The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-03-08 00:00:00

SALT DUTY.

On the Order of the Day being read for the re-
port of the Salt Duty Bill ;
Mr. JOI-INSTO.E opposed the brining up
of Cie Report. Ile said, that thoughis sub-
leel had been before fully discussed, he could not
et any stage of it pass without entering his pro-
test against any measure fraught with such evil as
he knew this to be. It was rather too much for the
people of England to find that even before the pass.
mg of this Bill the price of salt was already doubled
upon the consumer ; but as to Scotland, he main-
tained it to be impossible that the tax, to its
present amount, could vier be colleted. He
then renewed his former objedions to the Bid, ob-
serving that, when the duty was last laid at the rate
of tis. 6d. the bushel, the people were found so
unable to pay it, that the tax was afterwards reduc-
ed to 4s. and he wished to know on what calcula-
tion it rested that those who were nut capable of
paying a tax of Gs. (id. some little time since. should
now be able to pay a duty amounting to Os ? After
referring to the report of the Committee in the year
1801, which recommended the abolition of the Salt
Dutie., and of the different bounties, the people
were led to believe that the tax would be repealed,
and now had the mortification to think that Perlin.
went had brokvii it; word with them. Ile strongly
insisted on the very severe pressure of the tax in
Scotland and Ireland, because, in those countries,
where a great portion of the food of the poor cow-
bested in vegetables, such as potatoes, greens, &c.
they were obliged to use a greater quantity of salt
than those wh • fed upon animal food, in order to
assist the powers of digestion.
Mr. ROSE insisted, that the different bounties to
which the Committee and the Honourable Gentle-
man alluded, on the exportation of printed linens
and cottons, whale oil, refined sugar, &c. had no
connetion whatever with the duties imposed upon
salt. The Gentlemen who opposed this duty in the
present instance, and even wished foe the repeal of
all the dutie• upon salt, would fins themselves wider
very great difficulty, ifthey were to propose a sub-
stitute which w,tild produce a revenue of 30°,0001.
Lid not he liable • much greater )hjections than this
wa.. lie den ed that the duty at all had any aoplica-
tton to the fisheries, which were 'sculpted, and stated,
amongst other things, that probably, in the course


of the present Session, he Loped to be enabled to
ring in a Bill for the better encouragement and re-
gulation of the fisheries. is
Mr. KENNA IR D said, that Akin the Report of
the Committee of 1801 was or !ered to be reprinted,
he thought there was reason to espen that it would
have hen before the I louse before the Bil4shoirli be
pressed forward. lie wished to remind the Howse,
that in recommending the Report of the Duty on
.Salt, that Committee illus6ated the advantages of
it, by stating that all the prosperity of the Isle of
Man was owing to the free exportation of salt, but
since the Union, the Parliament of this country
found it impossible to raise the same duties in Scot-
land as in England When the Union took place in
1701', there was a Salt Duty of six-pence per bUSild
:in Scotland, and from that timethe7 never paid any
duty till' the year 1725, when an addition :vas pro.
.posed, which it was after Wards found necessary to
repeal. He contended, that the Salt Duties in Scot.
`land could never be made to amount to more than
45,0001. ,st year, as there was a great chymical
encedetWeen the salt produced from sea-vrater in t !rat
country, and what was in England produced from
springs impregnated; with rock salt, insomuch that
one bushel of Liverpool salt was equal w thug
bushels of Scotch salt.

Mr. HUSK ISSON said, that the bounties on the
fisheries were allowed from motives of national po-
licy, and without any reference whatever to the du-
ties upon salt ; they were indeed granted before
there was any salt deny at all.
Mr. HURST said, that the policy of Parlismeet
had always been to spare, amongst the objets of
taxation, as much as possible, the indisp,nsiUe ne-
cessaries of life, and he would give lus strtuGu:
oppositio'n to a duty which was an encrease or .use
third upon all articles of human sustenance, to wljJ
salt was made use of.

Mr. CALCRAFT said, that though he did rat
wish to stop the progress of the Bill during the
printing of the Report of the Committee; yet
did not suppose that any attempt would hare licts
made to pass the Bill through the House until the
report should be before them. He said, that this
wai not the time fir tit lepi•al of the existing duties,
but he contended that the additi ,n of to a
tax, the report of which was already promised,
left but a very distant hope of that promise being
ever accomplished. He ohjeded to a mea•ure of
ruch importance being brought I,,rwar.l in the
absence of the Minister. He had nut heard that
the Right Honourable Gentleman, 11..wever he
might have been galled, was ill, or laid up, in con-
sequence of the fatigues of last night. When
Majesty's servants thought proper to have recourse
to severe taxes of this kind, he thought it was fail
time to endeavour to find a substitute for them in the
retrenchments, which were so loudly called for n
the public expenditure. An Hat. Gentleman, of
high authority, had lately stated, that a saving of
one-third 'might be made in the naval expenditure,
which was now 1a,000,0001. auituelly ; and it they
could retrench evil' one thirteenth part of it, the
peisple of the country might be saved souse of the
hardships to which they were now suhjeded. Should
this tax be adopted, the eonseqoence must be thu
every taboo: iug and agricultural man in the coati-
try would hate to .pay a twentieth part f his in-
come foe the mitigate of salt iddispenifble t• t his
sustenance.

