The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-11 00:00:00

1

the Committee appointed to consider of the means
of •providing for the wives and families of Militia
Men in Scotland, when called into actual service,
containing a regulation that they should be made
from an assessment upon lands and houses in Scot-
land. He moved that this Report be submitted
to a Committee of the whole House on Monday
next, which was agreed to.
Mr. VANSITTART presented several Public
Accounts preparatory to the Budget on • Monday
next. Ordered to lie on the table.

SUPPLY.
The Houk having resolved itself into a comma
tee of Stipply, Mr. Alexander in the Chair, •
Mr. VANSITTART moved (after. the. Irish
Ran ack Estimates and other Accounts, had been
referred to it) a resolution, tlvit 40,000 additional
seamen, including 8,000 marines, should-be voted
for the service of the year 1803.
Colonel BASTARD expatiated on the services
performed in the last year by the marine corps
who distinguished themselves by sea and by land al-
so, even at times when the army could only look
on. There were men enough always to be got for
sailors, but in his opinion greater encouragement
should be given to the marines, and their numbers
augmented at a time so perilous as the present.
Mr. VANSIT I ART stated, in answer, that no
person could be more sensible than he was of the
important services the marines had done their coun-
try, or of the glory they had acquired ; but the
I lon. Member might have recollefled, that the num-
ber now proposed was much greater, in proportion
to the additional seamen, than on former occasions.
It must also be observed, that the Government was
not limited bt this vote to the number demanded,
but might and would augment the marine force, as
far as would be found necessary and praCticable.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER,
to guard against any misconception which might
happen, wished it distinetly to be understood, that the
number of seamen hitherto voted was 80,000 men
required for the ships now in ci,mmission, which
complement was as yet incomplete by a deficiency
of 10,000, as the last return was little more than
;0,000 men.
The Resolution was then agreed to.
The Committee proceeded to vote 5.10,0001. for
tear and wear of the sliips now in commission.
70,0001. for the pay of the additional seamen and
marines.
40,0001. for ordnance for ditto.
100,0001 for the line of transport vessels.
65,0001. for defraying the expences of mainte-
nance of prisoners of war.
0 , 00 I. for the maintenance of sick prisoners of
war. And _

