The Sun. — London, England, 1821-03-19 00:00:00

TIMBER DUTIES. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The policy most advantageous tb the country, as far as the mere supply of timber is concerned; . would be, to obtain it •of the best quality, and at the 'lowest price, without reference to the quarter from whenceit might be derived ; and the course of your Comnittee has been to.in . qttire, first; to what extent the operational this policy is infringed by the system of ditties now ru•force ; in the next place, to examine how far the limits im po_led on its operdtion are sustaiucaby adeqUate considerations of expediency ;• and 4astly, to. determine whether; by the adop tion-of any andivitat alterations, the duties might be rendered, as far,as-circumstances allowed, More consistent with the regard due to the principle on which this polick proceeds, and generally more beneficial to the - commercial interests of the United It appears, that previously to the imposition of the duties in the sripPlics of wood required for-the consumption of the country were principally furnished. by the- .Nprthcrn states Of Europe'; that subsequently to that, peod, a great and gra dually increasing proportion •of its supplies has 1)1:en drawn from the British North American Colonies ; 'th a t at p resen t the useof the timber from the North _of, Europe, owing to the pries it bears in :comparison to American timber, is in a great measure confinetCto the hi g h e r and more valuable description of buildings, 'andlo purposes fOr Which incfeased strength in beSring •is necessary or desirable; that for less. substantial buil:Lines, and - for the inferior purposes to which wood is ap- J...lieable, the American timber and deals - have been generally brought into consumption; and althott;h the Red Pine of Arne rica (o.: which the quantity is relatively small), is said by seve.-, ral•wit7,l2TP - 1 ttYb2 equal in quality to the Fir from the North of. Europe, yet the Yellow-Pine, of which the great importa tion -cons-Lts, is stated, when used in this country, to be infe rior to ic, except for paiticular purposes and in particular si tuatiolis, from its SuppiosA greater liability to dry rot, and o - pniisrative deficiency in strength and durability. At the ,sAine time there is reason to belie,e, from 'other evidence,. that irnuelt - prejudice subsists on this head, and that in Lancashire, where Yellow Pine has been a longer time in - general 'use 'th4ri in any other part of, the kingdom, a well as irr.the neigh - bourhood pf - ShiAds, its qualities are considered. as more va lnable than they are gNiierally esteemed ; and there is repeated tesdrnoriy, ,that when used in America, both in the construct- Con of ships and buildings, it has been found to he free from tbe particular defect alluded to, and 6F A DU.R..A.BILITY rta..ll. TO THAT BEST TIMBER OF ErROPE. The scale of:comparative , value attached by diilerent wit. 'nesses to the wood dra - Jn from each particular country, will be. seen in the evidence of Sir R. Seppings, Mr. Hollaad, Mr. taiita i . Mr. Copland, Mr. Churchill, Mr. Smith, Mr. Haigh, Belthouse and others, to which your Committee think it suffkient to refer. . That the supfly of wood tomecitheoemands of the British and. market night be obtained with greatsr facility and cheap thesto the consumzr, (ifthe means ofputchasing and transporting it at thelowes.t rate were the only considerations to be attended too' a reference to the account of the charges of obtaining and transporting it frOm the Northern ports of Europe, iiidepend-nt of the duty, will Jeave no .doubt; and although under. the pressure of the duty, the demands of the court for for superior purposz:i may have been such as to lead to the importation to a certain amount of timber from the Baltic, it yet must be ob vious, that while, this duty beats upon it with its. present weight, it is to those higher purp - ;ses alone to which that species of .imber can be applicable; and that a great proportion of wood' an inferior quality must be forced into rofisumption, both in wed subetitittion for the superior tint l 4-ir: buildings,. which by becomi.fess solid and lasting; and i n a f rau d u le nt ap ,n of it, when.that of a superior kind has been cohtraeted according to the Ovidalco, if practised, can be with detected;. expedients of this nature would probably rted to if the difference of price was reduced, and the to prefer the American wood were less powerful. -- ao, by the admirkiiiam of sonar of s . l4e principal nvo theca, plieati, for, Iv b.„ difficulty not be rem indtrcru It x pnaarair l„, REPORT. THE SELECT COMMITTEE appointed to consider of the Mean s of maintaining and inapreeing the FOREIGN TRADE of the Country, wed , to report their opinion and observations thereupon from time to time to the House ; and to whom the ' Report relative to the Timber Trade, which was communi cated from the Lords - in the last.SeSsion of Parliament, and the several Petitions .respecting tide- Duties on Timber, pre sentee to the 11 - oitse in the present Session-, Were re .-(erred.;—have, pursuant..to the Orderof ilte.Honte e .conei.: dered the. Matteis to them referred.; and have meeed to the following REPORT Your Committee have deviated from the Course wench their former Report appeared to prescribe e and instead of pro - cceding • to examine some of the burthens that were stated to press with t'eneiderable weight upon the Foreign Trade - of the Wintry generally, hive applied, their consideration to that 'particule. branch of it, which embraces the ire:petation of Timber frprie Cie Northern States of Europe, aria the British Colonies ) in • .North America. This They have done, as welron account of toethranch having (AS APPEARS BY A REPORT REFERRED Td TIIESI) already occupied . theattention of a fooa - exur TEE 01' THE OTEER HOUSE OF PailiamENT, appointed for .' similar purposes ; as of the anxiety they understand to prevail among the-Commercial and Shipping interests, conne.cteti with the trade in qnestion, and the inconvenience of a continued sets. -pence in respect to the system .which -P&liament may deem it eXpedieet to adopt, on the expiration Of the existing law z which, accoreiino to the late-at extension of it, will terminate on toe 25th .01 3ler:r; is the present - year. In to imposition of the several duties, at present in force, On • tie iMpecoition of timber, the consideration of the Legislature appears