Mr. W. SMITH pointed nut the hardships of per-
sons in the country employed in the nianttfaciure of
soap in a small w-ay, who used ashes instead of
barilla. The pi incipal park of the profits of Czne
people had been taken away by :he last duty, auJ
by the present their trade w..uld be wholly annihi-
lated. He said it was impossible to make an ac-
curate estimate of the salt consumed in the cure of
herrings and cod fish, as that depended much on tl.e
season.. and the state of the fish at :he time, so that
at one time double the quantity was rtquinad to
what would be sufficient at another. Sometimes
the fish, by laying over and pressing each other,
often b.•ir.g rather squeezed, and the roes and es.
trails of the others and these protruded parts, r♦
quired more salt than would •be neco,,ary for
whole fish, had they remained in theit natural stati,

Mr. S. BOURNE said, that when it Alas ?Treed
that the report. of the Committee of 1801 sitol.l be
reprinted, no intention was expressed of stopping
the progress of the Bill. At present, indeed, tat•
ing to a certain circumstance (the combiniaino of
the pressmen), it was uncertain at what time any
of the papers ordered by the House could be prita.
ed. He saw no great force in what Mr. Smith said
of the small soap dealers, as every mailufaSuns
had the option of using either wood ashes or batik,
as he might think proper.
Mr. I.OX thought that, as the salt produ:ed is
Scotland was allowed to be inferior to that produced
in England, he should like to have it ascertain-d.
from the proposers of this Bill, of what propettla
that inferiority consisr-A• If the tax was Oat pro-
dative in Scotland, according to the consumption,
it was a proof that the da WAS evaded, and ap-
peared a better argument for regulating, than Ia•
creasing it.
The report was then brought up, and agreed te,
and the Bill ordcred to be read a third time os
Monday.
Mr. KIN/I AIRD wished to give notice to the
northern Members, that he should, on Nonfat,
move an amendment for the better explaoation
of
the drawbacks on the fisheries.
Mr. MAY moved, that the-e be laid before 0-e
House au account of the Dollar tokens issued by
the Bank of Ireland, up to the In of March init•
distinguishing the amount in each month, the lairs
for which they were issued, and the numbers
standing on the last day of each month.--Otie"
Sir J. NEWPORT moved for an account of
sums of money issued from the Treasury of lr,"
by order of the Government, for the prosecution
criminals, in the years 01104.3-s. Also an accet.
of the sums expended in civ.l buildings in Ireland
together with their certificates of appmbations! tb
plans, kc. from the jth of January, !SOS, to

'so3.
Mr. FOSTER said, he thought the remm cif the
plan; would at this time be impr.4aicable.
The Motion was then, with enme

agreed to
Mr. Ai exanntot hrourht np the repent of
Committee of Soar,ly un the stcontei- neat
Irish 'klanufaftures, which brag alitmo
House adjourned.

444414C5 In scot-
ni took place in
cote per bushel
never paid any
laitiun was pro.
d necessary to
Duties in Scot.
t to more than
:hymical
ea. wars. in t !sat
produced from
insomuch that
equal to thset
bounties on the
of national pa-
:ever to the du-
granted before
of Patlisment
0 the objetis of
idisp ne-
his str,ilUGU:
increase of
mince, In wiliidt
ugh he did r2t
Bill dur;,,ai the
nnitee; yet Le
mid hare bcos
Elouse umil the
said, that this
existing duties,
to a
iaily promised,
promise being
Of
f.,,rwar.l To the
nut heard that
iriwever he
Aid up, in con-
ic. When Hit
) have recourse
fight it was full
for them in the
y called for it
Gentlemen, of
tat a taring of
ral expenditure,
Lly ; and it they
part of it, the
ed souse of the
bjufted. Should
e mini be that
an in the cous-
pAr t
penifble LT his
ardthips of per-
manitfatiure of
she% instead of
profits of :hie
last duty, and
wholly
auntiti-
make an
the cure of
ed much on tie
re time, sothat
All required to
er. Sometimes
2g each other,
) roes and ea.
uded parts, i►
for the
natural staties.
in it Ras agreed
1801 shoult be
ed of stopping
at, indeed,
combinanno
what time any
could be print.
Mr. Smith said
• y Inn nufaurer
ashes or banllas
talc produced is
o that produced
e it ateertainrd.
that peoPeet'
4X Was not
IC ennsuispah
evaded. and a,}
tinting, than in-
and agreed tes
third time oa
! notice to the
it en MulltiAir
explanation of
laid before the
phia32n°e.e;pskeltaofuti hpnrotmaseai'oi:nabtifcnthitsetontua°ll4o;re:thc:jd'eiril:jdl:l,2,niuii;.:::::fl.et
Ole revirn t 3
cable.
some alters: .•irs
he report of O.
icoirrev neat ,0
jigs P,

