The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1806-05-20 00:00:00

" road a second time, and ordered to be committed on Friday sennight. Mr. VANSITI'AItr moved for an account of SU Kilt charged with duty, f.)r two years, ending ds* sth January. 1806, distinguishing each year. Ordered. Also of all Malt. charged with duty, made in Scotland, slasiog the -ease period, distinguishing each year. Ordered. . . Also *e number of barrels of StrOnFtier brewed within the last ten years, within the Dis tricts of the Ktcise Office, distinguishing each year. Ordered. Also an account of all Tahle Reer hrewea within the same period, distinguishing -each year. Or dered. Sir J.- NEWPORT postponed his notice relative to the Dublin Paving Bill, which stood fur to-day, to Thursday. Mr. HUSKISSQN gave notice, that he would to-morrow move for a copy of the Minute of the Treasury, relative to the Petition of Chalmers and Cowie. Lord TEMPLE said, that a Bill had been passed in the Lords, for suspending the Ads of Naviga tion, in certain cases ; and it had occurred to His ,Majesty's h o l i yt i i , s e t n e a r l s t , ie r s h , a w t Il th ic e h re re w n e d s er i e n d t i h t e irg s r: m u e u a r have orienated there. It was, therefore, hos in lention to move, "that the said Bill be read a first tale," and afterwards. " that it be read a second time : this day three months, iii order to bring in a simi lar Bill in that House," which was done, and or dered accordingly. His Lordship then awed "for ve to bring in a Bill to the same purport," and lifts: wards, " that the said motion be referred to a Committee of the whole House.to-morrow."--Or dered. A Message from the Lords informed the liouse, that their Lordships had agreed to the Mutiny Continuance Bill, the Treasury Bills Bill, the Irish pebentore Bill, and several private Bills, without any amendments. Mr. BANKES said, that in the muse of the last two Sessions, the House had adopted some very liberal regulations relative to that useful and im portant establishment, the British Museum ; and in the Isst Session, particularly, respelling the antiqui brought from Egypt. He begged therefore to • ~ • That a Committee be appointed to examine ibe places met ed ler tbe reception of The Egyptian Antiquities, and ;bat they ' aeriale same, viththeiriipinion. to the House.—Ordered. rfr XORTOI.A FREE PORT BILL. Lord TEMPLE moved the Order of the Day for the further consideration of the Report on the .Tortola Free Port Bill, which being read, he pro- • sed a bogs beads to be ex Clau teT to to3, lti ct t . the m lt n w u at b t e h r ete of foren e - cessary the Bill should be recommitted. The house then wentinto a Committee, in which Mr. ROSE repeated his former objections, and added, he could see no reason for the Bil ; but the Noble Lord had made a blunder, and did not like to give up the bill, lest it should be discovered. If the Noble Lord would give a single good reason for the bill, he would no more open his lips about it. , Lord TEM PIA: said, the Right Hon. Gentleman was mistake n ; he had made no blunder, and as to his motive, he could have but one, the carrying into ailed a measure which justice and equity requited. The ground on which he proposed the bill was. ' • to make British merchants vest their capital in 'Tor tola, which they now do in the neutral island of St. Thomas's. Mr. HOSE said, this bill, or a similar one, had been in force for three years, and the merchants knew it produced ao effect at all. The Noble Lord bad certainly mistaken the objelt of his own bill. Lord 'FEMPLE said, the bill had been repealed early in the third year, and taking the time before it operated, it had been in operation no more than one year. Mr.• ROSE insisted it had been in force three comphie seasons, and if now passed into a law, might 'have the tired of btieging into this country an incalculable quaritity of foreign sugars. After a few observations from Mr. Vansittart, and Mr. Percival, the Clause was agreed to, and the Repor: ordered to be received to-morrow. EXCISHAND CUSTOMS IN IRFLANI). Sir J. NEW PORT rose in pursuance of the no . lice he bad given, to move for leave to bring in a - bill for regulating the Mice of Customs and Excise in li eland ; without entering into the subjea of the regulation, it would be sufficient, he said, to state i the client of the revenues in I ;04 At that period, the Cus:oms wile 121,0001 and the Excise 160,0001. making a total at 200,0001. At this day, the total amounts to 3,000,0001. By this bill a power would be given to enlarge the number of Comeriissioneis. The Board of Customs were now obliged to apply to the Excise for assistance to go on with their bu siness; this additional number was called for, because it was intended the revenue causes should be tried before the Commissioners. Under these circum stances he moved for leave to bring in a 'bill " for establishirg certain veralattcrhs in the miriagement and colledion of the revenues of the customs, ex cise. an I tate. in Ireland." • Mr. FObTER seconded the motion ; which was agreed tn. Sir .1. NEWPORT then moved, " that the Ad of the 44th of the King, far raising an additional force in Ireland, be reed," which being cone. Le stated that the same ineonveniencies an se from raising paro chial levies in Ireland, as in Englami ; and he moved, " That kayo be given to bin in a Bill to repeal the said All."