The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-22 00:00:00

TATION BILL.

The CHANCELLOR 7t the EXCHEQUER then
moved that the house should go into committee upon this
bill proJo►ous, in order to introduce his amendments.
This was agreed to, and was done accordingly.
CUSTOMS REFORM.. . . . . .

Mr. WILSON said it would be remembered that about
three years ago a most unhappy controversy had arisen be-
tween the Customs department and two of the large London
dock companies. In consequence of that controversy, a
parliamentary committee was moved for by the hon. mem-
ber for Bridport, and sat for two years, at the end of which
period they presented their report. That report was sen-
by
the government of the day to the Commissioners of Cus-
toms, for their observations thereon, and those observations I
were forwarded to the Treasury in the month of October',
last. A few weeks ago, • most important and influential
body of City gentlemen waited upon the Chancellor of the
Exchequer upon this subject, in which they took a most
lively interest; and his right hon. friend promised them
that • bill should be prepared in the course of the present
session—first, for the purpose of consolidating all the ex-
kiting acts on the Customs; and secondly, for the purpose
of introducing into that consolidated act the
whole of the improvements the government should
think fit to recommend to the house. His right
I hon. friend had promised that ample time should be afforded
to the country at large to express their opinion upon the'
subject before any actual legislation took place ; and as the
pre ration of the bill would necessarily require a conside-
rabb period, and as they had noweoncluded with very great
ears a Treasury minute which contained all the essential
points of the proposed measure, they had thought it beet
that he, as the representative of the government, should
state to-night—
[Here the hon. gentlemen was interrupted by the uppity-
ance of Lord li. Grosvenor at the bat, to announce that the
House of Lords had agreed to a conference on the subject
of an address respecting the Borough of Malden. The con-
ference accordingly took place forthwith; and the result
having been reported to the house,)
Mr. WILSON then resumed. In consequence of the
pledge given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the
deputation that waited on him a few weeks ago, he was
about to state to the house and the public the alterations
and amendments which the government proposed to make
in the Customs regulations, in pursuance of the recommen-
dation of the committee which sat thereon. The report of
that committee was divided into 14 heads. He must say,
in the first place, with regard to the unhappy controversy
that had arisen between the Customs department and the I
docks, that that having been settled during the inquiry '
before the committee, the committee thought it consistent
with their duty not to express an opinion thereon. In doing
so they had followed a very wise course. He should there-
fore carefully avoid any observations which could in any way
tend to revive those controversies, which he hoped never
would be revived. The first part of the committee's report re-
ferred to the constitution of the Board of Customt; but as that
did not form any part of the bill about to be intro
diced, the government did not intend to deal with it on
' the present occasion, and had not included it in the Trea-
sury minute to be laid on the table of the house. But the '
subject was under the consideratien of the government, and
be believed no long time would be allowed to elapse with-
' out a measure being passed to settle that important ques-
tion. In the meantime, the government had desired that
any vacancies occurring in the hoard should not be filled up'
till the whole question had been considered, and a conclu-
sion come to thereon. The next topic on which the com-
mittee reported was with regard to the appointment and
promotion of Custom-house officers. Whatever reforms
were introduced, their success would in a great measure be
dependent on thecondition and constitution of the officers by
whom they were to be carried into effect; and, therefore,
the condition of that body of men ought to be made as ad-
vantageous as possible. The observations of the committee
referred chiefly to the exclusion of certain classes of efficers
from promotion from one chits to another. There were
10,800 persons employed in the Customs, of whom
one thousand were weighers and lockers, and
1,710 tide-waiters ; making 2,720 in those two
copuoities. They were confined in their promotion to the
particular position in which they were placed ; and under
no circumstances were they permitted, whatever their
merit, to pass a certain line of promotion. The go-
vernment were quite prepared to authorize the corn-
mi,.itiners to make this errangcment that whenever
a person had been three years a stiperiutending locker,
he might demand an examination by his superior officers, I
upon undergoing which he should have a certificate forwarded
to the treasury, and his name' would he enrolled as being
eligible for promotion to the higher ranks. They would
also give to the coromissioncrs a right to nominate or retain,-
mend to the Treasury, one in every five of the appointment.
made for the most meritorious officers to he appointed
from the lower ranks. The next topic alluded to by
the committee, was fines and satisfactions. Nothing
was mere unsatisfactory then the position which the

,

officers at pretest bore towards the mercantile com-
munity in this respect. The committee Stated that
in consequence of the officers getting half the fines
and half the profit on goods seised or detained for ad
valorens duties in the case of a tabs, an impression prevailed
among the mercantile community that the cffieers were
sonieuntes actuated rather by a speculative view to their
own interest, than to that of the revenue. The seizures
and stoppages to which these fine, applied were of two
kinds : lint, nominal detentions fur inaccurate de.
ecription, wrong denomination, and non compliance with
the law through inadvertence or ignorance. For any
of these minor and nominal offences goods might be seised ;
but on application to the commissioners, they were
delivered up to the owners, upon payment of a
small fine. Complaint was made of that fine being
levied; but the government would do wrong to relax the
system ; for though some mistakes were undoubtedly made
from inadvertence, yet if they were generally passed over,
lit would lead to great fraud. The government recom-
mended, not only that there should be greater facilities for
amending entries, bat that the fines should be levied ter a
small amount, and that the officers detaining the goods
should have no interest in those fines. The second class or

penalties was for under valuation in ad valorem duties,
and the seizure of goods is cases of smuggling and decided
fraud. In these cases fraud was usually intended. The
government sought to remedy the inconvenience by re-
moving every description of goods from ad ralorem to
specific duties, as far as possible ; and as regarded those
with which it was impossible so to deal, the same rule must
continue to prevail, with this inception that whatever
might be the result of the sale, the officer would
have no interest in the profits derived from it. In
one department no alteration was proposed iu this
respect—the coast guard service, where officers were
exposed to great danger, not only in most unhealthy situa-
tions, but also to great personal danger in seizing smug•
gled goods. The next head of the committee's report was with
regard to ad co/orens duties. It was the abject of the go-
vernment to do away with those duties as much as possible,
principally with a view to get rid of the difficulties attend-
ing the entry of such gond. and their valuation for customs
duties. This had been by far the most fruitful source of
dissension between the commercial public and the Custom
House anthorities. (Hear, hear.) Now that our duties

generally were reduced to small amounts, it was thought
that the ad valorem duties might be almost wholly aban-
doned; and the Chancellor of the Ezehequer's statement
had embraced a propo.al to that effect. The few that were
left must still of course be treated as they had hitherto
been. It would be a question whether the 10 per cent.
hitherto paid on the value declared by the merchant should
not be reduced to 5 per cent., in order to make the margin
. .