to have been directed to two distinct objects ; firste to tee motes:a - ion and eneettragethent of the wood trade in the Bri t Ctildnies - e anti s - econtily, TO THE AUGMENTA TION OF ouir Iteive. - oetiTe Rigaeding tleeen in this point of . ..view, the first question that • • obVieusly presented itself was, to the maintenance of what part -.ofeheseoluties, if of -any, - TH PURLIC FAITH might be sup posed to !recommitted ; a short reference, to the laws which :reposed the respective duties, and to the circumstances attend - • ingene periods at which tkey were imooetl, has been sufficient to satisfy your ConirnitteO onthis head. - Although the. policy of eiving encourao ; emer t to the trade : timber from the Beitish American Colonies, al.aY he inferred to have been previously entertained, from the Acts 3 and 4 Anne, 'and 5 Geo. 3, by which bounties upon the txpoit of -it were granted; IT noes NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN ACTED LIE 0 N WITH M tr eftbct before the yeat 1309; at that time the course of events had placed our relations with theallorthern . States (from whos e . territories - .our supplies-of timber, as well for domestic as for naval purposes, had been chiefly derived) in • a situation Which gave rise to a well-founded apprehension,. lest the resources in that qu ar te r mi g ht en ti re l y cease t o b e available ' for the demands of this country. • Under, THE INFLUENCE,OF THIS APPREHENSION, it was , deemed atiiisable by Parliament to resort to the etrenrEnero ;NEGLECTED' THOURII ABUNDANT supplies to he found in -our American Colonies,. and by ADEQUATE eitoTEcTioee to encourage the transport of them to meet the exigeney with which we were threatened ; teo accomplish this object, at t7'itrr UAL ex emption from duty was granted to the • timber imported from our North American possessionse while a large addition was made to that levied on. timber from the North of Europe, first, by the 49th Geo. 111., c: 93, and in the ensuing year by the • Pith., c. 77, by which the duties of the preceding year were . doubled, making the whole ditty on northern timber, including the temporary duty imposed in the same years, for the support and during 'the continuance of the war, amount to 21. 1.1. e - Bd. per load. These duties were again augmented by an addition -of 25 per cent. to the periniment duties. on timber, in common •with' ell other duties of customs, for the ekpress purpose of assisting the,revenue. The whole of these duties WERE CON 'sonroaTED by the 59:11 of the late King, and now amount to 31. ss. (per load,) when imperted in British ships, • From this statement it will appear, that of these duties (how 'ever they may all- a lik e h ave operated- in the way of protection to the colonial timber trade,) a part only can be said to have been intended for that puvose, viz. those which were imposed by the acts passed avowedly with the Object of giving eficou racement to that trade, amounting to 21.1s.per load, and which may be contended to have led to its extension by the application of 'capital, -which except 'for such induzement would never have been so invested. With respect to the exemption from duty in . favour of colonial timber,: that advantage was ORIGINALLY • TEMPORARY, and has been since continued-from time to time for limited periods and although the p:rsons concerned in the . ..colonial timber trade may have had a JUST EXPECTATION • that they eheold enjoy, for a considerable period thl advantages affbrded them, as well by the exemption granted as by the du ties imposed by the 49th and i Oth of Geo. JII. ; so FAR FROM ANT EXPECTATION , BEING held out that the encouragement so given had , been considered by Government as permanent, or was intended to be indefinitely continued to them, that means ' seem to hare been studiously taken to produce by explanation -a conviction of a contrary. tendency, and to impress them with the ,assurance that previously :to the expiration of the existing law, the timber trade would be brought under consideration 'of Parliament With the view of in. troducing an alteration into the scale of :the present duties, that should render them more e9ual mid more favoureble to our in tercourse with the foneignStatee with whom - it was carried on. Yonr Committee are 'tht‘re - fore of opinion- that there is nothing which precludes the consideration of these duties, nor any part of them which in strictness line not he open to tiny modifies tien, either in respect to the rate at which-they s h a ll con ti nue , or the mode -which - they shall be levied, that Parliament un der a sense of the public interest, may deem it prudent to in. teoduce. reason to believe that it is only by a temporary restraint of that export that the character of the Wood is likely to be improved, and its value eventually increased ; such a diminution, there-. fore, is in itself by no means, in the contemplation of your Committee, a sufficient ground of objection on the part of th 6 colonies to any alteration that may be proposed, unless it be such an alteration as- shall be calculated. extensively to exclude from consumption the timber of the North American COlonici, and transfer the trade to foreigners. Within certain limits, the trade of the Colonies of Great Britain hay - ea-just claiM to en-, couragement and support from the mother - country ; and to such claim your Committee are anxious to give'full weight. It is not, however, a question whether this encouragement and sup port should be given or withholden ; but admitting it to be due, to what extent it should be carried, in justice to other interests, which have also their peculiar claims to attention, and which - are, in the opinion of your Committee also deeply involved in this - discussion.. On the fair regard shown to foreign countries, .the extent of our commerce with them may depend, and in pro riding with too much partiality for the interests connected with the trade to and from our American Colonies, we may put in hazard all those still mo te ex t ens i ve interests thati are engaged in the export to those countries which are directly concerned in the timber trade, (if not of our foreign trade generally,) by such a proof of deliberate preference of a principle of restriction, as the rule of our commercial policy. In maintaining the original duty imposed expressly for the purpose' of encouragement to the North American trade, it cannot be contended that