The Sun. — London, England, 1844-04-30 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, April 29. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his . seat on the Wool sack shortly before Five o'Clock. The Earl of ROSEBER Y presented two petitions against the Dissenters' Chapels Bill. The Marquis of .NORM ANBY presented a peti tion from Newtown Limavady, in the North of Ire land, praying the House would adopt some measures to legalise marriages by Presbyterian ministers. The Bishop of EYETER presented a petition against the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. Lord BEAUMONT laid upon the table a Bill for the purpose of removing certain disabilities which pressed upon Roman Catholics in the case of grants being made to them for corporate purposes. The Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be printed. RECAL OF LORD ELLENBOROUGH. Lord COLCHESTER wished to put a question on a subject of vast importance to the Noble Duke near him—namely, whether the communication of the Court of Directors announcing the recal of Lord Ellenborough was accompanied by a statement of their reasons for that act ? The Duke of WELLINGTON said that there was no doubt that the Court of Directors had given such reasons as they could advance, and which reasons had been most decidedly at variance with the opinions of her Majesty s Government, and therefore her Majesty's Government did not concur in the measure—nay more, he should say, that her Majesty's Government did strongly remon strate against the measure, and pointed out in a eliarked mariner to the Court of Directors the error which they had committed. At the same time he felt bound to say that he was aware the Court of Directors possessed the power of removing the Governor-General in a strict point of law, for that power, which existed since 1784, was again renewed, or rather retained in 1833, by the 3d and 4th Wm. IV. But he felt bound to say that this body, like every other body, a4l every other individual, was bound to exercise its powers with discretion.— (Cheers.) He would say to their Lordships as a person who had had considerable experience, that he thought the conduct of the Board of Direc tors was most indiscreet. (The Noble Duke here spoke with considerable warmth, and laid much stress upon the last word of the sentence.) Although the Court ofDirectors possessed the power of recalling the Governor-General, yet they had no power to nominate his successor, nor, indeed, to do anything, except under the direction of the Board of Control. Lord Ellenborough had been only two years in India now, and had afforded the greatest satisfaction to those from whom he re ceived his instructions in every instance. He thought he was justified again in stigmatising as indiscreet a line of conduct such as that adopted by the Court of Directors when they had not the slightest knowledge , of the nature of the instructions which the Governor-General received from the Home Government, or indeed had no further notice of the private circum stances of the case than had either of the Houses of Parliament, or the public, or the world generally. He should say that the Court of 1)i -rectors, being in this state of ignorance, acted very wrongly in depriving the Government ofthe country of the benefit of the services of such an officer as Lord Ellenbo .' rough at this moment. This was the first instance they had of the exercise of this power by the Court of Directors, and certainly a dangerous power it might turn out to be ; for, he would ask their Lord ship-,, what would have been the consequence if the Court ha.l chose:, to issue such an order dur ing the time when those extensive operations were carrying on against Gwalior ? Why that result would be that the carrying out of them would be left to . soma gentleman —a very respectable gentleman lie might be, no doubt, connected with the Council, but who lacked experience in that particular branch of the Government in which his Noble Friend (Lon: Ellen • • borough) was so distinguished. He should azain repeat • the word ‘• indiscreet," and say that a more indiscreet exercise of power than that of recalling the Governor- General, he hid never witnessed since the first time he became connected with public affairs. (The Noble Duke appeared much excited at the chose of his speech.) Lord BROUGHAM wished to explain, that he had never said he doubted the legality of the act of the Court of Directors, in recalling the Governor-General; but he fully e,neurred in what had fallen from the Noble Duke opposite, with regard to the in discretion of their cinduct—indeed lie wfaild have almost inclined to go further ; for out cf the twenty four members, composing the Court of Directors, only three were inforine I of the future of the instructions .given to the Govern;r-General, and they were bound by oath not to reveal to their brother Directors what those instructions were, yet the whole body excepting three, acting in ignorance, adopted a measure which alone could be justified by having the fullest know ledge of the w h o l e b ear i ngs o f the ease.—(Hear, hear.) He need say but little on this matter after what had fallen from the Noble Duke who had just sat down— one whose name was respected not alone in India, hut in every part of the known world, and whose opinions carne t that high respect with them to which his splendid achievments and high character entitled them The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said he should not have been indu: el to ri,e were it not for the extraordinary spee2h made by the Noble Duke opposite (the Duke of Wellington). Ile (the (Marquis of Clanricarde) thought it a most extraordi nary course for the Noble athe to adopt, to rise up in his pluce in that.llouse, and, without giving the slightest notice of his intention, to pronounce a ready censure upon the Court of Arcetors. Ile ( Marquis Clanricarde) would ask what right had they, when they knew that the East India Company possessed the power by law of adopting the course they did, to con demn them, without first examining into the matter further, and affording them an opportunity of jus tifying themselves fur the steps they took ? He should ask the Noble Duke if it were his intention to lay upon the table the communication which passed upon this subject between the Board of Control and the Court of Directors Of the East India Company. The Duke of WELLINGTON—AIthough he was anxious to afford their Lordships every information yet he thousht at the present moment it was not desirable to do so. A question had been put to him by has Noble Friend (Lord Colchester), and in reply he said no more' than what he considered to be his duty, and nothing which had fallen from the Noble Marquis opposite would induce him to alter his opinion as to the indiscretion of the con duct of the Court of Directors. The Marquis of NORMANBY was sorry the Noble Duke opposite said that he would not lay upon the table the papers referred to. He did not think such a course was in accordance with the usual straightforward con duct of the Noble Duke, bemuse otherwise the Court of Directors would not have an opportunity of having a fair trial. The Duke of WELLINGTON (as we could under stand) said he thought he had a right to speak his sentiment , , and he also should say that the conduct of Lord Etlenberough met with the entire approval of her Majesty's c4overnmelt. Lord CAMPBELL thought it was essential that the Court of Directors should be allowed to exercise their unrloubted and legal ri,.;ht over the Governorship of India, without being unduly int er f ere d w i th. After a few word's from the Duke of BUCCLEUCH, the matter dropped. Lord DENMAN presented a petition from the Dis senters of Birmingham against the Dissenters' Chapels Bill. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a pe tition from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of Sunderland against the proposed duty on coal imported into London. In doing so, he said he thought it most unfair to injure the interest of the lar4e coal-Owners and their numerous dependents; by imposing a tax for the purpose of such chime rical olueets.as the embankment of the Thames. Lord WHABNCLIFFA . : said the Government had not as yet decided upon imposing this tax. The Marquis of NOR \IANBY said he had intended this evening to move for a Committee to in quire into the regulation and application of the funds of the Board of Charities in Ireland. However, he would postpone his motion for a week, in order that he might afford an opportunity to the Government of taking the matter into their own hands. After - a few words from Lord CAMPBELL and the Loan CHANCELLOR the Local Process Bill was read a second time. Their Lordships then Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 29. The Senakta took the Chair at Pour o'clock. Mr. HOPE .JOHNSTONE presented a petition from a Presbytery in Scotland against the abolition of tests in col! eges. Mr. SCHOLEPIELD presented petitions from the British and . Foreiga Anti-Slavery Societies at Chester-le-street, Newton Abbott ' • nelstone, Corn wall ; Darlingtbn an d v i cinity ; Reigate, Surrey ; Torquay, and Oswestry, against any fiscal regulations being adopted that will admit of the introduction of the produce of slave labour into this country ; and praying that fiscal regulations be adopted in favour of the produce of free labour. Mr. I\l - LINDY presented a petition from Scar borough, in Yorkshire, in favour of agricultural pro tection. Mr. HIND LEY presented a petition fro m th e Anti-Slavery Society, signed by the venerable Clark son, against any alteration in the duties on forei gn sugar, which would tend to admit the article fr o m countries where slave labour ►sa.s allowed. Ivti. T. DUNCOMBE presented three petitions from Liverpool, Dublin, and , stem, and praying Bradford, complaining of the prevalence of the truck system, ..that the House would take the matter into its serious consideratioti. Mr: S. CRAWFORD presented a petition from 'Certain op er ati v e s : connected with factory ;BelfaSt t Signed by 8,300 names, praying for the in ;here -stsietion'of t en h ours ' labour daily to factory work. -Mr-R-.IIOWARD presented a petition from Car lisle ao•ainst the Masters and Servants Bill, and stat •Jij'g that it sVits harsh in its provisions, and trenching ; :litcul trial . by jury. ~Mr;, ROSS, prese n t e d severa l pet i t i ons f rom Pres jtylerianeongregations against the present marriage -Taws as affecting person s of their religious persuasion. 