Star. — London, England, 1821-04-06 00:00:00

bad come to on a fottner evening by a large majo rity. He should not then enter into details on the oj lislect, hot should propose to adjourn the debate w Mond:tv. Mr. ELLICE would follow the example of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if another discussion 1 00 to take place.. Mr. BENNETT could not conceive why the sub ject was started, if it was not to be brought forward. Mr. ELLICE thought the question of the Timber Duties was of such moment that it should have the precedence. On the motion of the CITA NCELLOR of the EXCISE WEB) aheauhject was then put off till Monday. TIMBER DUTIES. Mr. BARING presented a Petition from the Mer chants of London trading to the North of Europe, ra ying that the Timber Trade with the American C A i on ies and the North of Europe might be placed co the same footing, by a proportionate adjustment o f the duties.—Laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. In answer to a question from Mr. J. P. GRANT, it was stated by Mr. ‘Vata.ace, that communications had been received from the Swedish Government on the subject of the alteration of the Duties on Timber. The House then went into a Committee, when Mr. WALLACE said, he would not long detain the House on this subject. There were so many ob jections to the proposed amendment of the Timber Duties, that he was of opinion they had struck upon the fairest line between all parties concerned. The alteration proposed was taken from the hest evidence before the Committee ; and on those grounds he could make no concession as to the present measure ; because, however useful to the Revenue, this propo sition world shew no disposition on their parts to give an advantage to foreign commerce. It was found necessary to lay a Duty on Colonial Timber, in order to satisfy the Northern Powers, who mi 'ht prevent us from getting any timber from their States. He had received above 100 schemes ; but they all agreed in one thing, and that was, to bring about a mono poly of the trade with Norway. The measure now proposed would give some advantage to Russia, as compared with her competitor Norway. Russia had for some time possessed' these advantages ; and it would be hard to deprive her of them. As far as the propositions wade to him went, the whole of this trade would be thrown into the hands of Norway.— All the evidence in favour of the North American Timber trade seemed to originate in the bad debts of Merchants who had been engaged in the Norway deal trade. Norway had had her full share in this trade for a number of years. He therefore thought that some relief should be given to the Russian Trade and that of Norway at the same time. Under the plan he had to propose, Norway would have £l. 121. and Russia £l. 13s. which would be as equal as could be. The proposition of a Noble Lord, if ad mitred,. would give double the advantage to Norway; and, consequently, the effect of it would be, to give her a perfect monopoly of this trade. It was neces sary to grant an equality to Russia; for, otherwise, we might find that Norway might become incapable of supplying us with Timber. An Honourable Mem ber had proposed to take no Timber from our Colo nies alter the year 182.5. He thought that consider able protection was due to the Shipping Interest, and to the Colonies of this country. This measure was intende 1 to convey that protection to those interests; and would he fair both to the Powers of the North aid to our oon Colonies. Sir H. PARNELL had heard nothing to alter his opinion on this subject. The 'Right Honourable Gentleman had taken no notice of the Tax on the consumer of deals in this country ; and the whole of bis proposition went to give Russia an advantage over Norway—(Hear, hear).—He was ready to agree to the removal of the Duties on linen, by transit, and he would agree to the removal of the Duties on Norway Timber; nor did he see any reason why the Duty on hemp should be continued He thought there was no necessity for any protection to the Arne tican Timber Trade; not could it be done without imposing a Tax on the consumer in this country.— The system of the Right Hon. Gentleman would raise the price to the consumer of Norway Timber from 20s. to 255. per load.—(Hear,hear).—He should propose an Amendment on the Resolution which was moved on the previous debateo which would give time for seeing how far this measure should be adopted as a matter of expediency. He saw no rea son for introducing the cubic measure as to deals.