--Grain d. NEW TAX ON pßicArr mctrwras. The House having resolved itself into a Com mittee of Wars and Means— fPrd HENRY PF.I'I'Y said, it seas within the reeolledion of the House, that a 1.-v days since he moved to defer the proceedings on the iron dusty, with the view to find nut some other tax or taxes %%loch might be more acceptable to that House and the country. In nose preaneing that substitute, he considered it desiriab!e that i: Rhou'd fall on one single article only, as being the must certain mode of obtaining the requisite supply. He was aware of the wish that prevailed to kook to luxuries as the be s t source of tazstion ; but these would be found ism& fi.t.tte to the present exigency. and would he harassing in their operation , with . •it • Lett arni ny . : sn iga ffi b iely ttie..pnityetiproodatatev to the 1 3 , u V i s a v iew to sum pro pose d toinbbe- raised by the Jute on Iron, he had sele,fted the ar ticle of private brewing, which had, of late, very considerably increased, from motives as well of eon venienci as ueconomy. It would be, sufficient to furnish the sum now wanted, at• the same time that it would be in a proportion so moderate and li mired, as still to leave a great advantage to the private brewer. It was difficult, he owned, to fiud Apy daim_upon which he could accurately calcu late the produce ; but he could not he very distant from it, when he stated, that the criatitity of malt paying duty, was three millions of quarters, but of which there were five or six millions of barrels of strong beer, brewed by common brewers. One of these millions was nut included in their consumption, and therefore must have been applied to titivate breweries, in the proportion at least of about 790,000 quarters, as it was ascertained, that even in the scarcity, the private brewers consumed 2.50,000 quarters. Judging upon that calculation, the duty proposed may fairly he taken at the full amount of the proposed iron duty, namely, 301,0001. The most obvious way of realizing this produce, would unquestionahly he to put the private brewers under the excise ; but he was deterred from doing so, by the inconvenience it would create to private fami lies, and the odium with which it would be attend ed. He should, therefore, propose to give those persons the option of a composition, according to the rate in which they paid to the assessed taxes, and that every one should make his return accord ing to the number of carriages, servants, and other assessed taxes he was subject to, and get a licence, permitting him to brew as muFh as he and his fa mily consumed. By this means, the new duty would not touch the comforts of the cottagers or lower orders, who were not charged with assessed duties. The scale he had to submit would exempt all persons of that description, and was ranged un der the following classes: First Clast.-.-Thn.a who kept four-wheeled rarriagee, to pry, annually, one citric' for every male, and half-a-(uinea fur every female, of their family. Second Claw--Those who keep no four-wheel carriages, ho were a,seseed to the male ..ervanta dui), to pay 1.56. for each male, and 7s 6.1. for each female. Third Class.-These who had in male servants, hut were charred with other assessed taxes, to pay Ws. Cr: omits, and female's. Fourth Clase..Those who were only uies-r d to the horse and 'window duties, ss. males, and 2s. 64. females. With an exemption in all the chasms of elt.ldren under the age of ten years. It would be impossible to calculate, with any ac curacy, the number of families in the country, who brewed b'er for their private use ; but he be lieved he might safely estimate the first class at 12,000, the second at 50,000, the third at 350,000, and the fourth at 390,000, which he made no doubt would produce the sum required, still leaving to private families a great Advantage ovet those who resorted to the common brewers, and not at all af fecting the lower classes of the people. The reso lution, therefore, which he had to submit was, that towards raising the supplies granted to His Majesty, there be imposed on each barrel of strong beer, pri vately brewed for the consumption of families, of the value of 16s. a barrel, a duty of 10:. unless the parson brewing it shall make a composition with the Commissioners of the Assessed Taxes, atter the rate before mentioned. Mr. ROSE said, he did not rise to make any op position to this tax, which otitinated in the sug gestion of his Right Honourable rriend, now no more (Mr. Pitt) who, however, intended to make an exemption in favour of farmers, who were in general under the necessity of brewing a consider able quantity of beer, in harvest time only. He wished to know if any such exemption was now in contemplation ? Sir ROBERT BUXTON objeted to the prin ciple of the tax, as, if