--- -- --- . ,
smaller within which persons desiring to sail se near the
wind as possible might think it advisable to enter
their goods; but the number of articles left to
be so dealt with would be so small that no

inconvenience would aria. The next point was—
seizures and stoppages, and adjudications upon them.
This had led to very angry discussions ; and the commie-
aioners, before making their report to the government, had
already taken steps to remove those causes of complaint.
The first complaint was that officers seam; goods gave no
written notice or statement of the reason why the goods
were seized to the owner, who bad thus a difficulty in
arriving at the true reason of the seizure. In August la.t
the commissioners had published a notification to remedy

this ; and it was fair Ilia% the house should know, after the
representations that had been made es to those eminent
officers, what they had done of their own accord. They
had issued instructions to all officers requiring them to
furnish a written notice in every case, specifying the ground
of detention of goods or vessels; and no seizure could now
be made without a written notice being immediately given
by the seizing officer to the proprietor. The next objection
was that the Board of Customs was a secret tribunal, a sort

of small Star Chamber, where eases were decided witheut
•

the knowledge of the parties interested—(hear)—and T. o
fair means were allowed them to defend themselves and to

protect their property. Whatever ground there might be
for that complaint formerly, it was entirely removed
by the circular of the commissioners of the 23rd August
hist, in which they stated that they would be prepared, in
any case of seizure, on application in writing, to appoint
one of the members of the board to take the evidence on

oath of the merchants or parties claiming the goods on ono
side, and of the officers on the other, supported by any ne-
cessary witnesses, and to report the same to the board fer
their decision; so that now say person having his goods
detained might have his case heard in open court before
oae of the commissioners, and have his witnesses brought
forward and examined on oath; therefore he hod all the

security he would have in any other court whatever. In
those two regulations the government entirely concurred.
It might be said they were inapplicable to the outports,
but they proposed that a similar inquiry might take place
before the collector and comptroller• at any port whore a
seizure took place, that a merchant might have his case
tried before them in open court, the same as before the
commissioner' in London. Greater power had also been
extended to the landing surveyors for amending entries.
The commissioners would carefully watch bow far this ex-
tended responsibility of the surveyors answered the pur.
pose, sod, if it did so, it might be extended not only to
London, but to all the outports. The next head was one of
very great importance.—law costs and penalties. It had
been supposed that the crown end the subject were not on
a level in prosecutions. In civil cases, where the commis-
sioners brought actions for the recovery of bonds, or where
there was only a difference of opinion with regard to the
law, they stood in regard to the defenders the same as one
subject to another; the losing party paid the costs. With
regard to a second class, suits for arrears of duty, the re-
covery.of penalties, or offences against the public, partially
of a criminal nature, the rule hitherto bad been that each
party paid their own costs ; the customs never recovered
from the defender, and he had no claim against them. As
to a third class, which constituted the great majority of
cases,—prosecutions for goods seized and for penalties—un-
doubtedly the law entitled the crown to demand a bond in
the first instance from the defendant, generally 1001., fur
costs, before they went into court; and in case of the defen-
dant being successful, he had no remedy against the crown
for his costs; but if the crown were successful, they had a
claim against him, which, however, wss generally confined
to the amount of the bond. Considering the altered state of
public feeling the government thought the time had come
when the crows might place itself exactly in the same position
as the subject—chear, hear)—that if the crown were right in
its prosecutions tt should have a claim for costs ; if wrong,
that the subject should have a claim upon it. (Cheers.)
Another most important alteration proposed was this. The
committee had suggested whether a cheaper, quicker, and
more economical tribunal might not be taken for cases in-
volving small amounts; and the government had felt that
Witted of the lengthened investi/tation and time occupied
by trials in the Exchequer, and the great costs in-
curred thereby, they might make it imperative upon the
crown, in certain cues, to resort to the county courts, to
local tribunals, or to the magistrates, in order that eases of
small amount might be decided quickly and at little cost.
The Treasury minute authorised this to be done in all cases
where the debts and"penalties did not exceed 100/. ; such
ca es to be taken before the county courts, or other local
tribunals, as the Treasury might direct. (Hear, hear.) The
option was reserved to the defendant of having his ease re-
moved into a higher court, and tried before a jury, if he
thought fit. The commissioners would also have a right of
representing to the Treasury any peculiar circumstances in
a ease which rendered it desirable that it should be tried by
a superior court; and the Treasury might then authorise
the commissioners so to remove it. But as a rule,
. .