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54,9001. for the ex pences of barracks.
'I hese Supplies were for seven lunar months, from
the 12th of June last.
The Resolutions having been agreed to, the Re-
port was ordered to be received to-morrow.
Mr. WICKHAM brought in the Bill for allow-
ing the advance of money for the purpose of build-
ing Parsonage Houses on glebe lands in Ireland.
Col. BAGWELL said, be should not object to
the Bill, though he knew that it must be, in some
CAWS, ineffeaual, as there were many parishes in
Ireland which had no glebe land whatever
The Bill was then read a first, and ordered to be
read a second time to-morrow. .
CONSOLIDATED DUTIES.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER,
previously to his moving for the House to resolve
itself into a Committee on this Bill, thought he might
save the HOttse trouble by some preliminary expla-
nation. Several petitions from the manufacturers
of Nottinghamshire and other places, expressed ap-
prehensions that the home manufacture of thread li
-
lace would be injured by the provisions of the present
. Bill, as originally framed. The fad, as well as he
could ascertain it from diligent enquiry, was, that
the duty, as it now stood, of per yard upon the
importation of foreign lace, was nut a sufficient pro-
tedion for the home manufadures, which had in-
creased considerably during the war, but the con-
sumption and sale of which had very much dimi-
nished since the peace, in consequence of the easy
introduction of foreign lace of inferior quality. The
whole of the revenue, calculated on the importation,
was only about 400,0001. ; and the remainder of
the importations were concluded in a contraband
way, for the benefit of smugglers and the injury of
the fair trader To prohibit the importation would
be in vain, as lace would lie in so small a compass
• ai to elude the vigilance of the servants of the reve-
nue and the customs. It at first thought that a
duty ad valortm would meet the necessity of the case,
but it was found that the smugglers could ensure
the delivery of those goods in any part of the king-
dom .0 101. per cent. in peace, and 151. per cent. in
time of war, which made it thought more adviseable
to prefer a proteding duty of 151 per cent. on the
importation of all foreign lace, which it was believed
would be a sufficient proteflion to the home manu-
fadurers, and enable them to meet the smugglers
on more than equal terms. In fad, we had no in-
due..onent at present to encourage the importation of
fere;r lace itianuradures, as we were not so situ-
, aced as to acquire reciprocal advantages. The ques-
tion in this case was, whether this measure would
sufficiently proted the home lace manufaCture which
flourished during the war, and lost 19 parts out
of 20 of its consumption since the peace made an
opening for foreign importations ! He had every
reason to conclude that it would; for it was pioved
by experience, that the surest way of counteracting
the smuggler, was to deprive Irim of the interest he
had in pursuing contraband importations, and every
one knew that the trade of a smuggler when once
put down, would not be resumed but with dan-
ger and difficulty. lle could sot, he said, dis-
miss this topic without doing the persons con-
cerned in the .home trade, and manufacture of
this article, the justice to say, that in their inter-
course and conversations with him, they ailed
•-with the utmost liberality; and while they repre-
sented the grounds of their apprehension, ad-
vised no captious or vexatious objections, and
were, he undetstuo.l, now so well satisfied with
the intended provisions, that they did not mean to
persist in their petition. The second subject to
which he thought it necessary to call the attention
of the COmmittee, was the duty on foreign porce.
lain, which h was proposed to reduce from the pre-
sent tax of 104 to 50 pc:r cent. That, he said, was
his orizinal iuten.ion; but, as there was considerable
s:nuggling in tha:. arid( fr^m China, and the East-
fo, dies, and as the horn• fatturers did not think
6'. per cent. would sr:' . proted them, he had
agreed to add 30 pt ; .nore to it; and if the

_

• --•

80 per cent. should, upon the etperiment being
tried, be found an adequate protedion, he intended
to submit that it should be raised to 100. The
third object he had to advert to was, the petitions
presented on the part of the silk manufacturers. It
was notorious, that notwithstanding the prohibition,
silk handkerchiefs continued to be clandestinely im-
ported from Bengal, and other parts of India, and
conveyed, like porcelain, to this country, in false
bottoms of chests of tea, brought home by the ships
of the East-India Company. The gentlemen con-
cerned in the home trade, to meet this abuse, did
not think a duty of 15 per cent. would be a sufficient
proteftion, and it was therefore agreed to impose aft
ad valorem duty of three shillings per pound, and
15 per cent. on the importation of East-India silk-
handkerchiefs, during the war, the trade to be con.
finedto the East-India Company, and not to exceed
their average sales of the same article for the last se-
ven years. These were the principal points of al-
teration propoted in the Bill, and its its progress he
should be found ready to attend to any information
that may be offered. He Concluded with moving,
that the House should immediately resolve itself
into a Committee on the Consolidated Duties Bill.