— He moved, that after the sth of January, 1825, the Duty on foreign Timber should be £2 per load of 50 cubic feet, and £2 ss. for every load of deals of the same contents. Mr. H. G. BENNETT seconded the motion, and he was anxious to stand up for the great principle of a free trade, which could alone extricate us from our present difficulties. They ought to look to new sources of trade, by which alone they could get an increase of Revenue ; which could not be done now by additional Taxation. The Canada Trade had only commenced since 1807, and then it was , not given to them as a fixed system of trade. It had levied a Tax on this country of several hundred thousand pounds; and now it was time to revise the system ; to legislate for England, and not for Russia and Norway—(Hear, hear).--But he thought he could shew that the Russian and Norway Timber could be brought into this country at half the price of Canada Timber, without loss to the Revenue.— He thought the New Zealand Timber had as good a right to be brought into this country as the North American wood. But in order to benefit the Lumber men of Canada, and another set of Lumber-men at home, the country would' be taxed to the amount of 1 -500,000 a-year. This Tax was not paid to the State, but put into the pockets of individuals. By the Tax laid on in 1807, we had driven the cheapest and the best Baltic Timber out of the market, to make room for the American Log. The plan of his 'oble Friend (Lord Althorpe) would he the fairest and most equal of all ; but the Right Honourable Gentleman was determined still farther to drive the best and cheaatst Timber and Deals from our mar s:et. It would save the consumer between three and 4300 ,000 a-year, and upon that he would stand.— He did not expect the Timber-men and Ship-men should tale at all for the public interest, but for their own: bat he did expect that the Right Hon. Gentle man should care for the public interest. Mr. K. DOUGLAS said, the Duties on the Tim ber of the North of Europe were imposed much. higher than was absolutely necessary to protect nun' North American Timber Trade. The only object of the Committee, therefore, was not to force the peo ple of this country to use bad American Timber in stead of that superior article which was brought from the Baltic. At the same time 14 was satisfied that the trade with Canada would continue to a very Large extent, even after the imposition of Duties on the Timber from that part of the world . He could not agree to the Ame n d ment • but he confessed that the explanations of his Right Honourable Friend were not satisfactory. Sir M. W. RIDLEY said, the Lumber-men of Ca nada, as they bad been called and the Shipping-men were both great interests ; and - he could not consent to destiny them for the interests of the consumer.— [Here Mr.W.WILLIAsts was taken ill, and conveyed out of the House.j—After order had been restored, Sir M. W. Ridley continued, and said, there were articles fur which the Canada Timber was alone ap plicable ; and he thought the duty proposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman would have the effect of forcing it to be employed in matters to which it was not applicable. Canada Timber was not liable to the dry rot in its own country ; and the reason that it ac quired that disease was by its being immediately put on board ship, and deprived of the free circulation of air after being Boated down the rivers of Canada. He had received assurance from several Canada Merchants that, under the proposed additional duty, not a single ship would be employed in bringing timber from that country. There were about MO sail of shipping employed in this trade, which con sumed 1:374,000 in provisions and hemp ; and if this additional tax were laid on there would be a loss of £150,000 a-year. Mr. SYKES objected to all the proposed Amend ments, as well as to the measure itself; on account of the loss it would be to the Shipping Interest. Getting an article cheap was not always the most material ob ject; if it was, what would become of the cam Laws? Lord ALTHORPE said, persons engaging in mer cantile speculations must take their chance of gain or loss. It was not because our merchants had a debt due to them in Norway that.the advantages of the Norway trade were to be given to them. Neither must other Interests be sacrificed for the sake of the Shipping Interest. The Shipping Interest made great sums during the war; and it must now take a chance the other way. The Noble Lord gave notice he should have a motion to propose in a future stage of the proceeding. Mr. F. ROBINSON inferred, froni the extreme dif ferences of opinion upon the motion, that his Right . Hon. Friend was . right in the principle of.:thai_rno tion. He thought, that as the Colonies were integral parts of the kingdom, they ought , to betretateaLseith corresponding attention. He thought 411&4t that the Shipping'lnterest ought to be consideAtilstrfOly*,, having been the foundation of that.marinA, . 