in all cases where the amounts involved did not
together exceed 1001., the commissioners would be obliged to
proceed in the smaller courts, with leave to the defendant
to have the case tried by &jury if he thought proper. They
went a step further. In cues of larger amount, where, from
the simplicity of the question, the commissioners should
certify that it might be left to a smaller tribunal, the Trea-
sury might authorise the commissioners so to proceed.
Another complaint was, that when a defendant found him-
self aggrieved, he could only sue the seising officer for
penalties. That no doubt was a very serious thing. A
merchant might be put to large expense and enormous in-
convenience, and after a protracted litigation he might find
that he had only a customhouse officer of inferior grade
against whom he could bring Inaction for damages. If the
law were closely looked into, it would be found that no
officer had power to make any seizure, or bring any action,
except by the consent of the commissioners, or through the
Attorney-General; and in practice the commissioners were
considered the real complainants, though the action might
be brought nominally in the name of the officer. However,
if there were any uncertainty in the law, the treasury mi-
nute made it imperative that every action brought for pe-
nalties or under the Customs laws should be brought,
if not nominally, yet really, by the commissioners,
and that they should be held responsible in all cues for the
acts of their officers as agents. (Hear, hear) Therefore, in
all cases, the remedy of the merchant would he against the
commissioners, and not against the inferior officers. (lieu,
hear.) Another complaint was the limitation of the time
within which actions could be brought egiinst the commis-
sioners or officers; it must be done within six months of the
cause of action arising. But it not unfrequently happened
that the trial in which the merchant was defendant might
be postponed for twelve months ; and while uncertain ae t
the result of that trial, he considered it unwise to take any
steps to bring his own action. To remedy that evil, the
time would he extended to one month after the final deter-
mination of the case in the court. It was further com-
plained that the crown had no prescription as to the time
within which it might bring an action. In that there was
some mistake. In civil actions, the same prescription
applied to the crown as in other cases. But in suits for
penalties in the superior courts, the crown must
proceed within three months,: and in cases before
the magistrates within six months ; so that no
alteration in that respect:appeared to ho necessary. Here,
again, the committee recommend that in all eases where
the penalties and duties did not exceed 100/.. the action
should be brought in some other court than the Court of
Exchequer, and the government responded to that recom-
mendation. The next recommendation of the committee
was with respect to the transit system—a system which had
during the last two years exhibited most striking results.
It would be recollected that when the navigation laws were
under discussion two or three years ago. one of the great
advantages which was expected from their repeal was that
this country would he able to send assorted cargoes to the
United Sates, tied thereby increase the trade of this
country. It was also one of the expected advantages of that
repeal, that European countries, which before had sent their
goods at great expense in their own ships to vari-
ous parts of the world, would use the vessels
of this country for that purpose. That anticipation
was to a great 'tearer realised. The arrangements which
hot been made for giving facilities to this trade were that
goods which had been sent to London, Liverpool, hull,
Great Grimsby, and Sunderland, were allowed to be de-
spatched from these ports by railway vans to any other port
without being re-opentd or dtsturbed in any way. TO