Lord TEMPLE complimented the open and
friendly manner in which the Minister made this
communication ; but observed, that the measure
now submitted, respeding home-manufaciuted lace.
thread, had been proposed about '2O years ago is
the House, which agreed to it at first, and the next
day found it necessary to rescind the resolution it
had, on the day before, agreed to.
Lord George Leveson Mr. Egerton, and Mr. Al-
derman Coombe expressed satisfadion at the alte-
rations proposed. The worthy Alderman parti-
cularly commended the Minister, declaring that he
never knew a man, who on every occa.ion delivered
himself with so much frankness and candour, for
which he thought him deserving of the thanks of
his country.
Colonel GASCOIGNE said, that he felt himself
in a condition different from that of the Hononable
Gentleman who lately spoke, as he had no thanks
to offer to the Minister, not having received any
answer un a question of great importance to
the commercial interest. He could not approve
of the principle for some time aged upon, of the
chilies being partial in favor of one part (Jreland)
of the united empire preferably to thc other. Fit:
may be told that Ireland had a ciistinet revenue tea
provide, and distind Ministers for its affairs, but be
could not see why the trade and navigation of the
two countries should not be the same in both. If
in any peculiar circumstances the trade of Ireland
appeared to require more encouragement, he should
not object to Eogland behaving with liberality, but
he would refuse it, if demanded as a matter of right.
It could not be contended that the trade of Eng-
land gained any thing by the Irish Union, however
the latter country might have been benefited. Great
Britain had fairly and generously allowed it to par-
ticipate in all its advantages ; but in point of indul-
gence he could not conceive why Scotland was not
as well entitled to it as Ireland ; the latter of
which was exempted from export and import duties
in its trade and intercourse with this country.
He had a motion to make on which he did
not mean to divide the House, should it be
strongly objeiled to. As to his own particular
constituents, they were not interested in it, as the
coasting and carrying trade between England and
' Ireland was exempt from duties, but, on a prin-
ciple of justice, he wished the two countries to have
equal advantages. Ile therefore moved, that it
be an instrudion to the Committee, to extend tle
tonnage duty to Ireland, which would be no more
then putting the trade of the United Kingdom upon
an equal footing. . •.•. •. •
The SPEAKER informed him, that the purpose
of his motion would not be effeaive in the present
stage, as it went to impose a new duty which could
nut, consistently with the rules of the House, be
entertained without having been voted in a previ-
ous Committee.
Colonel GASCOIGNE begged leave to submit
that what he proposed was not a new taxi but en
extension of the principle. •
The SPEAKER replied, that the decision might
rest with the House, but that, in his opinion, such a
motion was unprecedented and irregular.
Colonel GASCOIGNE said,he was ready to ac-
quiesce in the decision of the Speaker, and had now
another motion to offer, the tendency of which would
be, not to enforce new duties, but to save the revenue
of Great-Britain. This proposition went to prevent
greater duties to be laid in the out-ports, particularly
in the article of wine, than in the port of London.
As the duties stood now, I.ondon paid no more
than six shillings on the importation of Port wine.
whereas in the out-ports the duty was 31. 4s. per
ton. If this was done on the principle of sump-
tuary laws, the expence should fall heaviest on the
metropolis which was best able to support it, be-
sides which the out-ports had no regular wine trade,
like London, but supplied their own consumption
by the means of the captains of ships trading for
other articles, and bringing home, occasionally,
some pipes of wine when they may not have a suf-
ficient quantity of either burthen. He then moved
that it be an instruCtion to the Committee not to
lay greater duties on the importation of wines in the
out-ports than in the port London.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, that though the Hon. Gentleman seemed very
anxious to bring on his motions while the Speaker
was in the Chair, and appeared very fond of pecu-
liarly addressing him ; the present was not the op-
portunity, and it would be open to him to propose
any reduction he might think proker in the Com-
mittee.
The SPEAKER gave his sanetion to this opinion,
as a dame to the effed proposed may be moved in
a Committee, but there was no instance within his
knowledge, of any such proposition being received
as.a matter of instruction.
Colonel GASCOIGNE, with leave of the House,
upon this, withdrew his motion.
The House then resolved itself into the Com-
mittee, Mr. Alexander in the Chair.
Colonel GASCOIGNE expressed an opinion that
the duties on the importation of indigo should be
equalised. The duty on indigo was 12s. from
America ; 12s, tid. from the West India colonies ;
and 10s. lid. from the East Indies. This rate gave
a great advantage to the Americans ; and if there
was any preference, it should be in favor of our
own colonies.
Mr. VANSITTART replied,that on importa.
tions of indigo from the East Indies, there was an
additional duty of 2s. 64 over and above the duty