the precedent was adopted of obliging people to take out a licence for brewing, it may afterwards be extended to baking, boiling, and roasting. It would be a hardship net the landed in terest, as country Gentlemen are tinder the neces sity of brewing their own beer, being out of the reach of the c.unmon brewer. Mr. LONG did not see the use cf giving this option of compounding with the Commissioners. Sir W. GEARY was in faveur of the composi tion, for the sake of keeping the Exciseman out of private honses. Mr. HUSKISSON ohjeaed to the effea of the tax upon Gentlemen who may reside nine months of the year in London, dealing with the public brewer, and were obliged to brew for the consumption of the other three moriths, in their private houses. By this measure, they would be compelled to pay as much as if they resided in the country All the year. Mr. PATERSON expressed his convietion. that the landed Genilenien did not wish longer to have the necessaries of lite cheaper than the poor m.m, who paiJ a penny a pot more for his beer to the common brewer, thaw the rich man brewed it fur at home. He thought the produce of the tax would be mach increased, by laying the fluty upon the man to brew exaftly what he thought proper. In point of equality, between rich and poor, he con- 1 sidered it to be a very fair tax. Lord H. Pit'lTY said, that the option was favonr able to those gentlemen who 'raided only a du at time in the ceuitti y, as it would be more to their advan tage to come wider the Excise. He did not pro. pow the option h r the benefit of the Government, but fur the ivcrommedation of the private brewer. However, at all event t, the principle of its interfer ence with domestic concern, was an ohj-Rion which he thought could nut well Apply in these times, as the duties on carriages, horses, terrains, and indeed all the assessed rum were of the same nature. The principle of licence was by no means new, and had been resorted to in the beat of times. In the reign of George I. a licence was required for making can dy., though since repealed. Mr. ROSE thought it wrong to allow *the alter native, for, by that means, a man may pay the lice:ore for a Short time, and then brew enough to last him Env several years. Dr. LAW ith . .NCE thought it strange to hear these gentlemen. who, in the beginning of the session. cle•catle-cl on the prosperity of the country, and the facile y of - raising taxes, as a " bed of rows," now calk cting to every duty that was proposed ; her his ewn part he should prefer a direct li cence, withian an option ; and clientele titer was a defect in the ausifications as these who wae wessed to thew:feats tax, appeared to him to be celled upon for mote than their due proporttion. hlr. ROSE dii not think he deserved the rerherks of the Hon. Gentlemen, who had found ri-Pre faults with the now duty than he did. Ile'accuied • the present. Minister of making 'up a great part of his budget from the ohj• -tionable fazes which his predecessor rejected, having many more eligi ble taxes in reserve. Mr. GILES said, he shnuld like it better if it was made en assessed tax, without the excise. The country Gentlemen had no right to complain of it, as they had long enjoyed these exclusive advan tages ; and he thought, that, in order to render it more equal, the Ministtr should advert to those counties in which cyder WAS consumed Stinted of b cr. Mr. HUSKISSON thought the advantage of the private over the common brewer, to be over-rated, as the latter went more cheaply to work, on ac count of superior machinery, &e. Lord 1-1: PETTY said, he should have no ob jeCtion to a moderate duty, by wayof licence, in those counties where cyder was generally consumed, in stead of beer. As to those who only brewed for the harvest time, they might be subjeCtea to a smaller licence than others. Sir C. POLE considered that any duty on cyder would be found very unproduaive; and would much rather see a tax upon five feet men-milliners, and persons of that description, than this duty which . applied to female servants. Lord lf, PET replied, that females were ne more taxed by this measure, than for the beer the,' drank ; and if it was any pleasure to him, the Hon. Gentleman may be assured that the five feet men milliners must do the same. Mr. S. STANHOPE adverted to an assertion mot • tome time sin.:e in that House, that malt in Scotland only made beet half as strong as English, and thought that when we wished to equalize taxes. the people in that part of the island ought to be obliged to pay their fair proportion. Ha feared this tax would have a tendency to diminish the hospitality of country Gentlemen, but would also have the good effect of in some degree deterring them from engaging in county contests. Lord H. PEI' I' replied, that if the Hon. Gen tleman was disposed to be so very hospitable, he had only to take out the licence, and then be as hos pitable as he pleased. Mr. 