The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-22 00:00:00

cording to the occasion, a very. material difference,
When in the last Session a Right Hon. Gentleman in-
troduced a 13111 for the purpose of obliging those gentle-
men to carry the public mails and correspondence they
raised a mat outcry, as if the most flagrant injustice on
their interests was about to be perpetrated, but when
they wanted a Bill on their own behalf, they came cap
in hand, the most humble supplicants, before the House.
In truth, when they had attained their objects, they were
the most stringent of all monopolists. He was sorry indeed
that a Noble Duke elsewhere had not pressed his motion
for a periodical revision of the rates and tolls on roads.
In many instances the railway shareholders had been
permitted to advertise the hours of starting trains,
xithout paying any advertisement duty. He should I,ke
to see all these duties abolished ; but if they were taken
off one, let them be taken off all. Great as were the
advantages of railways in regard to speed, he con-
tended they were chiefly advantageous to persons
travelling_ from point to point. But for short in-
termediate distances, or over cross-roads, they
were comparatively unproductive of adv tntage. He
believed the most effectual appeal be could make to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, was that accord-
ing to the present system, the revenue was actu-
ally falling off. He had moved for a return of
the amount of the composition and mileage duties on
railways and stage•carriages, and he found the amount
in 1837 to be .514,039/. ; in 1338 it bad fallen off to
499,0861., and on the sth January 1839, to 494,1301.
This was from the composition and mileage upon railways
and stage-carriages taken together. If they compared
that with the old modes of communication on stage
carriages alone they would find it had fallen off from
583,742/., which it was in 1837, to 424,4961.
in 1839. Showing a falling off of 49,2461., and
/he earnings of coach proprietors would exhibit
a falling off of 393,968/. He had not been able to obtain
a return of the Post-horse duty, but he knew an indi-
vidual in one town who, in October, November, and
December last, had paid 81/. loss than in the correspon-
ding period in the three preceding years. Without a
reduction of two-thirds on the Post-horse duties the Post-
masters would not be able to contend with their rivals by
steam. Ile would now state to the House what proposals
he meant to come to; that;he might not keep the House
in the dark as to what he intended to do, he would,
shortly state the sum ; he proposed in the first place
to abolish all duties on coachmen and other servants
employed about coaches ; he proposed to lower the
licence duty or abolish it, and all supplementary
licences, which was a source of great annoyance in
beach offices ; he proposed to change the mileage duty,
but it was not his intention to give them an oppor-
tunity of overcrowding the interior of their coaches, and
he proposed the charge should be at the rate of rail-
way carriages, and that the charge should be exactly
the. same—he proposed to abolish the duty on all four-
e} eeled carriages let for hire—he proposed to diminish
past horse duty to the amount of a halfpenny or pe, n: per
nurse—a large diminution of charge, in fact, such a one
as he was confident his Right Hon. Friend, the Chan.
cellos of the Exchequer, would receive larger sums after
the diminution he proposed, than from the large sums now
Paid. There were two charges which he wished to with-
hold from the diminution he proposed. lie could not con-
ceive any means by which a commercial country could
r,,ceive a greater benefit, and it appeared specially
meant as a benefit, he alluded to carriages employed
in carrjing on the offices of labour, and those in which
the poorer classes might have the opportunity of riding
out to enjoy the fresh air or participate in the beauties
of the country. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
would say that I propose too much and could not sup-
port all those changes, but be begged leave to say that he
was not absolutely abolishing duties, but meant only
reduction or equalization. He proposed to place a
small tax on the conve3anee of gentlemen's carriages by
the railway. At present gentlemen could travel from
13h mingliam to London, paying but a very small tax
owing to she opportunity afforded them of transmitting
their carriages by the railway, but it would be found that
if the same carriage travelled by post-horses lie would pay
a tax cf 1/. Bs. to the Government; if it travelled by rail-
nay he would only pay a tax amounting to the small sum
of 4s. 8,1. He proposed, therefore, to lay a small tax on
gentlemen's carriages transmitted by the railroad. He
Proposed also a small license duty upon steam-boats._(A
loud cry of " No, no ") Why steam-boats carried oa the
trade of licensed victuallers, and he thought it but just that
a license-ditty should be paid by steam-boats; therefore it
was his intention to propose it; he contended that the time
had arrived when it was absolutely necessary that s ,me
such charge should be made in justice to all parties. The
legitimate object of ail taxation was revenue, but a large
class of most respectable individuals say that we ought
to push reduction to a farther extent than we find it
practicable. He had been occupied in lacing before
the House stale and dry details of facts, but he trusted
that he had been enabled to establish some claim to the
justice of this House. He had been enabled to show
the community that they were unfairly dealt with by
the present state of taxation. He should move that
the House resolve itself into a Committee to take into
Consideration the subject of taxation, with a view to its
reduction and equalisation.