these arrangements several objections were made, the most
important of which were that some descriptions of goods
which were altogether prohibited might be peed in this
way; that certain goods, such as books for instance, might
be passed in this way, and soli in foreign countries as the
goods of this country, to the great injury of the trade of
England. That appeared on the fare of it to bs a strong
objection,but on considering the mattes they thought it could
not be sustained. And for this reason, that if people
thought it was for their advantage, they could get these
goods from the continental ports where they could exercise
no control. They had therefore come to the resolution to
allow transit under the superintendence of a Custom-house
officer, to goods coming from foreign countries between
any two ports in this country to which a railway went, and
to be re-embarked without being opened or examined. The
advantage of transit in the case of the ports he had men-
tioned was only in existence for two Tears; but the re-
markable influence which it exercised over the trade
of the country was too inesortant for Lim to
pass it over altogether. The amount of goods
which passed in transit through this country last year was
Batter, 203 cwt.; cheese, 5,026 cwt. ; ems*. 15,040 lb. •
groin (all kinds), 1,541 cwt. ; ditto. 8,637 quarters; gists:
(all kinds), 44,446 cwt.; ditto, 131,598 lb.; spirits (all
kinds), 400,852 gallons; sugar, 21,482 cwt. • wine (all
kinds), 78,874 gallons ; tobacco, 1,174,160 lb. ; bat,
in addition, articles not requiring specification, com-
prising silk, leather, woollen and cotton manufac-
tures, watches, perfumery, confectionary, and other
manufactured goods to the value of 3,411,4e1e, had
also passed through this country during the last year.
In the very last month—the month of Match—the value of
the goods which pissed in transit amounted to 420,0001, or
at this rate of 5,000,0001. a year. The effect of this on
the shipping trade of Liverpool was most remarkable.
During the three years before the peeing of the Naviga-
tion Laws there entered of tonnage in and out of Liver-
pool 1,817,000 tons of British shipping, and 2,924,0e0 tons
of shipping of all nations. During the three years since the
Passing of the Navigation Act, the British chipping entered
in and out of Liverpool amounted to 2,185,000 sons, and
the total shipping in and out mounted to 3,783,0(10 tons,
being an increase of 368,000 tons in British shipping,
and of 861,000 tons in the total eliipping. (Hear, hear.)
He did not mean to say that this result was to be entirely
atterest d to the transit trade, but when so much as
5,000,0001. a year pegged in this way through the country,
he thought that a large portion of the increase was to be
attributed to it. (Hear.) It was therefore the opinion of
the government that every facility—providing against the
risk of fraud—should be given for the extension of the trade.
They thought it was their bounden duty to give every
facility for making this country the carrier of the world's
trade. (Hear, hear.) As the law stood at present each
person was bound to give a bond for the amount of duty for
which ho was liable. But they thought that it would be
sufficient to get one single bond from the railway companies
who were willing to give it, the government holding the
railway company responsible fur the delivery of the goods
in bond, port, or duck, at the opposite side of the island.
On this point the committee suggested other facilities
which the government found it impossible to concede. It
was suggested, for instance, to allow tee some facilities of
tran-it by means of coasting vessels which were allowed by
railway. But gentlemen acquainted with mercantile mat-
ters must be aware that it was one thing to give facilities by
means of railways running throueh from one port to
another, and quite another thing to allow the same facilities
by means of coasting vessels. In the latter case the facili-
ties fur fraud would be much greater, for nothing could be
easier, if goods were allowed to be reshipped in coasting
vessels unopened and unexamined, than to ship
one kind of goods under another name—tobacco, fur ex-
ample, under the name of fi ix—thus opening a wide door
to fraud and smuggling. But with regard to goods which
had been examined, it was not intended to withdraw the
privilege which already existed, of removing goods from
one bonded warehouse to another. V,tli regard to this
particular branch of trade, they proposed to introduce an-
other important modification which was not recommended
by the committee. At present, in the large transactions
which were carried on between London and Liverpool and
other ports, the merchant removing goods was obliges! to
give his bond on sac's transaction for double the amount of
duty. The government wishing to facilitate these transac-
tions as far as possible thought it would be sufficient to take
a single bond, which would cover a certain amount of trans-
actions and rue for a certain time. (Hear, hear.) By this
means they thought they would miniumse the amount of
trouble in conducting these transactions without weakening
the security of the crown. (Hear, hear.) The committee
stated in their report that in their smite= there was no
reason why the importation of arms fer transit should be
prohibited. The government agreed in that view, and
accordingly arms would be permitted to pass through the
country is transit, with this precaution, that in each case
the party transmitting the arms should apply for a Treasury
order, and give intimation to ;be Custom-house of the ex-
tent and character of the transaction. This precaution was
taken in order that no improper use might be made of the
facilities thus given. (Hear. hear.) With regard to
the size of packages, as the law stood at pre-
sent, packages below a certain size, and contain-
ing certain kinds of goods, such as tobacco, could
not be imported, and the committee suggested that where
the goods were imported for the purpose of exportation,
there should he no such limitation of size. But the fact
of goods being iutended for the purpose of exportation, did
not obviate the opportunity which this would give for
smuggling. Suppose for instance that a vessel approached
the shore with casks of brandy containing from 6 to 10
gallons each, for the purpose of smuggling them, the cap-
tain might say, on being discovered, th it they were in-
tended for re-exportation. There were just the same facili-
ties therefore given for semegling, as if the goods were
intended for home consumption. But the present practice
of the Custom-house met the difficulty : because, where it
was distinctly intimated to the Custom•house officers
beforehand, that these goods, seen as small casks
of brandy and even wine even so low es one
or two dozen were intended for re-exportation to
Mexico, Chili, Peru, or elsewhere, the permission of the
Customhouse was at once given. But to go beyond this,
and to allow goods to be imported in small packages gene-
rally, would open a door to smuggling. (Hear.) The next
point had reference to fines on captains of 'tenets which had
smuggled goods on beard, these goods being smuggled by
the men, and the committee rccommeuded that the captain
should not be fined, except where it was shown that the
captain er mate bad connived at the act. Her Majesty's
government concurred its that recommendation, but, in
point of fact, the existing law and practice coincided with
that recommendation, and it was , of the rarest possible
occurrence that a vessel was detained, except where the
captain was implicated in the fraud. But if the existing law
and practice were not found to be sufficient, the gnvernment
would carry out the recommendation of the committee.
The nest point was one of extreme interest and great im-
portance—the point regarding the bonding or warehousing
system—to which, perhaps, more than to anything
else, this country was beholden fee the growth of
her trade. (Hear, hear.) Now, what the government
proposed to do in this matter was, that in the
first instance the importer should be liable, as at pre-
sent, to the crown ; but if he parted with the possession of
the goods, permission was given him to re-enter the goods
in the name of the new owner. The original importer
would thee be no longer tesponsible to the crown, except
for such parts as were deficient while the goods were is his
hands. It was also intended that the custom-house should
take stock of all the goods once every five years. (Hear.
hear.) This might appear a serious thing, but it was easier
than might be supposed, for the whole stock would not be
taken all at one time, but would be in gradual and conti-
nual operation from day to day.
Mr. MITCHELL asked whether, in the case of every fresh
transfer of goods, a fresh entry was to be made ?
Mr. WILSON —What they proposed was that the party
who parted with the possession of the goods should be at
liberty, if he thought proper, tore-enter them in the name of
the new owner. If be did not do so, of course he could not
justly complain at being held responsible for the duty.
(Hear, bear.) And in the case of the more valuable goods,
at least they would have to be re-weighed or re-measured
(as we understood.) With regard to the taking of stock,
they were willing to give it a trial ; but if the merchants
found it to be inconvenient, he believed there would be no
disposition on the part of the customs to persevere with it.
There was another point connected with this part
of the subject to which he must allude. At pre-
sent there were three classes of warehouses, and this
was a part of the system which Liverpool very
much complained of. There were, first, ware-
houses which gave special security ; second, warehouses
of ordinary security where the warehouseman gave the
bond and not the individual merchant; and, 3. ordinary
security, where the warehouseman gave no bond but the
individual did. The government did not think it necessary
to keep up this distinction, and they therefore proposed
that there should be only one class of warehouses, and
that the warehouse-keeper should be responsible to
the crown for any deficiency more than the na-
tural deficiency allowed by law. No merchant, therefore,
would be required to give a bond at all, for they
considered that the multiplication of bonds was a great
hardship. In future, therefore, the merchant would not be
troubled with giving a private bond for each particular im-
portation which he made. (Hear, hear.) The next point
ho had to refer to was with regard to luggage. The go-
vernment had already taken some steps to facilitate the
examination of passengers luggage, which might be taken
as an earnest of their intentions in this respect. (Hear,
hear.) There was no place in Europe where greater facili-
ties were given for the transport of luggage than at An-
twerp, and travellers who were enabled to get a glimpse of
the Rhine without losing a train, were no doubt disposed to
draw unfavourable comparisons with respect to this coun-
try, and the clumsy mode of operation pursued here. But
everything had its dark side as well as its bright. (Rear.)
On more than one occasion, on arriving at Antwerp at low
water, he had been compelled to remain on sleek amid a
torrent of rain ; and therefore he was disposed to think
that on the whole the English plan was the better of the
two. Again, it must be remembered that steamers arrived
in the Thames at all hours of the twenty-four; and be
thought the house would agree with him that, in the winter
or late in the autumn, it would be a monstrous inconve-
nience to passengers to be roused out of their beds at four
o'clock in the morning to have their luggage. examined be-
tween Gravesend and London. Now, what the government
proposed was, that all passengers who haul only one or
two packages might have them examined between Gravesend
and London, and delivered to them if they contained
nothing that was subject to duty, ar,4 that those who had
more might have a carpet-bag ex/emitted and leave the re-
mainder. An arrangement of that lapel would, he
thought, be the one most convenient to the public sad
to the safety of the reveuree. With roe and to Dover. ar-
rangements had already ',icon made, as the house was aware,
for :be examination of luggage wittch came by night trains
to London-bridge ; and, with eeppect to Folkestone,ea-
structions hail tram given to the effect that every Pow

