The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-26 00:00:00

Germany. It was known that in the article of linen, Germany
could undersell us in the marker ; and there was now springing
up a new monotheism/ a( New Orleans, which could be brought to
market at a price considerably lover than we were able to do. If
the Right Hon. Gentleman timid take ott the present ditty tin
hemp. end • proportion of the duty on Sax, be would be doing am
essential service to the linen trade. ' if these duties were removed,
we wet word:soled we could manufacture a ens7Rer kind of linen
than wo Wert now alrle to do : and that if the coarser sort of flax
were allowed to be mixed with hemp, a manufacture of coarser
cloths could be produced, so that Germany would In entirely pre-
vented from undo-selling us as it was now able to do.
Sir IL PARNELL thought that the duty on linens ought not to
be reduced so le y as 25 per cent. As Ihe Right Hoe. Gentleman
had proposed to redoes the duty on wool, he wished to suggest to
I his consideration the reduction of the duty on the exportation of
wool. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would isideavour to
secure to Ireland the exportation of wool, by which means the
growth of that article in that country would be considerably et .
et:lunged. With regard to the general plan that had been proposed
by the Right Hoe. Gentleman- he was of opinion, that the principle
which ought to govern this House in its Adoption was the consi-
deration how they could best discharge their duty to the public,
who were the consumers. Every. thing that went to create a
Imonopoly necessarily produced an Increase of charge to the con-
sumer, besides inevitably tending to a deterioration of the articles.
He conceived, however, that the pian of reduction proposed was
too instantaneous, and thought it would have been better had it
been gradual, so as that the same rate of duties, as ntw fixed,
might have been arrived at in the course of a period of three or
four years.
Mr. C. GRANT ssid it was immersible not to perceive how
much better the real interests of trade were generally understood at
the present day then at former periods. About forty years ago a
Iprinaple of-the m ley kind now before the House wits intioduced
into Parliament, and was then opposed in the most mien! manner.
There certainly were Gentlemen who now considered that the plan
proposed was premature; but he thought those Gentlemen lost
sight of one great consideration—namely, the influence which our
present policy had on foreign nations. There was s• illlpres-
mon on the minds of all foretenera. that nova ithstat.dirg the liberal
doctrines wet had professed we were not sincere in those professions.
This then was one strong mason why we ought to proceed in adopt.
ing practically those doctrines which we lied so highly eulogised.
' He thought the question for the consideration of the House was
simply this—Could this country keep up the prices of articles higher
titan those of other nation' ? If that be impossible, then it was his
opiedon, the sootier we adopted the principle recommended by the
Right Honourable Gentleman the better. This was not a partial
question, but one common both or the consumer and to the manu.
&cloth ; and it behoved both parties to consider what would be the
ultimate consequences of persisting in the present restrictive sys-
tem. With regard to the article of copper, it was clear that it
could be produced better and cheaper front abroad than at home.
Of the 10,000 tone of copper imported into England. no less than
6000 tots were cottoned in sonic shape or other. Now, as copper
could he purchased touch cheaper abroad than in England, was it
not obvious that foreigners were able to undersell us in the foreign
market ? He would therefore ask, whether it would not be better
to reduce the duty on copper, PO that our manufacturers might he
able to sell at as low a rate as foreign manufacturers could eo? He
thought the justice and equity of the system recommended by the
Right Honourable Gentleman was such as could not tail of being
most beneficial to this county!: and he did nut know why the Corn
Laws should be excluded from this liberal system of policy ? lie
did think thas the wisdom, justice, and equity of this system would,
in the end. gain over to its side the most reluctant ; and would
possess as its advocates the present most steadfast supporters of the
restrictive aystem.
%lr. ROBERTSON spoke a few words in favour of the policy
of the measures proposed by Another's.
Sir R. VIVIAN could not support the Resolution for the re-
duction of the ditties on the importation of foreign copper, as it
would in hit opinion considerably prejudice the interests ot those
whose property consisted in the mines of Cornwall. In that
county copper was not merely an incidental and caoral profit ark.
ing to the landed proprietors, but it was in tact the only produc-
tion of the soil. Ile knew two or three mines where it was quite'
iniposaible to raise copper, unless the owners got 1001. a toil ; a
protecting duly was therefore obviously necessary. It must be
considered too, that out of the population of Cornwall, which was
composed of between 200,000 and 300,000 individuals, no less than
70,000 or 80,000 were employed in the mines. The consequences,
therefore, would be most serious to the people of that county, if
so large a proportion of its inhabitants were to be thrown out of
employmeitt. There was at present a high duty charged on the
exportation of copper from the Dutch Colonies. Supporting the
Dutch were to follow the same liberal line of policy which the
Ministers of this country were adopting, the consequence would
be, that copper could be obtained from them at 401. a ton, and be
brought to this market and sold at a sum considerably lower than
'lt could be by the proprietors of the mines in Cornwall. The
duty, therefore, necessary to protect them was not less than 301.
per ton; and he was quite sure that they could not do with less.
He hoped, therefore, that if the Right Honourable Gentleman
should persist in reducing the present rate of duty, those whose
interests were so much involved would ..t least be allowed to have •
Committee before that reduction should take place. With regard
to the proposed reduction of the duty on the importation of books
printed in foreign countries, he could not but think that the book-
sellers in this country requited some protection, ant the various
charges which they had to defray would enable the importers of
books from Paris to have an undue advantage over them.
