The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-16 00:00:00

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1824
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_.• . AILDRICIIDAML MAXIMILIAN.
Malleassals aad Bolds— Beseil--ebests . - 44.841
- ehtale - - 11.358 Havamiali--chests - 23,657
Ream. Ste—casks . 16, fli 1 Great Britain—chests - 1.7..3
Haft Indio—canis • •-rs -2, 7 --casks -' 10,9.53
---o----- bales and oat- East India—bags - -12,25 e
dug - . - 27.833
Fees what is here exhibited, two important facts will be sink-
iugly.evident. First, that in markets open to all the world, free la-
bour sugar, as it is termed, cannot compete with that product 1 by
slave labour; and secondly, as the price of sugar in England is en-
linty dependent on that of the cheapest market on the Continent,
de Wee India Owners have not hitherto derived the slightest ad-
vantage from their nominal les. protecting duty. If East
Italia sugar regulated prices abroad, there might be some grounds
for the assertion ; but when such eventrarrives, it will be time
enough to speak of themonopely of our Western Colonies.
BOUNTY.
We have now to investigate the nature of the Bounty. By the
Cemeolidntion Act of Customs, 59 Geo. 111. cap. 52, the duty on
eager was fixed at 3es., and the drawback 0:1 single refined at 465.
per cwt. But permission was given to the Lords of the Treasury,
to remit Is. of the duty, lithe average price in the Gazette should
be below 495. per mitt. ; 2s. if below 485.; and 3s. if below 475.;
while the drawback of 469. continued as before- It is well known
the price of sugar has long been far below 475. ; the 3s. duty has
conactluently been remitted, making the duty now paid 275. It is
apparent, therefore, at once, that the exporter of refined sugar pos-
se-inn an advantage of 3s. per cwt. on muscovado, or 4s. 71d. on
Whiled ; and the first object is to ascertain what this costs the
Pea ion. Very considerable delusion exists in this particular. By
the returns ordered to be printed by the House of Commons on the
30 h March last, the bounty is stated at 844,440. 28s. Hid.; a per.
von would thus, on firszconsideration, be prompted to exclaim, what
relarge boon do the West Indians enjoy ! He would, however, in
So doing, run into a very great error. Much the larger peetion of
riaru:unt, classed under the head of bounty, should be deo°.
drawback, being merely the repayment of the duties when
lispouttion takes pieces. It is certainly not in conformity with the
usual acauracy of Mr. Irving (the leepector.General of Imports
lindsiagenua, to have given case to this ambiguity, from the man-
ner Ss IMO he has made out the returns. It is unnecessary to
observe, drat before the refiner commences bis manufacture the
• tluirboh him id and as we hive no right to tax the people
abooi. se ; being made to the Continent, the duty origi-
rAWF ZOOM be drawn back by the exporter. In place, then,
. s*• sum going into the pockets of the West Lidiaus, as
grimed.,
the account will stand as follows :
total amotot of payments made on British relined sugar
amounn, amber been stated, to 844,444/. • and it is to be observed,
that this apgertaias to the year ending sth January, 1824, and not
the sth Jemmy, agge,
The quantity thee otrelined sugar which has received the draw-
back, will be 367,147 cwt. equal to 624,153 cwt. alusoovado, ac-
cording to the Government proportion of 34 cwt. of die latter to 20
of the former.
Three shillings per cwt. has been remitted; and it is obvious
that this taken on the above quantity, will give the net amount of
• •what should he properly termed boanty. This sum, amounuag
to only 93.6231. lone far short of what is stated by the Asti.
Colonial writers. To prevent misunderstanding in this reeptet,
the returns should have been made out differently.
The drawback would then appear to be - - 4750,821
Bounty - - - - - . 93.623
Total repayment out of the Customs - 044,444
Having thus shown that the clamour against the amounts of this
boon are perfectly unwarranted, a few observations are necessary
to explain its further operation as concerns the West India in-
terests. For this purpose 1 cannot do better than quote the words
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on opening his Budget the
28th of February last. He stated " that it appeared the drawback
was calculated upon the high duty, and in point of fact the revenue
received& duty of 275. and paid a drawback of 30s. This could be
Founded on no trite principle, and could be favourable to none of
the interests of this country. It could not be expected that foreign
porters, who were always quicksighted enough to see opportunities
of heaping all sorts of restrictions upon our commerce, should not
perceive that this difference of three shillings between the duty and
the drawback would come to their treasury. And the fact was,
that it did so ; for they imposed higher duties upon sugars imported
Irons this country than from any other, or than it was reasonable
they should par."
The accuracy of this may be judged of from the conduct of some
of the Cu, tinental States. On the Ist January, 1824, the Russian
Government published an ukase, Munising a duty of 2 sib. R. and
60 cop. on every pod! of Igo. The effect of this duty has
amounted in arly to a prohibition. aYe find by official documents
that the quantity of refined sugar exported to Russia, year end.
trig 6th Jan. was, 1820, 153 cwt. 585qrs. 161 b. ; while that ending
the sth Jan., 1825, the quantity was only 2,822 cwt. Bth.
This mea•ure of Russia has been imitated by the Austrian Go-
vernment. In the port of Trieste, to which we were in the habit of
exporting largely, the duties have been materially advanced.
According to the new tariff of October last, fl. ff.