every, didn't on public faith is not -fully satiSfied. In point of expediency, however, and in consi deration of the interests involved, your Committee are disposed to think it May be allowed to go even something further in favour of the colonies. The difference created by duty on tim ber amounts at present to 31. ss. per load; if, by the effect of the alteration, that should be reduced to 21. ss. which would leave a protection, after providing for the ordinary difference in freight, in the actual selling price of the respective descriptions of timber, of P. 10s. per load in favour of the imports.from our North American provinces, your Committee cannot but think, in recommending sucha difference, they shall at least be free from the charge of not having sufficiently listened to the pre tensions of the parties whose interests are involved in the colas Mal trade, and tendered as great sacrifice on the part of the country, both to the shipping and the colonies, as they can persuade themselves the House will be disposed to sanction.— At this rate of difference, it appears to your Committee, a fairer competition will be given to f ore i gn pro d uce , an d a freedom of choice (which under the, present relative prices can hardly be said to exist) will be , secured to the consumers, between the descriptions of wood brought from the respective points of sup ply, while a certain and large proportion of the consumption of the- United Kingdom will be assured to the American colonies, in the appliCations of their timber to those uses for which its qualities and comparative price must give it a preference. Hewever the tendency of the evidence generally may be, to recommend an alteration in the duties, to such an amount as may prove a corrective to the trade, without impairing mate rially the consumption of the American timber ; a considerable variety'uf opinion was expressed by the witnesses examined, as to the extent to which an alteration of the existing duty might be carried, without danger to the fair demand for the produce of our American colonies. Amidst the different opinions given it was difficult for your Committee to determine the precise amount by which the relative difference between the colonial timber and that from the Northern states should be reduced, and in fixing upon 20s. they have not only taken that sum as a point between the extremes, but have been influenced by a re. ference to the accounts of the market in several years, and par ticularly in 11118,1817, 1213, and Mil, as it is given in a paper added in the Appendix, and in the evidence of two of the wit nesses.; when it appears to have been, according to the remarks of one of them, in a natural and healthy state ; when a fair competition existed, when the prejudice entertained against American timber seemed to be on the decline, and the demand for it augmenting. The relative price' was, at this period, about or nearly three to four, which has recently been•reduced to one-half, owing to the unnatural situation into which the market has been brought by excessive importations, produced by the various circumstances which, at the present moment, have contributed to disturb the channels, and change the cha racter of the trade. Your Committee next proceeded to consider, in what mode that alteration of duty should be effected, wh e th er by reduction of duty on Baltic timber, by an imposition of duty on Ames rican, or by a combinathen of both ; and the result of their con sideration has been, a preference of the last mode of producing the relative approximation they hare recommended, in the prices of the respective descriptions of timber, by the imposition of 10s. on the American timber, and a corresponding reduction from the / duty . on that imported from the North of Europe ; this they conceive to be most effectual to produce the advan tages they have in contemplation; by removing the excessive inequality of the present system, facilitating our intercourse with foreign nations, and marking our desire, as far as circum stances will permit, to adopt more liberal principles than those by which our commerce with them has been hitherto goyerned. The state of the duty on deals will not, in the opinion of your Committee, allow the same degree of relative reduction to be applied to it, which has been recommends hfor that on timber. The rate of duty on long deals at present falls consi derably below that on timber, whilst on those of short lengths, it rather exceeds it. In what principle this dis tinction in favour of deals, as compared with timber in the log, originated, your Committee are at a loss to discover, and are averse to recommend a continuance of it, at least to its present Went- They feel, however, considerable difficulty in -yroposing to equalize the duty on timber and deals, which, if effected by a reduction of the duty on timber, must be attended with a large sacrifice of revenue, and if by an addition to that on deals, might tend hi some measure rather to impair than assist the foreign trade of the kingdom, by the effect it would have on the exports of wood from those states, of which deals form the greatest proportion. This, in the opinion of your Committee, precludes the application of a rule of strict equality to deals and - to timber ; but it appears to them, that while the amount of duty on timber is reduced in the degree proposed, a small increase on deals of largealimensionm, will in some measure lessen the distinction, at east as far as that class of deals is concerned. On the shorter deals, they re commend some reduction of duty,. less with reference to the manner in which the duty at present bears upon this description of deals in comparison with timber, than in consideration of the difference in the quantity of wood contained in the given number of deals of the larger and sm a ll er di mens i ons , which seems to call, in respect of the latter, for a more favourable assessment. Another alteration which has suggested itself toyour Commit tee, is one that has, eference to deed ends, on which a compara tive low duty has been hitherto levied, in order to accommodate the Ship Owner in broken stowage ; this indulgence "has been found to lead to great abase, in covering the introduction of timber of this description as cargo, (a practice never contem plated) to an extent most injurious to the revenue. They there fore submit the propriety of confining the length of this class of deals to six