Mr. HINDLEY rose to second the motion, and
was very anxious to have the attention of the House
for a small time, because on a former occasion he was en-
gaged by a large body of innkeepers and licensed victual-
ler,: to lay their case before the House. The Chancellor of
the Exchequer then did all that he was able to do—he
took off a portion of the Post-horse duty, hut he did
not go tl:e length the Hon. Gentleman had now gone—
the losses, of those people had now brought them nearly
to a state of ruin. No man more than he rejoiced in the
triumph of the arts, they might change undoubtedly as
lie hoped they would, the state, and add to the camforts
of the people ; but he assured the House, no ore re-
, gretted more than he did himself, that men not exceeded
is respectability were placed in such a state in pro-
portion to others that they were more highly taxed than
any other of her Majesty's subjects—men who when
oppressed by losses, had no other alternative than
in that of closing their houses altogether. The improvement
Steam navigation was so rapid that no one could
treeipate it and it came upon the world all at once. In
817 a document appeared with the signature of John
Croker, the mere mention of whose name should
erveage the admiration of every Member of that House.
He at that time declined giving any assistance to steam
- navigation, because he said it might Ile of some service
in canals, or small rivers, but never could be made avail-
able to any considerable extent. When now, however,
they were nearly bringing India over to our shores, and
when a trip from London to Dublin might be made
within 24 hours, it was well known what was the ex-1
tent of steam navigation. If the sympathies of the
House were not enlisted in favour of the people—for
whom he begged leave to claim its attention—he still
felt grateful for the patience with which they had heard
him on the subject. Before closing his observations
Ile would allude to the state of farm labourers, and those
mon who were engaged in public works ; but he begged
the House, and he begged her Majesty's Government,
not to let the Session pass by without interfering to pre-
vent their extension. The Birmingham Railway Com-
pany had this day put on the table a Bill to enable them
to raise more money—now he thought it was the duty
of that House to ascertain for what the money was
wonted- He believed that On many.lines of Railroad,
the coaches had been driven off the neighbouring roads,
and at this very moment, none were left in the neigh-
bourhood of the Railroads, such as run on the Railroad.