'P. JONES wished to have the tax teken-off the female servants, and dung upon the mew-milli net s. Lord H. PETTY replied, that this was no more to be celled a tax on ternale servants, than a tax on gloves would be. Mr. MANNING said, that fond as he Was of home-made beer, scalier than be subject to the ex-. else, he would give sip his brewery. He should prefer, instead of the option, to have a dire& licence, in the same manner as for killing game. Mr. W. SMITH supported the measure, observ ing, that.this was not a compulsory introduaion of the excise, and if a man preferred it, he had no hard-hip to complain of. He also wished the tax to be upon the malt in the first instance, as it would exempt the pent: from the operation of it. Mr. FULLER approved of the tax, which, he said, he had himself suggested to the Treasury !est year. He preferred a licence, without an alter. native, and thought the cyder counties should pay their proportion to the duty. Mr. SHERIDAN said, that though he most sup port the Bill generally, he could not approve of it in the whole. In the third class would be included every one of his constituents, in the populous and manufacturing town of Stafford, who, he must says to their credit, did ample justice to their own brewing, hut would be very much injured by this scale, which he hoped to be Able to prevail upon his Noble Friend to alter, so as to afford them an exemption. With regard to the men-milliners, he decleted hinieclf desirous, that not only they should be heavily taxed, but also all men employed in shops, or in any ether wty in which the business could be as well conducted by women. Ile then adverted to what had been stated by a !tight Hon. Gentleman ( Mr. Rost) that the budget was made up of the rejected taxes of the late Minister, whom he represented as having a number of fAtialess and unobjectionable taxes in reserve, and thought it would spew a much greater zeal for the public service, if, instead of coming to the House with ob jections to every measure proposed, under exi gencies, which they themselves had created, that Right Hon. Gentleman and his !emends wueld dis close to the hicuse, and his Majesty's present servants, some of these unobjectionable and eligible taxes, which they so well knew the late Minister to have in reserve. Mr. S. STANHOPE said, the tax would bear pe culiarly hard in that part of the country where he resided, as die generality of the people made their beer in no greater quantity than a bushel of malt at a time. drsteltnry conversatior. in which Mr. Fellowe c, Capt. Harvey, Sir W. Young, Sir W. Geary, Mr. Baker, and sevoral other Members took a share, the Resolutions were agreed to, and the Report ordered to be received to-morrow. Mr. Alexander brought up the Report of the Committee on the Grants recommended in His Ma jetty's Message to Earl Nelson and family. The resolutions were agreed to, nem. .ei. and a Bill or dered to be brought in accordingly. Lord HENRY 1 , 6 . rn , moved the order of the day for taking into further consideration the Report on the Property Duty Bill. On the reading of the 1 amenJments. i Mr. VANSITTART proposed a new chose, i for the relief of persons insuring their lives, sr the life of their wives, and providing that, in all such cases, where the income of th- party shall be less than 1501. per annum, the amount of the annu il premium paid on the insurance shall be dedutled from the amount of income to be assessed. Mr. WILBERFORCE expressed his satisfadinn to find his suggestion at all attended to. but thought that the abatement had been limited to so low a rate of income, as would render it almost nugatory. Persons whose incomes were less than 1501. a year. wcte least likely to effeft an insurance on their • lives, and according to the clause which be had himself prepared to propose, the scale of abatement would extend to persons enjoying t0f. , 01. per annum. Mr. v4Nst rrAR.T and Lord HLNRY • s PETTY said, thy the allowance tv and y to Tell. ve those, who, !raving small salar;e:, a&-a,d insitralices on their livru, as the only rueaus of pro '.vidirg for their lamil.es in case of their Persons of more col sidernble it:comes could u. t need the abatement. After a few observations from Mr. Fidler, Mr. Spencer Stanhope, Mr Vansittart, Mr. Ethson. and Mr. hlabington, the clause was read a second time. Mr. W ILIiERFORCE %him, in an al.le speech, at some length, prefaced the introduelion of clause for granting. allowarces to persons havi.ig children, and moved, that " for every child, born in wedlock, of the persons whose annual ii come or profits shall be under 4001. a ctedu,ltiou of 51. ;we cent. shall be allowed for t v ry such clnid ; nerd where the income of the person shall amount to 4001. and not exceed lOWA. a deduetton of 41. p. r cent. for every child." Mr. SPENCEIt STANHOPF. perfcetly agreel with the Hon. Gentleman in the necessity of the clause, and thought that, it even did not go lac enough. The father of a large family paid razes in numberless ways that others were exempted ' from. Ile wore several pair of shoes a-day, whilst the Nohletuan, who had no children, only wore one pair, and therefore some indulgence was certainly due. Mr. Huddlestone. Sir R Easton. and Mr. Ellison, said a few words in