f ee t, an d ma ki ng a moderate reduction in duty to which they are at p r e sen t In consequence of the Report referred to them, the mode of levying the duty on deals and wood of the other denomina tions, under which it is imported into this country, according to the cubic measure, has been an object of your Committee's examination ;„ and although the reduction of them all to their cubical contents in assessing the duty, seems, on the first view of it, the most easy as well as the enost equitable principle that could be adopted, your Committee have found reasons in sup port of continuing the existing mode, (both as a matter of con venience and as producing a degree or equality between the coun tries by which our importations of wood are furnished,) suffl cientao prevent their proposing to the House to relinquish it ; in preserving the mode, however, they are of opinion, that an im provement may be introduced into the scale now in use, by ad mitting a gradation of duty, between the deal ends and deals of the largest class, which, it appears to your Committee, would attain more effectually that advantage by which the -existing mode of levying the duty is chiefly recommended. Your CoMmittee have a b s t a in e d from entering, in this Re port, into details upon the subject of battens, oak-planks, staves, deckaplank e paliog-boards,' masts, spars, end the other various denominations under which timber is imported, to which their attention has been direeted. The duties on these will be influ enced by those on the more important articles, and will m a k e a necessary part - of any measure that may hereafter be subnaitted to the House. • . , The policy of a legielatiVe preference bein g g i ven to the im portation Of timber in the log, and the discourageinent of the importation of' deals, seems to your Cominittee very doubtful, both because they are of opinion that any advantage to be ex pected from the conversion of timber into deals in this coun try, ' will not be sufficient to compensate for the correspondin" isadvantage to the- general consumere(to 'whom the deals would dealers, that the difference is at present such as to be prejudicial to the trade and to bring into the market from the colo nies an excessive . quantity of timber of a very inferior descrip tion, both in point of cittldity and preparation, and that some alteration Of the duty,-.tarulated to appeoximate the relative prices of the tipibealrenn the North and :from the American colonits„ would be degrable, if only to confine the . tupply , of the market to a 'more . carefully selected and better-prepared commodity. In addition to these inconveniences, the amount of the duty levied on Baltic timber, and the increased price which, under the operation of that: duty, the American timber must have borne, may be conedered as a bounty paid by the con sumers of the United Kingdom for the benefit of the 'North American colonies, and the support of the superfluous shipping to which the .transport of thaw wood is said to afford the only :eniriloyment. • The priulential consilleraticiai by ilahietr the application of the same plinziple appear to have been limited, are, The danger incident to want of competition, from the exclusion of colonial ,timber ; . and from a reliance for cur supplies on a single source: . The possible failure of supply from the north of Europe, in a moment of necessity ; The maintenance and employment of our-shipping, and the effiect that might be produced on the va rious interests connected with our American trade, and the ca pital embarked iti the establislinients for carrying it on. The sanie prudential cOnsideratios, in the Opinion of your Com mittee, at present forbid any recommendation on their part, tending entirely . to take away the legislative protection hitherto enjoyed by the colonial trade ; but, as the extent of that pro tection is admitted on alMost all hands to exceed the necesary bounds, they have directed their-attention to ascertain to what amount that, protection, and in what mode, should be pros= pectively continued. In so far as any alteration introduced is favourable to foreign trade, it must have a tendency to produce an increased impor t tation from the north of Europe, and thereby possibly to in - duce an increased demand from that quarter for the manufac tares.of Great Britain ; and your Committee are inclined to be lieve that an increased demand would be the result, as well froni the - desire for British . manufactures that is said strongly to prevail in those counties, as from the extent to which the ex port of them has been maintained, notwithstanding the burthens imposed on the impo r t a ti on o f thi s i mportant branch of theiralro duce into the United Kingdom. Your Committee do not think it unprobable, that a diminution of the export of wood from the British North American colonies might, on the other hand, be ex perienced ; eome diniinution, as far as the trade is concern ed, would be desirable, and indeed can hardly fail to take place, even indepen dent of any alteration of duties, owing to the excess beyond the consumption of the country, to which the importation has been, by peculiar circumstan ces , recent l y enlarged. The causes tte which we may attribute this excess, are, in part, the prolonged expea: tation of an alteration in the rate of duties combined with the desire to take advant age o f th e t i me by the present law may continue, anti to anticipate the impending change by the greatest Possible previous importation ; and in part, to the amount Of shipping (greatly exceeding the actual demands of our eom raerce,) which has been thrown,out of employment by the eon elusion of the war, and other circumstances, and which has been since engaged - in this branch of trade, mots° much because the employment was attended with advantage, asbecause it was preferable to the vessels lying entirely idle, incurring expence, and deteriorating in value. As our intercourse with the Northern states must be liable to be influenced by thelluctu.ations of political events; and as the exclusion from their ports, which has been once experienced, may at some future period recur, your Committee are appre hensive, that the consequences of any measure that might have the effect of, placing our dependence for a supply of timber ex clusively on those countries, might become eventually the occa sion of serious political inconvenience and danger; and by the