As much as 3,000/. had been paid to one proprietor by
tahriast road which bought up his interest—in addition to all
the grossest impositions were practised—it was only
Me other day
the
when his own servants and those of the
office
er for North Lincolnshire were told at a Railway
there was no room in the second train, and shey
must get into the first, not choosing to do that, they
were told to come again to-morrow—they were too late,
said unless the law was altered by which these great bo-
dies was regulated, they would become grevious mono-
polies. If such was the case at the commencement of
these concerns, what might not be expected when they
lied lasted some time longer.- He hoped this session
would not be allowed to pass without the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer bringing forward some
measure on the subject, as he had promised ;
but if he did not, he would himself bring forward
some measure—he did not say that it would
make the difference between ruin and prosperity, but he
hoped it would contain enactments of service to the
public, and instead of being an evil, they would prove
one of dee greatest blessings of this eountry.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was
not surprised at the remarks which had been made ;
but at the very time it was his intention in the course
of the year to introduce a Bill with a view of remedying
the abuses adverted to by the Hon. Member. There
were many evils existing which ought to be removed ; at
the same time he thorstqlt it proper to say he did not
quite accompany his Hon. Friend in many of the state-
ments he had made. They would sympathise a little
more for him than for former times, after what had been
stated to-day ; but it was right for him to state that
his friend was correct upon two points which
he would say were unjust as he had stated them
to be and he accompanied him when he was
told that they could be remedied by a revision
of the laws, but his Hon. Friend mentioned some of
the duties to which he adverted, and stated them at
two high a sum. During the last year he had made a
selection exactly: to suit his purpose—anything, might
b..aleproved by such selections as those. In speaking of
the Poat-horse Duty, he hail mentioned the year 18:37,
when
he said the Post-horse Duty amounted to 4,000/,
tint out of a five years' return, he had selected precise];
htleis_s.ono
whieh be wanted. If he had taken last year
re-
turns have found there was a decrease. The re-
-101113; were not yet printed. The Hon. Gentleman had
(1111aiieb,,iyucci.dalrtrhiaalet,h,ey exhibited any diminution in dutY
but they exhibited an isareese in the
I'l raiirt,:d
the intent 3. by railroads, because on the commencement
they were much travelled on. These were
new dutir:ens', and notice bad been given that in the
Honourable theyAl particular branch would be allowed to remain. The
.ember for Falkirk had referred to one
wa3si of the Post-office returns. Nothing
„Ises,
a,`nel
tUlotn,ecroes than to generale° from special
‘wia,
,ding w .s more likely to lead astray. And
17sn the else with the Hon. Member for
a tea in .
steece. The Post-hoise duty in the

year just expired, bad, contrary to all anticipations,
amounted to a larger sum than in any one of the five
'preceding Sears.—(Hear, hear.) Certainly when it
was considered that railway passengers only paid eibout
one-eighth of a penny duty, while stage-coach passen-
gers paid Is. 4d., and post-horse masters Os. 4da it was
clear that such was not a just system of taxation.—
( Hear, hear.) He should therefore propose, as
soon as the finances of the year would permit, to intro-
duce a Bill on the subject.---(Hear.) But let not the
House be led astray by the notion, that under any cir-
cumstances there could be such an extent of coach
accommodation as before the establishment of Rail-
ways.—(Hear.) If there were no duty on the one,
and the present amount continued on the other, the
velocity of railway travelling would alone secure a
greater degree of patronage from the public. At the
same time he thought railway competition now was
carried beyond, that extent.—(Hear, hear.) He
had lately heard for the first time, that the Rail-
way Companies bad been buying up the existing
coaches on their lines,in order to increase the monopoly.
Undoubtedly, however, these purchases would be in-
effectual, if other parties considered they could run
coaches on such lines with profit to themselves.—
(Hear, hear.) Hon. Gentlemen would be mistaken
if, they supposed that the effect of the railways must
necessarily be prejudicial to the coaches and post-
horses. On the contrary, the railways had brought
into existence almost as many coaches as they had been
the means of putting down.—(Hear.) True, the new
conveyances might assume different names—might be
called omnibuses, for instance, instead of stage
coaches, but no doubt could be entertained that the
railways had introduced a great number of new
carriages. Let any one travel from London to
Birmingham ; and he could be astonished at the im-
mense number of new vehicles of all descriptions which
the railways had called into action.---(Hear, hear.)