favour of the choice. Mr.V ANSI (TART expressed his dispprohation of the proposed exemption, on the ground of gene ral policy. For three years. exemptioas bad been k tried under the former Acts, aid were uulteurisly . found to defeat themselves arid 'he operation et the tax. In some eisuicti, the duty for 1E" 3 was not even yet collected, nor were the .u.sessments made ; and the answer to inmsities into the cause of this delay was, that tin C..tosnissioners had so many appeals to hear, so many claims of rx,inption to investigate, and experienced such diffi:ulty to un &vistaed the clauses, that it was iMpillaSible to pro ceed faster. How extremely desirable it was, then, to simplify, by broad and geueral epacuatina, the operation of the Act,- would be obvious to the House. A man of 2001. a year. with two chil dren, would, by the eiremption proposed. be e:- titled to a drawback of 101. and thus the waive of the tax would he totally defeated. Sir H. MILDMAY argued is favour of the ex emption. Mr. W. SMITH also ably supported the cleave. The 101. which would be saved by itito the titan ot 2001. a year, with a family, were almost ten drops of his heart's blood. To a person without a family it was comparatively no olijra. It, es was- often the case, a man married, possessing what he saw would be just means enough on which to*Amport a family, would the House, by taking any thing from him Ike what this tax would go to deprive loot ot, at once mar his calculations, and ruin his hews! There were some improvements in the prestos hill, as tar as it was less inquisiterial tliao the Leconte A&s which had preceded it, in not obtaining a dis closure of the wnole circumstances of the sot jean, except in case oT exemptiskos ; but the curtailment ot the allowances, particularly as far as regsrld children, he thought extremely oppree ire. Lord H. PE Y said, it was much against hit feelings that he opposed this or any other cement's/1 which could make the tax fall lighter on th. , dais of people named by the lion. Gentleman, t.ut he had a duty to per! orm to the public at large, ivnich obliged him to vote against the clause, ac, sin the failure of this tax, he would he compelled to propose another for the services of the year. The Noble Lord then contended, that 'benign in theoi y this exemption seemed desirable. yet, se in pea Rice not one halt of those persons entitled claimed before the Commissioners, it was not of such general ser vize as WAS imagined. Mr. BANKS supported the clause. lie was sorry to bear the Noble T.ord contend that the je• serest of the many should he set against the in terest of the few. His opinion was, that they were to consider what was the most equitable mode, and that was to make the burden press as equally as possible o n a ll. The question was then loudly called for, and the House divided. The numbers were, for the clause. 26—Agaiost ir, 73—Majority, 47. Mr. 'l'. JONES then made a few remarks on the frequency of surcharges, which he considered as a very great grievance ; aid concluded by Iteringul up a clause iinposing a penalty, and allowing cnos to be awarded by the Commissioners for vexatious surcharges. Lord H. PETTY approved much of what tt e Hon. Gentleman had propoionl. but bev;ed leas el. call his attention to a clause in the Bill, mehi,h he read, and which made the colletlors subitft to a penalty, not greater than 50'. for every surcharge. on convietion in one of the Courts above. Sir H. MILDMAY supported the Clause, a-. 4 was absurd, he said, to suppose that a day-lab , aner could have redress, if he was obl.gesl to aek tti one of the Courts at Westminster. After a long conversation between Mr. William Smith, and Mr. Ellison. who supported the Chow • and Mr. Rol!, Mr. Fellows, Capt. Harvey, and 1)oftor Lawrence, who opposed it ; Mr. 'l'. JON. declared that he would not press it. and the Claw: WAS negatived without a division. Tlte Bill A , then ordered to be read a third time n. a:Wedges tat • The further consideration of the report et t:ie Election Treating Ball. was postponed until There day next. and at Halt-past Twelve o'clock the House adjourned. Wexford Election commenced on Thursday lasts CiSAR COLCLOL:OI4, Esq. wAS proposed al it tit ) . did.ltt to reptilian that county by Sir FIEDEIDO:. FLOOD, Bart. and was seconded by B. S. Cass* Esq. brother to Lady Newroar. Mr. CoLci.ouce is opposed by Mr. ALCOCK, but there is nut t!.e least doubt of Mr. Co Lc tour.ses success. ROlitir SNArtA r.ll CA IlLw, Esq• has armoured his intenticm of becoming a Candidate to represent the county of Wexford in Pariiameat, wherievol a dissolution takes place. By an advertisement in a Dublin Papers it a l " pears that the following is the state of dos Louie ,; FINS and Ws tt.z•ass, as submitted to their cresli tors :—Bdls of theirs outstanding. to the atnourt • 67.79.11 I Is. B.l.—Effect , , 25,1491. They or: compositi‘m . of saven shiliingi in the pound, t• paid op the first cf August nest. B lu o_4 v- •••1•!.. Til • M. f ,•••,..• Lor upon tended not al given the the Peel duri 14. wet It i Bra Ind an fall an 4 18 h; 8 T I I c