The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-05-10 00:00:00

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go to the expence of colleaing OIL tax, w::::!,
c 0.11.1 atterw,trd► be of no geiii-tal seivicel
; the only objeftion lie had to the tar, and it it
could h•_ answered satisfaCturily, he wculil support
t:ia \lie stet.

Mr. VANSITTART observed, minutely, on all
the arguni-nis which had been made use of in the
course of the debate. It had been stated.4te said,
that the House had always abstained from imposing
taxes on the raw material. and particularly iron. It
was but lately that iron came to be manufaCtured to
any great extent in this country, but the taxes on
foreign iron were multiplied session after session ;
and, in fad, there were many other taxes which
aded as a dired tax on iron, and which never were
opposed—lie meant the taxes on wood and coal..
He could not allow that it would destroy the great
iron works, the roads and bridges; the same argu-
ment would apply to that, which applied to the
foreign trade, namely. that the ilk/dilation in the
price never put a stop to tt.ese great works; thou
it differed so much as to be in toe year 1799, lc: a
ton ; in 1603. 191. ; and immediately after that to
fall to 141. The Right Hon. Gent. then went into a
calculation of the effect (if the drawbacks. and
could not think there would be any difficulty in te.
gulating them in snob a manner, as to encourage
the exportation. Gentlemen could not complain
that the harshness of regulation, which pervaded
the other systems of finance, existed, in this ; in-
deed there was not so much occasion for it ; and the
neanufaCtiner would find, that he was treated with the
greatest liberality. The Right Hon. Gentleman then
observed, that it was the Wird of Government to
allow every opportunity for consideration ; a mass
of papers hat been laid on the table, so that evere
gentleman might make himself master of the stic-
jed, and come to the House with their eyes open,
to reject or approve of the tax. %Vith tesped to Coe
question put by an Hon. Friend of his (Mr. Fran-
cis,) he had only to say, that the quantity of Inar
stated to lie consumed byGovernment was consider-
ably over-rwed.9o,ooo tons in the course of the year,
had been mentioned ; bat cu reference to the papers
on the table, it would be found that the average Ira
not more than from 15 to fn,ooo. His Hon. Friend

•
(Mr. Wilberforce) had stated, that a Tax on
Servants would be more ad vi•eable ; but he was con-
vinced, that if attempted, it would he the cause of the
greatest complaints throughout the country. Fee
these reasons, he hoped the Hon. Gelitlemen would

withdraw their opposition, and suffer the Bill to go
into Committee.
Sir R. MILBANKE said, he would not oppose
the Speaker's leaving the Chair, as he hoped, is
the Committee, it would be altered in such a mea-
ner as would please all parties.
Sir J. Witt/ fTESLLY went over the whole of
the arguments which had been used in the course
cf the night. He was glad the Debate had beta
postponed so long, as his lion. Friends had by Oat
means an opportunity of making up their eniraa
and offering such ateuments as could rot fail to
convince the House. The fluduatien in the mice
of Iron, he acknowledged was great, but that soul
ark have had any effed at the foreign market, as
when Iron was dear we exported very little,
scarely any, being imported. on account of our
hostility with the Northern Powers. At this
time, the demand -was so great at home, that, to
use a tradesman's expression, the pigs were not
allowed to be cold before they were taken away.
This demand of course raised the price of the %OM.
modity ; but some time after it was lowered eons.
derably,oit the suggestion of the menefaaurers,wisa
declared, that they would be unable to proceed wah
their business, unless they had the raw material con-
siderably cheaper. Mitch of tte flourishing atate la
which that trade now was. should be attributed to
the ingenuity of the persons concerned iu ,it, who
found out a method of carrying on the business with-
out the use of wood ; and As the manutaaure: never
could have afforded to male this improve-
ment if a tax had been formerly laid on, if it
were now persisted in, it never could be expefted
that we should have any improvements hereafter.
Time Hen. Bart. then, after making use of many
other, arguments, said, that it was not the qua-
tity of lrua aeeessary for husbandry horses which
was in be considered, bet the cpstntiry that we; meal
in making all implements of agriculture, so much.
that lie thought it should be allowed this:seed as* di-
red tax on agriculture. The admitted gross plc•
duc o! the tax would be 610.0001. . • but as the die s-
tacks en account of exportation of the manufacture,
mid the Goverunient consumption, would ameunr
to 320,0001. only 290,0001. would remain in aid ef
:he national revenue ; and *mild the lioble Lord.
for such a suit). crush en important manufaaure
He (Sir J. Wiottesley), thought it would be pw-
friable at once to abandon the tax, and propose a
subsiitute, as there would, at all events, be a si,b-
:•iency to provide for by some new 'measure, de:
Noble Lord having taken credit for 100ea001. as 64t:
produce of the tax.
Sir R. BUXTON and Mr. VANSITTARTei
plained.
Mr. Alderman PRINSEP saw no (Ai :ice 0'
the tax. Ile thought the raw matetial wits the
stn t
proper objet of taxation, at. when it became highlr
wrought, the original tax was not felt by the tea-
sumer. The increase of the date on silk, trom
to 13s. had not operated to the diminution of thus
manufadtue, and he anticipated no ill consequences
from the tax on iron, which, he thought, was prin-
cipally supposed by interested persons, whose opi-
nions, therefore, should be regarded with jealousy•
Mr. WILLIAM smmi opposed the tax as a:
present proposed, jut had no objeaiors to its geiieg
into a Committee, for the purpose of being modifies:-
The Hoa. Member, at some lengths surveyed the
principles of the Bill, and particularly objeaed to
the application of the excise laws to the maaufaahrta
which it affected.
Lard HENRY PETTY declared, that he con-
tinued to press the Bill, not from any pertinacity of
opinion, or a thorough conviaion that the tax was
unexceptionable, but as pteferring it, its the choice
of many evils, as the least. Its effea upon the ago-
cultural part of the community had bees much ex-
aggerated ; he would adduce a single instance hear
an authority upon which he eceld rely :
farm of 200 acres of arable laud. io the le' tik
yid of Castle Dowling, in Scotland, the who:e sin;
noel expense incurred for iron a: tachml to the ire. Lt
menu( including cart wheels. ploughaar Jo,
heavy article) arnoauted only to 7J• •