The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-05-18 00:00:00

■ V N 4114 mu iiiillii • .=: Owl* Papers were to be prodisced which tefeaed to the Negotiation since the 'Treaty of Amiens- The CFIANVELLOR of the FAL eIEQUERJ s. , i I, the Hnn. C.entientan must have very much sio conceived him if he supposed belt:id wit ref..l4 rd to the Papers relative to the s:7.uing the ' miaaries as well as the Mfinitive l'reaty .it mirtt%. 'fie notice lie had gireii f e.t,rday si%3, that he should iaY before Parliament all i'apers that child threw tight on the iiitercottrse luicsiketitic+ tvl countries. Wi M CaI:EAT ) observe s, that it_ v* Avg . a misconception of his only, several - . of -his- t km. hicn t 3 hit lot derstood.the.notice in the same way. the CilAntall.LOlt of the EX.CtIEQUEIt said, he imagined the ra7scoaception arose from the circumstance of his Noble Friend (Lord lawkes bury) having stated, that if the I)etinitive Treaty had pot taken place, his Majesty's Ministers would have thought it their duty to have laid before Parka inent the Pai,ers respecting all the transaEtions sub reqiient to the. Preliminary Treaty. he Silver Bullion Bill was•read a third time and pas aid. 'the Committee on the Naval Stores Exportation Bill was deferred till to-roorrow. CtS:4SOLIDATION OF DU TIIF. CUsTONI AND EXCISE TIES. • The CHANCELT.OR of the EXCHEQUER moved ne Order of the Day fur the House to re solve itself into a Committee on so much of his Ma jesty's Speech, of the 233 November last, as related to affording facility to mercantile trans:44)ns. General GASCOIG' E said, he did not know this subjet2 was among the ()fliers of the. Dar. It was not his lineation to trljten t.i it at present ; bitt riewieg the stibj..2l id a duzerent light to Oriel) be ' had dune, he eddied a' mor.tittre, because'that which might- be objetstionahle in time of peace might tut in time of .war. Considering the in formation lie had received, he had not had time to bring his mind to a conclusion en the suhjea.— Any measure which had for its °Nee the simpli fying that which W.V.: complex, was certainly desir able. It was not to the principle of the Bill in time of war that I.e rhjefted, but he trusted the Chancel lor of the 114 :11 . 1,1‘r would not consider that there was a genera . ' assent to it at all tines; and that he wouli allow opportuuities for Gentlemen to state their ohjcsaion , It ought not at priment to oc cupy t.es much time in the Committee. He could put, how..!rer, sit down without recommending to the Chwocellor of the Facile:per to cunsitier whe thee it would not be as well to icparate the Tonnage Duty from the rest of the B in.. It' he did this , he believed the principal objection would be removed. He should at all times objea to the Tonnage Duty as a principle of taxation to time of peace. if th e Chancelkir of the Exchequer would separate the Tonnage Duty, he had reason to oink there would not be the least objection. It might .be considered as a convoy tax, and the merchants would not make the Leal, opposition to it ; he merely threw out this for the consideration of the Right Honour able Gentleman. What he recommended might be moved by way of an instrusitiou to the Committee. He should net make -any objeaion at present, but should reserve himself till the resolutit:rts were re ported. The CHANCELLOR of the • EXCHEQUER said, he was sure the Hoioe would give him credit for having shewn every disposition to offer the t blan for the Consolidation of t he Customs, free from every oblation. tie felt it to be of the !highest im poet/nee, that the, proceedings should advance with a lt posses'. dispatch. It was not only a mea.ure of great importance in itself, but was meant to be made tre fouridation of another prsceeding fur aCording vernnalodati.nt to merchants, by bonding and warehousing foreign produce. It was, therefore, not his intenzioc to press this measure, from the im portance abstractedly attached to it, but with t view to the ulterior measure. The Hon. Alerabir had refer red to this proceeding as if it was a Ilill. All that was now propo,cd, wa, to go into a Com . mirtee on his Majesty's bpeceli , with a view to . at fording ace emineodatitm to merchants. by the Con solidation of the Customs. It eoild uniy be an instruction to the Cornmittee, if a till should be or dered into the k-loti.e., that the lion. Member could at all obtain his °hie.