faceity should be estended v, ith the rime view. The nest
eiej-ct to which the committee adverted was
she hours of attendance; and their recommendation
was that tne hours should be in the summer
from seven in the morning till live in the afternoon,
and ie the winter from b to 4. Teo year+ ago, Wale Sr-
Dowments were made with regard to the hours of attend-
ance in an pelts of the kingiloin. It was then found that
„ epee was the variety of eircusieteneee, thot no one rule
sale
be applied to all nem. In Hull for example, the
sme meekest tram is in the morning all in the evening ;
tee thooeh then was, of course, au hour's intend fur din-
e e, a. the men heed near at Lend the inconveniene was
Tony ending. In Lin rpooe on the other hand, as the olli-
me, lived at agent distance from their work, there ar a I
di:recut arrangement with reheard to hours. w
In
Loudon the case woe similar ; but specie' ar-
m/meats were mad* from time to time, to
end the coavenience of particular trades. Now, on
this sides:* the Commissinese of Customs had thought it
desirable ti consult the deck auttioritiee. Teel were
• to hive the opint.n of these authorities as to ob.-
thee any improvement amid he made; fur it was obsious
that the circumstances attending the businese of the docks
see the moms were very sired it with regard to e 'to y-
am.: then wee amended within the docks. (Hest, hear.) '
:cler we. received, stated. & pt. 2, in reply to one
the Conlialfsi.no rs to the of the Lonsfou
pee leimesny. he bon. member thin reed the letter—
to the sties.: that, in the upie lona of the demean of the Lee-
eje to in Company, the pr+ emit number of hours Wes line-
cue., rutpt in teem of em. reenty ; and that en extension
• t„ e would juvelve the neemeity of an increase iu the
at' Toe Cumtnieeiesers of el:lateens were entirely of the
mese "pinion; far it was quote obvious Viet in Lind in and
Lie re under any utuer arrangement, men who
lir, l at a great distaste from their dwellings
awe seher resort t 3 taverns in the intervals,
wit
appesred to him very undesirable, or must
go borne, end thereby cense a great iuterruption to
At the ante time, ho begged to setter thet direc-
t-T.. hid been given that every tameable facility should be
atfedid wniforet it was applies! for, cud that in all costs
in sc.ich merchants were diep teed to pay for estn attend-
ance, eves to late hours at ni.lit, their wishes should be
complied with. (Beer, hear.) Already he believed arrange-
ments had bees unto whereby vessels might be cleared
out a mach later hoar of the evening than had ever
„et the ease boore, aM io a matinee which would meet
the wishes of the tonseattlse. Ile thought it very
undesirable to extend Cur hours in the way
tee ,mee..ded without oiling considerably to the
salines of the officers. When it was considered that
the roe...house still—army he might almost call it—mn-
sisted of 10,000 ne re that it was a tendency of the present
age rather to reduce the number of hours than to Diemen
S, and, further, that much twee business was done in the
day than et night, 1w thought the house would agree with
him that the nio.litieetioue which lie had mentioned were
far preferable to the laying down of a general and rigid
„le I,e the whole cenntry. hear.) Ile now came
to a subject which was, he conceived, I.y far the most ins-
portent of the whole ranee of topics which he had under-
taken to istrolueo ; and that was, the simplification of the
WWI of free goods. (Bear, bear.) Now undoubtedly
they did flitter themselves, alma repealing customs
for many year past, thet they were thereby
Sleeting a great raving, both of time and labour. They
eitiAbt sever to lose sight, however, of this wide distinction
between ezeise duties and customs duties. If his right hon.
friend's propos il of .he repeal of the soap duty were car-
ried, it was Oriente that there would afterwards be no more
memos for the officers cosinects it with that department
then if no soap duty bad ever existed ; whereas the repeal
of a customs duty might be mode a Most convenient
medium of smuegling, especially if the system of ex-
amining free goods were in any degree relaxed. (Hear,
bear.) What the committee recommended was that
the ship mintiest and the report of her consignee should be
the sole entry required in the case of free goods, and that
copies of these should De sent to the lauding waiter en his
warrant, and his only moms of knowledge. Now, let the
house consider what a manifest was. It was a list of the
cargo; but it told nothing nee-wearily as to what the cargo
cousisti d of. In the cone Of a mixed cargo of goods, there
were:petksges tram one to leo marked " contents un-
known. What information could the custom-house
*dicers derive from a document of that kind ? Let the
house consider what facilities that afferdel for smuggling.
Suppose a tweed cirri of peels arrived, and, aa was fre-
quently the case,e numh,?r ei packages were consigned in tie
bill of lading to order. ouppuise, nether, that these packages
were made the medium of couveying smuggled geode. If
the goods were de-covered, no person came forward to own
them ; no one who made the individual entry; and there
Wu no claimant. The wherfineer cleared them because he
wished to get rid of them, and if they passed the Custom-
house with, et discovery, there was the claimant with the
bill of lading; but, en the other hand, if a quantity of to
Immo were found in a cask of potatoes, there was an end of
the matter. The governmeir, however, were quite dis-
posed to extend facilities es far as it could be done safely ;
and with this view they proposed that goods which were
imported tree should lee taken into a room distinct from the
long room ter the purpose of being entered. By this means
be thought they would secure to the merchant every facility
that was possible without any risk to the revenue ; and,
what eas mire important, without injury to the fair
trader ; one of the greatest sconces of difficulty to the honest
trader being that be had to compete with those who did not
hesitate to defraud the revenue. (Hear, hear.) The next
