The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-31 00:00:00

REPORT OF THE ACTING COMMITTEE TO

- —.--
THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF WEST INDIA
PLANTERS AND MERCHANTS.
This document was presented to the West India
body on the 26th instant. The most important passages are
here subjoined.
The following. is the view taken by the acting committee
of the operations of the Sugar Dutirs Act. It will be observed
that no allowance is mad, for the late commercial crisis. The
West India interest have suffered like every other; but all
their sufferings are attribute l to • cause special to them-
selves. This is not very logical.
Since the last half-yearly meeting the apprehensions which the
committee expensed in their remonstrance to her blajesty'e govern-
ment, previous to the passing of the existing Sugar Duties Act, have
unfortunately been realised to • large extent -as all who Mawr any in-
terest In West loins property know by their own painful expel icooe.
The depreasinn under which they now suffer must be chiefly a, ribed
to the operation of that measure. It in true that the supplies of sugar
from the llntish porecoiona and those foreign countries which are
called free, have at the s one time been considerable, and the decline
in the average price of West India eager ha. been coincident with ■
I great reduction is the value of many other articles ot general con-
, gumption. The ardent advocates ol equal duties, who feel no concern
to penetrate beyond the surface of the subject, have hence inferred
that the Materna can only be temporary, and that norm wilt partici-
pate in the advance of prices waich they assume will shortly take
_ _

place.
Without denying that simper mist be favourably influenced by say
general improvement —ire weiervaltaing the competition of the eastern
enintriee —the committee regret that they cannot concur in the ebeer-
ful views thus prevented to them. The coincideece of reduction in
the value of other articles cannot alter the facts which peculmrly
affect srer. Ihe greet decline in the Gaterefe average began pr..
cinely at the time when the that large supplies of *lave-labour produce
tensed, and continued until the price became so low as to fume ex-
portation. low as the price now te, however, it is nut lower than the
eaten nt which dam mpg has been sold in this market fur peal, pus!,
ae will he erne by the following statement of the prices of ordinary
yellow Minute, the description which affords the must cotrect
comparison that ma be made with the average quality of the whole
West India import. Porto Rion sugar was also sold in band during
the five years preceding 1446 at priees varying from 17s. to 215. An,
the price quoted in letters received by the last picket is 2i to 3 dollars
per quintal free on board, being equal to Ills. to Its. per cwt, to
which may be added to. for freight sod charges, making together 16.
to Ins. tercet. here.
The uveram prices of ordinary yellow Havana sugar, as nearly
as they can oe ascertained from the piece current, have been to
follows :
In 1841
1842
1843
1814
1443
1818
1817
If the differential duty had not existed daring the last year the
importers might have cold this seem at 6s. to Le lees.
These tact, leave no room to doubt that the slave countries carrying
on the , lase trade will oontioue to increase their production of auger
at the price which ha+ hitherto afforded them, not merely profit, but
eufficient encouragement to exteud their cultivation. It is never.
thelem alleged that a differential duty upon rJave taw could no,
prove beneficial to the West hells, beesuee they would 'eat bare to
compete with India and Meuritioa, and eventually oleo with Jaen,
Siam, Manilla, and China 'I he competition of these countries would
certainly sonars ample supplies at moderate prices, but it must
depend upon various considerations, for their circumstances are
extremely different.
It in unneffigeary to enter into any examination of the met of pro-
duction in Mauntma or Inane— or, though recent experience h
furnished correct informauen fn the place of the conjectural state-
ments which were formerly set forth re-pecting the capabilities of
these posessione, the it...tinhorn, conne, ON with them have severally
made representations to her Majesty's government within the last
two months, which may be quoted as the best authority to which
reference can be made. The Mewing, Association declare—" they
can but come to one oonclueion —that unless an alteration in the duties,
be made, conformable to the principle* suggested in their memorial
dated 28th October (which prayed for a reduction on British planteti in
imp, togs. 4d. per cwt., leaving foreign at 208.), and also the relief
from reatrictions and inappropriate taxes upon the industry of the
colony, be carried out fully and without delay, the once active, enter-
prising, and flourishing colony nt Mauritius will dwindle down and
become a mere barren military lost." In like mariner the feet India
Association state to her Mapsly's government, in their memorial
dated 30th November—. et itheut an adequate differential duly be-
tween pagan the produce of India end those of outentrie. where
*pave labour exerts British India most sink in the unequal compe-
tition."