exclusion of competition, possibly defeat the expectation of comparative cheapness to the consumers of this country. The alarms represented in the Petitions from the ship. ping interest in various quarters, which have been re ferred by the - House to your Committee, appe a r t o pro ceed on a presumption of the necessarily destructive effects of any alteration made in the existing duties, a measure which is accordingly deprecated with corresponding earnestness. Your Committee feel the respect due to an interest so import ant to the power and safety of the country ; and if all the weight is not given to the representations of the petitioners which they may expect, it is because the alarms expressed in them' appear to be carried to excess, and the objects sought, not con ducive to the gene'eal commercial interests of the kingdom, in which their own must be inseparably involved. Your Committee see no reason whatever to imagine, that the alteration which th e y h ave i n contemplation, would be' attended with the effect of depriving the American'COlonies of their due participation in the benefits of the wood trade, although it might have a moderate and temporary tendency to the reduc tion of the importations from thence, and so far may, in the first instance, and for a given period, affect the interests of the ship-owners. - In fact, the interest of the ship-owners is the one most concerned in the present question ; while that of the Co lonies themselves, important as it is, is still a comparatively subordinate one. Your Committee fully concur in the wisdom of that policy Which has rendered the B r iti s h shippi ng a favou rite object of the attention and vigilance of Parliament ; but they cannot feel that, beyond the extent which may be ra tionally deemed essential to the safety and defence of the coun try, every other consideration is to be sacrificed to that object, or that it is consistent with the public welfare, that the care due to the interests of our merchants and manufacturers, and every regard to our for e i gn commerc i a l relations, should lie foregone, for the purpose of suppo r ti ng by artificial means a mercantile marine in a state of magnitude, at which it has arrived from ac cidental causes alone, and 'which is neither conducive to the commercial prosperity, or essential to the political security of the.nation ; and in which (unless by the opening of new sources of employment, or the extension of those existing,) the regular trade of the country is incapable of maintaining it. Of this, the great depreciation which all property in shipping is re presented to. have undergone, appears to your Committee to furnish sufficient proof. The degree in which the shipping may be affected by any change that is adopted, must d e p en d upon t h e i n fl uence wh i ch such change is likely to have in reducing the export of wood from the C o lOni es . F rom th e evidence ofpersons conversant in the uses to which wood is applied, your Committee collect; that for many of those uses, the wood imported from America is either indispensable, or preferable,_ or as good, or nearly s o, as that brought from the north of Europe. In reference to the first description, are mentioned masts for ships of large dinien.: sinus, both ships,of war, and the more valuable description of merchant-men, which, can only be found in our North Ame rican Colonies, and which must therefore form a considerable article of import into this country under almost. any- state of duties. To the second, all articles in which facility of working, and an extensive surface a nd f ree d om f rom k nots is required, and to whatever extent pine timber for these puipoecs is em ployed, the American wood even at equal prices would have a preferenee. To the last, the application to all inferior purposes, as for packing chests, and var io us o bj ec t s i n the interior of houses, -or in situations where it ha s th e b ene fi t o f a f ree cireula ton of : for such uses it may be fairly supposed, and indeed it is more than once admitted; that the consideration of mere cheapness wOuld cast the balance in favour of the produce of our American provinces. The aggregate of these application s of timber, form a very considerable proportion of the general consumption of the coun try ; and it appears to your Committee, that it would require .something little short of equality in point of price with those of the Baltic, to exclude the timber and deals of the British Colonies from import a tion for these purposes. •Nor must it be forgotten that the exp er ie n c e , obtained within the Lest/few veers, of the qualities and value of the American wood, which has had the effect of removing much of the prejudice that pre vailed against it, •in • so far must probably have contributed to induce a permanent extension of its consumption. By the estimate of ; some of the witnesses, the excess of sup ply of American pine beyond the deinand, is stated to be at present considerable, insomuch that a heavy loss is incurred by the importers. This circumstance, even under the existing du ties, cannot fail to lead to a reduction in it s future importation, and Of course to a diminution of - employment, in the same de areeazif the shipping engaged in the trade. If the effect of an alteration of duty should for a time increase the demand for northern timber, it mist also-undoubtedly tend to a similar con sequence, not likely to.be more than partially counterbalanced by a corresponding increase of demand for British shipping in the trade with the North,of Europe, from the ports, of whiten a smaller number of vessels may be sufficient for an equal amount of importation. .• • By a diminution of the demand from Amerit%, the capital in vested in sawmills and establishments in those Colonies, stated at £150,000, may be li a bl e t o some injury. It must be recol ected, ho . yiver, that the advare to tl - - • .