First Navigation Law in France, A.D. 1560—Law of Louis XIV., 1643,
revised by Colbert, 1661—Its chief conditions—Regulations for the
French Colonial trade—Slightly modified by the Treaties of Utrecht,
1713, and of 1763, in favour of England—Provisions of 1791 and
1793—Amount of charges enforced—French and English Navigation Laws
equally worthless—“_Surtaxes de Pavillon_” and “_d’Entrepôt_”—“_Droits
de Tonnage_”—Special exemption of Marseilles—French Colonial system
preserved under all its Governments, but greatly to the injury of
her people—English Exhibition of 1851—Messrs. Cobden and Chevalier
meet first there, and ultimately, in 1860, carry the Commercial
Treaty—The French, heavy losers by maintaining their Navigation
Laws—Decline of French shipping—Mr. Lindsay visits France, and has
various interviews with the Emperor, Messrs. Rouher and Chevalier
on this subject—Commission of Inquiry appointed, and Law ultimately
passed May 1866—Its conditions—Repeal Act unsatisfactory to the French
Shipowners—Another Commission of Inquiry appointed, 1870—Views of rival
parties—M. de Coninck—M. Bergasse—M. Siegfried—M. Thiers and Protection
carry the day, and reverse, in 1872, much of the law of 1866—Just views
of the Duke Decazes—Abolition for the second time of the “_Surtaxes de
Pavillon_,” July 1873.