With respect to Java, it is perhaps ant generally known, that the
eulUvation of exportable produce. in that Wend ia earred on by
compulsory labour, under the immediate direction of government
officers. They undertake to cultivate a suitable extent of I .nd upon
defined terms for each sugar lector, who not only receives a loan to
erect hie works but has also a contract with the government to take
payment for their charge for eultiva ion in sugar, at apr the which
affords him a certain profit. The government again are bound to
amigo thi• Fuger to a privileged mercantile company far Pale in Hot.
lend. Thus the greater part of the white production must be ma.
veyed to that country, and cannot of mune come to this market, ma-
les, the company, winch comprise the meet influential interests In
Holland, eheuld 'abandon Is. privileges—which ha hiehly improbable.
Not only are the shareholders of the company and the greet ship-
owner, concerned in maintaining it, but likewise the proprietor. of
the warehouses and docks, and the great mass of the merchants,
brokers, and tradesmen of the principal ports. Under this peculiar
system the production of Java has been artificially stimulated for the
lest seventeen years, and it has been carried to n ooneidereble amount-
it appear+, however, to have attained its maximum in 1815, and to
have succewirely declined in 1816 and 1147. The statements to this
effect received by the committee ere confirmed by an intelligent
writer, who has recently visited Java under circumstances favourable
for proem ing correct information. He remarks, "neither sugar
cane, nor any other produce, mil now be meth unframed in Java, tbe
population being fully employed, and production of any kind can only
be augmented in the rains ratio with the increase of population. The
great inereare of late years in the production of sugar sal
may be attributed to the cultivation of three article. being found
more profitable than that of rice. Hence the rice-fields have been
used for the planting of imager and indigo, until the present crop of rice
is barely sufficient to supply the native consumption."
Of China it it perhaps enough to observe, that a country which Im-
ports sugar for its own consumption, Is not likely to prove a formi.
debt veal. Some importation. base been made hom Chins, but it is
doubted whether the result hes been mtisfectory to the importers.
The shipment. from Siam end Manilla, which are now ioconsidevable,
may gradually increase. These countries do not, however, present
much attraction fur capital, and then is no espectstion that they will
advance rapidly.
From this brief review it appears that, though the quantity of auger
which may come from the eastern countries may be rao considerable
no to keep the price here very moderate, they do not, as many knit-
!One, poems the power which the slave trade gives to the western
ceuntries of indefinite or emblem extension.
It in also too readily a tumid that the effect of a differential duty
amine! Jam-emote would he raimear Wall the free countries. In Mauri-
tius and Indialthe plantations and factories would bemstaint d, but it is
very improbable that such a duty would induce the formation of any
new eatabluhmenta Throughout mot of the West India colonies,
the sugar works are capable of mantifacillring nearly double their
present production. The culueatioh them would consequently be ex-
tended, as soon as labour could be obtained, with great advantage,
became the meths of manufacture actua.ly evet, and the fixed
charges of every kind being di-tributed over a greater quantity, the
net of production would be materially diminished. The Dutch go-
vernment and the Maatechappy Company are evidently little influ-
enced by our legielation. 7 heir permanent investment, in Jae., even
if greater production were practicable, wou d be regulated as they
have been exclusively with a view to the direct trade with Holland.
Whatever may be alleged meatiest this policy, there duce not appear to
be the leant probability that it will be abandoned.
The memorial a dressed to Earl Grey in October last is
next quoted at length : with this our readers are already
acquainted. What follows relates to one of the many diplo.
maic negotiations hetween the committee and the Colonial.
office, which have studiously been kept secret—apparintly
lest any expression of the public in favour of the West In-
dian.' claims might have induced the office to yield to it.