4 ' Whose Bag had brav'd a thousand years The battle and the breeze!" With respect to the scale of his Right Hbn. Friend, lie wi.hed to keep the names of countries out of the question. He did not propose it as a measure preju dicial to Norway and beneficial to Russia, but as a measure generally beneficial to the Empire at large. Mr. BARING defended the evidence given before the Committee, which he considered as fair and can did. Oae maxim was established as sound, namely, that commodities of great consumption should he got from that quarter where it could be obtained best and cheapest. With respect to the Colonies, he did not believe, from what he had seen, that the Timber Trade was beneficial to the Colonists. He had re marked on the conduct of the Lnmber-men, as they were called, and they were, in fact, a set of idle, dis solute vagabonds, who, being able to earn in two days sufficient to supply their wants, were idle,, ig norant, and mischievous, during the other five days of the week. The Hon:Gentleman then proceeded to examine the subject of the Duties proposed, and the different Amendments, and declared his opinion, that the wisest course would be to adopt the propo sition of his Honourable Friend, Sir H. Parnell, and say, an equalization of Duties, and equal trade with all the world. Mr. RICARDO said, the Report adopted, as an established maxim, that we should buy our commo dities where we could get them best and cheapest.— It then went on to state, that the timber of Norway u as better than that 'of America, and cheaper also. Yet the Report then went on to recommend the impo sition of such Duties as would force the country to purchase timber from that quarter where it was worst in quality, and highest in price. The Hon. Gentle man then proceeded to review and comment on the Report and the recommendation of the Committee, and strongly urged a flee trade. Mr. MAR RYArr defended the Shipping Interest. He contended that from the course of political events, from our recent declaration respecting Naples, which would not be soon forgotten by the Allied Sovereigns, it could not be expected that we should long maintain peace ; and, therefore, to preserve and encourage our trade with our own Colonies was political. Our trade with our own Colonies, and our own ships, was, in fact, our own trade, of which we could not be de prived, whilst our trade with Foreign Powers and in foreign vessels was most uncertain. The present pro position was intended to give a manifest advantage to Norway, who already possessed greater advantage than she ought to do. The Hon. Member then en tered into a review of the subject and the arguments advanced, and contended that 10s. a load was as heavy a duty as the American timber could bear.— Ile contended that the ships employed in this trade were of the best quality. Mr. T. WILSON was anxious to deliver his send ments, as lie had been a Member of this Committee. He confessed he had an interest in this question, still, he contended, he was to the full as independent as the Member for Shrewsbury. The Hon. MeMber then proceeded to defend the Shipping Interest, and to contend for the necessity of encouraging our sea men. If this country should be again at war, he was convinced money would not be wanting, but money would not make seamen. He thought the Canada timber would bear a duty of 10s. but a duty of 20s. would ruin the trade altogether. Mr. F. LEWIS wished for an equalization of the duties. Mr. WALLACE replied, and observed, that If there was aa error in the present plan for laying on the duties, it could be easily corrected subsequently. Mr. J. P. GRANT would propose anew scale of duties, but would reserve himself for the Report. Mr. WALLACE wished the lion. Gentlematito move now. Mr. GRANr was prevented from doing so now by the forms of the notise:— , --The Conunittee then divided, when • th 6 numbers were— For the ftesolndons - 71 Against them - - - 24 Another ditrision took place on an Amendmint by Sfr 11. PARNELL, which was negatived by a Majority of 150 to 51. The other Orders were then disposed of, and at lhlf-past Two the House adjourned. THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1821. We are without any more recent advices from Italy than those which we announced yesterday ; but we have received letters of antecedent dates, from which we subjoin some extracts, which are not with. nut interest, and may serve to supply some links in the chain of recent events: TURIN, MARCH 26. Great numbers of troops still continue to arrive in this capital from those contingents of the army who, not being in active service, 'sere allowed to return home, till called to their standards by an order of the Government. They are . immediately equipped, armed, (leered, and sent off to the fi ontiers. The greatest bustle, from this cause, prevails at the Arse nal and the Bureau of the Minister of War. As the National Guard now perform the ordinary military duties of this and other places, a small number of troops only are required in the interior. A notice was yesterday posted up in the University, purport ing to proceed from the " Council of a Confraternity for the Independence