CHAPTER VI TRADE RELATIONS AND CURRENCY § 1. TRADE RELATIONS THERE can be no clearer proof of the autonomy of the Colonies than their fiscal arrangements. When self-govern- ment was accorded to Canada, though there was no idea and had been no idea since 1778 of taxing the Colony without spending all the proceeds therein, it was bound by a tariff exacted from it by the Imperial Parliament and raised under laws enacted by the same authority! In 18462 an Imperial Act allowed the British Colonies in Canada, to reduce or repeal by their own legislation duties imposed by Imperial Acts upon foreign goods imported from foreign countries into the Colonies in question. Canada soon availed herself of the privilege, while in 18492 a further Imperial Act added to the control of duties the control of the Colonial post office, allowing Canada full power to dispose as she would of her postal arrangements, a matter of great commercial impor- tance in a growing Colony where communications were difficult, and where Imperial legislation was obviously utterly out of place. In 18494 the remains of the navigation laws went, and the St. Lawrence was thrown open to the vessels of all nations. The Legislature had addressed the Imperial Government on the subject, and had urged that it was impossible to maintain the system of protection in the Colonies for British shipping when Great Britain had aban. + Colonial legislation could also impose duties, and there was confusion and conflict ; see 5 & 6 Vict. c. 49, Imperial customs officers disappeared largely in 1850, and practically wholly by 1855. Cf. Parl. Pap., February 4, 1851, p. 42; July 1, 1852, p. 97 ; Hannay, New Brunswick, i. 410 seq. : ii. 23, 172 ; Grey, Colonial Policy, ii. 870, 379. * 9 & 10 Vict. ¢, 94. Cf. Adderley, Colonial Policy, p. 28 ; 8 & 9 Vict. c. 93. ' 12 & 13 Viet. c. 66. Hitherto it had been an Imperial monopoly. 12 & 13 Vict. c. 29. The control of customs law was given by 20 & 21 Viet. ¢, 62. and see now 36 & 37 Vict. c. 36. sa. 140-51.