point to which the committee Averted was the entry of free
goods outwards. The committee thought that, as there was
no duty now upon manufactured goods the produce of this
country entered outwards, it would be sufficient for every
shipper to send to the agtut a bill of lading. Now, scarcely
a single vessel, he supposed, left this country that did not
contain one or both of two descriptions of goods, namely,.
goods which were removed out of a bonded warehouse and
shipped in hoed, and goods which were subject to draw-
Decks ; and this stood in the way of the adoption of the re-
commendation of the committee. It was quite clear that
under such circumstances the Custom-house officers must
have cognisance of all that took place. 'With regard
to the codification of the existing acts of parliamest,
the house generally might not be aware that prime
to 1525 the customs acts were reduced from 1,500 to &
is that year they were reduced to the number of six, and
codifies!, and called severa;ly Regulations, Smuggling,.
Navigation, Warehousing, British Possessions, and Lela
)Lan Acts. The task was performed by Mr. Deacon Hum%
and was designated by Mr. Iluskisson as one of the greatest
mental efforts ever achieved by an individual, (Hoer.
Item.) Fifteen hundred acts of parliament condensed fate
that small volume. (Ins hon. member held up a this
eetavo.) Such a result was in itself a proof that in the
public service no channel of promotion should bo, shut
against meritorious individuals, however humble. Mr.
Ileum entered the public service as a clerk in this
Customs, and rose, solely by his merits, through
tie various grades, until at last he was selected
by Mr. iluskisson to be Secretary to the Board if
Trade, and when in that situation he effected this wonder-
ful specimen of digest and codeieatioo. That being does,
the retort arrangement of the customs laws became=
and accordingly they were again arranged in '36, and
in '4i, bet still retaining the amber of six acts. The pre-
et r.t intention was to nesse them ale sets into one in I'M&
everything relating se the eaMems shah he ladaded.
(Hear, hear.) The pineal elident 0 Ole Stallant had
undertaken the task; Week if was Ms essa seirelles
and proposed, discardi?aal embakal imps. In pet tla
law into plain and aim Isagwer , 'wheat eshipme mold
uadentarid, to pet all e law re tingto
port into one set (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Impel
shortly to lay the draft ea the table, and whom am
doas,l all sakentesst regidellume Of ill 011111111111, 0•0111111.
shams weak% he published ems a math, sad misled has
ime at al the sad of every test. He new
one m Mr eau of the outposts, sad in apron&
he HMI safest,
il
beg,L=le main* the home
the whim the poems* sowsowmeset. the [sofas
es etas mimeses of diem* snipes le OM et
lsmdessleed ea a footing very dillhaimil be their
. la 1817 the twee Image Lieer-
=tit tons ;in 1850, 4t arnamitad to 11.788,889.
the hales, Wing a little more than the eat three million.
(Hem hew sad a laugh.) la 1817 the Waage of Leedom
mos Mee; in 1850 it nee 3,2f6,000, being 500,000
sees Ism than that of Liverpool. (Hear, hoar.) In 1817
Helmand. of Hall was 288,0801 is MO It was 828.000;
led Is the same period the Waage if 110 Clyde had is-
meemil hem 1011,000 to 433, lleweenlis had advanced
from NUN toms to LUSA*, and /solhemsees, from
43,00 M 111" Bristol led seam Wit emsll advasor,
from 100,000 tow to z 17,080; mud same at parts had ad-
Tamed in a greater or fen dew estimate
of the growing impostame et might he ob-
tained by • pow el ear enasal eigeele. The total
value of those wee imam ded at 71 Wilms sterling ;
sod of that 71 111.111168 London exported 14,127,000 i.,
while Liverpool remelted 31,891,000 L, Wag more than
double the imports of London. (Hear, bear.) Hull had
10 mililions, within four of London. Olugow four mil-
lions. So that four ports disposed of 63 millions out of 71,
lost/ only a balance of seven millions remaining, which
was divided amongst 79 ports. For these reasons, whatever
else n.ight be determined on with regard to the re•construc-
tion of our customs system, he thought be said enough to
show that Liverpool must have en independent customs'
tr.hunal of its own, and be placed in sub' a position as to
have questions decided, without constant appeals to Lan-
don. (Hear, hear.) Whatever might be done with respect
to the Board of Custom., it was quite clear that Liverpool
must from henceforth be treated as a separate jurisdiction.
IS the Case must be considered not merely with re-
g aril to the present position of Liverpool, as that port was
increasing so rapidly as to ensure that every successive year
must add to the difficulty. For the present, government
had authorised the customs' commissioners to extend the
local authority of decision to all cases where the duty did
dot exceed liege subject to such modification or instruction
as might be neemary from time to time in particular
eases. This would provide for a large proportion of the whole
tranyttiona Tail local authorities were empowered to
examine parties ea oath, and were at intervals to report to
the commo.ioners, in order, as far as possible, to establish
lisifonsity throughout the kingdom. 'the county courts
were also open in these cases, and the high character of the
judge gave every tenon to hope that the merchants would
be satisfied with his decisions. (Hear, near.) They had
beta induced to propose these advantages for Liverpool,
because nobody could be blind to the fact that Liverpool
had become the great commercial emporium of the coun-
try. (Hear, bear.) An enthusiastic friend of his, lately
mussed from India, had prophesied that ultimately the
arm of the British empire would be on the banks of the
Mersey. He did sot go quite so fu ; but, looking at the
vast seat of manutucture—textile, ceramic and metallic—
stretching for a hundred miles behind Liverpool, and to
the runt that the whole trade of the west lay before it, its
positim as the chief emporium must be admitted,
end the necessity of a distinCtin cußtclas tribunal.