Refined Sugar, in loaves, is raised trout - 15 to 164
Crushed Stipa - - . -11 7-10 161
AU other Powder Sugar for ()racers - - 9 12
While Sugar for Refiners are - - 6 8
Grey brown ditto - . - - 3 4
The effect of this regulation must be very apparent. By levying
a higher duty relatively on Refined (foods, it must operate sten-
°ugly to the detriment of our .rode, and mercantile men in Mincing-
lane know well that comparatively few shipments have latterly been
made to this former outlet for the staple of our colonies.
Even in Holland the same system prevails. The duty on Alas-
covado is only about fit. per cwt. if imported in Dutch ships, led. I
If in foreign ships. But refined sugar is visited with a duty of 30e. I
per cwt., which; when contrasted with that paid on the raw article,
may justly be termed an entire prohibition.
These circumstances fully corroborate the views of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, and they imperiously demand the consideration
of every AI amber of Parliament, both for the 'impose of showing
the troemanner in which the West India interests are affected, and
of exhibiting the mode in which foreign Governments meet the
commercial liberality of our own Legislature.
There is yet one word more to advance relative to the bounty,
and that is as to the principle of its continuance.
On this head the regulation can be satisfactorily clended. To
the supporters of free trade the very name of bounty is peculiarly
repugnant. Butait must not be for a moment supposed that the
principles on abide this bounty rests are in the least degree at vs-'
mince with a freemillpor with that policy which the Adniinistra- '
tion is now so judiffigialy adopting. Its advocates never contended
that it should continue perpetually. but only so long as to prevent
its cessation from being injurious either to particular interests or to
the general welfare of the country. Supposing it to be -1 benefit,
it was urged that its removal would ntcessarily reduce prices,
which would have the effect of putting some of the exhausted
lends of the old Colonies out of cultivation, and that thus dimi-
nishing our exports would naturally hold out a direct stimulus
far Foreign Powers to prosecute the Slave Trade with increased
ardour. It was even admitted that if this disposition on the part
.of the Continental Nations could be presumed always to continue,
it would be difficult to justify it, as a lapse of some years
would still give rue to similar arguments. But it was on
account of 31inleters continually declaring that they would even-
tually succeed is stopping the traffic in slaves, that remon-
strances were used tot them, not to impede their own efprts
until the trade was generally determined piracy. On their own
grounds did the appeal rest; for as they maintained that in a few
ears they would have succeeded in their negotiations, so for those
few years only was the bounty demanded. It ought, moreover,
to be observed, that if it be an advantage, East India sugar equally
participated. Now, as the anti-slavery party uniformly advances
the Interests of the East India traders, in opposition to those of the
West Indies, it will afford an admirable specimen of its fairness
and impartiality, derounring to the public that undue preference
is granted to the on; while in reality that of the other is similarly
bilis Led.
' low Peesiassa Board of Trade has just introduced smile
H coy considerable changes in our Colonial policy.
The is intended shall expire on the Ist of July, 1826.
It armament he doubled but that the same strict regard to
justice and vested rights will here be observed as has marked
other innovations. The relations between mortgagee and planter,
and indiol I'Sie oeneral nature of the Colonial trade, oblige the
greeter porde% of the produce of the West Indies to be shipped:
to this country. Na new arrangements, therefore, as to facilities of
trade, given to the Colonies in their intercourse with foreign na-
tions, oth come into operation for a considerable period; and it
would be meet unjust not to delay the removal of the bounty
until such arningements are completed. This has no relevance to
its being or not being an advantage; it is simply, that the change
may not inflict an injury on the refiners, or on other interests.
I have now, I hope, satisfactorily shown that the a...onions of
the individeals whole names are prefixed to this communication,
are utterly destitute of feundation. If they again conic forward in
public with such idle declamation, let them at all e.ents, at the
same time, attempt some reply to this exposition. If not, the voice
of public opinion cannotalaud either their knowledge of pole-
ties! economy or their candour.
May 15, 1826. INVESTIGATOR.
William Jackson, Esq. was thiiTTerni called to the Rar
by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.
Hera P•ESUMPTIVE AND CATHOLIC EII•NCITATION.
—The very great demand for the Ersg/ish Gentleman of yesterday,
which contalitee an int:resting article connected with the conduct
of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, has obliged,the Pub-
)l3llef to reprint it. Office of the English Gestbniara, No. 7,
Reydites-street, Cgvent•garden; where alto may be had, The Yeus
cit I,iterotitre a 4 Fashion. Orders are received for the above
Publications by all the Clerks of the road, and he every Te, rat -
Lei:o! News-vender in the United Kingdom. Published by L. 1).
Foy chile.
TIAZ•RD AND CO.--GREAT Success ! !—No. 6195, a
Prize. of 420,000 drawn the It h of last moi.th, was sold by Hatord
ar.cl Co. in a Half and eight Sixteenth Shares Hazard and Co,
stared and sold the following Ca itsJ,s drawn on the same day
8,185 - £29,000 911611
9,67* - 2„4106 2776 - . 216
115 - • .625 7522 - - 215
9,402 . - 525 6337 - - 215
Iflhg*la and Co. are selling for the new Scheme, (for which they are
Gottracton) containing Two of £30,000. Teo of £lO,OOO, Twp of
4111.0 en. &c. etc. and no flanks. A.II in One Day. 3 islthii Month.
Raja Exchange Gate, 26, eravnbille'aed 324, Osiold-stet; end of
P.eguttotreet.