of Western Italy," apprizing the students that there were some vague reports of at tempts 1, to be made for a counter-revolution, and call ing upon them to form a corps, and Offer their services to Government, to prevent so great a calamity. A great number of names were enrolled in the course of Saturday and this morning. Whatever effect the Revolution may have on the patriotic feelings and social happiness of the people of this country, it has produced no diminution of their religious fervour or zeal for superstitious observances. Yesterday, being the day of the Annunciation, was' observed as a .great festival in all the Churches. The morning was spent in processions of the Holy Sacra ment to different Churches; numerous masses were said at the different altars ; warm panegyrics were pronounced from the pulpit to numerous congrega tions, on the Blessed Virgin ; and, in the evening, a general and brilliant illumination took place in her honour. The illuminations, indeed, began on Sa turday night, the eve of the festival, but they were neither so general nor so brilliant as last night, when, the mass of light, though without tasteful decora tion, exceeded that by which the public joy is dis played with us for the most celebrated victories. The time has gone by when a new love for civil freedom is necessarily connected with hostility to religious in stitutions ; and the general illumination of last night, though . to our Protestant notions rather an odd way of evincing devotional feeling, was sufficient to de monstrate that the Church is likely to be in no dan ger from the establishment of the new order of things. I saw one of the processions with the Host pass through the Square of the Palace in the morn ing, and it is truly edifying to see the testimonies of reverence and awe with which it was saluted. As soon as the little bell which announced its ap proach was heard, every one pulled off his hat and put himself in an attitude of devotion. Market women, carmen, and haCkney coachmen, fell down on their knees in the streets. The company on guard at the Palace of the Government was called out, and grounded arms, the drum beating, and the Officers remaining in a half kneeling posture all the time that the Priests were in sight. It is well known that the piety of the faithful people of Piedmont was at first rewarded and has since been fostered by the acqui sition and possession of one of the most precious relics in Christendom, namely, the winding-sheet in which the body of our SAVIOUR was wrapped, when it was delivered to Joseph of Ai imathea. This inestimable pledge of heavenly favour, called the Holy Winding sheet, which is preserved in the richest Chapel at Turin, built for the express purpose of receiving so sacred a deposit, has performed many miracles, and. has been visited by many Sovereigns. Francis 1. of France, after making peace with the Swiss, under took a pilgrimage on foot from Lyons to Chamberry, where this relic then was, to pay it his devotions. In, addition to this and other causes of Piedmontese su- ' perstition, their Sovereigns have always been re markable for their attention to the interests of the Catholic Church. During the domination of the French, festivals and relics lost much in public estimation. The Monks, those regular troops of the Church, were driven from their strong holds, and their influence was destroyed. The beautiful Capuchin Convent, on the other side of the Po, was converted into a caba-, ret, or low public-house; and an image of the Vir gin, in the Chur,Fh of Superga, which, before that time, I was assured by the Concierge, had been molto miraculous, ceased, during the stay of the French, to produce any miracles at all. With the late King returned the old regime, the old calendar of Church Festivals, and a proper assortment of Monks and miracles. Though tithes have been abo lished, and could not be restored, and though the Church is consequently not •rich, the number of Priests that appear in the streets is almost incredible. l The Capuchins have again taken possession of their Convent, and 1 heard a bearded brother yesterday, in the Church of Madonna del rilon ; mix Up the praise of the Virgin Mary with that of the Spanish Constitution. The beautiful church of Superga, on the top of the hill of that name, on the other side of the Po, abcut five miles from Turin, erected to commemorate the raising of the siege of Turin, in 1706, is at once a splen did monument of the piety of the then Duke of Sa voy, Victor Amadeus H. and of the military talents of Prince Eugene. It was from this hill that the lat ter made that reconnoissance of the movements of 'pre French army, which enabled him to defeat it I 'and this spot the former afterwards'appropriately se lected for a church to the Virgin, by whose aid the victory was supposed to have been gained. There cannot possibly be conceived a more