isdirmdiset of, but co-operative with, Loudon, at
011110 'titillated. (sleer.) lie had now gone through
the fitness heads of recommesiatios of the committee
end one small subject only remained. It was proposed to
make an entire change in the system of the Isle of Man.
The house was aware that when the sovereignty of the
island wmpurchased from the Duke of Athot, the Customs'
duties were much lower than thus* charged in other parts
of the kingdom. To prevent smuggling it was arranged
that fur the import of snits,• bearing • high duty—such as
brandy, rum, sad tobaceo—licenses should t'e issued to cer-
tain parties, to import such guieties as the consumption of
the island might require. Now, when he (Mr. Wilson)
came to the Treasury, he found constantly applications to
be made for the insertion of iucreased guanu.ies iu these
'menus, and the effixt of this was to give • monopoly to
the holders of these licenses, which went far to coutiter-
balance the advantage which low duties gave to
the consumer. having consulted with the lieutenant-
governor and tha Commissioners of Customs, the Treasury
had come to the conclusion that the proper course
would be to abolish the licensing system altogether, with is
small rise in the duty, but giving to auy one the right of
importation. 01 course the revenue authority would its
whether any quantity beyond the probable consumption
of the island was imported, and act accordingly. With
reference to the vast amount of blame which had bees east

ou the Board 01 Customs, he begged to remind the house
of the vast Increase of pressure to which that body bad
brew subjected in consequence of the rapidly increasing
trade of the country. In 1631, the whole of tour impute!
and imports amounted to 82 millions, while in 1832 they •
had increased to 187 millions. (Hear, hear.) Our sup-
sly, which in 1832 was 5,61)0,000 tons, was now 16,000,1100
tuna, or nearly three times more than in the former year.
The staff of the customs to manage all this
vast traffic was, in 1832, 10,770 men, and in
1832 it was only 10,868. (Hear, hear.) Was it nut fair
then to make some illil).3llCe for this additional pressure ?
(Hear, hear.) The expense of management was, in 1832,
1,376,00 W.; and in 1832, when the labour bad cnormomly
increased, it was only 1;268,0001.. being actually something
kW than in the former year. (Hear, hear) s'a that with
three times the automat of duty they had the same number
of men, anti a less 11011U41 cost in the working. These
facts ought to be borne in mind when honourable members
were forming an opinion of the conduct ut the Beard of
Customs. He would now lay the papers ua the table, the
bjeet being to give them the greatest possible publicity.
They would be sent to every uutpurt, and every suggestion
or modification that might come back would be carefully
attenued to, the sole object of the governmeut being to give
every facility to c immune, consistent wits protection to the
revenue, and justice to the interests of the fair trailer.
Having thanked the house for its attention the hon. mem-
ber conclud.il by moving the resolutions.
Mr. MITCHELL said that with ono or two exceptions
the statement of the hon. member wail generally satisfac-
tory. (Hear, hear.) Ile wished, however, to ho satisfied
on one or two points. Were the facilities fur promotion to
be extended to all officers in the service of thl customs?

Mr. WILSON—There would be no czelu.ioa whatever.
Ilear, hear.)

