months, including the time the vessel is in
that port,--as although the monsoon is fair one way, it is certain
to be opposed to the ship on the other, except just at the time of
its turning,--goods from it pay 8 per cent.

When coming from Hong Kong, to and from which place the monsoons are
equally favourable at all times of the year, and the usual average
voyage of Spanish ships is about ten days either going or coming,
they pay 9 per cent.

These regulations are hard enough on our shipowners, whose vessels,
going over to Manilla to load cargo there for all parts of the world,
seldom or never can procure any freight to that place; or if they do,
it is only to a very insignificant amount, only consisting of something
which the owner is in a hurry for, and is willing to pay the large
differential duty upon, to get it quickly, which of course is a case
of very rare occurrence. But to prevent the frequent occurrence of
this, any foreign ship bringing no more than even one small packag