TO THE PUBLIC.
have reeeivf.l sever•l lettedi, complaining that Tit?,
um f,csswas not delivered until • like hour yegtetdav
a s ire ow under; that the.publication of it commenced
or pact six ceelock iu the morning, and that it is uniforml.
plied Waal hours earliet than any other Morning Parr.

'I4E P`RiESS

LONDON,
FRIDAY, Wiwi' S.

en Hamburgh Mails became due on Wednesday.
their contents were partly anticipated by the arri-
of two Gottenburg Mails with Hamburgh papers,
the 16th last• Their substance is given in a sub-
.uent column, but it is of little interest, and de-
es its chief importance from the circumstance of
: heir g so long without any continental news.
intercourse so long interrupted by the plague
oaten Fiance and Spain has been revised, tbat
Ailful malady having, cea,sed in all• the lately ic-
ed places. An article from Amsterdam, of the
h of February, alludes to a negotiation between
sauce and Anettia. relative to the tocknowledg-
ent of the kingdom of Lombardy. Bo NAPA it r t
been long meditating the creation of this new
*ngdom, for the purpose of placing one of his bro-
.err, at its heal.

Th, canvass for the vacant Eta India Direaor-
is carried on with great allivity. The friends
klaerman Surov have great e%petiations from
e iulluencc of some of the Ministers, which runs
rong in his favour. All the other Candidates rely
icfly upon their individual merit and popularity.
mon these, we understand, Mr. J castle is a fa-
ourite of the East India Company. Mr. Wm-
Awls, the 1 tte Direaor, was one of the siz who
p out of the direCtioa by rotation, upon the 10th of
t April next. His successor will have, of course, a
I. very shall term to serve ; his reign will probably
Dot t•xceed a west. Were not the vacancy to be
filled up. it would, however, interfere with the
house I;st for the year ensuing. There is no doubt,
therefore. bat that a new Direaor will be chosen
f to tile general eleCtion, on the 10th of :test
month.

All the Members of the Catholic Deputation are
arrived in town, except Sit Tows. Fosse's, and he
is expeded in the coarse of this day. Immediately
after his arrival the Deputation will proceed to the
purrose of its mission. In the mean time the Lori
of Fiaaatt, Viscount Sotrriveret, Mr. SCULLY,
and Mi. Laws. ate wecsiving .the • isitaabiLconera.
teatimes of their personal friends and -the well-
wisher' el their cause. In this number are, the
Marquis COI OINALI.I%. Frrzwixt.i a, the
Doke of Noerotw. Earl of Krt M Alt r.
Yesterday the Honourable' and Rev. tiors r
Groner Lassa. was i Itroduced to I lis M si.s rv.
as hie being appointed one of His hi A ESTV 'it Chap-
lains, on which occasion he had the honour to kiss
Ilia Alsaser v's band.
Lord Hasty S SW Alt T, Mr. KING, and Mr.
W. HILL, *tire intmrluced yesterday to His HA
IESTY by Lord WENY*OIITH, the Lord in wait.
mg, upon their appointments to foreign stations, and
Lad the honour to kiss His Maitsr v's hand.

The borough of Ihnitoa affords a ;vowed of a
most aftive and vigorous contest. In addition to
R. Mistrusts Rooms, Groans Cl 4 *MICR% and
CA •611011111 Eta scum an, Esqrs. four other candi-
dates bays started, via. Sir Gasmen Yonne, Sir
CMARLIIS 1114111MAIWAT, GEOROS Thirsts, and
MOKCILTOIII Hats, Esqrs.