% I:c wished, however, to set • him right in one .point. The Hon. Gentleman had stated, that the Dill by which a duty was granted on tonnage, did not refer to any other periotithan that of peace. The fad, however, was, that the duties on tiports And imports, that is, the duties tin the whole trade of the country. were cornprized in the Bill which imposed the duty on ohmage. This 7 was nut the stage for the Hon. Gentlenieese to make any objefti4 ins : the p.oper period N..ntild be after the Bill, it one should be ordered, should have been read a second time ; he would then lesser an oppor tunity of proposing the division he had recommend ed. He did not consider any Gentleman as pledged by his forbearanee upon the pi esent occasion. *I he discussion would be open to Gentlemen at any fu- turn gage. General GASCOLGNE said, he tinder :t.-iod it was the intention of the night Hcin. Gentleman to consolidate the Excise Duties in the course of the present Session. lle wished to know ii he still pervevered is that intention. The CHANCV.I.OR of the EX: HI:‘,2UF..H replied, that he had no intention to aband.in t he mea sure to which the Hon. Gentleman referred ;he hopsd to piopose a Bill to COtivi)lid.tle t. eDuties on Escfse Stanips, and Assessed 'Vase.. He could not attually pledge: himielt tOrward the measuie ' this Sesseans, nut he could .i.sure the 1- h in. (Little frian, and ttu: House, that t s.as in great foiward ne s. Mr. DENT 41.. sired to know, whether the Right Hon. Gritienian to reconinklid the division of the Tonnage Luty ; it would do away a great deal of ohjeet•on. The CHANCELI.t)R of the EXCHEQUER replied, that as Ow question had hien distifietly put ~ him, he had no hesitation in saying, that he had no ..uention fit r...commenstin"... that division. The Himsc iravi..g reser • itself into the Com m:Yee, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he Lisi starl, on a former day, the general • priutiles whisl prop..sed to consolidate the duties cm tannage.- • He should now call the atten tion of the Committee to those parts of the scitedule• which were most canted to consideration. It Was proposed to make considerable alteration in the am.iunt of the duties on Customs, as they were at p r e se nt c onstituted, CIT rather in the various s che_ Jules in force, which had beet) isrposed under the 4 . • • _,~ _ _ r 10...nimiliw , •••••••-•••••••- , .••• ~••••-••••••vm,.-, 170 Mil of Parliament interideart Ise consolidated. It WAS intended to augment souses( die existing du ties; and decrease otherree He meant. to propose the augmentation of the riluties 'llionhe.inaport of w e sel „ if e e ,uo he lift& despite. the paiiicipte . ' 11 4 f this rti;:avire, but, foe e ytty cousiderahleltime, all wire". imported ilea 'London hal•been charged with 'a duty of 11. I os. more than Lid bens charged in tither places. ‘Vlietever neigh: la.v~ been mi., ' ginaliv the reason the that disparity, there WU% ne .gone Which; under the present circumstances, would apply. 'I he consumption of wine had been. greedy ineceased,-anti die means' of conveyance from the . outports to the interior of the country had been much improved. It was therefore an important ()lien to make the duty the same in every 'port. • In - the present hooks of rates, the duties on skins and furs had been charged, without any treard to tile. value of the article. It WAS horn:led to regulate them so, that the duty should bear a proportion to the pike. In the ye it 179:0 the, duties nn the prier cipel articles of wood had been in part relieved. It was intended to extend the exernetbm to tie:- . ben. for shipping. The. duty on chrinical oils :. imported it was proposed to ins: ease. tie re. I fenced to the chyrnical • oils, extreaed from spices, the importation of which had been much ex tended is consequence of our having possession of the island of Cryloii. It was propoeel to give the trade that encouragement which it would derive from an increased duty on the ae-ticle. It was also proposed to levy a dirty on articles which it might seem extraordinary to include, he niednt diainonds and precious stones. The duty he should stannic v:ould be f per rent. ed vahroa. it vets- propose t to discontinue the drawback on htimseme. Ca ni.eny Articles he *should recommend a efaniaution if the duties, yerticulariy on unnianufedareel articles fee m the Pest Indies, with a view to the encourage. • melt of our own. The diminution he should pro pose was from +5 to t?