Mr. HUSKISSON was anxious to set himself right with the
lion. Member for Cornwell upon two points. He thought that
according to the present law of England, where there was a pro-
party in any work vested in any bookseller or publisher, no person
could print dime work without being liable to a prosecution; a.nti to
permit books, the copyright of which belonged to any bookseller in
this country, to be imported from abroad. would be an act of pi.
racy, and would equally subject the person committing it to a pro-
secution. He therefore thought this was a sufficient protection of
the property vested in the bookseller. All the novels of the Great
Unknown, as they were called (a laugh) were printed and publish-
ed in France, in Germany, and in other countries. lie hod him-
self seen them in a town in Germany ; but if any person were to
introduce any of those copies here, he would be immediately open
to a prosecution by the owner of the copyright of those works. But
with regard to books of which there was no copyright vetoed in any
person In England, he did not see why we should be obliged to pay
four times dearer for a work because it was printed at Penis instead'
of being printed here. But this was now the case in consequence
of time duty, and be therefore thought the reduction of that duty
could not at all erect the interests of the booksellers, while it would
most materially benefit the public. The Honourable Baronet had
expressed his fears at the lowering of the duty of foreign copra.
Nuw, lie (Mr. Huskimon) did not mean by what he had said OD
that subject, to imply any thing like a threat of proposing the im-
portation of copper into this country. lie only stated this, that, if
27/. per ton should be founn to be so high as to prevent a supply to
the market, when the price of natiee copper was at an eaorbitant
rate, then he should reserve to himself the same right of making
a further reduction of the duty, like as he had now done, from 54/.
to that of 271. Ile, however, believed that 271. would not be a pto-
hibitory duty, but at the same time, it would be beneficial to the
miners themtmlyes, inasmuch as it would induce them to reduce
the quantity they raised acoordiogly to the demand. All he would
say was, let no satisfy ourselves that this was a duty which on the
one hand afforded protection to the English miner, and on the
other, whew prices got extravagantly high, would protect the con-
sumer by the menus ulTorded him of an importation of the article
from other countries.
Mr. SYKES aid a few words that were quite inaudible in the
gallry.
Alr. EVANS observed, that the manufacturers of the best qua.
Mies of iron might be injured by the change ; but he thought (as
we understood the Honourable Member) that it would be of ulti-
mate advantage.
Mr. BENETT (Wilts) hoped that the Right Hon. Gentleman
would equalise the duties on the exports and Imports of wool. He
trusted that the duty on Canada awn of Ss. would not be perma-
nently fixed until alter the discussion on the Corn laws had taken
place.
Mr. HUME was desirous that the Right Honourable Gentleman
would reduce the duties on Baltic timber. He was happy to rind
that corn from d'anasla was to be admitted into this country on pay.
ment of a deity, and the other duty of which he was speaking had
been imposed ass boon to the Colonies, which could now be spared.
If the Right Honourable Gentleman kept the duties on certain ar-
tides at as high a rate as formerly, smuggling could not be sup-
pressed. On gloves, foe iIISIIMION there was a duty 6(30 per Gent.;
if he made it 20 or 13 per cent. he still kept up • premium toe
smuggling. The great point was to do away with restrictive duties
as mttch as possible, and nothing could protect the revenue from
smuggling so much. lie begged to express his satisfaction at what
the Right Honourable the President of the Board of Trade had
said respecting the Corn Laws. All that had been done that night
would be as nothing in the opinion of the people, compared with
doe single Hamlet on on the subject of the Corn Liss.
I • Mr. HUSKISSON said, as to the proposal of the Honourable
Member for Wilts (Mr. lienett), he had no objection to equalise
I she duty on wool. lie could not, however, apply the principle to
yarn, as it would go out to a very considerable amount under the
proem duty. lie proposed to reduce the impost on what was
termed in the trade scrap iron, from 17a. 6d. to 12s. IVith regard '
to the timber trade, he was quite surprised at what had fallen trom
the Honourable Member for Aberdeen, who lost year presented the,
House with a strong argument in favour of protection for Cape
wines, and surely Canada had as good a right to be protected as
any other British colony, and timber certainly was not an article
upon which the duty could be conveniently reduced; anti he shohld
the more particularly object to it as the Baltic trade was now in a'
flourishing condition. It was intended to levy the duties in a dif-
ferent manner to what they had formerly been, and in contortuity
with the practice pursued in Ireland. The timber duty had been
reduced as much as it would bear.
AIr.HUAIE submitted whether these Resolutions should not be
reported forthwith, with a view to their being printed, as the coun-
try was naturally anxious to be in possesion of them.
Mr. HUSKISSON thought that it was not usual for Resolutions
relating to trade and revenue to be reported on the same night that
they were moss,l, and he thought the course proposed the more
convenient one.
The Committee having agreed to the Resolutions, the House re.
honed, and the Report was ordered to be received on dlooday
next.
DISSENTERS MARRIAGES.
On the motton ~r Mr. WILLIAM the Order of tine
Day for the uLt reading of the Bill regulating the Marriages of Dm.
mental was read, and the Honourable Member stated that the par-
ties on whose behalf he •idresseed the House were the Unitarian
Dissenters ot England, who sought to be relieved from reptati-g

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