1\114.1-IARDy presented a petition in favour of kieletlertral p 3 rotet49,r . ), fhin a place in Lancashire. Mr. FERRAND presented a petition from the West Riding of York,hire against the Masters and Servants Bill. Mr. W. 0. STANLEY presented a petition from the Chairman and Board of Guardians of a place, the name of which we could not catch, complaining of the clause in the Poor-law Amendment Act relative to -the burial of paupers; also, a petition from the Isle of Wight against the union of the Sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. Captain PLUMRIDGE presented a petition from Falmouth, on the subject of the Small Debts Bill. Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND presented a pe tition from Preston against the Masters and Servants Bill. Mr. MILES presented petitions against the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. Also a petition from the Deanery of Bath and Wells, praying the House to address the Queen for the purpose of ob taining for the clergy the right of meeting in con vocation. Mr. Alderman COPELAND presented a petition from Stoke-upon-Trent against any further grant to the College of Maynooth. .Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN presented several petitions from the county of Kent against the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. HAIL-STORM POLICIES OF INSURANCE. Petitions, praying for a repeal of the Stamp Duty upon hail-storm policies, were presented by the Earl of March, Mr. Blackstone, Mr. Yorke, Admiral Dundas, Mr. Round, Mr. J. Round, and Mr. Hussey. Mr. F. FRENCH gave notice that he should to morrow bring forward a motion with respect to poor laws in Ireland. SAVINGS BANKS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER gave notice that, on Thursday next, he should move for leave to bring in a Bill for the regulation of savings banks. TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE ZOLLVEREIN. Dr. BOWRING wished to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of the Government, whe ther he would have any objection to lay on the table of the House the correspondence which had taken place between the British and Prussian Glvernments on the subject of the late treaty concluded between the United States and the Zoliverein. Sir R. PEEL was understood to say that he had no objection. FACADE OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. Mr. M. MILNES wished to put the question of which he had given notice, to the Right Hon. Gen tleman (Sir R. Peel), respecting the new facade of the British Museum. He wished to know whether the plan proposed had been definitively agreed upon ? Sir R. PEEL begged to state that he considered there never was any architectural plan which received more mature consideration than the present, and the decision of the trustees had been always understood to be final and complete. So long ago as 1822 a re solution was moved in the House that no plan for the British Museum should be proceeded with on the mere consent of the trustees, but that the consent of Parliament should be had. In 1823 all of the trustees had approved of the plan now in course of being carried into execution. The plan had been submitted to Committees, one in the year 1836 and one in 1838, and it received the implied sanction of both. Some courses of stone had actually been laid according to the plan, and no devia tion from the plan could he made without causing considerable expense; under these circumstances he trusted the Hon. Gentleman would see the necessity of not disturbing a plan which emanated from a most eminent architect, and had received the sanction of the Lords of the Treasury, and subsequently of two Committees of the House of Commons. GOVERNOR-GENERALSHIP OF INDIA. On the motion that the Order of the Day for going into Committee of Ways and Means be read, Mr. ROEBUCK rose. He begged to solicit the attention of the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government to the questions which he was about to put to him. On Friday, in answer to a question from the Right Honourable Gentleman the Member for Edinburgh (Mr. Macaulay), the Right Honourable Baronet had made it clear to the House, and to the country, that the Court of Directors of the East India Company had recalled the Governor-General. As that was a matter which might be attended with very im portant consequences, he was now induced to solicit the attention of the Right Hon. Gentleman to his question. -He (Mr. Roebuck) understood that on Wednesday last a dispatch had been sent from this country to India, on the receipt of which the Noble Lord at the head of the Indian Govern ment would cease to be Governor-General, and the government of that country would be transferred to others. The question to which he solicited attention was, who was now, to be considered responsible for the Government of India? Whether was it the Government of this country, namely, the Administration, the members of which he saw oppo site to him, or the parties who had the power of dis missing the Governor-General, who were to be considered responsible for the government of that country ? He wanted also to know if the Right Honourable Baronet were able to give him an answer, and he should be sorry to put the question if an answer were at all inconvenient, as he had not given the Right Hon. Baronet notice of his motion, though perhaps the Right Hon. Gentleman was not wholly unaware of his intention to put it. A dispatch went from this country which would alter the whole nature of the Go vernment of India, and anybody who knew anything of that country knew that from Cape Comorin to the Himalayas the greatest commotion—(Cries of " Order" from the Minist e ri a l b enc h es , am id s t hich Sir R. Inglis rose to " Order" and immediately sat down.) Mr. Roebuck resumed.—He had so often been subjected to this species of interruption, that he could not but believe that there was some meaning in it.—(Hear, hear.) They were now on an Order of the Day for Supply—for a Com mittee of Ways and Means—which involved every question interesting to the state of the nation—so that he was perfectly in order, and he was astonished that so old a M em b er as th e fion. Gentleman opposite should have interrupted him. He was about to re mark, that any one who knew India must he aware that the reception of news such as that to which he had alluded would create a great sensation among all the native powers from Cape Comorin to the Himalayas. Now nothing could be more dangerous to our dominions in India than the effect which might be produced by such a dispatch. He therefore wished to know from the Right Honourable Baronet whether he was prepared to maintain the policy which had hitherto been maintained by the person representing the Government in India; and, with respect to the Government of India at the present time, considering the extraordinary and anomalous position in which it was placed, he was anxious to learn if the Right lion. Baronet was prepared to take upon hinriself the responsibility of carrying out the policy of the Directors of the East India Com- , pany. He was aware of the difficulty of the question, and he admitted that he had not given• notice of his intention to put it. Sir R. PEEL had not known of the intention of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman to put the ques tion on the important subject to which he had re ferred, and he (Sir R. Peel) should certainly have wished for a little time for consideration. In the 111-.4 place, with regard to the provisions of the ex isting law, the House was probably aware .that the relations of the Executive Government with regard to . the administration of the affairs of India were extremely anomalous. The respective positions of the Government and of the East India Company were not very well defined. The Crown and the East India Company had each certain powers ; but with regard to the nature and extent of those powers, he must refer to the acts of the Legislature. The East India Company possessed the power of appointing the Governor-General of India. That power could only be exercised subject to the approbation of the. Crown —that approbation was signified by the sign-manual, counter signed by the Secretary of State. That was the exact provision of the law with respect to the appoint ment. The appointment wai made under ordinary cir cumstances, by concert and mutual understanding, be tween the Government and the East India Company ; but the letter of the law was that the right of nomi nation was with the East India Company, subject to the approbation of the Crown. The right of the East India Company to remove the Governor- General, without the concurrence of the Crown was, he apprehended, unques tionable. In the last Act, which comprised the charter of the East India Company, and extended it for a certain time, there was a proviso that nothing in that Act should be construed in any degree to diminish or in terfere with the power of the Board of Directors to recal the Governor-General of India. Now, all that he was at liberty, consistently with his sense of public duty, to state on that occasion, was that the Court of Directors had, in the case of the removal of Lord Ellenborough, exercised the right which they unquestionably possessed under an Act of the Legislature, to recal and dismiss at their will and pleasure, the Governor-General of India.