•
or les. 6d. The dnty on Atneriefn produce Was
*Taal,/ what they were entitled to by the treaty of
commerce ; and as to the encouragement spoken of
the West India plantations, it would, perhaps, be
sufficiont for him to observes that nine-tenths of the
consumption was supplied by our possessions on the
Fast
Several observations were made by Mr. Vansit-
tart, Colonel Gascoigne, Sir Robert Peele, and
others, on the details of the Bill, in which Mr. Van-
sittart and Mr. Corry explained, in answer to a
complaint made by Colonel Gascoigne, of an ad-
vantge being given to the Irish trade in the draw.
back of 50 per cent. on the exportation of sugar to
that country ; that the drawback was the same to
one country as the other, and the whole finally and
equitably arranged in the Articles of the Union.
Colonel GASCOIGN F. deprecated the alteration
introduced with regard to the customs, and he in-
sisted no argument had been offered in the Commit-
tee to prove the necessity of such alteration.
Mr. VANSITTART observed, that the altera-
tions were the simplest in the world, and were only
intended to place the out-ports and the metropolis
on the same footing. The principle was that of
giving every port of the country an equal chance of
coming to the market fairly. There was no wish to
give any unfair advantage to the metropolis, or to
deprive any one of the out-ports of the peculiar ad-
vantages it might possess. The object was to re.
medy an irregularity which had for a long period
rennined in our Statute Book.
The LORD MAYOR observed, that cartage was
more expensive in London than in any other part
of the kingdom. He maintained that the out-ports
would still have an advantage over the port of
London. The general expence of trade were so in-
creased in the metropolis, that he believed Govern-
anent need have no jealousy with respect to the City
of London.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, it was not part of the Commercial policy of
Government to give an advantage to the metropolis.
A conversation took place between Mr. Bragge,
Colonel Gascoigne, Mr. Walpole, Mr. Kinmare,
and Mr. Vansittart, after which the resolutions
were put, and carried in the affirmative.
The House resumed, and the report was ordered
10 bn received to-moi row.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
moved, that the House should to-morrow resolve it-
self into a Committee on the Consolidation of the
Duties on Customs. He gave notice, that he should,
in the said Committee, propose and addition of 90
per cent. on foreign porcelaine imported into this

country.
The Irish Ship Burning Bill was read a first and
ordered to be read a second time to-morrow.
The other orders of the day were postponed, and
the House adjourned till tc•morrow.

Ile Last Mght but To'u of the Conyvany's this
Season.

THEATRE-ROTAL, DRURT-LANE.
THIS EVENING will be presented the Comedy of
THE CONFEDERACY.
Gripe, Mr. Dowtun; Money-trap, Mr. Hollingsworth .;
Doak, Mr. Palmer; Brass, Mr. Bannister, jun. ; Clip, Mr
Maddocks ; Jeuimy, Mr. Purser. Clarissa, Mrs. Young;
Araminta, (first time) Mrs. Henry's; Corinna, Mrs. lonian ;
Plippanta, Mu Pope; Mrs. Arnie, Mrs. Sparks; Mrs. Clog-
get, Mls Tidswell.
After which, a New Dance composed by Mr Byrne, called
The TRUE LOVER'. KNOT.
The Principal Characters by Mr. Byrne, and Slis B. Menage
The Union Pipes, by Mt. O'Farrell; the Harp, Mr. Wtipert.
To which will be addict
TWO STRINGS TO YOUR BOW.
Lai:lrina Mr. Cherry; Don Pedro; Mr. Madriocks; Dnn
Sancho, Mr Waldron; ()curio Mr. Holland; Ferdinand,
Mr. be Camp; Walachia Mr. (curio,
Clara, Mrs. liar-
!owe • ' Leonora, Miss B. Menage; Maid, Miss Tidwell.
Ou Monday, the Way to Keep Him, and Rosins. On
Tuesday, All in the Wrong, with Fortune's Frulie. On Wed-
nesday, Rules Wife and live a Wife, with the Shipwreck.
rHEATRE-RorAL, COVENT-GARDEN.