The first was with Prussia, on behalf of the Zollverein States,[56] whereby the mouths of the Meuse, Elbe, Weser, and Ems, and those of all the navigable rivers between the Elbe and the Meuse were made free; thus offering means of communication between the sea and the territory of any of the Zollverein States thus opened as ports for ships of the Zollverein, so far as relates to trade with the United Kingdom or the British possessions. A little later, in 1843, a similar treaty was made with Russia, by which Russian vessels, arriving from the mouth of the Vistula or Niemen, or any other river, the outlet of any navigable stream, having its source in Russia and passing through the Czar’s dominions, were admitted, as if coming from Russian or Finnish ports. With Oldenburg there was also a treaty relating to the Elbe, Ems, Weser, and Meuse, and also with Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Lastly, like arrangements were made with Hanover, giving very nearly the same privileges as those to Mecklenburg-Schwerin. At a later period, orders were given to allow the same indulgence to ships of Oldenburg, the Hanse Towns, and Holland, as had been given to Hanover; so that, at this time, England had relaxed her Navigation Laws to the extent of calling ports, places not geographically belonging to Austria, Russia, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg, the Zollverein, Hanover, or the Hanse Towns; a concession of vast importance, especially as regarded the import of corn. [Sidenote: Various anomalies, &c., then in existence.] In fact, the Navigation Laws, as they stood in 1847, were full of anomalies, and were altogether unsuited for the state of things at which nations had now arrived. The 7th clause of the Act 7 & 8 Vict., cap. 88, directed, that “no goods shall be _exported_ from the United Kingdom to any _British possession_ in _Asia_, Africa, or America, nor to the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, or Sark, except in British ships.” Goods, the produce of colonies in Asia, Africa, and America, could, however, be brought in vessels of any flag to the Channel Islands, but, from these, they must be brought in a British ship; and there was also the further anomaly, as we have shown, of United States vessels being allowed to clear out with produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom to the East Indies. [Sidenote: Curious effects of the Registry Laws] [Sidenote: as regarded individuals or corporate bodies.]