— (Hear, hear.) The determination to recal was taken by them on their undivided and exclusive responsibility. The act of recal was an act which had not received the sanction and concurrence of the servants of the Crown. Without that sanction and concurrence the act was unquestionably a legal and a valid act. With respect to the question of the Hon. Gentleman, whether her Majesty's Government con sidered itself responsible for the government of India, he must, under present circumstances, decline entering into any discussion of that question.—(Hear, hear.) All he could say was, that with reference to the fact, whether her Majesty's Government did or did not coincide with the Court of Directors, their sense of public duty would induce them to take that course which should appear to them best calculated to diminish the risk of embarrassment and danger which they foresaw from the act of the Court of Directors. Sir R. INGLIS said he had no wish to interrupt the Hon. Member for Bath unnecessarily. He thought, however, that great inconvenience would arise, if Hon. Members persisted in exercising their right in a case like that before the House. Mr. FRENCH said he thought there was another question which ought to be put to the Right Hon. Gentleman at th 3 head of her Majesty's Go vernment. His answer would leave the country under the impression that the Court of Directors bad •taken the Government by surprise. Now he wished to know whether it was not true that they had had considerable notice of the intention of the Court of Directors to remove the Governor-General of India ? Sir R. PEEL thought he had not said a word from which any Hon. Gentleman could infer that the Government had been taken by surprise. The Go vernment most certainly was not taken by surprise; but they had had the opportunity of stating their views to the Court of Directors, who had certainly given a fair and full consideration to their repre sentations before they took the step in question. Now he must beg to decline answering any further question. He had given the House all the informa tion that could be expected from him, in answer to a question of which he had not notice, and he trusted that the House would not suppose that he acted with disrespect in declining to answer anything further. THE CHINA COMPENSATION. Mr. W. WILLIAMS said that, before the Chan cellor of the Exchequer proceeded with his exposition of the Ways and Means, he should beg leave to ask the Right Hon. Gentleman to explain how it was that the money was borrowed upon Exchequer Bill;, to pay the opium compensation, whereas the revenue of the last year exceeded the expenditure by a very large sum ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the amount of the opium compensation was 1,200,000/., and the expenses of the war 800,0001., making in the whole 2,000,0001., which would be re• paid by the Chinese Government, and from that fund the Exchequer Bills (as we understood) would be paid off. The loan was made for the double purpose of paying the compensation and the defraying the expense of the war. Mr. HUME said his Hon. Friend was not aware that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in order to have a surplus income, had borrowed the sum of two millions upon Exchequer Bills. Had his Hon. Friend consulted him (Mr. Hume) upon the subject, he could have explained the matter to him —(Laugh ter.) His Hon. Friend, however, was quite right in putting his qnestion. He (Mr. Hume) was aware that last year the Chancellor of the Exchequer did explain this matter, and the late Chancellor of the Exchequer pointed out to the House the cheat that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was then putting upon the public. But he (Mr. Hume) perfectly understood at the time the money was borrowed that it was to be paid as soon as the remittances from China were received. Mr. WILLIAMS said he had another question to put to the Right Hon. Gentleman.—(Cries of " Oh, oh.") Ile had been informed that a very large amount of money had been laid out by the Commis sioners for Reducing the National Debt in the pur chase of Consols. He understood that something like from 150,0001. to 200,0001. per week had been expended for some time past. He wished, therefore, to ask how much money had been laid out by the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt since the commencement of this year, on ac count of surplus revenue—on account of savings' banks, and on account of money received for the pur chase of Government annuities. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he was sorry that he could not give the Hon. Gentleman the figures he required at the moment, not having had the slightest expectation that the question was about to be put to him.—(Hear, hear.) He would be, however, perfectly ready to give the lion Gentleman the required information to-morrow. THE BUDGET. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER the House then went into a Com mittee of Ways and Means—Mr. Greene in the Chair. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose and said :—Mr. Greene, the motion I shall have the honour to put into your hand is for a vote of Ex chequer Bills, to be appropriated to the exchange of other Exchequer Bills, which will come due, in the ordinary course of business, in about six weeks time ; and I think it desirable to avail myself of this oppor tunity of bringing under the consideration of the House the view of the financial condition of the country which the House is entitled to expect, and which it must be anxious to receive at the hands of her Majesty's Government. It will be in the recollection of the House, that when, in the course of last year, I made a simi lar statement, there was, on the part of some Hon. Gentlemen, an expression of great surprise as to the actual state and future prospects of the country. We were told that the country was still labouring under the severest distress, and that it was not likely to re cover from its state of depression. We were also told hat, notwithstanding the imposition of heavy addi• ional taxation, the year had still closed with a deficiency of revenue. The explanations given by the Government were not satisfactory; and there were those who argued that a similar depression would be observala!e in the coming year. On my own part, I was disposed net to invite rash expectations to future pros perity, nor to draw an overgrown statement of public fear, but I then took the liberty of stating to the House, that there were indications of improve ment which led me to anticipate a revival of in dustry, and an extension of commercial enterprise, and which must of course lead to a considerable im provement of the financial condition of the country. I am happy—and I am sure those Honourable Gen tlemen who differed from my views will be happy also—that the views which I then entertained, have been since realised, and that the alarming forebodings which were indulged in have turned out to be ground less. lam anxious, Sir, not to encroach upon the time of the House, and I therefore will not detain you by further prefatory observations. I will proceed at once to state what was the revenue and expenditure of last year, and then I will go to the revenue and expenditure of this. It will be neces sary, hoWever, before I do so, to call the attention of the House to the situation in which we stood when this question was last before us; and more particularly, to explain to the Hon. Member for Coventry (Mr. Williams) the par ticular circumstances with respect to the China opium debt, and the East India Company to which he has just adverted. The balance-sheet, to which he has referred, comprises all the actual payments made in the year, and all moneys received within the year. Therefore, on the one side, 2,000,0001. have been received from the East India Company and the China opium claim ; and on the other side, is the expenditure for those two objects. But the House will be kind enough to understand that in the schemes of finance, I exclude those state ments from the debtor and creditor side of the account. And the Hon. Member for Montrose is perfectly correct in stating that I was then charged with having done so in order to make the appearance of a surplus when it was not the fact. The estimate which I made of the public income during the course of last year, has undoubtedly been very greatly ex ceeded. I stated at that time to the House, that after the depression we h a d b een susta i n i ng, and the disappointment of previous expectations with respect to that income, I had endeavoured to make my statement of such a character that at all events it should not err on the score of being beyond what was likely to be produced. If there was any error, indeed, it was quite in the contrary direction. The estimate which I made of the amount of revenue from