830 LAISSEZ FAIRE 
AD Jas unrestricted commercial intercourse. They laid stress on 
2gainst the the desirability of enquiring into the effects of the existing 
watem of system and seeing how far it had induced the depression 
regulation of which they complained. They also noted that the main- 
tenance of protective tariffs of any kind in England provoked 
retaliatory measures on the part of other nations, and that 
English trade was seriously affected by restrictions imposed 
in foreign countries. 
There was one small but immediate measure of relief. 
Since 1714 the importers of tobacco, rice, and other colonial 
products had had the opportunity of depositing goods under 
bond in warehouses, without paying customs, and with a 
view to subsequent exportation. This privilege was ex- 
tended to all merchants importing goods of any sort?, in the 
hope of making England a depot, not only for colonial 
produce, but for all kinds of merchandise. The same object 
was put forward in the following session as a reason for 
fangh Vin greatly modifying the Navigation Laws. The question as to 
dots. whether these Acts were beneficial or not had been much 
debated in the seventeenth century? but in the nineteenth 
there seemed to be a general consensus of opinion as to their 
operation. An opponent of any change admitted that the 
navigation policy in vogue, “is certainly not favourable to 
the growth of our own foreign commerce, or of that opulence 
which arises out of it, but while it makes commercial profit a 
subordinate object, it lays the foundation of naval power” 
The advocates of abandoning the system did not disparage 
it; but argued that it had served its political purpose?, and 
that the shipping of the country might be trusted to flourish 
so long as commerce prospered. “What,” Mr Wallace asked, 
“was the best and truest support of the navy, but a large, 
extensive, and flourishing commerce? He did not know a 
country in the world that bad a great navy without an 
extensive commerce, neither did he know any State that had 
a flourishing commerce without being at the same time a 
great naval power®.” As things stood, the colonial trade was 
i 1 George IV. c. 7. 2 See above, p. 210. 
} Mr Marryat in Hansard, N.S. v. 1300. 
\ Mr Wallace in Hansard, N.S. vir. 714. 8 Mr Wallace in 3 Hansard, vir. 713.