The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-23 00:00:00

SPIRIT DUTIES DILL.

On the motion of the CHANCELL(►It of the EXCHEQUER.
the Douse resolved itself into a Committee on the Spirit Duties

The CH ANe:ELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had already ex-
plained the general principle on which he was ir.duced to recom-
mend thealteration of the present rate of duties on spirits. He teliutild
therefore only occupy the attention of the Home to explain the
details of the plait he intended to adopt. The main object he had
in view was, that the law, in all parts of the empire. as far as cir-
cumstances would permit. should be uniform, and as closely aesical_
bated as possible. A reduction in the duty on spirits had taken
place in Ireland anti Scethind, and the reduction had been found
to be highly beneficial. The good effects of the change, particu-
larly in Ireland, had furnished a valuable example, worthy of
beiog followed. One part of the change he should now propose
would be, that spirits might be permitted to pass from one part of
the United Kingdom to the other, without any restrietive duty,
except that which was paid on the manufacture of spire.. He wished
the duty to be, not on the sale, but on the manufacture of :spires.
The next part of the altered plate would be in adjusting the new
regulations for arranging the qualifications of persons to exercise
the pursuit of distilling. As the duty paid by distillers was large,
there :Mould be some restraint on the persons perechted to distil.
In Scotland it was requisite that the distillers should have the
certificate of three Justices of the Peace, an a test of qualification.
He would not recommend the adoption of this mode of qualifica-
tion here, but he would suggest that the person permitted should pay
at least rates to the amount of 201. per annum. For the convenience
of collection, &a lie would also recommend that the distillery
should be built within a quarter of a mile of a town of SOO inhabited
bowies, with the exception. of course, of already established
distilleries. The size of the still's was the next point of considera-
tion. It had been hitherto required that the mills should be ca-
pacious enough to contain three thousand gallons. He would re-
duce that to four hundred gallons, which was the former standard
for the size of the stills. The pre..ent duty was lee, per gallon, at
7 per cent, over-proof. He would propose the reduction to :ea 1011.
per gallon. This would be the duty oil spirits distilled from grain,
as well as spirits distilled from mah, between which a distinction
had previously existed, the former paying duty at the rate of fee.
and the latter at the rate of 3-e. per gallon. 'there was CFO that
which was understood by the imperial gallon, which was larger
than the common wine gallon, and on which the duty would be 7a.
The slim of as. ldd. which might appear a singular stun to fix upon,
wax adopted by him with a view of equalizing the duty, and to
prevent the inconvenience of fractional differences that would be
likely to arise from a different rue adapted to different measure-
ments. These regulations would, in his opinion, be attended with
real advantages to the interests of those engaged in distilling, as well
as to the country at large- The Right Honourable Gentleman
emended by moving a resolution agreeable to the preceding state- ,
num.
Sir J. NEWPORT thanked the Right Honourable Gentleman
for the measure he had introduced. It was one which he had long
desired to see adopted, as it was greedy calculated to promote that
recede= of intercourse between this country and Ireland which
would mainly tend to the increased prosperity and wealth of both
countries. lie eislied to are Ireland assimilated in every regu-
lation to England, as closely as Kent, Essex, or any of her own
counties.
Mr. W. SMITH opposed the Bill, as calculated to have an in.
Haloes effect on the morals of the peep!:. In Ireland and in
Scotland a reduction had taken place it was true, but the reason
of the reduction was the great extent to which smuggling was
carried on, and the question then was, whether there should be
a low duty or no cone ction at all. This wax the case with Ire-
land, and nearly so with Scotland. Such a necessity did not exist
in this country, and he was unwilling to sanction the passing
of a law which would enable the lower orders of the people
to get drunk for a shilling ; indeed, fur so low a sum they might
do so already. In his opinion, meet of the frightful crimes which
disgraced Ireland might be attributed to the cheapness and facility
of procuring spirits. The evidence of Mr. Newenham, High Sheriff
of the county of Cork, corroborated by other strong testimony,
showed that both in Ireland and this country most of the enormous
crimes, elicit as 'murder and dating burgh trees, were committed by
persons under the influence of ardent spirits. With a view, there-
fore, of preserving the morality of the people, and as one means
of doing so, he was unwilling to support the principle of a Bib!,
the object of which was to effect the cheapness of spirits.
The chancel were that if the duties should be reduced the lower
classes would drink ardent spirits in laze quantities. The Scotch
are said to be a sober people, but it is well known thnt there is
much greater difficulty in getting a ha'f crown it Scotland than in
England. He remembered the old story, of him who boasted,
that geese were tech! fur two-pence, and was asked where the two-
pence was to be found. If the reduction in spirits is carried to the
extent which is proposed, every tradesn.an in London will be en-
abled to spec as much from lets daily wages, as would poison him
if expended in the purchase of ardent spirits. Whaterer might be
the result, he had the consuLetion tat knowing that lie had deli.
vered his elation on the subject, andfnot before he had given it the
fullest consideration. Ile really thought it herd that the country
should have its sober habits broken, arch temptations to more
ieee-
gutar habits thrown in the way of the ill-dispoeed.
Mr. HUME did not consider the effect of the proposed redue.
tians on the murals of the people worthy of much consideration.
He thought that the proposed regulations would be beneficial, and
recommended the Chancellor also to reduce the duty on malt. The
temptation to smuggle was now very great. and if the deities in
England and Seotland, as well as in Ireland, were equalised, it
would do vetch to prevent smuggling, and cause no considerable
diminution of the Revenue. The use of ardent spirits proceeded,
he thought, from poverty, and not freest the cheapness of spirits.
Where ardent spirits were dear, excesses were most prevalent. Hal-
land, France, and the United States were examples. Ardent
spirits were net morn than half as deer in those countries as they
were in England, and yet drunken:a-vs does not prevail to the sante
extent which it does iR England.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explain-i. lie
was anxious for the equalization of the dunes,and would be dis.
posed to reduce them in lei:eland if he could raise them proper.
tionably in Scotland rind Irchs'd. lie did not deein this expedient,
however, for if the duty should be raked it would se: the smug-
glers to work with double vigour. lie did not agree with the
Menthe- for Norwich (Mr. W. he:W)th= a reduction of the elutie s
would &Lige the country with drunken:tee*. Ile (the Chancellor
of the Exchequer) was charged on tins occasion with acting in op.
position to the spirit of all his preelee.seure. whe lied raised the
ditties. It WO. 0 mietske, however, to !suppose that former Chau-
cellar' of the Exchequer raised the ditties in order to make spirits
dear. The Increase of duties by his predecessors was not intended
for the morel object of preventing the
.people front drinking, but
what many wecuid perhaps consider the immoral object of inerease
ing the revenue. Ile shoat much lament the evils which the Hon.
Gertleman anticipated, but he could not agree that just grounds
existed for any such t: sec:re:able anticiparioes.
.he C. 11. licrtliiNSON concurred with the Hon. Member
for Wa:erford in thendeing the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the
manner in which he had treated this subject. He recommended
the Chancellor of the Exchequer to encourage breweries, the
reduce of which was greatly preferable to ardent spirits.
Mr. GORDON tit:premed the idea of raising the duties in
Scotland

