The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-02-19 00:00:00

greater benefit than the loss they *oul.l sustain by
means of the duty apprehended by the Derbyshire
Freeholders.
Mr. JACKS said, that it was dIffICLIIt to say why
the Legislature ever thought of laying on heavy
a duty on one of the frst tansies of life. It was
curious to trace the origiii and increase or this WI,
and from what history 11 is recorded about it, it
would appear that it was first laid on as a tempo-
rary impost—but having been mice submitted in, it
was not only rontinued but increased. The first
duty on coals was laid on in the reigis of Richard 11.
—a duty of 6(1., per ton was theta laid on for the
purpose of fitting out two vessels of war. In the
reign of Charles I. an additional duty of Gd. per
clialdron was laid on coals for the support of six
vessels of war. lu the reign of William 111, a heavy
tax of ss. per chaldron was imposed ; this was
impswed immediately on the termination of the
war—the Notional Debt at that tune amounted to
three millions, and this tax of .ss. the chaldron was
laid on coals as a temporary expedient to meet the
pressure of the times ; it was, however, continued,
and in the reign of Anne a further tax of 2.5. was
imoosed to defray the expense of building churches.
—ln the reigns of George I. and of his present
Majesty, there was a further addition of Is. V.
per chaldron, and at this moment the whole tax on
coals imported into London amounted to 9s. 4d.
per chaldron, besides a sum of Gd. improperly
added. 'rhos, upon the counties of Middlesex and
Surrey, a sum of 9 411. is paid sin each chaldron
of coals, whilst, in other parts of the kingdom, the
duty unionists to but 6s. viol in swine places Clods
are duty flee. Thus there is • SUM 143.. 4,1. more
upon the citizens of London, than upon Huy sillier
part of the kingdom The ciimoies of Middlesex
and Surrey, conta• g 1,373,893 iishibitants, paid
a duty on coals of 686,3341.-14 other counties
paid a sum of about 660,000/.—and 21 other coun-
ties paid not a farthing. This. on the lace of
so partial, so manifestly unjust and (sport:wive,
as to call for an immediate consideration.
That this oppressive duty severely affects all classes
of citizens, was tuts true to be disputed ; but there
was one class upon which it fell wall all its weighty
oppression—the poorer class of citizens. Having
beets for many years is public (Ayer as a large and
140pU1011a parish, he could speak with certainty,
arising from his own immediate obsei swam, of the
truly distressing effect of the lax. The least quan-
tity of tank a poor family could consular per week
was our bushel, sometimes too and three. In the
severity of winter they are unable to purchase this
article, and all the other wretchedits saes of poverty
are increased and imbittered by this prisatiou. if
the Minister at Id listen to the application of the
citizens of Loudon out the present occasion. and
if Parliament took off this oppressive duty on
coals, it would not, he said, be a case without
a precedent. In 1793, the duty on coals in
Scotland was taken off, and au additional duty
lard on spirituous liquors—a precedent which lie
conceived might, to the present instance, be fol-
lowed with good effect. From the returns, it is
clear, he said, that the revenue arising from this
tax has fallen off, and was likely to become still
less. In 1817, the duty on coals, in London,
amounted to six hundred and odd thousand pounds.
The coals imported to that year to the Port of
L lots did not amount, by 14,000 clialclrmis, to so
much as the year before; and a still goo titer falling
off was appreheisded. If the tax was to be cot:ollu-
ed, nothing was more reasonable or more fair
than that it should he laid on equally ; but as it
stood at present, it was unjust ai,d Wit-Sinai. The
abatement of the present oppressive tax would, lie
said, open 14 new source of employment to the poor
in London and the neighbourhood.
Mr. Davies denied that it was the object of the
citizens of London to place any haldtii they com-
plained of ens the shoulders of uthera—they only
wished to remove the burden flout themselves. Is
was, he said, not a little surprising how little was
known by the citizens of the duty they paid ; per-
sons, he was convinced, who untiusilly cotssuin-
ed a 111011.1111 d Clialdrflfla of coos, weir not aware
that they paid half the duty they actually bore. It
was, he said, at the present amulet,' musecessary
to eider into any great detail um the subject, be-
cause lie hoped it would 110011 colDr huller Ike Con-
sideration of a Comstoittee of the House of Com-
mons, whew it would undergo a full and impartial
investigation. He was happy to see many Hammitt-
ble 'Members of the House at the illeeting, who
would, no doubt, give the aid of 0 sir Wrists and
attention to the subject. The severity of the tax
grew, lie said, out of the circuinsiancis of the
times, the tax laid on in the reigis of ‘Villiatit did
not operate so oppressively as it did stow. Inland
collieries hail Isere' since cut kra, lout the coals they
produced were conveyed to different parts of the
kingdom. 'The tax at present was a grievous bur-
den—it was severe on all classes, but particularly
distressing ois the poor. He lii.prd an 1111:111Hoolls
effort would he made to produce its repeal. He
was surprised that it had been so long and so
silently submitted to.
Here the CHAIRMAN observed, that having swell
some Gentlemen retire from the wino, her begerd
to say that a book to receive subseliptions was
open in the adjoisiing room. He also begged to say
that the Committee was at this MOlllelll in debt 111
a sum of 1301.

Several other Gentlemen delivered their opinion',
and after a series of Ite•olotrooa having been en-
tered into in favour of the repeal of the duty un
Coal", the Meeting adjourned.