rial at the feet of her majesty, warning her of the consequence of
driving British seamen into the service of a foreign state, where that
protection and encouragement are freely given them that, by the repeal
of the navigation laws, will be denied them in their own country; and
humbly entreating her majesty to interpose her royal authority for the
protection of that class of men who, in time of war and danger, her
ancestors and this kingdom have ever found their best protection and
their greatest glory."

At this meeting Mr. Mather was deputed to proceed to London, and lay the
statements of the ship-owners before the government. A speech made by
that gentleman at Shields, places the controversy in the light in which
it was then viewed by the shipping interest:--

"All the maritime laws that have guided the policy of this great state
for centuries, that have made her 'great, glorious, and free,' are to be
repealed under the most frivolous pretexts. Mr. Labouchere, the organ
of the government, a supporter of reciprocity and equal rights to
the commercial marine of the world--British and foreign--propounds a
measure in which he bestows all the preponderating advantages upon the
opponents of his own country. Had the act being that of an enemy it
would have been proper. The whole foreign and colonial trade is to be
given up to foreign shipping, free and unfettered, while that of Britain
is to be bound down hand and foot, and scarcely capable of moving.
First, then, your ships are to be built of taxed timber, 15s. and 20s.
per load, exclusive of its freight, and expenses as much more, and to
go into competition with the foreign ships with not a shilling per
load duty or freight. You are not only obliged to compete with your
heavily-taxed ships, and to pay foreigners freight to bring you the
timber to build them, but you are obliged to carry three-fourths British
crews in these offered-up trades, while the foreigner's crews are to be
all of his own country, half-paid and half-fed. You know well the wages
and feeding of foreign crews; you have all been witnesses and are daily
witnesses of it. It is a truth, and undeniable, that these foreigners
have only from 15s. to 25s., the highest wages per month. It is thus
with Danes, Russians, Prussians, Swedes, and Norwegians, while your
wages are more than twice as much--60s. per month. They can be fed,
too, on 6d. per day--in most instances, much less; while British seamen
cannot be