He well recollected that there had been coach con-
veyances from Dublin to a place called Black Rock,
and when it was suggested that a railway communica-
tion should be established between those places, it was
expected that the result would be the total ruin of the
proprietors of those coaches. But exactly the contrary
had been the effect produced ; for there had been ac-
tually more of them since the railway was formed.—
The Hon. Member for Falkirk had made some observa-
tions as to the conduct of the railway proprietors or
of individual companies. He (the Chancellor of the
Exchequer) knew that abuses must exist in all such
large establishments, especially in their infancy, but
he believed there was every disposition on the part of
the railroad proprietors—and it was their interest—to
provide adequate accommodation for the public. The
House had last year interposed with respect to post-
communication by railways, and doubtless would again,
if necessary.—( Hear, hear.) He was ready to enter
more fully into the question—but lie thought the
Hon. Member for Falkirk would see that his objecamight
best be attained by leaving the subject in the hands of
the Goyernrre t. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer)
would introduce a Bill on the subject, in the course of
the present year. He would not, however, promise
that it would be entirely satisfactory to the Honourable
Member, but if it were not, its provisions could be best
discussed when they were before the House.—(Hear,
hear.) He would just remark, before he sat down,
upon the form of the Hon. Member's motion. If a
notice were to be given at all, it ought F 0 to be framed
as give every Hon. Member notice of what measure
was to be proposed. Now the Hon. Member, on this
and on other occasions, had fallen into a most incon-
venient practice, which had lately become too common
—of giving a notice, which was rather a blind
than a guide, that is merely that " the at-
tention of the House would be called to a cer-
tain subject." It was most important on all
occasions, and particularly with regard to financial mat-
ters, that. full notice should be given of the precise mea-
sure that was to be proposed.—(Hear.)
Mr. WARBURTON said, if the object of the mo-
tion were to reduce the duty on post-horses and stage
coaches, in order to place them on an equality with
railroads and steam-boats, it would have met, perhaps,
the general concurrence of the House. But, when the
object was, however disguised, to place additional taxes
on railroads and steam-boats, he hoped the parties in•
terested would take the alarm. When gas lights were
first introduced, the Government applied to Sir Joseph
Banks; to know if there were any objections to
them on account of danger occurring to the public, &c.
But the shrewd old gentleman advised them to allow
the gas-lights to go on, because they would one day be-
come a subject of taxation—(A laugh)—and that was
a conclusive reason with the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer of that day. Fortunately it was, that the gas-
lights were then exempted from the blighting influence
of taxation and inspection which were once proposed,
just as they were now suggesting with regard to steam-
boats and railways. What a vast improvement took
place in these modes of conveyance every year. "This
year communication was established by steam from
the Th axles to Plymouth ; next year the communica-
tion will have extended to the Atlantic, and there was
no bound to the improvement which might yet take
place, if- they remained unfettered and untaxed ; but if
once the Chancellor of the Exchequer stepped in, there
was an end to all improvement.—(Hear, and laughter.)
What the Chancellor of the Exchequer's plan of equa-
lizAtion would be on this subject, of course he (Mr.
Warburton) could not tell ; but certainly every argu-
ment was in favour of a reduction of the duties on
coaches and post-horses, inasmuch as the cheapening of
travelling by reducing the duties always had the effect
of increasing the tr,e, and thereby augmenting the
revenue.—( Hear.) And let not the country gentlemen,
who no doubt were afraid of a diminution in the consump-
tion of oats, consider it their interest to place obstacles in
the way of railway communication,.for by so diminishing
ravelling, they would defeat their own object. He
:Mr. Warburton) hoped that the parties interested in
railways would have their vigilance excited by theinti-
Illation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer ; and he
hoped that the House of Commons would not support
that Right Hon. Gentleman in his endeavour to place
railroad-travelling under new taxation.---( Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUME said he thought this subject ought not
to be dismissed without understanding from the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer whether he intended to place
additional duties on railroads, or whether the Right
Hon. Gentleman was not prepared to effect an assimi-
lation, by reducing the stage-coach and post-horse duties.
It was bad policy to tax the means of internal commu-
nication—( Hear, bear)—and why was it the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer could not reduce the duties
on conveyances ?—.because he had not funds enough,
owing to the heavy expenses incurred by the misgovern-
ment of Canada. It was not possible to calculate the advan-
tages which would result to commerce, to manufactures,
and to agriculture, by the speedy and cheap communica-
tion furnished by railroads. But more important still
were the beneficial effects which would be produced
upon the social system of the country at large.—(Hear,
hear.) And Government, so far from increasing, ought
to take every possible means for diminishing the taxa-
tion on railroad communication.—(Hear.)
