THE PERIOD OF TRADE ASCENDENCY 6 x
as a whole, had two objects in view : the one, the encouragement of English shipping ; the other, the encouragement of English manufactures. It was with the former only that the Ordinance of 1651 was concerned. It is, of course, true that this measure represented no new policy. As early as the time of Richard II., an Act “to increase the Navy, which is 5 Ric. ii. now greatly diminished,” had made it compulsory for English c ' I3 ' subjects to export and import goods in English ships, having the majority of the crew British subjects. This Act, however, had remained a dead letter. In the reign of Edward IV. another Navigation Act was enacted, but this lapsed at the expiration of three years. A further statute forbade the 4 II. vii. importation of foreign wines in any but English, Irish, or c ' I0- Welsh owned ships. As was to be expected, the legislature, during the reign of Elizabeth, was much occupied with the question. Old enactments were varied or renewed, in six different sessions, while an attempt was, at the same time, made to enforce stringently the law. According to the opinion of the time, these measures bore fruit in the large increase of merchant shipping. In 1624 a Proclamation wa^ issued, followed at a later date by orders in council, prohibit- 1640. ing the use of foreign bottoms for the carriage of Virginian tobacco, and in 1641 a number of English merchants urged that these rules should be embodied in an Act of Parliament.
That the Ordinance of 1651 was framed in no spirit of hostility to the Colonies is clear. In 1646 the Long Parliament, with the double purpose of at once conciliating the Colonies and encouraging English shipping, had enacted, that no duty should be levied on goods intended for the Colonies, provided that they were forwarded by English ships. Under the measure of 1651, no goods were allowed to be exported to the Colonies or imported thence into England, except in English or colonial built ships, the property of English subjects, having English commanders, and a crew three-fourths of whom were English. Attention should be directed to the provision allowing the use of ships built in the Plantations.
It may well have been expected that the great natural advantages of the Colonies would call into being an important ship-