() per cent. or to a rated duty, with which they shall be charged, if imported from other countries. :11am:i . e.:Lured articles from the Fetst het es he should propose to reduce from 71 to 51 jet cent. Artieito from China from lO to 50. East India calicoes according to the schedule, which . were charged with a date of 10:, per cent. would be reduced to an ad val"rns duty of 50 per cent. With respect to East ladia goods in general, it was pro-- posed they should be reduced to the rate at which they w:re imported in other countries with some eseetieni which would arise from a principle, the justice of which the Committee could not but ac knowledge, namely, the giving a market to the West India produce: thereforC, though be proposed that the duty of C')s. on every hogshead of sugar should be continued, set the additional duty of t2s. on all sugars the produce of the East Indies, would, considering the inereased charge of freight, give a mart to the West India produce. With resped to indigo, it was propnsed to lower the duties, and that all imported from the British plantations in the East and \Vest Indies should be reduced i but that which would allow the greatest accommodation to the ma oufadurer, would be the disallowance of the draw back on exportation. It was intended, for the pur pose of encouraging other articles, that all nun enumerated articles should be charged with a : ) .0 per cent. ad c'doron . duty. It was proposed to reduce cotton wool to Id. per pound ; and that imported from other countries I Id. per pound. With a view to encourage it in the foreign planoe ions, Gentle men would consider that this duty had. been sub stituted ' for a p: Oprised duct on manufactured cotton, and be had the satisfanion of thinking the duty had not obstructed the manufacture, as the iropetation of cotton wool had increased within the lee year to an extent beyond any former p, r' id. One greet objed of this nwasute was to countered the. plan of smuggling. There were two articles, with reeard to which synitegling had been on in a 0 manner most favorable to itself and disadvantageous to the revenue. He meant lace and silk-handker chief., these denemin. t A Batielar.nah handkerchiefs: He proposed to reduce the duty on thread to 'X per cent. ad valorem ; and also to reduce silk thread to an ad vale:pa duty. The smugglers could not' make a difference of,,less than.l3 per cent. If he was right, the proteding .. duty would be sufficient, for it w„s ',oilseed to charge the a:ticle . with a duty of .2u per cent. The on:y.doight lie entertained rya - , as to the advantage to Ee deFriVed liy the inenefadnies at hone .2--There was a difil'entce of opinion, and much *ninety in the 'minds of tho dealers in tken dannah handkerchiefs. - Thu 'fad -of :a very large , shuidestiueo imporouioniof that article from the East Indies could nut be doubted., 1 - lis uhjeit ryas to lay such a duty as would have the effed of affording to the fair trader the opportunity of inoioning the article, and that if the denied/ Acute' be es greet as it had been, it should come through tho re gular channel.—lt was' known that smugglers could insure the article io -this country at lis per cent. ; It I was proposed to charge it with Cr, per cent. Other articles which the snintlers could 'insure at' 24.; per cent. it wits prePosed to Innlte t 5. per cent with 2 per cent.. foo.w;oehoosing; _The ques tion vets, whether this would net.. ditcOnrnOt smuggling—he knew - flse feeliiigo oft espoions in this oak were peculiarly Seniible: l4 l4e • h•ot seen an estimate .by which it ?ens t aticiliptd to describe the duty oil Bandannali handkerchiefs at forty per cent. ad valorem ; lie: thnaght.it capable of an coda diminution. The ambient of rho duty on silk did net exceed 15 _per cent. intlidiettlieliecisi. duty and the Custom-bowie duty. 