Mr. EASTHOPE said he could not think the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer entertained theintention ofincrea-
sine- tbe already very heavy taxation upon Railroads; but
if there was such an intention, surely the Right Ho-
nourable Gentleman would deem it right to make a spc •
cific declaration upon the subject as early as possible.
Mr. H. HINDE was glad to hear, from the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, that he had directed his atten-
tion to the subject. The Honourable Gentleman (we
believe, but he spoke in a very inaudible - tone), -ex,
pressed his hope that a reduction would take place
in the taxation on the means of conveyance,
Sir R. BATESON said it was important that some
regulation should take place with respect to steam-
vesstlF; the proprietors would run to the last moment,
that their machinery would last without breaking. It
was the feeling in seaport towns that there should
be some system of general inspection, so as to insure
the safety of those persons who embarked in these
vessels.

Sir R. PEEL bad made it a rule, to which be in-
ended to adhere, not to consent to a reduction of
taxation until be knew the state of the revenue,
and the amount of the national demand ; nor could
he consent to the reduction of a particular
tax, till he bad an opportunity of comparing it with
others—for instance, what was said of the cotton manu-
facture? He might be desirable to reduce a certain tax,
but he should like to compare it with the policy of
taking off the tax on raw cotton. It could not be
doubted but there would be competing claims of other
taxes- for reduction—(Hear.) He believed the only
satisfactory way of settling this question would be by
taking off the duty altogether upon post-horses. (Cheers.) There would then be a fair competition be-
tween railways and other modes of conveyance, which
must take their chance of suffering by the improvements.
wEich took place ; that would stand on some intelligible
principle ; but suppose it should turn out that the
country could not afford to lose this duty, they would
then have to consider whether any attempt at equali-
zation could ba made. He would rot pronounce
an opinion on the subject, but he thought it would bo
found exceedingly difficult to make any compensation to
the possessors of post-horses for the losses they
might sustain. Before they were called on to decide
that lie trusted the Chancellor of the Exchequer would
be able tq give them the fullest information on the sub-
ject. For instance—that they might see the lines of
road on which the Post-horse duty had fallen off, and
where it had increased, that they might attempt to as-
certain how far the railway communication had
dimiminished the Post-horse duty in certain districts,
and how far it had tended to in .rrease it others.
The ChancePor of the Exchequer said it was
in vain to attempt to make such anarrangement
as should enable, on the great lines of road, the
Postmaster to contend with the Railroads. He (Sir
Robert Peel), was afraid that they could do nothing
for the Postmaster. Suppose they reduced the duty
from 3d. to I Id., and put ld. on the Railroad, they
would be doing no benefit to the Postmaster on the
line, but subjecting the Railway to an a4ditional charge. I _(Cheerg.) The Chancellor of the Excliequ-r had
said, with respect to the Post-horse duty, the

deficiency on the great lines was made up
by the collateral lines of communication. So far as
these were concerned, the duty had been called into
existence by the railway, and did not want any equa-
lization there.' It would be important also to consider
how far the facility which railways afforded tended to
increase consumption—there might be a great addi-
tional consumption of exciseable articles—( Hear,
hear)—and they must also consider whether a new
system of taxation bore unequally on some articles.—
(Hear, hear.) With respect to those who were in a
low condition of life, it was impossible to estimate
what advantage was derived by the rapid transition of
labour from one part of the country to another.—
(Cheers.) The upper classes of society were concerned
principally in the post-horse duty. Now, it would re-
quire great consideration before subjecting rail-
ways and steam-boats to new taxation.—(Hear,
hear, hear.) They must first consider whether
the new communication had not been serviceable to the
revenue, and take care before they attempted to give
compensation that they were not injuring the revenue.
—( Hear, hear.)
Major HANDLEY wished to ask the Chancellor
of the Exchequer whether an increase in the Post-horse
duty had not taken place since it had been taken into
the hands of Government.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought it could not be attributed entirely to that, al-
though the charge might harp had a tendency to increase
the duty, but putting an end. to vexatious pfosecutions.
Mr. GILLON briefly replied and withdrew his
motion.
ENFRANCHISEMENT OF COPYHOLDS.
