The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-02 00:00:00

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the faei lity Merchants in bonding and warehous-
ing imported merchandise. He did not know that
any preparations were made for it, except in the
ports of Liverpool and London. The Merchants in
the out-ports had meetings on the subjed, but were
deficient of the necessary information in the same
manner as the suhje of the Customs Consolidation,
the schedules of which had been circulated through

all the ports of this kingdom.
'lle CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
replied, that if there was any delay in the produc-
tion of the measures alluded to, it was to he attri-
buted, in a great measure, to the Right lion. Gen-
tleman himself, and not to the official servants of
his Majesty. The subjed of hording and storing
was not in its nature capable of being reduced to a
schedule, and circulated through the country in the
same manner as other measures; but he was willing
to offer up immediately the outline of what the
measure proposed would he, and it would, of
course, obtain a general diffusion through a medi-
u n (the newspapers) to which it would be irregu-
lar to allude. In the course of the present session,
it would be proposed to Parliament to give the
merch?ints of every port entitled to it, a facility of
bending and warehousing their imports, without the
immediate payment of the duties, under certain
modifications. He was aware that it might be of
injury to commerce, not to afford this indulgence to
commercial people, that they might not have in-
stantly to pay the ditties in addition to the eapence
of the caraoes. The proposition would therefiire
be, that sufficient security should be given, both for
the preservation of the wares, and the security of
the revenue ; and that the securities for the duty
should be remitted when the goods were re-export-
ed. Many subordinate regulations would be neces-
sary fit the prevention of abuse ; and it would thete-
fora he proposed, that thrse advantages should not
be extended to new branches of trade, but that
ports claiming them should be required satisfaCtorily
to prove that they had baen for a certain time. To
prevent any abuse of powr, it would be provided
that these indulgencies should not be at the disposal
of the Lords of the Treasury, or the representation
of the merchants ; but that the application should
first be sandioned by the Boards of Trade and Cus-
toms, and, in some cases, by,the Board of Excise, for
the pretedion of the revenue. The approba-
tion of these boards, to be a sufficient warrant to
the Lords of the Treasury, to whom the applicants
should have the right of appeal, to grant the indul.
genres apalied for. He did not know that it was
necessary for him to go into any further detail at
the present moment. He had consulted many of
those persons who were the best nualified to afford
inCormation on the subjed, and should readily a:-
tend to any explanation or representation that may
be offered him. He then concluded with moving
the adoption of the first resolution in the Customs
Consolidation Bill.
Mr. CORRY gave notice of his intention to
move, in a future stage, that the provisions of this
Bill should be extxnded to the ports of Ireland.
Genet al GA COIGN F. wished to know to what
extent the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman
proposed to go ?
Mr. CORRY replied, to the indulgence of ware-
housing and bonding.
The resolution was agreed to, and the report or-
dered w be received to-marrow.

CONSOLIDATION OF TIM TAX DUTIES.

-- -
The House having resolved itself into a Com-
mittee on this Bill, Mr. Alexander in the Chair,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUF.R
observed, that so many inconveniencies arose Iron.
the discordant decisions of the Magistrates and the
Judges on the suhjea of the assessed taxes in parti-
.cular, that the people of the country were at a loss
to discover in what manner they were liable to the
duties. The opinions of the Judges, however,
having been now declared, it was proposed that
these opinions should constitute a part et the law of
the land, in order to do away all doubt and ambi-
guity. Necessary alter.ttions were intended to be
made for the purpose, in some cases, of casing his
Majesty's siihjeas, where the taxes were conceived
to bear too hard upon them ;an in others, to pre-
vsnt frauds injurious to the revenue. To prevent
the evasions to which the window tax was in many
instances liable, it would be proposed that those ex-
ceeding certain dimensions should be charged as
double windows. A relaxation WAS intended on the
taxes on gardeners and game-keepers. Instead of the
whole duty, those who may be only occasionally em-
ployed in those capacites were is future to be taxed
no more than five shillings cash. The tax upon
race horses was at this time extremely dispropor-
tionate, they paying less than saddle horses. The
firmer were now charged no more than two gui-
neas year each, and it was proposed that they
eiould in future be chortled two guineas over and
above the tax upon saddle-horses, syloich they should
also bz stihjeeted to. This addition could not be
thought unreasonable, considering the rank and
means of those who usually kept cattle of that de-
scription. In the assessed duties, as they stood, the
tax was confined to the number of horses employed.
It was universally known, however, that several
families used the same horses for coaches, chaises,
sociables, Sc.:. it would therefore be proposed that
the same duty should attach to every vehicle of that
description. A tax had some years since been im-
posed upon all servants generally, which was re-
pealed in regard to female servants, in order to
afford them encouragement, but he apprehended
the necesAities of the state, at this important junc-
ture, would call for its renewal. There were, he
said, other subordinate points, but those he men-
tioned were the most essential ; and as the subjea
was as intricate as it was important, he should be
happy to avail himself of every communication
which gentlemen might think proper to afford upon
its various branches.
Mr. SHAW LEFF.VRE expressed his approba-
tion of the measure proposed, but submitted that
there were several grievances as yet unredressed.—
At present when a man employed in agriculture was
called upon to dress or comb down the horse of his
employer, the Magistrates thought themselves ob-
liged by the ALI of Parliament to inflia the duty in
the same manner as they would do were the person
a regular domestic servant or a groom. There was
also a great disproportion in the periods at which
the annual tax may commence. A man, for in-
stance, if-he had a dog for two or three days after
the expiration of the former year, was compelled to
pay the daty for the whole year, though he should
part with it immediately : and, to avoid disCon-
tants, he should recommend that a person so parting