'ls was'lfrotiose g to give the articles a preluding duty 01'25 oq., cus . It was l aup.sed also to mince the duties on the itA. pieced , n of Hemp for navarptirptrieS ; the objein of this wes to prevent tile dependance feif .Sur lyert.. that important article upon foreign nuirkelts: 1 vse e proposed to seduce die duties on Iteare.atis: nee- . ' enumerated wines, to the same rate wit illi •fertu e , gal wines, with a view to aTording a.!tar,- . tegee to the trade of the Medic r. ;mean. tt. !vds proposed to take hunt ;he eaeOl Cerro:to, lind i year. which according to the present echeilure 'pale one shiliing per cwt. but was originellreinsy free, sixpence per cwt. ; but to satisfy o Mc Gtntknien of irehoid and Scotland, he should recommend a fuse- they rejudiun of ono halfpenny per U. W,ith re ; speltto the proposed duty on Tonnage, he under ` - . stood the . olie..ectiiin to the propriety ut that measure' ' had ceased to exist under the present circurnstintit ' 4 the counts y. He unden - steud the ;.;hip Owneri. laid in their claim against any iuference thitevonld justify him, or any successor, in adoptiug the prin. ciple of that duty as applied to all times.--All coney meant to coatieul was,• dolt under circumstances which regain.' extraordinery efforts, they were wil ling to sonscut to the renewal of the L uty foe the pe- ' .. . , • i ~- • ... ar: riot of it, but that their acquitacer.ce was only rem rnensurate to that period. Hew as, therethrebet little inclined to enter into those argue:cies-At-Lich weak! ; have justi:icd the House hi continuing tbe diet during; peace. But the nevigetion sif the country, v.t.e.h he l! been increetiing daring war :Md peace - for ti e lot I i 'Tees, Ltd increased in A ctrl, greater proptirtion duriae th.i last year. Ile meant to justify the in teatioe he bad expressed of proposing 'the -con-. titimutee of this duty during the continaance of peace. —He took a re;iew of the comparative state ot the British shipeing and touaage for the last 1;1 years, observing that there had been a progressive increase dating war and peace: HT did not ask too much in de-. sii:ing the Committee to gi'r erVklit to his s tatematts, when he declared he bed obtained every possible information on the eubjeti before he had laid the accounts iei the table.—lle was fully aware that this was a stibjea extremely unentertaming in detail.-11 it should be the pleitsure of the House to adopt this metsnre, it was his iutention to publish a sehethile, and to cause it to be trenslated into every European language, in order that it might also be universally dispersed abroad.--it was also proposed that, as al terations might take place on different articles fur the convenience of the public service, that a new schedule should be printed Ac the•end of every Sessi on of Parliament, with all such alterations inserted, in order that the notice of them might be as widely ex-' ;ended as the original information. He added, that the duties might'be diminished in the t'ommittee, on some other future stage ; but that no fresh duty on tuanage, or otherwise, could he regularly imposed without a previous Committee of the whole House. The question was then put upon the resuiu- Akins.. • . ..: Sir WILLIAM • MII ,NEII. said .he . should not opt ose the resolutions, but . put e in his claim to oille any objections that may occur to him in the future progress of the, business. , General GASCOIG-NE said, he would for the present abstain from going fully on this subject, but confine himself to a very few particulars, He much questioned the expediency of increasing - the duties on wine in the out-eorts, as the same preiliee which the Right Hon. Gemleman widleifiito overturn, had continued ever since our winei'Svere not sulsjefted to Custom-duties. The same principle would equally apply to the equalization of the land.eix, or the county rates.• The Right Hon. Gentleman bad omitted the mention of the coffee-duties, though there was not a single article in eet ich smuggling was caeried on to so great an cetera, for the Lpn dint market was principally supplied in that way until the buildieg of the East India docks. He also differed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the sublet of lowering the dreica upon cotton wool, Conceiving that the tax altogether would be better laid upon the manufaaure than on the raw material, The tonnage duty would probably row last for some years, till the conclusion of a peace. The facility of passing and repassing to and from the continent made a great difference between that and other branches of trade, and if the Right lion. Gentleman looked to the number of ships i n all the different ports, distinguishing English from foreign bottoms, he would have discovered, that instead of an increase, the tonnage of the country had of late experienced a redatioa. He „concluded with some animadver sions on what be called the Chancellor