The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-06-18 00:00:00

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thought these were claims which the country were bound to ac-
knowledge.
Sir 11. PARNELL explained.
Mr. T. It'l &SON thought that within the last few years there
had been such alterations made in the situation of the country in
every department that not an individual could withhold his appro.
bation of the course pursued by his Majesty's 51ininters. If the
scale of duties which was now proposed should be adopted, he
trusted that the revenue laws would stand upon a :ouch better
system than they did at present, and that we should not have need
of the blockade system, which operated so prejuditially to the
country in many ways. Wish respect to the duty on linen, 25 per
cent. was certainly very high ; but he watt sure nothing but a
kindly feeling towards Ireland could have induced the RiKht Hon.
Gentleman to have kept the duty so high. He had, however,
stated that it wait his intention that it should be gradually reduced.
Though they might in some respects apprehend the effects of thews
changes, yet ugon the whole he had no doubt the countcy,would
gain great benefits by them. There was athing in the Mums that
would amount to an exclusion, and the country would at last show
to France and to Eumpe that we were sincere in our intentions, and
that we were M length beginning to act upon that new 'system
which we had pMfeased.
Mr. Tilt IGHT Observed that there was i principle perviding
the whole of this ichedule, which trust most materially impede the
introduction of goads, which might hereafter be the result of the in.
genuity or the fortuitous discovery of foreign countries, into Eng.
land. The part of the schedule to which lie alluded was where it
stated that all articles not hitherto enumerated should. be subject
to duties considerably higher titan those that were enumerated.
This clause would necessarily preclude the introduction of many
articles of foreign manufacture; and he considered that the words
" not enumerated" ought to be struck out of the schedule, and thm
any new articles that should come lam thil country shauld have a
very trifling duty imposed upon them. He thought the importation
of all new articles should be encouraged. The principle which he
would introduce into this schedule was this—that in order to
encourage our West India Colonies to cultivate various articles
which were at present the production of the warmer countries in
the South of Europe and in Africa, he would permit such articles
to be imported into this country, at a very low rate of duty, from
those Colonies only. Almonds and raisins, for instance, he thought
might be very profitably cultivated In the West Indies. lie could
point nut fifty articles which were not imported, and which might
be cultivated in the Colonies, if sufficient encouragement were given
to the Colonists. Nothing would tend to advance the interests of
those Colonies better than such a system; and which could only
be done by the operation of such a schedule as this. It was Well
known that East India sugar was iniportei in mats, and which
mats were sold in this cruntry at a high price. Now, if the mat-
ting of the West Indies were allowed to come in free of duty, or at
a low rate, for a given time, it would materially promote the indus-
try of the Colonies, whereas that article was now subject to a duty of
21) per cent. The manufacture of straw and chip hats was carried on
extensively in the West Indies. Now, lie would admit the importa-
tion of these articles, at a reduced scale of duty, for a certain time.
This system would give a stimulus to the exertions of the natives,
and would be of the highest consequence to the Colonies, without
being in any degree injurious to this country. If the Right Hon.
Gould not now adopt this suggestion, lie hoped it would be taken
into consideration whether he would not, in the next session, strike
out of the schedule the clause relating to all the non enumerated
articles, and allow the importation of such SS he had mentioned
and any other new production, till they should become of sufficient
importance in the market to be taxable.
Mr. C. ELLISON asked some questions of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer in a low tone of voice, respecting the duty, as see
understood him, on certain kinds of coal which were brought coast-
' wise from Newcastle.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER raid the reason
why he did not go into the subject of the Duty on Coals, was that
which would in fact apply to all the other articles which had been
mentioned by the Hon. Gentlemen who had spoken to-night;
namely, because it wan impossible not to speak of the imprudence
of attempting to deal with every thing at once. With re-
gard to the duty of six shillings a chaklron on coal going coast-
wise, it was stated that there was a certain kind of coal
which would not bear that duty ;it was therefore proposed to
charge a duty of ls. instead of Ss. on that particular kin of coal.
The coal to which he alluded was a small sort, which was con-
sumed at the pits, without producing any profit to the owner. He
had been told, that if this coal were allowed to come into con-
sumption at a low duty, it might be very beneficial to the poorer
classes of persons, who would purchase it owing to the cheapness
at which it would be sold. Professor Dockland had, in the
strongest terms, recomnieuded this plan in the alterations to be
made in the scale of custom duties ; but it was impossible not to see
that there was some risk to the revenue is adopting this measure,
by persons being induced to substitute this small coal for the
other sort of coal which they had been in the habit of using.
This was a very strong reason therefore why he did not apply the
same principle to the two other bads of coat which had been men-
tioned by the Hon. Member for Newcastle. Besides, he would re-
peat, in such an extensive undertaking it was an utter impossibi-
lity to rewilate all these matters at once. Nobody it seemed ob-
jected to the alterations which were proposed, but the only com-
plaint was why were not those alterations applied to other things.
He thought it would be better to wsit and see what would
be the effects of those alterations rather than bring all things
under the operation of a new system at the same moment.