.....
After a kw obvrvationv from Genera! BART, the Resolutions
were agreed to, and .ti How!. resumed.
The Report was nrderi d to be received nn Monday.
3I R. R ICII'S COLT,EcTioN.

The CY.I.INCEI.LOR of the EXCIII:QI:ER rose to move
that a VIM of 7,krot. tv granted to his Majesty, fur the purchase of
Mr. Rich's collection cif :was, curiosities, and manuscripts. Vie
Right Ilan. i;en•!enir.a said, tha• a Coinmittee had already re.
Noted fully on :hi' sulij.ct. that the value of .Mr. collection
had been fairly estimated, and that he thought it unnecessary to
trouble time Nostra with arty details. The collection was tu be
transferred to t!,,:t .r, at t, I.;, sal ittstitution, the British Museum.
.Me. 11l E cordially.•onported the motion of the Chan:-.1!or of
the Etch, quer. There ttai another subject, homy:l,. on w!,icit lie
i would Wee this oppertuktity of offering a few observations. it
was with respmct to the monuments which had been erected at dif.
feittet yet it
ns. pe
many ri:i
11:t7 public expense, to the memory of illustrious
ap,,nia o:ititreats were a great expense to the pubmic,
then: w'rc lost. Ile was informed that the few
!itlsi;s :.'.
of
shillings collected at Wesr*nster Abbey. tin viewing the monne
meat,. were applied to ray the salaries of those employed to take
care of the property. ilut a sufficient sum was long !dace yrarided
for suith persons. and this soul, he understood, was now appro.
priated by the Deal and Clapter to their own use, or to other ur.
poses. If this fact wanes he had stated, he hoped the Right Hon.
Gentleman, or some Member connected with Government. would
more for a Select Comiaitwe to inquire into the state of the public
monuments.

After A few words from Mr. BANE ES,
Mr. 1111311.;
Sq. 0. HILL said, ti:ot he was not •ware of the sort of inter.
ference which bad been adverted to with regs:d to public moni:s

that it was supposed oilirf be applied to the purposes in ques-
tion. It there were any it.. r which Parliament could exert con-
trol, there certabar count ; no other wish titan to apply them to
Oct legitimate iiurpti,ta. A, to the particular collection which
was then the satiint of consideration, he could not help saying that
th, re never 11;11 ant: iUnction which was offitied for sale on such
fi;ir and liberal terns. It vas said by those who made this hand-
soate triter, that if the price a. as deemed too murk it might be re.
fern al to the decision of persoas competent to estimate their value.
The question was then put and carried that a slim of 7,50111. be
graaira for purchasing the coins, antiquities, and manuscripts of
the late Mr. Rich, for the purpose of their being deposited in the
British Museum.