-- -, . itawe given _lie etineritan co- ~, ) \ - :onial trade; on which these establishments were founded has come with wconsidera,ble increase of cost,) and because it is found already.extended beyond th e period on which those engaged in ed ona principle of exeld,sion, which they are znost averse zo it had any right - to calculate ; and hiring speculated on their see. brought into operation in any new instance, without the own views of public policy-, they can have no just ground of warrant of some evident and great political expediency. complaint, in the event of Parliament taking a different view of Your Committee have discovered in the Amounts before what that policy re qu i res , an d su bj ect i n g t h ese d ut i es to some them, that the Protective duty in favour of British shipping, modification beyond the expectation which they had formed. has been made to operate in different degrees en the importation of wood of different descriptions, varying from 2A to 5 per cent, To the Canadian prepri e t or , th e p r i nc ip a l va l ue o f t h e t i m b er and i'a sonic unimportant instances falling below, as in others trade appears to consist in th e 6 m pl oy di ent i t a ff or d s to t h e persons concerned in agriculture a nd th e i r se rvants during considerably exceeding these rites, on the value of th e paeticu a certain period of the year, in conve yi ng th e wood froth. the hr article imported; for this inequality, which introduces much ncrplexity into the collection of th e duty, there dees.not Appea r places where it has been f e ll e d, t o th e p l aces f rom w hi c h i t i s to Zia be any sufficient reason, and they therefore submit to the be conveyed to the ports of expo r t ; w hil e th e part o f t h e buzi conSideration of the Hous e , th e p ro p ree ty o f ma ki n g the alike, the same ness which belongs to cuttin g and rafting, is in many instances consideration attach on all importations o f wood in forti:ri sl performed by axemen passing from the United Sta,tes for this and C ie. the amount of difference between ,the inee ortation in purpose, who are understood to be m ore ex p er t i n t h ese opera the fbreign ship and that in the British ship, should be fixed tions than the labourers of the B r iti s h t err it or i es , If what has bean stated by ye ar C omm itt ee l ea d s th em ' to er- for the fbture at 5 per cent. pect some diminution of th e export of the American Coloni es , One only O R from a change in the scale of existing d u ti es , th e y h ave a l so your caunitfurther recommendation has su l e ges t e d itself ,to tee, which in concluding their eport, they arc desirous of offering to the - House. It has appeared in the evi dence, that a great proportion of the timber which is imported from the province of Canada, is the gn.-sth of the United States, 'and has been permitted to be received into that province free from duty, and has. 6em thenef been exported to the United Kingdom, with all tiro benefits and immunities conceded to the pi-ea-ace of the British territory. Tot obviate the objection-to which this practice 'appears - to your . Committeeto be liable, they -,areof opinion, ...that with every exportation of .timber frenti the British prolo.tritei' in North Ainerica, a Certificate of its being the produce of those provinces should be required, and that timber imported without - such certificate should be hereafter _charged with the game rate of duty as would be payable on it, if imported directly from a foreign state. In submitting the result of what has occurredito them in the course of their inquiry into this • important subject, yoUrCom-' mittce have only to add, that in the recommendations which they have tendered, it has been their endeavour, to the utmost of their power, to conciliate the. claims of adverse interests and the 'con tending considerations•of policy that demanded their attention. If .what they propose 'falls far short of a recurrence to • those sound principles by which all commerce ought to be regulated, they trust it will appear to the House, that they have proceeded as far as, under present circumstances, is consistent with an equitable regard tattle protection due to expusive. interests that have grown up under an established system, and w hi c h m us t b e deeply affected.by any material and sudden change to which that systemis - strbjected.—March 9, 1821. • - • • • The following are the names of the Witnesses examlned before this Gianni;tee :—Sir Robert Seppirms, Alexander Copland, Esq., Juba 'Whirr, Esq., Lancelot Holland, Esq., Nlr. Brodie Augustus M 4 ollie, Henry Lisburne, Esq., John Bainbridge, Esq., William Smith, Esq., Thomas Tooke, Esq., John 'Caldwell, Esq., Mr. John Hamilton, Mr. Chailes Churchill, Mr. Harlin Haigh, John. Distun Towles, Esq., Mr. William , Wilson, Mr. David Behouse, Mr. Charles- Augustus Dalmer, Mr. Jacob Hagen, Mr. Thomas Simson, Mr. Edward Patztker, Mr. James Haydock Hilt, Mr. Hobert Banton ROxby, Mr. William Tindall, Mr. John Hill, Edward Scilly, E.; , James Borthwiek, Esq., William Price, Esq., Mr. Thineas Mu; Mr. James Young, Mr.'Ttiumas•Forrest, Mr. Francis Treadwell, Mr. John Lampson, John Henry Pelly, Esq., William Stewai t, Esq. To the Honourable the COMMONS of the UNITED KINGDOM of GREAT BRITAIN and inreeletti, in Parliament assem e bled. The humble PETITiose of the UndersignedSHlP OWNERS of LEITII, KIRKALDY t and PORTS adjacent; SnEWETII,—That your Petitioners are possessed of Shipping property to a very . considerable amount, in the employment of which they experience great difficulty. That under the regulations enacted by Parliament in the years 1807 and 1600, the 'trade between the British Colonies, in North America and this country gradually increased, and since the termination of the late war, furnished to your Petitioners and other British Ship Owners, a source of employment for their vessels, when scarcely any other co u ld he had. That by official Returns laid before the House of Lords, it appears, that in the year 1010, no less than 1,525 vesselsevhose tonnage amounted to 33U,537, and manned by 17,634 seamen, were employed chiefly in carrying timber from the Colonies• to this country.. ' That the increase of the trade may be ascribed to the exemp tion from duty of the timber imported from the Colonies, aided by duties imposed Upon B a lti c an d No rway Timber brought into the United Kingdom. That in the course of last Session of Parliament, it came under 'consideration of his Majesty's Government, -whether the existing regulations and duties should not be altered so as to allow Baltic and Norway timber to be imported . at loiYer rate, of ditties, but Petitions against any alter a tion o f d ut i es h av i ng been presented from various quarters, and among others from your Petitioners, no definitive proposition was made, and the existing regulations were continued until the 25th day of this present month of March. That the subject has now been brought before