commanding situation for surveying one cf the best portions of Italy than the summit of this church ; and if the Vir gin, to whom it is dedicated, has ceased to work miracles of defense, the view itself ought to woi k a miracle in every Italian bosom. You see the exten sive plains of Piedmont and Lombardy, watered by the Po and its tributary streams, spread out below yeti, like a magnificent garden, surrounded on nearly three sides by the lofty snow-covered walls of the Alps. At one glance you see the most celebrated moun tains of Europe—those of Savoy and Switzci land ; Mont Blanc, Mont Ccnis, Mont. Viso, and the gl e:it St. Bernard—rising like the towers of this immense wall, the ornamental pinnacles of this eternal fortifi cation; and the thought immediately occurs, why have these ramparts been forced, and Italy enslaved, by a stranger to her language, her arts, and her ge nius? Has the garrison been asleep, to be thus sur prised? What right has Austria to command in the plains of Lombardy, or among the isles of Venice ? Can this subjugation be perpetuated if the Italian States acquire, as they are likely to do, in optosition to all the efforts of the Holy. Alliance, the pride and energy of Constitutional freedom ? Every person who speculates on the consequences of the establishment of Constitutions in Italy, must conceive one of the most striking of them to be the abolition of all foreign sway south of the Alps.— Therefore it is that Austria conceives social order menaced by the establishment of a Constitution in Naples, while it was not menaced by the existence of the same Constitution in Spain and Portugal. If, on the other hand, Naples be subdued, and her Consti tution destroyed, Austria will possess more influence in Italy than was attached to the Iron Crown of Na poleon or Charlemagne. At present she has in the territory of Lombardy and Venice four millions of subjects. Parma and Placentia are as much at her command as Lombardy. or Venice. Tile Grand Duke of Tuscany is one of the faniily, and exists only by her permission. To her the Pope's triple Crown is nothing more than a Bishop's mitre: the States of Modena and Lucca are nothing more than dust in the balance of power, but still they are in her own scale; and the Kings of Naples and Sardinia, with Austrian garrisons in their fortresses, will be merely her Viceroys. Let England look to this. Let Eng land consider the effect of this state of things on her trade with Genoa, Naples, Leghorn, and Palermo. The peace of this capital is still preserved, notwith standing every effort on the part of certain interests to compromise both it and the tranquillity of the kingdom. The new King, Charles Felix, has ap ,,ointed General Latour to the chief command of the army, and that General transmitted some days ago a Proclamation to all the towns in the kingdom, abo lishing the order of things established after the abdi cation, and restoring the old regime. As the exist ence of the Junta has not been acknowledged, this dispatch was addressed to the Authorities of the City. A Meeting of the Junta was immediately called ; the new Ministers attended; and it was,resolved that no notice should be taken of this dangerous docu. ment. There is not the least doubt that tumult, bloodshed, and perhaps conflagration and pillage, have immediately followed its publication.— The citadel commands the capital, and the citadel is in the hands of parties decidedly for the new order of things. What effect this Proclamation will pro duce in the North it is difficult to say, but the attempts to comply with the King's commands concerning it have already produced disastrous consequences at Genoa, as will be seen by the following letter : [The writer here gives a summary of the events at Genoa, pub lished in the STAR of Wednesday, and thus proceeds:] Such are the effects produced by the conduct of that weak 'young man whom circumstances called to the Regency. Weakness, however, is not his only demerit; treachery, I am afraid; must be added to the collection of his offences ; for I am assured, from a quarter on which you may rely, that on the 21q, two days after he had given his authority to abolish the new order of things at Genoa, he Was professing the greatest zeal for it at Turin. Up to the time that he fled he professed himself a zealous and courageous Constitutionalist. ANOTHER LETTER-SAME DATE. This City is gteatly agitated, in consequence of the arrival of intelligence from Genoa, by which it appears a dreadful commotion has taken place in that city. The Constitution of Spain was first hailed with rapture, but when the Protest of the new King was made known, a diversity of opinion prevailed, and the result has been that blood was spilt. Th e batteries were opened, I have heard, on the people ; and the troops in that garrison took different sides. The British Charge d'Affaires has requested the Eno.