the Customs for the year to come was 19,000,0001., taking for my guide the amount that had been produced by the Customs during the preceding year. But in the course of the past year the amount that has been received from the Customs is 21,426,0001., instead of the 1 9,000,0001. at which I had estimated it. This arose, in a great degree, from the following circumstance :—I had not anticipated that there would be any considerable importation of corn ; that article, however, has produced 800,000/. I speak in round numbers, in order to save trouble to the House. A further sum was produced to the revenue by a great improvement in the wine duties arising from the termination of those negotiations which had laid a sort of paralysis on the trade. The amount derived from this source was 350,000/. Other items of the Customs exhibited that a general im provement had taken place ; the most remarkable items in this increase arose from the duties on sugar, amounting to 200,0001.; upon tea, 300,000/. ; both satis factory indications of the revived power of consumption in the labouring population of the country. Lastly there was an augmentation in the duties on cotton wool, amounting to 200,0001., an indication of in creased activity in that department of industry on which the happiness of so large a portion of the manufactur ing population of this country depends. In addi tion to these items, which make together a very large proportion of the excess on the Customs' revenue, there have been several minor articles, which have exhibited, generally speaking, an uniform augmentation, keeping pace with the extension of our commerce and the greater employment of the population. The estimates which I made with respect to the Excise have turned out to be nearly as accurate as it is possible for estimates to be. The estimate I t m a h n a a d t : o t f her th f e o Excise r evenue was 13 , 00 0,000 1 ., d the e amount rz it has . yfioerldedlititsle observation,l2,9oo ,000/. SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 30, 1a44. farther than this—that as upon all the leading articles of the Customs there has been an increased consumption, so upan all the different articles of Excise there has been an improvement. Not equally early, but as surely indicative of the improving state of the country. In the year ending at the last quar ter there was an increase in every article of this kind. The House, therefore, will perceive that the increase has been progressive in every respect. With respect to the estimates, the calculation I formed is as nearly as possible accurate. The estimate of 7,000,0001. in the Excise produced 7,101,0001. The taxes, which I estimated at 4,200,0001., produced 4,192,0001., and the only observation I have to make on that branch of the revenue is this—that there was an apprehension expressed that the income tax would lead to the diminution of other taxes, espe cially the assessed taxes. Now it will be found that that has not been the case, and that there has not been, in that branch of the revenue, the pressure that was supposed. With respect to the Post-office, lam happy to say that the increase from that source exceeds the amount of the calculation which I made by 28,000/. The estimate I made was 600,000/. ; the receipts have been 628,0001. With respect to the Crown lands there have been similar results. I estimated the re.. venue from that source at 130,000/. ; the amount has been 147,000/. The miscellaneous estimates I esti mated at 870,000/.; the receipts were 803,000/. The total, therefore of these several items is, that the revenue which I had estimated for the year at 50,150,0001. has produced an income of 52,138,8401., being an increase to the extent of 2,700,0001. beyond my cal culation. With respect to the expenditure of the country, it will be found that my esti mates have literally been exceeded. The expenditure in last year for the army was 6,188,0001., being a reduction of upwards of 500,0001. for the expenditure from the last year; but it is due to the House that I should state this, that they should not labour under the impression that it was the case, that we have not been able to make the reduction. The difference arose from another cause, namely, that in the course of the last year the Indian Government made larger payments on account of the debt it owed to the Crown for the military service, and also from the further circumstance that, peace being restored, there had not been the same necessity to keep funds In the commissariat chest. The expenditure in the course of the last year has been reduced by 500,0001. The reduction in the navy is not one to be taken as a reduction of expenditure, because the payments on account of that service are made at uncer certain periods, and it is impossible to calculate what payments may be required for that service. As I was in error with regard to the amount of the revenue which produced 2,700,0001. more than I calculated upon, so in consequence of the decrease in the expenditure to which I have adverted, there' has been an error in nearly the same direction for 650,0001. less than I calculated would be required, when I made my statement to the House last year, was expended. Taking these sums together it will appear that I had calculated on a surplus of 700,000/., the total surplus in the year will be a sum of 4,165,0001.—(L0ud cheers.) It will be in the recollection of the House that, at the close of last year, I had to announce to the House a very considerable deficiency of in come to meet the expenditure, amounting to 2,400,000/. ; and, as I then stated to the House, that I believed that deficiency to be rather apparent than real, I recommended to the House to make no provision for the payment of that deficiency— not to raise means by loan for the purpose of getting r id o f it, but that it should be defrayed out of the surplus of future years, as cir cumstances, from time to time, might allow ; and I am happy to be able to announce to the House that the deficiency of 1843, which amounted altogether to 2,749,000/., has been cleared off and discharged out of the produce of the revenue of the pr esen t y ea r, and after the discharge of the d e bt i ncurre d i n t h e course o f l as t year, it will enable us to present to the public a surplus of 1,400,000/. on the Ist of April just passed.—(Cheers.) So far th en as the past year is concerned I believe the House will agree with me that my statement is satisfactory. We will now proceed to consider the estimates and prospects for the year on which we have entered. Mr. COLLETT (Athlone)—What is the amount of the property-tax ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER 5,315,000/. which is somewhat larger than the esti mate I had made last year, in consequence (as we understood) of there being a larger return from Scot land than I had anticipated. Now, Sir, in making an estimate for the year on which we have entered, I have adhered to the rule I laid down for my• self on a former occasion, 'Cat of not being be trayed into too sanguine expectations, which the future would not bear out. I therefore content myself with taking the Customs at little more than the amount they have actually produced last year, viz., 21,500,0001.; and remembering that last year we derived 800,0001. from corn, and not being certain at at this period of the year what may be the state of the harvest of the country, I have thought it better to take the estimate of the produce of the Customs as not greater than what they pro duced last year ; and I therefore take the estimate, as I have already said, at what I I took it last year, namely, 21,500,0001. With respect to the Excise, from every account I have been able to derive, from those best conversant with the affairs of the Excise, I do not appre h en d t h at there is just ground for fixing the estimate for the Excise at a higher rate than I estimated it in the year gone by, namely, 13,000,000/., which is the amount I propose to take this item at. I mean to take the stamps at 7 ,000,000/., the assessed taxes at-4,200,000/., and the property tax 5,100,000/., which is about the amount produced in England last year. To these I will add the Post- o ffi ce a t 600,000/. only, and, for this reason, the revenue ofthe Post-office made some little progress in the course of last year, and I doubt not that in the course o f nex t Year it will make a certain progress also. But at the same time there are several arrangements now pending at the present m oment w i th respect to the postage of foreign letter s , an d t h ere are some negotiations going on with foreign countries with re spect to the postage of letters in foreign parts, which will necessarily lead to considerable expendi ture. Therefore, Ido not think it safe to take the estimate for the Post-office at more than 600,0001.; the Crown lands, I will take at 130,0001., and the Miscellaneous estimates at 250,0001., making together a total estimate of 51,790,0001. With respect to the expenditure of the country, the first item to which the House will na t ura ll y expec t I should call their attention is the payment on account of the National Debt. The payment for the last year was 29,300,0001.