your Honour able House, and as the Petitioners are informed, it is in con templation to impose, not only a duty upon timber imported from the British Colonies, but also to reduce the duties present ly levied upon Baltic and Norway timber. That your Petitioners being firmly convinced that such alte rations, if passed into law, will have the immediate effect to destroy the trade with the Colonies;, feel seriously and deeply alarmed at the consequences which must result, not only to them, as Ship Owners, but to the general interests of this country. That the value of the timber trade with the Colonies must be evident, when it is attended to, that it is peculiarly and pre eminently British—the prime cost of timber being paid for in British Manufactures, and the freight being paid to .British ships, so that the entire sum expended for the article in Great Britain goes through British channels, and contributes more or less to the benefit of native interests, and the maintenance of the national revenue. That, on the Other hand, the advantages of a 'more, free in tercourse with the Ports of Norway and the Baltic, held' out as consequent upon an alteration of duties, namely, the obtaining a supply of timber, at a cheaper rate, and an addition a l de mand for British goods in - return, appear to the Petitioners al together fellatio:nand illusory. Ford' the trade with the Colonies is destroyed; and which any alteration of the existing reeulae tions will assuredly accomplish, the immediate 'effect will be a rise in price upont.the article of Timber in Norway and the ports of the Baltic, which will not only exclusively feenefit the foreigner, but increase the price of the timber to the consumer in this country. That there is no good ground. for supposing that a demand for British manufactures would follow upon a freer admission of foreign timber into this country; on the contrary, the fact im, that the gro wers an d ex p or t ers o f N orweg i an and Balticf timber take but a very small proportion of its price in articles of Bri tish production, and in Sweden British manufactures are nearly altogether prohibited. That from the low rate of outfit, and mode of navigation 'pe culiar to the ships of the North of Europe, it is" almost impos sible for the British Ship Owner to compete in bringing the timber of those countries, independent altogether of the natu ral predilection of the foreigners for employing their own ves sels in the trade. That so far, therefore, • from any advantage being likely to be derived, by this country from an alteration of the existing re gulatione,,an .evident sacrifice of its best interests would follow. That a t firrther consequence of the alterations now contem plated, by e destroying the trade to the Colonies, will follow, nandy, t* placing this country in &total dependence on Alien Powers fer e supplies of timber, and should the intercourse with the Northern Powers of Europe be, as it once was, suddenly interrupted by them; the country would experience difficulty and distress for a supply of 'wood. • That the Colonists haling themselves laid before your Ho nourable House Petitions against the contemplated regulationS, your Petitioners do not intend to say any thing on the subject of the Colonists' peculiar interests, but,they cannot help think ing that they haw a strong ilaini to protection from this Coun try; and your - Honourable House ought not to forget that they have been eminently useful arid serviceable to the United King doms, at. periods when those very Powers in whose favour it is now proposed to the alteration of Duties, were eagerly and keenly striving to d estroy the glory and prosperity of this Empire. T s hat on all these grounds it humbly appears to your Peti tioners, that the, present Colonial Timber Trade, which em ploys a great proportion of the whole Shipping of this Count-y, and nearly 18,090 hardy and valuable . British Seamen, :which affords to the British manufacturer a sure and undivided mar ket for the whole value of the products sent from the Colonies, and which both directly and indirectly contributes to the reve nue of this Country, ought not to be sacrificed tetAliers,/whose consumption of British produee is partial and trifling, and whose interests must of necessity be opposed to those of the United Kingdoms. That your Petitioners, in coneitision, would ea - neltly implore your Honourable House to consider the ruinous consequences which will fall upon them as Slip Owners, for they declare that they know not where to looklfor a substitute, if the Colonial trade be taken from them, and which they have every reason to believe Will follow from the alterations proposed. Their vessels must be laid up to rot and decay—the Seamen employed by them turned adrift, either to beg in their native Country, or find employment in some ,}dual State—the capital expended by your Petitioners will be. totally lost, and your Petitioners ulti mately ruined. That as it has hitherto been the policy of.this country to en courage and extend its native shipping, your Petitioners fer vently trust' that your Honourable House will pause before you deviate from that wise policy, and, endanger the vital interests Of so large a portion of its Owners. Your Petitioners therefore hope that no alteration Whatever of the duties on Foreign Timber imported into this Country will be allowed, but that the existing regulations will be' con tinued in force. And your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. CORN EXCII INGE, M 2s. lower than this day ply; the demaand not g RCII 1 9.—Markets full week, with a large sup vat. 81Thelt ' 36s 63s Grey Paas .... ......... ..28s :2s Barley 2,ls 27s Beans - ns. 3is . Rre 28s 323 Oats 1- 7 321;s Ai bite Peasz. 344 384 Flour, per sack sos Os PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS% HOUSE ov coy,moNsl,. NOTICES' of IMMONS, and oltijEßs 0 1 the DAY, „.h74. .poW stand iii the ORDER BOOK ut thy HOUSE td MONs, • for TrESDAY, 11 EILNENDAV, • 111U113i.i.li ' , alit' FRIDAY next. Tricscirv,e, lit raw o 20, 1821. Notices of Mr. I.3tAinet—Report of Conitni , sioners of Inquiry into Proceedings or Courts of .1 ;Ist ie. in Guernsey. 2. Sir Robert NVilson,—Vrodi - tet?osi 4' Later, dated . lii February t3-Li, trout the Minister at Naples the Neapolitan Minister, the Duke de (;al-to-. Orders of t Day—l. ito.ads Bill; —ticconditealliti/ ' 2. Prison Laws Consolidatiou Iteachi;. 