. . .
lb. MITCHELL said he wished also to remark on the
amount made by the officers on seizures. Last year it was
10,9771.; too much, in his opinion, especially as Sir Thomas
Fremantle bad admitted that the amount of these galas
nail a tendency to make the officers too strict. He wished
to know witether, in coo of articles said under confiscation,
the profit was to go to the officer ?
Mr. WILSON—Yes.
Mr. MITCHELL disapproved of that arrangement. lie
objected also to sours of the proposed duties, especially those
on clocks and watches. Having made some sugges-
tions rests, eting the system of ',utiles and transit,
the honourable member complained of the conduct
duct that hail been pursued towards the dock companies.
Having detailed the usual proceedings with which the
public are familiar the bun. member expressed his belief
that all the mischief had been caused by the Customs FOli•
eller, who in 1816 was an obscure attorney in the town of
Teanworth, and who having been forced into his office by
the enenpulseiry retirement of his predecessor, had prevailed
en the board to commence these proceedings. He (Mr.
Kitchell) had no doubt that this person was an
Ipsorant and vain man who hoped for distinction by these
ftiWged measures. With respect to the general question
It remained to be seen what change government would
make. They could not make • change for the worse. He
trusted that in any reconstitution tit the board they would
have a man who had been in mercantile life on the board.
Mr. TURNER did not wish to enter into the details of
the measure, which he thought ought to be laid before the
merchants of the different ports, it. order that they might
have their opinions. lie rose to thank the hon. gentleman
for the great benefit he had conferred on the people of
Liverpool in giving them that for which they had petitioned
many yearn, a local jsoard to decide en the numerous cases
which had hitherto been sent to London. He also thought
that giving the county courts jurisdiction up to 1001. would
be a great boon.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS said—Having taken a deep interest
in this subject he had heard the statement of the hon. gen.
demon (Mr. Wilson) with a great deal of satisfaction. lie
did not express his approbarion.of the whole of his rffieme,
but there was so much good in it that he was convinced
such arrangements might be made as would be completely
satisfactory to the mercantile body. He quite agreed with
the observations that had been made by the boa. member for
Bridport as to the composition of the Board of Customs,
that unless the board was thoroughly changed satisfaction
could not be given. He recommended that government
should insist that one member of the board should be a
member of that house.
Mr. G. A. HAMILTON said the subject was under the
consideration of his right hon. friend behind him (Mr.
Disraeli) previous to their leaving office. He believed that
many of the suggestions proposed by the hon. member were
calculated to effect the object in view. He would not go
into the details, hut he warned the house to be extremely
cautious with regard to the admission of free goods. There
could be no doubt of the extreme importance of facilitating
the operations of trade, but when they considered that they
Isla large system of free admissions, great cue WWI to be
tans lest they gave opportunities to defraud the revenue.
Kr. WHA.LLEY suggested that the owners of yachts
should be enabled to take out articles free from duty,
which would prevent them buying them in foreign countriss
as they did at present.
Mr. JOHN /MACGREGOR said that hie view with re-
gard to customs and customs regulations was that the ma-
nagement should be as simple as possible. His own
view was, that instead of • Board of Customs they
should have one man at the head, and a deputy under him,
and that the department should be divided into sections, so
as to have one for the foreign navigation, another for colo-
nial, and another for keeping the customs accounts .
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was
in no respect seaway for him to enter into a discussion
of the details which had bees given in the clear and able
statement of his hon. friend. There were some of them
with respect to which he felt it would be much better that
hon. members should have the opportunity of reading them
before they were considered. But he wished to speak of
one topic which had been raised in the discussion, much to
his regret. He did not think that any advantage was to be
gained, but consideration and caution for the future, by re-
riving the recollection of the minding' between the
Customs and the docks, end he yerr much regretted that
the boa. member for Bridport should have dilated so freely
and with mason on those who were engaged in those
proceedings. He had the oppeetuaity of bringing them all
before the committee. The matter was considered by the
committee, and the committee declined t . take the view
which the hon. gentleman entertained. He thought that
what fell from him (Mr. Gladstone) on • former occasion
was ealonlated to support that censure. Now, in the first
gam be sever mentioned the Board of Customs ; in the
sewed place, though he did refer in tense of commends-
ties, as be always should, to his friend Bir Thomas Fre-
mantle, yet he said nothing to increase the power of Sir
Thomas Fremantle. What he said was that the beads of
the Boards of Customs and Island Revenue were poesessed
with • spirit of economy, and that he thought bringing the
accounts wader the control of the beam would strengthen
their heads, but he never said marking that could be con-
strued into an approval of the proceedings of the Board of
Customs and the Docks, which was • subject he did not
think it expedient to revive. The hon. gentleman complained
of *e omission of his hon. friend in what related to the
egmetitution of the Board of Customs. The constitution of
I ilis board was • matter of vital importance, but it was •
oat mistake to &appose that it had been overlooked. The
AO %Mather* had been two vacancies which they had not
. Mid hp was a clear proof that they had been considering
. the stfteet. But it was not a subject to be decided in
1 a day. The question whether they were to have mer-
i candle man in ,the board, whether a member of
. the board was to sit in parliament, and if he
was, how the relation of due subordination to the chairman
of the board was to be maintained when the chairmen of
the board was not in parliament; the further question
propounded by the member for Glasgow, whether there
should be a board at all, or they should have a chief and
secretaries—thrse were questions which, in his opinion, de-
manded the most mature consideration of the entire go-
vernment, and he thought it would be much better thee
they should postpone it till after the pressure of the go-
vernment business of the session was over, when they would
be able to give it their careful and deliberate consideration,
with a view of adopting the best system, both for the ee-
corny of the revenue and the facility of trade. He matured
i the hon. gentleman that the subject was not neglected, and
that if it was postponed it was only because its importance
was duly appreciated and they were desirous of doing it all
the justice in their power.
Mr.W. BROWN csnreased his gratification with the mea-
sure, and said he hoped the details would work out well.
Mr. J. A. SMITH expressed his thaoks for the boon con-
ferred on them.
Mr. HENLEY said the inherent principle of the
system was to prevent smuggling. The intention of
the government to transfer a portion of the cases
to the county court, was very judicious t but he
thought it unfair to throw any of this duty upon the ma-
gistrates, because their tribunals not beiag courts of record,
they were liable to actions for false imprisonment if there
should be any error in their proceedit.gs. It might le stid I
that the crown would protect there, ; but that would place
them in • very disadvantageous light. Magistrates in fact
ought not to have jurisdiction except in deer oases of smug-
: gling. lie trusted that the government would endeavour
, to afford every facility to the em.niug vessels, which hail
profited less than those enfr-ssed in the foreign trade by the
increa etiinulut sehith - to
;ad lately been given the ship.
sed
ping interests.
Mr. D. SENV-,jl: li warmly defended the conduct of Mr.
Hamel, ,tlt.', e ...owner of the customs.
id•".
"'; "...iceman I'SIOMPSON having:sit on the commit-
tee of customs fur two years, felt bound to express a gene •
Ital approbation of the measure, and to congratulate the

Mug ezd the country upon the changes which were *bon:
, to take place, for he had looked with the greatest dissatis-
tunas fur the last 30 years upon the way in which the ems
i toms bad been adminiatered. (Hear, hear.) With
respect to the Board of Customs, ha did not believe that
proper men had been selected for the office ; and he was
glad to hear that the system was to be corrected. Nor did
he agree with the itilogiums passed upon Mr. Hamel by the
hon. gentleman opposite. Be knew nothing of Mr. Hamel
except what he had heard and seta of him before the com-
mittee ; and he must say that while fully sensible of his
great talent, he did not think that he had discharged his
I functions in a way that was advantageous to the public in-
terests. (Hear, hear.) He begged to refer the hon. gen-
tleman (Mr. Seymour) to the evidence, and he would find
that the committee expressed their opinions of Mr. Hamel
in no qualified terms. Indeed, he was only saved from the
severest censure by the vote of a single individual. (Hear.)
Mr. GOULBURN reminded the hon. gentleman that
while he had sat in the house two bills had been passed for the
reform of the customs, and yet he (Mr. Alderman Thomp-
son) had not afforded the government of the day the
least assistance in procuring their enactment.
Mr. M. FORSTER, as a member of the committee, was
inclined to lay the trams entirely on the committee and
Mr. Hansel. Ile thought the statement of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer as to the proposed reform in the con-
stitution of the board would complete the satisfaction of the
public with the measure.

Mr. D. SEYMOUR observed that he had no acquaint-
ance with Mr. flamel as a private solicitor, and reminded
the house that that gentleman was paid by salary, and not
by fees.
After a few words in explanation from Mr. WILSON, the
papers were then ordered to be printed.