The committee bare no desire to unit, rvalae any conception, hov-
erer paella', of their just claims—but they cannot regard the modified
permasien, thus tardily granted, to convey emigrants at the espenne
of the eolonies from certa.n parts of Africa as a measure calculated to
yield any immediate relief, or to turnieh them epee dile with the
means of maintaining an effective competition. It newt, even if sue-
cevallue be gradual in its newration—anal though it may eventually
move very beneficial, it ia the least likely of all the measures that
have been proposed with respect to emigratinn from Atria, to afford
early ask. lance to the colonise The committee cannot better com-
pare the views they entertain on this eubjeet with that propounded I
in Earl Grey's deemed] than by here to the suggestions which I
they have on several ow adon, submitted to he lordship, though they
apprehend that they have never commaneed much attention.
e•CiiiiisrioNd opus Psiuoun,oo Thin Aran v In, list West INDIA
COLONIvid.-1. All captured Flame who may be liberated at Sierra
Leone, to be conveyed to and settled in the West India colonies, In-
stead of being left in the miserable state described by Gaiter-nor ger.
guenn in his &seat b, d tied July 9. 1814, in the following terms:—
. There persons who hare refused to emigrate, and have been so
readily picked up by the ',anted liberated Africans, are employed by
them altogether as toweid eternise-they are fed —scantily, if at all
clothed—sod have no pecuniary allowance whatever." Although the
aloe-ships are curried to Sierra Lemne for adjudication, in compli-
ance with treaties• it appears by the not 5 tic, IV., e. 112, that the
people who ere liberated may be tented wherever her Majesty's govern-
ment May, a^ their official atemrdane, determiue. In the West Indies
they could oP sourer cern the means of comfortable pubsestenoe by
ordnaury iieliptry, and in doing so contribute indirectly to the sup-
preasion of the slave trade of which they had been victims.
2. Three steamers to he employed as regular transports for the con-
veyance of em.feant from the welt c mutt of Africa to the three cob,-
nied of Guian t, Trinidad, and Jamaica respectively, end of delegates
from tees . colonies woo may desire to revisit Africa. Three steamers
to be fitted and uatigattvl :as transports, and all the officers to be
volunteers who have no reluctance to the service. The instruction to
the commindere ought to enjoin them not •to interfere with the
agents, but to afford them every possible facility and the most cor-
dial co-opirition in collectine and embarking entice-ode, and also that
the people shall be allowed during the voyage all the indulgence that
may be consistent with good order, and nut regaired to take any part
m working the vessel.
The inetruct he. to the suretom ouebt to explain that a strict exa-
mination of intending emigrate,ts is unneeewary, and that they are
only required to be ratieffed of their being fit for work according to
their appearance. The Africans have a great peel odic wronst such
an examination no recruits undergo, because it is adopted by the
slave traders before embarking their Ames, and it seems to be quite
supertlu us is regard to emigrants for agricultural labour.
3. Licensee to granted by the Secretary of State to all suitable
vessels for which they may be required, authorising them to proceed,
properly fitted mid prepared to receive paikAelliicri according to the
Act, to any of the British nett temente, or the Krowsountry,
on the west coast ef Africa—and there embark emigrants for any of
the Brinell iolotees in the West Indira Every ship so 'armed to
have a surgeon on board, Vigo shall be appointed to act as the govern-
ment agent.
4. A proclamation (which shall be prepared here) to be teemed in the
name of her Majesty, and extensively distributed along the mast of
Africa—where Engiish is eery genteelly undereetund —eetting teeth
the great advantages chick emigrants would enjoy in ploceedine to
her Majesty's free colonies in the West India as —and intimating that
for the good or the people of Africa her Majesty has dettrmir.ed that
license,. shell be granted and errangemenu• male for providing suit-
able ships In wtoeh all persons desiring to emigrate accordingly may
take passage without any charge., and be under the protection of her
Majesty's government. That in the Briush Wen lodge they will be
assured& the most perfect freedom. and good treatment, sa well at
• employment at good wept. That they ma there find thou-
Panda of Airicans and descendants of Africans all enjoying perfect
freedom, metection, rebel°us iestructioe, beneticiel employment,
comfortable houses, camel nt grounds for proclaim., and plenty of
Uve stock.
5. As NIOn Man understanding can be effected with the govern-
Men. of France, the United states, sc., to ensure exemption for
licensed emigrant ships emu tee operation of the equipmtut clause,
the chute west coast of Africa to be open to them—and proclamation
made that all who desire to enigrate to the British colonies will be
assured of freedom and protection from the moment they can come
within • British settlement or embark under the British flag. Thus
emigrant ships might afford opportunities fee escape to rem tees from
Oporedaiioll even in the very haunts of the slave trader, and directly
inter fore with his succeee—end, according to the apemen of the late
Goveroor Maclean, it is probable that great numbers would flee to
Ceps OassiCesZio.