If they went to the full length recommended from the other side,
they would have more irons in the fire than they could well get out ;
and he thought it not injudicious to urge this consideration, if it
were only with a view to repress the eagerness which in some guar_
ten appeared to exist on this subject. He wits persuaded that a
wise perseverance in the course that had been commenced, would
be productive of more advantage to all the interests concerned, than
rash and precipitate measures. He admitted freely that it was the
duty of ,linisters to fix their attention on every one of the minute
details which the proper regulation of the customs required ; but
he had little difficulty in saying, that not one of the various articles
included in that schedule was rated any higher than was con-
sistent with sound commercial principles, and to that he would
add the expression of his full conviction that his Right Hon. Friend
(Mr. Huskisson) had effected all that could be considered judicious,
or even safe, in the course of one Session, and that they should not
be urged beyond that sound and rational limit.
Mr. R. GORDON thought it would be desirable to place the
Colonies on the same footing with regard to duties that the Isle of
Man stood. (To this we understood the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer to assert%) The Hon. Gentleman proceeded to say, that being
embchlened by that success, he would proceed further. He then
went into the enumeration of several articles of luxury, which were,
he conceived, too heavily taxed.
Sir T. A( LA ND observed, that it would be advantageous to
make the duty on small coals used for burning lime the same as
that on Newcastle coals.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was understood
to express; his willingness to agree to a reduction of the duty.
Mr. HUME wished to enforce still further what had been so well
said respecting the introduction of new articles of commerce from
the southern statesof America. In order to show that all the du-
ties in the schedule were against principle, he examined and re-
marked upon several of them; he said it was most inconsistent to
lay a heavy duty upon ashes, and at the same time establish a pro-
tection for linen, Ofthe duties on soap and drugs lie also com-
plained, as well we of those imposed on hemp and sail-cloth. The
duties levied on blubber were likewise found inconvenient, owing
to the necessity of measuring it; this latter observation he made at
the sugg. scion of the nierchants of Aberdeen; MOCIVO6C, and otter
places in the north of Scotland.
Mr. HUSKISSON, in his reply, maintained that without the
check of non-enumerated articles, it would be impossible for the
offi:ers engaged in the collection of the revenue to guard against
the many frauds that would be committed by merely picking slight
alteration in the nature sod quality of the taxed articles, so as to
evade the law. With regard to mite introduction of new articles of
commerce from South America, he could assure the Hon. Members
opposite, and the House generally, that there existed, both at the
Treasury and the Board of Trade, a disposition to give every faci.
lity to that most beneficial mode of extending our commercial rein.
tiona. In the views of the lion. Member for Bristol (Mr. Bright)
respecting the encouragement which he wished to give to the pro-
duction of other articles in the West Indies besides sugar and rum,
he fully concurred ; and he doubted not that it would be in the re-
collection of the House that in the month of March, when he ad.
dressed the House at length upon the subject then under their can.
sideration, he expressed himself lb's similar effect, wishing much
to give every encouragement to the West Indian proprietors to
exert themselves on something more than sugar and rum. He then
enumerated no lees than six-and4wenty different articles, to the
cultivation of which in the West Indies he wished to give
encouragement. To that number he could then add fourteen
others, and he would rejoice to extend the list much further on
such suggestions as he might receive ; and he sincerely trusted that
the proprietors, both large and small, would do all in their power
to favour such an extension of cultivation, and to induce the ne.
groes, in their own portions of ground, to grow as many articles as
they could, in addition to what they had been hitherto accustomed
to cultivate. Silk he would suggest as deserving their attention,
but above all he would recommend the cultivation of corn, so as if
possible to save the inhabitants of the West Indies the necessity of
being dependent upon the United States and Europe for food.
They would be infinitely better employed in doing that than In
forcing the cultivation of sugar so far beyond the demand of the
European market. Though he concurred with what fell from the
Hon. Member for Bristol (Mr. Bright) relative to platted straw
and other West India products, he stiff most observe, that several
of his remarks were inconsistent with each other. To the com-
plaints which had been made against particular items in that sche-
dule he would reply generally, that in the month of March last
he had not made any undertaking that he would move the repeal of
every duty against which a plausible objection might be started ;
for what he then proposed was. the repeal of such duties
as affected commodities necessary to the success of our manufactures.
lie did not undertake to repeal all the duties on the book of rates.
He urged the lion. Members who had taken share in the conver-
sation not to press their views so strenuously. In reply to what
had fallen from the lion. Ilan. he would say that his Right Hon.
Friend (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had done more in one or
two Stations towards relieving commerce front the undue restraints
under which it laboured than had been effected for a century before.
He should therefore repeat that nothing would be attended with
worse effects than detroying the unity and consistency of the plan
which he was pursuing with all the vigour that was pendent or ne-
cessary. When he read in certain periodical publications com-
plaints that they were proceeding not only too rapidly but unwisely
in removing the restraints of commerce—when he heard that they
did wrong in trading with poor countries lest they should become
rich, and with those already wealthy lest their possessions should
become too great, and their ambition proportionably augmented,
he looked with confidence and satisfaction to the sanction the