of the Ex ; chequer's misconception of the schedule, and con - - tepded that the promi seofonly chaneing frac tionar IVO, ireegral semi had not been complied with. The In.; crease in the duties were . in many articles from 301. to :lel. the latter of which Wits not an integral number. - • The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied, that what he stated before was,-that in meny articles, it would be adviseeble for integral numbers tube substituted tie trattional e which must be the necessary effect: of the variation of the duties. Ca this subject. he hoped the House would do him the justice t i believe that he had been at cereiderabk pains t , collea the Opiekins and cons& the jute ' meat of mercantile people, and he assured them that the present measure was the result of mature delibe ration, and the labours of:one of theethiest men ever employed in the public service. Ode believed tht. i Hon. general was mistaken in his idea of the e egg ef the dray:hack .on sugar , but if it was oot iii std ittlicient aii afford the necessary e nconra g emen he would not be found unwilling to increase: it. A to the precise number of ships , Eng lish and :Foreigiee 'yeitettred in the trade, outwards' or inwents, lithe 'Hon. General had it in his power to obtain accurate inthrmatiori, by moving for the. necessary papers wliich he had not the smallest inclipation to witl - old. 'file produclious of the I!st would sliew a prodigious, increase, fur the last sear, in the ships, tonnage, and searneo el this eountry, and a proportioriete &what tion of foreigners, in the corresponding articles. .Ctenecal GASCOIGNI . : , then gave notice of Lis in tention, in a illbSk.:(laellt stage, to ineve that provishen Ise made for elteadieg the tonnage alive - to Ireland. • ; . Mr. CORRY thotvlu it right iii the first inst.iu'e 0 .eLlieei l lis . protest' ? arid 'atineAllice his opposition to Itft' ae estensinebsrlAe °applied inittfediVitay to" r4a(drilaiMlTSO ifionottrattle Geseriti, ba'ettell a mo iiire would net be c:insulting thelaterest tat this own enistituents ; and he was prepared, wnen the tines :ion slew'," be brought fin werd, ' din ever. since the eekaa ref tilision mill inn* wesselsaieee treed equally with these. of . gaiglen4..... .. ...... e , .... . The Tettlint22slW were Oleo agreed to...and the re -4.oortorderaa mei)! IpeCeiVs4 tesenorrosee . • .l.On the motion id the Seeret4.l2y at. War,. tale report oft the Sul4ierd keltel bill wes de erred till to-mar • row. . - . ,o. . • *:*. , • • ENST Ilii. s e tyPpi:;.q., 0h the rentiori of Lord QkSTLEREAGH • the Aistere-resolvad itself' into e < o naniuee,. t. sonoder '•• 4'eegttleting the East liidia Shipping, (Mr. .W AL LAcr. in the chair). , His.l e ordSlip then said, thet he would, postpone any obenvations on the Bill e intil it .41(411. be browhe iii and printers; after.., ‘vllicti, the Hon. Bart. (our iirri, LIAM PVLT EN 2Y ), bind those . others Whir Ay be dis; 6sed, who might' he inclined to make anyobetevel oar, would hail timeto• consider of it. He t lei 1. u ved f ur l eave to bring in a bill to explain and tnienti an Act of the a th of his present Majesty, fir ri gi lating East In -La Nhir,ring ; which was agreed to, and the report ordered to be received to-morisw. Mr. VANSITTART brought in the Medicine Duty Bill, which was reed a first, and ordered t 3 he resin a mond time to morrow.—Adjouineti. ? «. t 2 Lcs • THEITiItE-ROriL, HAY ti .I R /CET. • THIS EVENIM4 will ewp. :Treated NO PRELLTDE! With A Pro;u 4 tue by Mi . illiettoi. Afar which well li.rp,rforipe•lth,••lF:ree te:ot of KING HENRY TH kOURTH. U. t it .1 T:1 aert); Prince of W.J.s. Mr. t. W rzeyte-, Mr C'rven n ; I littypor, Mr. EitleAri; It‘ettald Verson, A loon/ tioesita.brins bi. Fite A"..ettene•t; Sit Joan Fai 11 ii...a(froste'the T.eatre-R0..41, RAW); Firicr, Mr. XlAttiew.. Lady ferry, ktrY. T. Wo..drAll (I.tteerMi C from get Tbeetre-K•sir.!, Dr..iy 1.2.:1e; Mr,. Q..n.10,.. Mr . 'ln whilt w.lt be .—...... _ THE 31'01L'1) little Pickle, M. j. 413111 la! Mri. Carter) b,:in t ; her Fir•t App.:scan se nn this and rolLth oa att!•St t ;0 4 . L . turron ; M. :Mathews. Meas . litckt.!, K v.; ar;a, Mis•Gat..lr±o. t.m-rrow, The M.paut.lineers. Ottavian, fir. Cii.ton; Dor:1116;e, !lb.). Ga0d...11, h.r first 1...p,tear.