—f0r the present, 27,697,000/. —(Cries of " Hear, hear.") -B ut i t w ill b e necessary for me, in making this statement, lest the House may labour under a delusion in supposing that there really is such a decrement in the expense of the national debt, to state that the deficiency which mnst be paid in the present year, as compared with last, amounts to 1,400,000/.; but, as I said b e f ore , th e House must not be led into the delusion that that is the real decrease. When I recommended the reduc tion of the Three-and-a-Half per Cents., I suggested, with a view of equalising the payments, that the new Stock, which was previously paid in January and July, should be made payable in April and October. The real diminution of the debt, in the present year, is one-half of the benefit derivable from the Three-and-a-Half per Cents., being 313,0001. I am anxious to impress this on the House, lest they should run away with the idea that the surplus is so much greater than it really is— lest they should believe it to be what they might at first naturally suppose, 1,100,000/. The charges, however, for the year on account of the debt and con- solidate-1 fund amount to 3,097,0001. Mr. HUIVIE—The Exchequer Bills ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER — This includes the Exchequer Bills, and the interest thereon. The estimate for the year has been already, for the most part, before the House ; and the House is sensible that there has been not a considerable, but a certain reduction in the total amount as corn- pared with last year, and a considerable reduction as to the preceeding year. lam far from saying that the reduction his been carried to the extent to which the peace and tranquillity of the country must lead the House to expect; but it has been carried to that point in which up to the present moment, upon a most careful review of the circumstances of the coun- try, I believe it would be possible to carry it with safety. The estimate for the Army amounts to 6,616,0001. The estimate of the navy to 6,250,0001. instead of 6,380,0001., as in the precedin g year; and, in this expenditure, provi sion has been made for great national works. The ordnance to a sum of 1,842,0001., and the miscel laneous estimates, which have not yet been all voted by the House, I calculate will amount to somewhere about 3,000,0001. There are also, during the present year, several extraordinary sources of expenditure to which I wish to draw the attention of the House. It appears to me that it will be necessary during the course of the present year to make provision for the payment of several extra ordinary items, and the House ought to be made aware of those items. The first item to which I wish to draw the attention of the House is one connected with the late hostilities which have been carried on in China. The accounts which were presented to the House, last year, carried the accounts of the disbursements payable to the East India Company, on account of the war in China, up to a pe- Hod of six months shorter than that for Which the East India Company claims. I have not yet been able to procure the accounts of the whole amount which the East India Company claims, but I calculate that the sum which we shall have to pay to the East India Company, in addition to the accounts already laid before. Parliament, is about 400,0001. and I have reckoned that sum in my estimate of the expenditure for the current year. Another item of expenditure arises from the operation of that measure which I had the honour to submit to the House a short time since, I mean the reduction of the Three-and-a-Half per Cents. The House will, no doubt, bring to mind the large amount of debt on which we at that moment operated. lam sure I am bound to return my thanks to the House for the cordiality with which they expressed their approba tion of that measure, and supported the views which I proposed to them, and which mainly contri buted to the happy results of that mea sure—(Hear, hear.)—and to that support is mainly attributable the feeling of universal satisfac tion with which that measure was received throughout the country. It was naturally to have been expected that there would have been a considerable body of dissentients, who would have demanded to be paid off. That expectation, lam happy to say, has been falsified. The amount of dissentients in England amount to 60,9941., and in Ireland to 13,2801., of those whose assent is required to he expressed. I mean those who hold stock of 1818, the amount of stock held by those who have not expressed their as sent amounts to 172,8411., so that the dissentients on a question involving the conversion of an amount of stock of 250,000,0001., amounts only to the trifling sum of 247,1101., and these is contained in that portion of the holders of stock who are residents abroad, and in the colonies, and who may within the time limited be expected to avail themselves of the opportunity of signifying their assent. Now, Sir, it has been customary, on former occa sions of this nature, when the amount to be paid off has been considerable, to raise money by loan for the purpose of paying off that amount; but I think, considering the small amount of the charge to be paid off, considering also the state of the revenue, and on other accounts, it is desirable that we should make provision for the sum which is neces sary to pay off these dissentients ; and, therefore, I propose to take a sum of about 200,000/., which I conclude will be about sufficient to pay the charge, and which will form a part of the expendi ture which I have to lay before the House. There is another matter which requires some expenditure, but which I think is likely,to re sult in future economy. The House is aware that in the year 1815 an engagement was entered into with the South Sea Company that they should crntinue to receive an annual interest from the Customs, together with an annual payment from the country on account of their establishment, until the guarantee-fund of the Society was renewed. The history of that Society I need not now state at any length. I may shortly state, however, that it was originally vested with peculiar and extensive privileges connected with trading to the South Seas ; that those privileges were repealed by the Act of the. 55th of George 111., to which I have referred ; and that by that Act they were assured that they should receive from the public an addition to the capital of their stock. as the price of the surrender of their privileges, equal to one-sixth of the stock which they at that moment possessed, being the sum of 610,0001. In order to provide this guarantee fund a sum was annually paid to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, and invested with a view to its accumulating for this Society. It has now pro duced about 300,0001.; and there is a deficit of 239.000/. required to make up this gua rantee fund, for which the public are, in fact, paying an interest of 11,8681. a year. There are other advantages beyond this saving of interest, which may result from making an arrangement at the present time with the South Sea Company. So long as the Funds were low, it was in fact nearly impracticable to make any useful arrangement with the Com pany to relieve the public from the charge to which it was subjected. Whatever terms we might have made with the holders of this stock, they would have been entitled to demand from the public the full amount of 100/. for every 100/. of stock which they possessed. And, therefore, so long as the funds are lower than par, so long it is impracticable to effect that further reduction which may now, in the result of the funds coming to Far, be bene ficially effected. Therefore, Sir, I think it is now necessary for the Government to be placed in a position, that if the opportunity should arise for making such a reduction, it may be able to take advantage of it by paying off the remainder of that debt, namely, 239,000/., thereby laying the foundation of a future considerable saving.--(Hear.) The total expenditure of the year for the ordinary service is -17,700,0001., and the extraordinary service to which I have lately adverted, amounts to 846,000/., making a total of 18,546,0001. So that, if you add that sum to the debt, which is 30,097,170/., the total expenditure of the year will be 48,643,170/. If that be deducted from the gross amount of the revenue, that is 51,790,000/., it would leave an apparent surplus (subject to the reductions which I have before alluded to) of 3,146,0001., but if you make allowances for that por tion of the debt which will be due next year, that will leave the su rpl us 2,376,0001.