Mr. JAMES STEWART moved for leave to bring
in a Bill for the 'enfranchisement of landS of copyhold
and customary tenure. It was not his intention to tres-
pass at any length on the House, inasmuch as similar
Bills had been brought in in four preceding sessions. It
was generally admitted that the principle of suet] a Bill
was desirable, the only question being how far such prin-
ciple should be carried out. The Bill •of last session
had been referred to a Select Committee, which had
almost unanimously come to a very important report,
for it went to the entire abolition of that species of
tenure. The present measure was brought with the
full concurrence of her Majesty's Attorney. General and
many Hon. Members on the Other side of the House
Indeed be was yet to learn where opposition was to
conic from. He would not, therefore diseifss the ques-
tion now, but reserve himself until the Bill had been
printed.
Leave was then given to britig in the Bill.
THE STADT DUTIES.
Mr. M. PHILLIPS presented a petition from the
Merchants of Manchester, complaining of the injury to
British interest by Stadt Duties, imposed by the King of
Hanover.
Mr.H UTT, on bringing under consideration the motion
of which he had given notice, namely, the injury inflicted
on British commerce by the duties levied at the town
of Stadt by the King of Hanover, hoped the House
would give him its attention, not on his own account,
but on account of the subject itself. It was of very
.great importance to the commerce of that country, for
it related to the outrages and oppression which had
been carried on by the King of Hanover in levy-
ing the Stadt Duties. As that subject might
be less familiar to many Hon. Members then local
circumstances had rendered it to him, he trust, d the
House would allow him to explain briefly the nature
and origin of these duties. It was not necessary to
travel far back for that purpose. At the Congress of
Vienna, in 1815, a claim was preferred by the King of
Hanover, to levy upon all ships and cargoes, passing
the toxn of Stadt, in the river Elbe, certain tolls and
dues. Among many other most pernicious actions of
that Congress, the claim on the- part of the King of
Hanover was admitted and ssnctioned by a treaty. The
details of these duties were referred to a Convention.
held in 1831, at the city of Dresden. On that occasion
the Ministers Plenipotentiary admitted the right
of the King of Hanover to levy those dues, but re-
quired that he should submit a tariff of those
dues be intended to levy. The Kiog of Hanover
formally pledged himself to lay before the Convention a
tariff of the dues, and pledged himself never to in-
crease them without the consent of the parties interested.
Such was a brief history of the origin and obj,ct of tht
Stadt dues. For these advantages received
eisn
btandatbeuenr;
principled manner, no privileges or i i
granted by him. All the arrangements for the naviga
turn of the river,, being made by the city of Hamburgh.
The Stadt duties were to be collected not on the vessels
dell countries. There was an invidious, and so far a:
Great Britain was concerned, a most injurious distinc-
tiou between the flags of Hamburgh, and Hanover, and
that of Great Britain. He (Mr. Hutt) never could
reflect on the conduct of the Minister, who, for the pur-
pose of increasing the King's private revenue, bad
inflicted so serious a blow upon the commerce
of that country, without indignation and dis-
gust. There, however, was the treaty ; and deep!)
as they might lament the subserviency that had
given rise to it, they were bound to ob-
serve the faith of treaties, and without adequate
grounds they could not propose its abolition. if the
King of Hanover ccr,.ld establish the right, under tht
treaty of Vienna, to exact those duns; it. would be on
just and impolitic on the part of -England to ask fol
their abolition. lie (Mr. Hutt) complained that the
King of Hanover had infringed the treaty of Vienna,
and he thought, before he sat down, lie would establish.
to the satisfaction of the House, that his Majesty,
the first place, was not content with the extraordinarl
concessions made to him by a British Minister. He
had exacted a far higher rate of tolls than the
convention of Dresden had ever authorized him.
