The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-03 00:00:00

A
'4lll,
•

SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET.

Curiosity has at length been satisfied as to the
intentions of the DERBY-DISRAELI Government.
There can no longer be any misapprehension in
regard to the nature of the measures contem-
plated by the present Administration. They
have now been formally submitted to the conside-
ration of the country by the Right. Hon. the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. It would not be
extravagant to assert, that never was there a
financial statement more eagerly looked forward
to by the population of the United Kingdom.
To it exclusively has been deferred every one of
the more important official explanations. When-
ever Ministers have been puzzled by any impor-
tunate querist, the reply has invariably couched
itself in a reference of the inquirer to the pro-
-sected Budget of 1852-1853—the Budget before
the community, through the masterly exposition
of the state of affairs yielded by the leader of the
lower branch of the Legislature. Expectations in
reference to this occurrence had been excited
more or less throughout the nation ever since
the advent of the Earl of DERBY and his sup-
porters to power during the course of last
• February. It was only natural, therefore, that
an unusual degree of interest was excited on the
appearance of Mr. DISRAELI this evening in the
House of Commons, advancing from the entrance-
door, with the red box 'of office in his hand, and,
we were rejoiced to observe, with an evidence of
his health having undergone a manifest improve-
ment. It was yet more natural, that, imme-
diately on his rising, the attention of his auditors
should become noticeable in the breathless silence
of the Representatives. The Right Honourable
Gentleman prefaced his statement by reminding
the House that his Budget was brought forward
under very peculiar circumstances. He asserted,
moreover, that he must claim from his hearers
the reservation of their judgment until they had
allowed him to lay before them the whole of the
intended policy of her MAJESTY'S Government.
There would be enforced, he observed, through-
out his argument, the existence of an evil
which demanded removal or amelioration. Inju-
ries, he contended, had been inflicted, especially
on the shipping interest, on the sugar-growing
interests, and on the interests of the agricul-
turists. The injuries inflicted
.on the shipping
interests had arisen out of the recent legislation
affecting the system of navigation. Of the com-
plaints of the shipping interest--such as those
relating to salvage and pilotage--he gave a rather
startling catalogue. These complaints being,
ac-
cording to the view of Ministers, strictly founded
on justice, would be at once proposed to be con-
; sidered by the Legislature. The cost to the
country of the projected changes in the Light
Dues would be about 100,000/. per annum—a
sum, however, rendered necessary to be expended
in consequence of the oversight of this matter
affecting the shipping interest in the recent repeal
of the laws relating to navigation. Upon the
subject of Pilotage, the Cabinet would conceive it
advisable to recommend the scrutiny of the whole
matter in a committee to be appointed by the Lower
House of Parliament. As to the Admiralty. '
•
Dues the Government would advise the conces-
sion upon many points to the merchant service,
wherein the members of that service have been
grievously affected to its particular detriment.
The salvage system is intended to cease at once,
and it is considered advisable, moreover, that
the anchorage system should henceforth be per-
manently terminated. Speaking of the existing
method of manning the mercantile marine, the
-Right Hon. Gentleman referred in powerful and
indignant terms to the evils resulting to the
Royal Navy from the equally erroneous scheme
Hof manning that service--prououncing the latter,
indeed, to be absolutely irrational. Next were
considered the claims of the sugar produc-
ing interests. Sugar he pronounced to have
been the battle-field of parties ; but he besought
the House to enter upon the consideration of the
present state of those interests with good temper and
impartiality. Nevertheless, while feeling deeply
the misfortunes which have befallen of late years
the sugar-producing colonists, he waived the idea
of introducing this clause of his Budget in
the character of a sentimentalist. Acknow-
ledging the suffering of the interests here
referred to, he yet did not consider the com-
plaints borne out by statistics, so far as to con-
vince him that our colonists could not survive the
existing system of competition. Particulars were
then adduced from the returns of 1851, compared
with those of 1852, showing that the imports of
foreign sugar have decreased, while the im-
ports of British sugar have as wonderfully
increased during the same interval. The Cabinet
could not regard itself as called upon to yield, or
even justified in yielding to the demand of our
colonists, either that we should arrest the descent
of the duties on foreign sugar, or reduce the
duties upon British plantation sugar. Simply,
• therefore, the Ministry refuse distinctly
to pro-
pose the return to differential duties—having
before it the remarkable and incontestible proofs of
the happy fruits of unrestricted competition. No
wonder the cheers that rose from all parts of the
House at this announcement were especially earnest
among the Free Trade Members of her MAJESTY'S
Opposition! Again, the CHANCELLOR of the Ex-
CHEQUER declared that he could not possibly recom-
mend the increase of loans to the British sugar pro-
ducing colonists--because the loans alreadyset apart
for their advantage is at this moment actually in-
exhausted ! One boon, however, he would urge
should be granted to the interests here referred
f o—that prayed for in reference to the re-
fining of British sugar in bonded refineries
for consumption : a 'boon which, he reminded
the House, might be safely and gracefully con-
ceded,
because it is strictly in continuance or 1
development of the system-of unrestricted compe-
tition. Reference was now made by the Right
Honourable Gentleman to the whole net-work of
local taxation throughout the country. Upon the
Highway Rate the Cabinet was, he announced, pre-
paring a measure which he felt sanguine would
Drove acceptable to the great majority of the
Imperial Legislature. When alluding to the
C-10 linty Rate, Mr. DISRAELI in an impressive
to which was warmly responded to by the
dPplause of the House, that before long the Par-
ka
ill'Aleut would have seriously to take into account
tiolaawohfot of one of the most important ques-
Altoeethere day—the question of Punishment !
explicit rern the
County Rate, according to his
though in lark? was stated to amount to 800, 0001.,
police beingealityerr it only reached 600,0001. (the
the results
three°usly included in the tables of
would not coneeiveassiess raent) ; but this rate he
mending to be himself justified in recom-
Y or even moderately
diminished. Innnediatealli
It>he greatest of all the
local taxes, namely, thoY
tenonanve.rsational tone
tioned, a desultory kind or Rate, was men-
was introduced into the
statement
by the cheers and counter cheeearlsy
years the
ellarpon the
allusions made to the decrease of late
extent of pauperism—the cheers of the
lion being a sort of inarticulate panegyrieP°oBi--
" recent legislation"—and the counter cheers from
the Ministerial side of the house being a species of
nnsyllabled tribute to the " obsolete opinions" of
Protection. Finally, however, under this head, the
CuaNcmLon of the EXCHEQUER brought the ap-
Valise of the House of Commons to something
like unanimity
pose any by announcing that he would pro-
change whatever in the system of Local
Taxation.
his Hereupon, the Right Hon. Gentleman
manner
altered
last reached the core, the very
perceptibly—having at
present memorable Financial
pith, the marrow of the
dared in the clearest
lap Statement. He de-
of the Government, at this guage that the purpose
Juncture, is to carry out