—(11ear, hear.) In a country like this where every one has the means and uses the means of in forming] himself of public affairs, it is not other than could be e x pe c t e d th a t it h as been for some time generally known that the result of this year's revenue would not be different from the an ticipations which had been held in every quar ter. I find, in consequence of that anticipa tion, that I have been assailed by communications from various parties recommending that the increase of the revenue should be made available for reductions of taxation on almost every article of consumption. I can assure those Hon. Gentlemen, many of whom I see now, that nothing could be more gratifying to me than to yield to their application. Nothing would be more gratifying to my feelings, if I felt it consistent with my public duty, than to make those large and general remissions of the taxes which I was requested to do. But, Sir, when we consider of the remission of taxation, we must also consider the nature of the burdens which exist at the time that remission is to be made. I would beg the Howe to bear in mind that when I told them that we had at present a surplus revenue of 2,370,000/., that that revenue is not a per- manent annual excess of regular and permanent revenue over the constant expenditure of the country, but it is the result but for one year of the receipts of the revenue of the country over the expenditure, which has been incurred in the course of that year; that it is a fund upon which, for the present year, we may rely, but it is not a fund of constant and future annual occurrence. The House must also bear in mind that, in the present year, that fund has been produced by the imposition of an extraordi nary tax in the year 1842, and which produces 5,100,0001., which is the main ground of sur plus which, this evening, I have announced to the House of Commons. Now, I will call the attention of the House to the circumstances under which that tax was imposed. It was imposed at a period when the country had been labouring for a considerable number of years under the evil of the revenue of the country failing to equal the expenditure, and when there was the necessity for great exertion in order to make the revenue sufficient to bear the necessary charges of the country. It was imposed also with another object—namely, with a view of giving relief to the commercial interests of the country, by reducing the amount of taxes upon a variety of articles, and for the purpose of trying the experiment whether by immediate reduction in certain duties you might not bring round in a limited period the revenue to the same amount as that which it was before the reduc- tion took place. It was imposed, therefore, with the double object of supplying, during an interval, the previous deficiency of the regular revenue of the country, and for giving time for the repealed duties to recover, so as to be as pro ductive as before the reduction was effected; with that view it was submitted by my Right Hon: Friend to the House, and he stated his opinion, that if that tax were continued for five years, it would have the effect which he anticipated.—(Cries of " Three years.") My Right Hon. Friend took it for a shorter period.—(Laughter.) My Right Hon. Friend' indeed took it for a shorter period for three years—and he did so on this ground, that if at the expiration of that period the result which he had anticipated to occur at the end of five years should not occur, then the House would have an opportunity of considering whether they would continue that impost for the same period, or whether they would take another mode of supplying any deficiency which might exist. I have no hesitation in saying that, at the present moment, I cannot form any estimate of what those reductions may be. When I look at the list of arti cles in the tariff on which reductions of duty took place, and at the increased consumption which has taken place of those—when I find that only on five has consumption decreased, while on all the rest con sumption has increased —I must say, I entertain, very sanguine feelings as to the ultimate success of the ex periment. But the House will be good enough to bear in mind that in some main articles—timber, I will espe- cially mention —on which a reduction of the duty has taken place, that reduction did not come into operation until the middle of last year. The experiment, therefore, in these instances, has not had a fair trial ; and I am not therefore pre pared to say what course ought hereafter to be pur sued in respect of them. In the course of the next year the property-tax must necessarily come under the consideration of the House, and it will be for it to say what course it will pursue with respect to the continuance or discontinuance of that impost. Such being the circumstances, I think it must be obvious to every one that I should not have acted a becoming part if I had induced the House to consent to a large reduction of duty, which might have had but one effect, namely, that of hindering Parliament from coming to an unfettered decision on the financial condition of the country in the course of the next year. It is, there fore, that I think this is not the period for the ':House to entertain propositions for any reduction—for any considerable amount of reduction—of the taxation of the country. But' there is another reason which, independently of the property-tax, must have consi derable weight with the House in inducing it to pursue the course which we now recommend. We have had, as the House is aware, a defi ciency of revenue as compared with expenditure, for a -series of yoars. That deficiency continued for six successive years, and though for the present we have mastered it, yet it should be recollected by the House that we are still suffering from the conse quences of it. Those deficiencies had to be met either by, adding to the debt of the country, or by drawing on the decreasing amount in the Exchequer, in a way which it was not safe for any country to do. Why, Sir, when I addressed the House in the course of the last year, the balances in the Exchequer were under 1,000,0001. per month ; by the addi tion of the surplus of the revenue during the present year, those balances had arisen to from 2,000,0001. to 2,400,0001. But when we had a balance of only 1,000,0001. per month in the Ex chequer, what was the state of our account at the Bank of England? We were obliged to borrow 2,700,0001. in anticipation of the revenue, while we were at the same time obliged to borrow 5,000,000/. more in deficiency bills, for the purpose of paying the public creditor the sums which were due to him. I think, therefore, that we can not act wisely for ourselves, or honourably for the country, or, indeed, safely for its interests, if we do not make some effort to return to such a state of prosperity as will place the balances in the Ex chequer in a position that will enable it to liquidate its payments to its creditors, and to bring the demands of the Bank on account of these deficiency bills within some limited compass ; or, at all events, to render the Government so far independent of that assistance, that it may have at its disposal a con siderable portion of the sum required for its usual quarterly expenditure. The present quarter of the year is at all times one of great pres sure on the finances, in consequence of the payments on account of the National Debt. We require larger balances in the Exchequer, in order that we may act in dependent of the Bank to a certain degree, and conduet the operations of the Government on the principle I have just stated. Under these impressions, so strongly do I feel the importance of this course, that even if there had been no question involving the continuance of the property-tax coming on in the course of the next year, I should not have thought I was acting the part of an honest man or a conscientious Minister, if I had fore borne to ask the House to apply the surplus of the pre sent year to the augmentation of the balances in the Exchequer. I trust, and indeed I feel confident, that the House, acting on the principle which guided it on a former occasion, will not hesi tate to comply with that request. I cannot forget that when I brought forward the proposal for the reduction of the Three-and-a-Half per Cents., the House at once cordially concurred in the sentimert that we should not relieve ourselves at the risk of hazarding dangers to be incurred hereafter, or at the expense of those who are to come after us. And upon that prin ciple I now call upon the House not to give themselves temporary relief by a present remission of taxation, but to place the finances of the country upon a footing that will enable it hereafter to follow the bent of its inclinations, and give relief to its constituents without endangerinc , the credit of the country, or risking its ability to meet the payments it was bound to make.—(Cheers.) These are the rea sons which have induced me to resist the large demands which have. been made upon us from vari ous quarters for a reduction of taxation. But at the same time there are some articles on which taxes are imposed, upon which either a partial or total reduction of the duty may be made without much injury to the revenue, but the removal of which may be calcu lated to give an impetus and improvement to trade. I propose to submit to the House a variety of articles, more o r l ess o f i mpor t ance , i n w hi c h I think some reduction of the duty may be made. First, with respect to those articles that will affect the Excise revenue, I allude to a regulation with respect to the article of glass. I have had an application made to me to repeal the whole of the duties on that article, but that I am not going to do.