He had treated the British 11 ig in the most
arbitrary and vexatious manner, because they had not
given a blind submission to the orders of his Custom-
house officers ; and if he did not state the particulars
to the House, it was only because he feared they would
scarcely give him credit for the recital. He bad said
that the King of Hanover had pledged himself to pro
duce, through his Plenipotentiaries at Dresden, a copy
of the tariff of the duties which he intended to levy on
shipping passing - the Stadt. But no such docu
ment had been brought before the assembled Pleni-
potentiaries—or, if ever it was produced, it was
surreptitiously extinguished. During the time that
he had been the Representative of Hull—a
town which was most deeply interested in this question—
he had used every pains to procure a copy of the docu-
ment in question. He had asked for it at Hanover,
but the tariff was not to be had there ; he had asked
for it at the-FOreign Office, but it was not there ; he
had asked for it at- the office of "the President of the
Board of Trade, but it was not there ; he had asked for
it from the British merchants generally, but they knew
nothing of it, except that they were obliged to pay
heavy under its alleged provisions. He believed there
was little doubt that the tariff had had no existence
whatever, but was merely an act of' the individual will
and pleasure of the Sovereign of Hanover. Such being
the case, it was pretty clear that the King of Hatiover
had not fulfilled one portion of the contract in virtue of
which the right to levy duties had been conferred upon
him. But he (Mr. H.) had said that the King of Han-
over had levied higher rates of duties than he was
warranted by the Convention of Dresden. He would
admit that not having documents he could not adduce
direct proofs of this, but he had the strongest presump-
tive evidence. He could show that since the year
1821, those duties had been continually varying, but
always increasing in 'amount ; and that in the year !
1837 and 1838 the demands were much heavier than
in 1821 and 1822. He could show further,that on the
same articles, duties differing to a most extraordinary
amount had been exacted according as these had been
entered in the s'lip's papers, in the German or English
larguages. He would not refer to English merchants,
who might naturally be regarded as prejudiced on this
point ; but he would prove it on evidence that was
above suspicion ; namely, a pamphlet published within
a few weeks, by Dr. Adam Sobier, a most respectable
citizen of Hamburgh. TLe Doeter showed that there was
rigorous preciseness in the system of duties : the pay-
ment not being enforced according to the nature of the
articles, but according to the wording of the invoices.
For instance, if the word " bales" appeared in the in-
voice of a shipment, twice as much duty was charged
as if the word were in German. Toys had to pay six
times more or less duty as they were entered in the
English or German vocabulary. He was sure the
Noble Lord, the Secretary for the Foreign Depart.
ment, must have had numerous complaints in illustration
of the system. He had no doubt the Noble Lord could
corroborate him (Mr. Hutt). After this exposition of
the manifold taxation inflicted on the British merchants,
lie was sure the House would come to the same conclu-
sion with him, that the King of Hanover bad levied
duties which he was not justified in exacting, either by
the Treaty of Vienna, or ti• e:anvention of Dresden.
But this was not all. The manner of levying those
duties involved a delay and expense far more injurious
to the British merchant than the amount of taxation.
It would be rembered that the town Stadt was on the
river Elbe, in the same relation to Hamburgh as Wool-
wich on the Thames was to London. Every vessel
sailing up to Hamburgh was obliged to come to at a
castle near Stadt. The captain was obliged to go on
shore and deliver his papers to the custom-house
officers of the King of Hanover, and the officer then
transmitted them to Hambur,eli. The vesiel then pro-
ceeded on her voyage, and upon her arrival at Ham-
burgh a most careful examination of her cargo was in-
stituted, and .if the slightest discrepancies were
disco ered between the articles on board, as
named in the bill of lading, and as found in
the packages, the ship was liable to be seized,
detained, fined, or even confiscated. The cap-
tain who had said he had an anchor " wide was found
to have misrepresented, though he protested it was un-
intentionally. His ship was nevertheless seized, nor was
"
she released until he had paid a considerable fine. He
had another evidence, from a quarter of the highest re-
spectability—it was from Mr. 'Potty, of Hull, to whose
high and honorable character the Noble Lord, the Mem-
ber for the West Riding, could bear testimony, as could
also several other honourable members.—(Hear, hear.)
Tilat gentleman shipped a bale of 900ibs. of worsted