The Times, 3 June 1848
Parliamentary Speeches,
John Twizell Wawn MP

Mr WAWN contended that the effect of the reciprocity system had been to extend the marine of foreign countries in a much greater proportion than our own. In the present measure Ministers had committed a greater blunder, which was not the only one they would make before they fell through (A laugh). If they truly described the measure now before the House, they would designate it "a bill for the better encouragement of ship-building in foreign ports;" and then again let it be remembered that if a subject of Her Majesty built his vessels in a foreign port, he could bring them into this country is a manufactured article, free of duty, whereas if he built them in any British port he must necessarily be burdened with all of the cost of timber duties. He protested most earnestly against the doctrines which they had that night heard from some of the members on the opposite benches. If they were to adopt the advice of the right hon. Member for the University of Oxford they would not only put an end to foreign employment for our mercantile shipping, but they would also destroy the coasting trade. The right hon. Gentleman said he wished to open the coasting trade to the Americans. It appeared to him that that was an absurdity; the Americans were too far off to engage in our coasting trade; the Danes, the Swedes, the Norwegians were the nations to adopt that course. Under ordinary circumstances they were ice-bound during several months of the year, but they now, instead of remaining in their own frozen harbours, would come here southwards, and destroy our coasting trade, which unfortunately was already too much cramped; cramped it was, and why therefore was some attempt made to relieve it from the pressure of light dues; and why did Parliament allow it to be further cramped by the favour shown to railways, - for they were also destroying the coasting trade, taking passengers at the highest possible rate that the law allowed, and coals for one halfpenny a ton ?