—(clear, hear, and a laugh.) That is not the course I am about to pursue ; but there is one portion of the duty on glass which I think I can satisfy the House may be repealed without injury to the revenue, and the effect of which would give facility to trade. I allude to the distinctive duties on flint glass and bottle glass. Flint glass, at the present moment, pays a duty of 2d., while bottle gl.iss pays only a duty of three farthings ; each of those articles, upon exportation, are entitled to receive a drawback, nearly amounting to the whole of the duty ; and, in order to put an end to fraud s the law enacts that no drawback shall be made on flint-glass, unless its price is sd. a pound. Now the fact is, that there have been great improvements made in the manufacture of that article. Many manufacturers can make flint-glass at less than sd. a pound • and if they do so, then they are d e p r i ve d Of their drawback, added to which, when they go into the market they have to compete with the foreigner, who, manufacturing . hi s g l ass a t a l ess pr i ce, h as the advan tage. There is another necessity why some alteration should be made—there is great difficulty, so well is the article manufactured, in discovering which is bottle glass and which is flint glass; and when the claim for the draw back comes, there are perpetual disputes as to the duty. Under these circumstances, I am of opinion that it would be beneficial to remove the distinctive duty between flint and bottle glass. The reduction will only amount to the limited sum of 45,0001 a-year, but in the present year it will be only 35,000/., as I propose that the reduction is not to take place till the sth of July, by which time the manufacturers will have an opportunity to bond their glass, and avoid the imposition of the duty. The duty on bottle glass being three farthings, and on flint glass two pence, I propose that the duty on both shall be left at three farthings. There is another article subject to duty to which I am desirous of calling the attention of the House with a view to its repeal—l mean the duty on the article of vinegar. —(Great laughter.) It may excite the laughter or ridicule of Hon. Gentlemen who are not quite aware of the bearing such articles have upon manu factures; but looking to these considerations, I cannot for bear dealing with them. Now, if Hon. Gentlemen read the ninth report of the Excise Commissioners, they will see that, so far back as the year 1834, the repeal of this duty on vinegar was recommended.—(Hear.) Th e Com missioners stated that the produce of the duty in the last year was 23,0001., for the due protection of which there was a code of regulations under the 58th of George 111, with regard to which they observed it was difficult •to concede on what ground it was necessary to provide for the protection of so small an amount of duty by a series of provisions of so complicated and extensive a nature. The Act in question contained twenty-nine clauses, the infringement of which was punished by penalties varying from 100/. to 5001. The circumstance of vinegar being used by calico printers, and that manu facturers would be much benefited by the repeal of the duties, as well as the benefit which the public derived from an article so generally in use, were all additional in favour of a repeal of the duty. This was the opinion of a gentleman who directed the excise in 1833 and 1834. I may observe to the House, that vinegar only pays a duty when it is. made by the manufacturer for sale; and therefore, as in the case of beer, the duty falls heavily upon those who have not the means of making the arti cle for themselves, and are obliged to purchase it from the manufacturer, whilst those who can make it for themselves are altogether exempt from the burden that presses upon their poorer brethren. The revenue, in this respect, has but little increased since the period I have alluded to. It amounts to 25,0001., and is a tax which I think ought to be repealed, Acids of a particular kind are essentially necessary in many branches of manufacture, such as calico-printing, for instance; and in order to give to the manufacturer the advantage of procuring those acids cheaply, the law provided that pyroligneous acids in a crude, impure, and unrectified state, should be made. without payment of duty at all. This concession was intended for the benefit of the manufacturer, At the time the concession was made it was considered a very considerable one, because manufacturers used pyroligneous acids in the state contemplated by the Act of Parliament. But as the skill of the manufacturer improved, those acids were produced in an improved state, which offered more advantages in their use than if they were used in what he might call their Parliamen tary state.—(Laughter.) I will, however, allow one year for — the -- dealer - to get rid of the stock on hand. The next subject is one of considerable importance, both as regards its consequences to the commerce of the country, and the amount of revenue derived from it. I propose to the House a considerable reduction upon the duty on marine assurance. By making that reduc tion, we are likely to produce an effect which is ad vantageous and appears attainable. To those who know anything of marine insurance, it is obvious that it should settle itself in Great Britain. Marine assurance re quires large capital on the part of those who conduct it, and perfect confidence in their honour. If, therefore, there be any country in the world in which I should say marine insurance would flourish above any other coun try, it is Great Britain, possessing, as it does, capital, integrity, and great extent of territory. Yet, notwithstanding these things, marine insurance is on the decline. The tax was originally imposed in time of war, and was valued at a very large amount. Every ship that sailed, and all the property it carried, was in sured, and they could be insured no where but in this country. But then, after the peace, when the country was suffering under heavy contributions, imposed for the carrying on of the war, no reduction was made in the duty on marine insurance. But in 1834 the pressure of this duty was felt to be so great, that Lord Auckland, acting upon the principle upon which I now propose to act, reduced the duty on marine in surance to one-half, and calculated upon a considerable loss to the revenue. But in that calculation Lord Auckland was mistaken, for in two years, notwith standing that large reduction, the duty equalled what it had previously attained. The consequence of the present high rates of insurance is that at present British mer chants insure in foreign countries in preference to their own ; and in Hamburgh, for instance, the trade in marine insurance has very much increased. In our own country, in marine insurance the amount of duty has decreased, and I am sorry to say materially so, a fact which I certainly attribute to the present high rate of duty. There is another circum stance which makes the duty on marine insurance in England heavier in many instances. The insurance on goods sent by steam-vessels is considerably less than when sent by sailing vessels ; therefore in short trips, as between this country and France, and Hamburgh and Germany, and neighbouring countries, there is sl t e itt ; sureeme of one-third o n ever y h un d re d pounds, w sm the premium is two shillings and five shilling's, the duty on sailing vessels is four shilling * and seven shillings and sixpence, and ten shil li t Under these c i rcums t ances i t i s necessary t o r educe " duty, in order to secure to this country the advanter, to be derived f rom mar i ne i nsurances. I n or der to e„ "T r this, I propose, n o t on ly t o re d uce t h e d uty , but to aa' of the scale on which it is levied. The present rele duty is as follows :-F o r ever y 1001., where the preinto does not exceed 15s. per cen t., the duty levied awl, 5 , to Is. 3d. per cent. ; w h ere the premium exceeds L but does not exceed 305., the duty is 2s. 6d. per CO°L i , and where it exceeds 30s. the duty amounts to 5 5 ri cent. This presses unduly upon small insurances.ot therefore propose to re d uce t h e d uty an d to varY, oo l rates according to the following scale. For every tot, insurance, in which th e p rem i um does not excee d i leie I propose to l ev y a d u t y o f 3d. i nstea d o f ls . 3d. ; w not the premium does exceed 10s. but does „ A. ' exceed 205., a duty of 6d. instead of is. and in some cases 2s. 6d., as at prese7 o where the premiu m excee d s 20 s . b ut d oes no t exceed . l ee: l a duty of Is.; where it exceeds 30s. but does not t 4c no t 40s. a duty of 2s. ; w h ere i t excee d s 40s . b u t does po' 4 exceed 50s. a duty of 3 s . ; w h ere i t excee d s 50 s . bet ° O , not exceed 60s. a duty o f 4 5 . ; an d w h ere i t i s a bove ° a duty of ss. I calculate that during the court. the, present year the diminution of revenue r o t sequent upon this reduction will amount to 10 0 011,e But I calculate that during the course of t o following two y ears a f ter t h e c h ang e s P i s have been effected, there will be a sensible incre as e ,: to the disposition of f ore i gners t o come to t hi s couttw io effect their insurances, an d th a t t h e countr y will I:eff-d the advantage, even if no a d van t age s h ou ld be der/ by the revenue in consequence of this reduction'. (Cheers.) It is also my intention partialy afl reduce the Stamp d u ty on agreemen t s sa en ? proxies for votin g f or R a il way C ompan i es , b u t t" sa reductions will affect the revenue to so very sm ali t ee extent, that I do not think it necessary t o trouble 00 House on the subje c t. Th e next class of articles , which I propose t o ma k e a re d uct i on are art i c l es of c°, " o , sumption. The fir s t one i s an article, in mentioei se which I shall no d ou bt exc i te t h e l aug h ter o f t h e -I mean the article of currants.-(Cheers and laughl; 00 This is an article ofge nera l consumpt i on, an d i s ,there a very fitting articl e f or re d uct i on, w h ether we con sider t tb,, value of the article, the d u ty w hi c h i s imposed iiP°`l i 0 or the countries whi c h p ro d uce i t . O ne of t h e c ountr! tb which produce it derives nearly the whole of its welt s , from the produc e o f thi s art i c l e. Th e value o f one " o f of currants is 405.; according to our tariff, o n this en v currants there is a duty imposed of 225. Now, tit: - currants ?