“.c." this Stage these Five Yesr.:. r BIiITISII‘PRESS. LONDON, WEDNESDAY, M•v IR. • General AND It LOTS! and suite arrived at half-pa.t five on Monday at Dover, and a telegraphic dis patch announced yesterday his Excellency's depar ture, a few minutes after five o'clock yesterday morning, for Calais. Lord WHlrwoa en and his suite landed at Dover yesterday morning between nine and ten o'clock, and shortly proceeded on Is way to town. It was supposed that his Lordship would sleep upon the road lase night, and arrive in town this morning. If any chance of peace, there fore, continued until the two Ambassadors had rti turned to. their respeaive countries, .and white th e e; were only in trawitu, it is now no more. It was the general opinion here, that a chance did remain• in favour of peace, while Lord Win TWO R r . O remained upon French ground, and the French Annhassader had not quitted England. We find, by the Paris . Papers of the 14th, which arrived last .night, that the same sentiment prevailed in that city. The Aion:teur cl that date announces the departoke of the English Ambassador on Thursday right; ''.teed adds, that an extraordinary communication would be made on Saturday to the Senate, the Legisloclre Body, and Tribunate, in Secret Committees; Govern ment art wishing to publish or print any thing will it shall have been infsriiied o The arrivat - ef - the French Ambassador at Calais, or to' the part'which the British Government would take. Of both these events the French Government wer^ no doubt7ap priced by telegraphic idispat.: es on Monday, and consequently the Paris raperi o yesterday, or 'this day, may be expeacd to bring t lie Message submitted to the Councils on Satnot. y last, and the Manifesto pf France against o entry. The Gazette of last night does nut, a,v as expeCted, contain a Pro •Clamatioli of IV . :lr ; but its contents are equally de cisive of hostili r ties. It contains Proclamations for issuing Peters of Marque and Reprisals against the ships," vessels, and goods of the French Republic, for raising the of unty to Seamen, and embargoing tfieFrestfkand Britorian ships and property in our ports. These Proclamations chew a =irked dis tinaion in cur ccindua and feeling towards France dud the BataViatt Republic. The Proclamation for issuing I.etters of Marque against France, assigns for cause "repeated insular and provocations, which Iris AiIIJESTY has experienced from the Government of France."—The meas ire of embargo comprises both France and Holland. This is a wise and gene " itnts policy, on. the part of the British Government. Holland is, in fait, an iustrument of hostility against this country in . the hands of France; but all the States of Europe know, that " its poverty, not its *ill, consents." England might, therefore, be justly entitled to treat. France and llolland as one, yet it would be a hard measure towards the latter, and it would have been also an impolitic one, as not calcu lated to cherish the hope which we entertain of be ing one day able to rescue that country from the yoke of FrAnce. The embargo voso a proceeding conseq'ient upon a similar measure against Fran:._., and without which tLe latter'st quid have beta au gatory. As a measure of necessity it is not there fore calculated to excite- a hostile feeling ..in do! DutCh. Toe same generaus policy has been obi . served - towards the Italian Republic, of which the Ft Rif CONSUL is the chief Magi: trate. It was re ported yesterday, that the Letters of Marque would extend to that unfortunate country also, but we gave no credit to the rumour. The same motives which actuated the conduft cf our Government towards Holland, exist also in the case of the Italian Republic . Wenever hive acknowledged the independenceof the Italian Republic ; on the contrary, in the late discus sions. with France, we demand Malta in perpe tuity as the price of such acknowledgment.. To declare war then against the Italian Republic, on ac taunt -of the insults • and aggressions .of Bo N, A - I re, would be to regard it in the very light in which f he wants us to acknowledge it, namely , a new kepublic of his creation, and of which he is the head. But whether these two unfortunate coun tries are to enjoy the benefits of neutrality, must depend upon the will of the FIRST CON act ; and as he is determined to have none but friends or enemies in Europe, there is little chance that they will be suffered to escape the miseries of far. Tile Dutch Ambassador had yesterday morn- • : . ! !ZJ 7! =IIII •