Marquis CAIIIIIWALL4II will be sworn into the
Oace of Cloverenr General of India, in the week
after next. His Lordship is expelled to proceed in
at. .11,4 pose frigate, th-.• liegitining of nest month.
A Ballot was yes:erilly taken at the East India
}louse for the determination of the following Qtaft-
non, vie..
I.l' tor. Will'ans Eatty,fottn,rly a Server' en the
NT,lns Ettatlishmea,. Az retooled I. the Compenes
. a .nruon un that Ettabliihmeet "
At six o'clock the glasses were finally closed. and
de:tvered to the Scrutineers, woo, at an early hones
declared the Question to have bees carried in the
affirmative. Mr. RUTTY is stacordingly testorsd to
the Service.
On Weds.. 'ay a Court of Diredtars was held at
t.e India Ilona, whoa the following Commanders
t nk their feud leave of the Conn. vie. Captain
Hswlcv Meatents. of the Direct hire; and I. H.
I;icowpor, ef the &tier, fr.r Mut.
S.vcral transports are arrived in the Downs from
'it Gcc,rge, New Brunswick, Laving on board
two hatta;inns of the 76th regimentt. A Lag* Beet
of kips of war, defence.ahips, transports, and out-
ward.holind ships, remain in the Downs.
'rite Net.., FISKAN, from Surinam for Ireland,
arrived in the Dowas on Wesineuhri after a severe
engagement with a French privateer. on the even-
ing before, of Beachy Head, in which she had one
MAD killed. -

The Portuguese brig Carminhavuls, of 00 tons,
lades with vane and fruits, was totally lost sear
&sumach, ou the lit last. about 90 pipes of wise
are saved. _ _

Admiral COC U ANL has tailed to the West Indies.
Our fleet were left all well off Ferrol, ten days
ago—the enemy remained as usual. The letters
hots our fleet make no mention of the Rochefort
squadron having got into Ferrol, as was reported
some days ago.
On Tues,lay night a West India ship. last from
Cork, bound to London, WAS attacked by a French
lugger privateer off Dungeness, which she beat off,
but with the loss of the carpenter, who was killed
by a musket ball. The West India ship passed
through the Downs on Wednesday, for the River.

TIIE MdECI
GRANTIONESS OP SALISBURY'S
D 11001'.'"
The Marchioness of S A Ltssuev's Rout last night
displayed all the rank and fashionr,f London. The
arrangements for this grand entertainment were
under the diredion of the Marchioness, whose taste -
and magnificence know no bounds on those occa-.
sions. Such a blaze of beauty and diamonds wig
have seldom witnessed. The Ladies had the same
head-dresses which they wore in the morning at ,
Court ; crescents, bandeaus, chains, and feathers of
diamonds, with immense plumes of ostrich feathers,
white satin dresses, morone picketts, and embroi-
dered- velvets, were the most prevalent. • In ibis
very brilliant assemblage were the following— •
ill% Rnyal Highness the Prince of Wales. Dukes of Otis-.
berland and Kent. The Turkish Ambassador. Duchesses=
Gordon, Leeds, end Dorset. Marchionesves—: lertford,
Wlh-
cattaer, and Headiest. Counteesei--Carlislo,,Softern, Bridgevra-
ter, Derby, Rentinck, Tankersille, Camden, Liverpool, Stec-
clesfield, Eue,nu, Ely, Cardigan, Cholmondeley, Essex, Bret-
lev, and Westmoreland. Earls—Derby, Bridgewater, and
Westm.m.l.md. Lulies—Carringtun, M. Rentinck, '.Ben-
net, Vernon, 11. F.-keen, Somerville, Percival, dulkeley,
Perth, tavitagton, and Castlereagh Lords-3 .rne,sitle, Whit-
worth, H. Petty, Bulkeley, Rodney, Callao, G. Seymour,
Utiostone„ an I Digby. Boa. Mistlecres—Knox, Mrs. Fitz-
herbert, A. Stmdsope, and Preemantle. Hoe. Miss tilrins-
stones. Mr. Fox, and G..n.n011,c,,a0x
Mgs. Billington and Madam GI

THE HON. MRS. KNOX': ROUT.

This Lady gave a mo=t elegant entertaipment,
on Wednesday night, at her house in Upper Grps-
Tenor-street, to above SO() of the first rank and
fashion.

In the splendid circle were—
Hi, Kayo Highness Prince William of Gloucester. The.
Duchesses of Mnntrorie, Grafton, air,' Gordon. The M.:mine-
...Keg of Winchester and Bath, and Dowager Donegal.
Marquises Winclmiter oral Sitio. Countesses
Tintkerville, Darby, and Mansfield. Dnwagws Buckingham.
shire, Kingston, Westmoreland, Talbot, Aldborough, and
Limerick. Earls Kingston, Limerick, and Manshe.d.
Vii
resuntewes Gnsford, Chetwynd, and Castlereagh. Ladies Grew
Wald, Serii,gdon M'Donnel, Perth, Price, A.
H• Sullivan, Langford, T. &Itch, C. Lennox, C. .1 -nen,
M. Vane, Sheffield, S. Stewart. F larding, M.
Thynne, Hackett'Set Rawlinson, got, and Carnagtou. Sir
John and Lady Narringten, &c.