-(A laugh.) They are but grapes e ater of (Renewed laughter.) They are an article of great consumption among th e l ower o rders the people. They co ns tit u te a l uxury agree Ile, to them, and b ene fi c i a l to t h e i r general lie s Currants are mai n ly consume d by persons in the low ranks of society, and the duty is a very large one, e • ni therefore propose t o re d uce t h e d uty on currants l i `i o 225. to 15s. Sir, th ere i s i s anot h er argume nt alse n favour of this re d uc ti on ,- currants are th e 50 1 produce of the lonian Islands, whose intimate O tte nection with us affords an argument in fil e t of our promoting their interest by - promoting I f branch of industry from which their resources are chic derived. I have said that currants are mainly derl r ,, e from the lonian Islands. Those which do not colt from thence, come from Greece ; and whatever nieY said of that country i n ot h er respects, i t must a t leas" , r di confessed that it treats Great Britain, as reg 9 s e commercial intercour se , w ith t h e most perfect fair° ,, o -(Hear, hear.) F or th ese reasons-and I could men" .o o others if it were necessary to do so-I think, et are justified i n ma ki ng a sacr ifi ce even o f 90,000& ill revenue, which is the amount which I calculate w o e in the first instance be lost on this branch of revenne, r behalf of tho se c l asses o f soc i ety w h o l ook upon this °es tide as a great l uxur y, b u t w h o are now i n a great deli it debarred from its consumption by th e p r i ce a t whif is sold.-(Hear.) The next article to which I would the attention of the House is that of coffee.---(Hear, bet e The House will recoll ec t, that when the general arrang e ment of duties t oo k pl ace , i n 1842, th e distiee v i, duties upon foreign and British coffee were fixed °t of and 4d.; that is, there was duty of Bd. upon the one , , u o r 4d. on the oth er , and that extent of di scr i m i n ating 't o e being extre me ly l arge , w i t h respect to the va l ue 0f,4 article on which it was imposed, was only maints i t i o . on the ground that we were then engaged in net . r el tions with B raz il, w hi c h ma d e i t extremely difficult 7, ito.ldicious at that ti me t o re d uce t h e duty on W e ft, coffee to the amount to which we should have the n g e r under other circumstances, it ought to have been 'of duced. I thi n k i t right, therefore, to avail vir e dr the opportunity which the termination of those ner r e tions has given me, to recommend the House t° 6( 1, duce the duty on f ore i gn coffee from Bd. t° to That reduction, I am satisfied, f r o m a ll t h e exaraiai i f f e s ° Ja I have been able to give to the subje c t, will a dmit e very extensively f or consum pti on in this country , w esr ) out injury to the interests of the celonies.--(li de es The effect of the hi g h d u ty h as b een great l y to ree., the amount of for e i gn coffee consumed in the coar'oo last year-indeed nearly 30 per cent.-for the redllieei has been from more than 11,000,0001b5. to les'teed 9,000,0001b5. It bein g a mos t i mportant thin to e ,„,the the use of a beverage which is a great luxurY i** poorer classes, nd which at the same time that . 1 ,,b o re luxury to them, supersedes those other luxuries wl: i : bet e• prejudicial to their health and morals-(Hear)- -- e ; „" ee to tore take this opportunity of calling upon the ela" - fno t. place the differential duty on this article upon , a re r, ing which will admit of its most extensive use• - " - 1,01 hear.) At the same time, it appears to we that it is b at justice that a provision should be introduced into P' . Customs Bill, increasing the duty on chicerY r Z t i In consequence of the reduction of the on that root last year, chicory-root has ati t : e introduced to a great ex t e nt-it is ground " e country, and mixed with co ff ee . Ido not say that ti e r coffee is deteriorated by the mixture, for that is a nW ent of taste; but the revenue has been defrauded to a g r ey extent in losing the duty upo n th e co ff e e, for which ,be root has been substituted. From these changes in not differential dutie s , I ca l cu l a t e t h at t h e l oss will w e be more than 50,000/.-(Hear, hear.) I < f o ot now to what I may consider a s the important article-I mean the duty upon w°°) which which I propo se t o t a k e o ff a l together, -(Chec not Upon the merits of that particular question ? it can e ,, be necessary for m e t o enter at present. I n two sifaccuse sive sessions they hav e b een a bl y d eta il e d to the ;ino by the Hon. Member for Halifax, who has takell An d, greatest pains with that d e p ar t men t o f t ra de. y Sir, I may here say that, when I have resistea,„ l , claims which were alleged f or th e re d uct i on o f this u'i re s I did so only on account of the claims of the regent (Hear, hear)-and I never d en i e d t h at woo l w as °' t material of the utmost importance to the maig, ne .) tures and trade of the country.-(Hear, cod There has been great comp e titi on b e t ween B r i t ish manufacturers and the foreign cloth manufacturer ; T e e the least advantage given to the English manufac tli t he of course would place him in a better position thst i ft y foreigner. Sir, I do not int en d t o f a ll ow t h e exam ple o Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, of merely partially ren,„et ing the duty on wool ; but I h ave th oug h t i t b ette r to r7 y e both the duty on exp or t an d i m p ort o f woo l , a nd to l e :,t the trade open.-(Cheers.) That duty produced, year, altogether, about the sum o f 100,1;s and we must take that amount as the t ee which will be sustained on that particular articled to arrangement respecting which I shall reconitne n h ell the House. But I cannot b u t f ee l th at , a l t h oug h we 5 00 11 on the article itself sustain a loss, yet we co e' give an additional stimulu s t o th e i n d ustry o f the ° t g munity engaged in that bran c h o f our man ufact e . likely to be benefited by this arrangement, which s bo ll lieve will more than co m p ensate f or t h e l oss We not sustain. This is the l as t ar ti c l e upon w hi c h I I°, r •of to make any reduction. The t o t a l a mount Le s reduction will be on g l ass f or t h e present year 35,u'nete upon vinegar in th e p resen t year , 12,000/-upolio ~c d, rants for the pres en t y ear 9, 000 1- upon coffee, 51:4001, -upon marine i nsurances , 100,000 1 ., and upon 'sea 100,0001., making a sum of about 390 000/. ; or, in r? c , / numbers 400,0001., as t h e amount o f reduct i on / 0 , " 00 believe we may safely make. Having road ° , of statement to the Ho use , I s h ou ld have thought / h o ve duty here to close the observations which, I fear, . 1 sin already too long troubled the House with. 80 , de there is one article which, though not immediately for the consideration of the House, must necessarily the subject of very deliberate consideration-and, e the, respect to which much anxi e ty i s f e l t w i t h res pect no o f views of the G overnmen t u p on i t -I mean t h e arttc t he sugar. I should not think that I acted fairly twilit if rersons engaged in the produ ce o f thi s article' to I were not on the present occas i on di st i nct l y to stelt o e the House the course which it is my intention to P ii when I move the su gar d u ti es . T he House w ill not th° pect me, as I shall so shortly bring before theta w s details of the question, t o enter i nto all the partici:. 1 necessary to compos e an exp l anat i on o f th i s sub l ed shall merely state the principle upon which II I n oi° to act; I allude to th e su bj ect now on l y b ecaus e l ee the immense importan ce t o th ose connec t e d wi"per growth and manufacture of sugar distinctly to o f th e stand before next May what is the determination °O l. l Government with respect to that article• W illi the House is aware that the • treaty tee Brazil will come to a termination i°, Witb month of November next, and w ith th a t treao, en' Brazil will ter m i na t e th e r i g ht w hi c h B r az il sor 0 joys of importing her produce into this country O, O P ° footing of the most favoured nation. That re dill which enables Brazil to bring slave-grown P o eveu' into this country e in November next, be r e t o 're It is my intention, in moving the sugar duties' meet commend to the House, that, from and a fter 1 4 ° e0 trie". next, the duty upon sugar p ro d uce d i n those o '7 th° which are exempt f r om th e t a int °' paea ns slave-trade-that do not raise sugar by re sent of slave labour-shall be reduced from their S er er; amount. By this means we shall throw open, ' °it taro regulations, to countries eastward of the il Good Hope, a valuable trade, and sh i t, wit° especially encourage the growing conna c ' ur China, with which country, hitherto, , th i s 10 1 _ lations have been extremely confined. Ati ° pr ieciPl o u be done without any departure from that respect to we have hitherto maintained and acted upon i n s upPv ofth the sugar, slave w hi which trade-thus will affording greatly an add a d t o d i t i t o; sepotrr fOr o, of the people, and give an additioneaithe re.tets the industry of colonies in which we have vonolr.'„ est possible interest. In thus speaking o ust i' p h eastward of the Cape of Good HoPe , r o e to su ch press upon the House that I refer only. sug ar with which we have relations, and where h i e u d ifferear e a is not raised by means of slavery. Sir, of duty on s sugars s h I fr s o h m a I 1 countries s t o thi Bri f r ont u sl i a a v i e s r u y ga w r i s ll p b a e y l a Os d . u p ty er o c f w 2 t 4 . s - . p th er at e w wt h . e , r t e h as e_ scuwio. ,rfl i the countries I refer to shall pay 34 5 • p er. the .tre aty quite aware it may be said - that ttlthoi l g" • free s }i from us e t tt t :111Ptc°0 Martel It Wol the dl found will b that the tt eqursk