3. Courts of Justr,:ir (Ircianti) Ba;—Coransitter, • 4. Ot, hs. of Nisi Prius.(lrclaiul) ;—Coin . aiittee. • 5. Antisugvl t ilic Conyany Bili;.—Second lteading. • - We (Ines dug, 1Z wch 21, 1821. o • -the Orphans' Fund; anti other paytuett-ts into tit Chamber of the City ot Lorrilon. 2. Mr. Wißiato Courtenav,—Claiiiis of Anter;can LoyaliTh 3. Mr.'Westerii,—Repeaf of the last :Malt Tax. Orders (jibe 11(ty--1. 17'.1gilkru-pts F.lll.cts• (II eiani) ; Second •Rcadi ig. • 2. Witchcraft Repeal (Ireland) Bill ;—Second Rcattiug. 3. Capital Crimes Defence Bill ;—Second Reading. 4. African Company'g Bill ;—Coinwittee. 5. Salvage Acts;—&,:ollitniftee thereupon. 7'hur. lay, March 22, IS2I. Notice., of Motions—l. Sir John Nt.O.Tol'l,—State of tin Collection of the Revenue in•lieland. 2. Mr. Ifunie,—Re•oltilioos respectia u the (Mice nt Re eeiver t;elit rat As-ies,ed aml the Office u DistributorS of Stan4ps, S. 111r.•Hume,—Iteturns from the Stamp Mike, amt Pus' (Mice, Edinburgh. Orders of the Day-1. Timber Dillies Acts ;—Committc< • • 2. !U ithes I.,t•P‘itiz(lrela-od) Bill ;—Cominittee. . - Friday, March, 23, 1.521. Oniers•.llhe I)ay- 7 1. ClJut ell liriefsßill;—StcOnd Reading 2. he we( 3 Bill ;—Second Reading. 3. ,:I'r;4l of 'FreitSMl (Ireland) 13illi—Sedond Readinz. -Volice .f . illotioos—nr. Bailie rt Ward,—Oi tioance Est 'mates. (In etnnitiiitce of Simply%) PRICE 01 THIS DAY AT TV STOCKS ELI , " C. O-CLOCT. - -- - -- - Bank Stock shut Bank Long Ann. • shirt 3 per Cent. Red ' shut Irish 5 per Cents. 3 per Cent. Cons 71 76R Exchequer Bills 2 4 pr: 3i per Cent - shut Bank for Opening r ....-... .423:). 4 per Cent; shut Cons. for April _ i li Pii 5 per Cent. Navy Ann. .1:06E1 71 7012 U. . HIGH WATER AT Morning, 57 minutes after' 1. I BRIDGE TO -MORROW. Evening, 17 minutes after 2:- TILE SUN. SOL.1;11 QUIS DICEIIE FALSUM AUDEAT LONDON, MO ND A 1.7, 31 21 RC; II , 132- • • In addition to the intelligence communicated iti our Paper Of Saturday, rer pvcting the Itevolutiois in Piedmont, and the report of a general Insur rection in Tuscany, we have received further adviceS from Paris of the 15th, which not only confirm these important events, but give us every reason to believe that Milan' is in the occupation , of the Piedmontese troops, and that all Italy is in arms against the Austrians.—The follo,f lug are the accounts above alluded t o BULLE MAncu i 5, Iszt. e " ft has been impossible f or th e G ott rninnt rnrtger rev conceal thr.events at ruritt, of which it receivrd'infoririatiew by a telegraphic dispatch. " It was on the 10th that the ga r ris o n of it fexandria (10,009 strong.) proclsiined the Sp a ni s h C onst i tut i on. A t this news, m the King of SAR DINIA wis h e d' to marc h the trips that were at Turin, hut they r e f use d, crying, The Constitutian,c4 this Cartes for ever.' • I The Prince of CARIGN A N (s on o f tl e King of SArtDmi A l and General GIFLEARA, • were sent to AleXatiiii ia burn. - their arrival there, cried, the Cortstit ut ion of the Cortes for ever!' and plated thetaselres at the head of the 11.30 , stunent'. In Ibis crisis, the King of SArintßi a thought to calin.t he f,r tarot by offering to giant the French Charter,. hat it has heel roust d. All the garrisons in .Pictiniont have followed the example of that of Alexandria.' We here certain Ono, matron that the Prince of CARIG NAN and General GITLZNeA, at the head of 25,000, have marched for M and it is I>clieved that, they would enter that city this tat, the •15th of The cry of the Piedmontese troops is not only that of " Vive 14 Constitution," but also that of " Death to the Austrians." It is not doubtecl that Genoa is constitutional at this moment, and that all Italy will be so in less than ten days. The• news of these events has produced the greatest sensation at Paris. The Ultras are in the most complete. despondency. Alf eyes are turned to wards Dauphiny and towards Lyons. The move tpents at Turin were.calealatO to break out on the 15th and not before, but the arrests hastened it. by five - days : The disaffection.of the Austrian Officere is also. confirmed by the following communication, which likewise states the recal of the Emperorof Russia. to his dominions for reasons of the utmost impor tance : 44 rAhls, MARCH s—The news of the Revolution in.Pied niont WAS communicated to the Chamber of Commerce_ last night. 11 is becoming general, and extt tiding over all Loin 'hardy, so that even the Austrian, Officers, who were marching uith 'reluctance, hare declared that they nil nut proceed. any farther against Naples, and declare fur the Constitutional system. '" A Commercial Courier, wlnii-left. Naples on the 4th, and paiscd through the position. of both • Armies, says, that hostilities had taken place as late as the Mb. and it was sup-. posed the advanced posts would meet the following day. • "The Emperor of RUSSIA IS- rce.alled to nis dominions by reasons of the grea'est importance. " News is this insist - tit received from Lisbon, that the Conetitutiumof the Cortes has been published at Bahia ) its Brazil. " We hear that the Committee on the Budget has the in tention to refuse its assent to the Law on the Finances ' um , - lt.ss fifteen m illi ons of retries are - crcati:d to indeninify tit& Emigrants, sod eight ml lions more-for-the Cu-mg 7, whieli would be augmented by four great Episcopal Sees.". - The Paris PaperS of Thursday last, which reached us this morning, contain no. further in telligence from Naples. The. Austrian Army has made some Movements in advance. The division Of STUTTERIIIII M has taken_up its:position at Ti voli and Val-Montone, and covers the City of Rome, The vanguard of the centre, under the orders of Count WALmonEs, occupied Rieti 2U the 27th ult. The division under Prince IVIED aux-KEE. arrived the same day at Terni and Narni. ,'That • of the Prince of II Esss HoLt- BOURG is arrived at Spoletto ; and the reserve, commanded by Baron LcEncaan, was at ro ligno, - ready to advance on 'tipolttto. Thus the Army skirts the Abrupi, and extends by eche lons over a lin e o f 30 l eagues . Th e Neapolit an troops are at Aquila, and it is surposed th ey will take post behind the (142i'tusive line, whi extends from Pescara to Terracitta and Fondi. Italian Journals received at l'aris on Thurs& ty contain no inellig , _.nce of any- engagement Le tweein the Austrians and Nnapolitans. It is re ported that 414000 fresh A - itstrian troops hate received orders to pass the N. The he:. i• k