The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-22 00:00:00

towards the removal of the complaints of the district
letter-carriers of the metropolis, as well as of the various
grievances contained in the petitions of the provincial
letter carriers of the United Kingdom ?
Mr. WILSON said he was glad to inform his hon.
friend that the Postmaster-General had already sent a
cirealar to the different portmasters throughout the
country witildrawir -; the prohibition issued last year
respecting Christmas-boxes. Wit's regard to the ques-
tion of superannuation allowance, a new and more just
system had been prepared by the Postmaster-General,
and he was now ready to send it to the Treasury for
its approval. As to the unequal pay of letter-carriers,
the Postmaster-General had come to the conclusion that
equality of payment throughout the country was im-
possible, but he had received numerous applications for
increase of pay in individual cases, and wherever he had
found that the complaints were justly founded, he had
given an increase of pay.
BARNSTAPLE ELECTION.
Mr. 0. STANLEY reported that this committee had
determined that Sir W. Frazer and Mr. Bremridge were
not duly elected for Barnstaple at last election. (The
resolution of the committee has already appeared in The
fair). On the motion of the honourable member, the
evidence taken before the committee was ordered
to be laid oa the table. He also gave notice that he
would move the suspension of the writ for six weeks,
and also for the appointing of a commission to inquire
into the corrupt practices at the last and previous elec-
tions. He likewise gave notice that, when the evidence
was in the hands of members, he would call the atten-
tion of the house to particular circumstances which took
place at the last election, with a view to further measures
being taken.
COMMISSIONS IN THE MILITIA.
Colonel LINDSAY asked the Secretary of State for
the Home Department if the clerks of the peace in
counties had any legal right, or had any authority from
the Government, for charging the officers of militia with
fees, either on appointment or promotion ; and if it was
the intention of the Government to take any steps to
prevent a continuance of this practice for the future ?
Lord PALMERSTON said he was not aware of any
law by which they were entitled to levy these fees, but
the Government had no power to interfere in the matter
it being one entirely under the control of the lord lieu-
tenants of counties. The Secretary at War and himself
had, however, turned the question over, and they were
endeavouring to get rid of these varying and, in some
instances, exorbitant charges.
In reply to Sir G. PECHELL, who wished to know
whether, in addition to the ordinary force of militia in
Sussex, there was about to be raised by the Govern-
ment a corps of artillery of 500 ?
Lord PALMERSTON said no addition was intended
to be made to the quota of militia already fixed for each
county, but the Crown had power to train the militia in
such a manner as might be ',thought necessary for the
public service, and it would be very desirable to train
them, in maritime counties, to the use of great guns.
RYE ELECTION.
Sir J. R.A_KINGTON reported to the house the re-
solution unanimously adopted by the committee on this
election. It stated, that it appeared from the evidence
taken before the committee that, from 1832 to 1852 in-
clusive Mr. Jeremiah Smith, of Springfield-house, near
Rye, had exercised great influence at all the elections
for the borough ; that his influence was created and ob-
tained by a system of lending money to voters, varying
from 7001. to 21. or 31., according to the different
situation and necessities of each, and that this system
had prevailed to a very great extent ; that by docu-
ments presented to the committee it appeared that from
1832 to 1837 Mr. Smith had corruptly lent money to
differentlparties to the amount of 8,2001., and he had
himself stated that in 1837 loans of this nature
were outstanding to the extent of 15, 0001., and
he added that these advances were made by the
instructions of Major Cartels, then the member for the
borough. The resolution then went on to say that there
were strong grounds for believing that that system of
loans for political objects had been continued by Mr.
Smith, though on a less extensive scale up to the last
election in 1852, and that demands for payment or interest
were generally made by him previous to an election. +lt
had been admitted by the agent of Mr. Mackinnon that
Mr. Mackinnon paid 2,0301. into the bank previous to
the last election, and that nearly the whole was spent in
the election, and' that 1,2831. of it hadbeen expended
in treating at twenty-four public-houses, of which
a list had been furnished. The conmaittee were of
Opinion that no direct act of bribery had been found
against Mr.. Pomfret, and it appeared that his
expenses during the contest only amounted to 1301.
The report concluded by stating that the committee did
not think it to recommend any further in-
quiry, because the [practices existing at the elections at
Rye had been sufficiently establisbed before them ; but
they desired to call the especial attention of the use
to the system of corrupt , loans. They thought it
most important that a remedy for this mode of
corruption should, if possible, be included in future
legislation as it was fatal to the freedom of elections,
and more enduring and less costly than ordinary
bribery. (Hear.)
ACCELERATION Oil' MAILS TO THE NORTH.
Mr. D. SEYMOUR asked the Secretary of the Trea-
sury, whether his attention had been called to the fact,:
that, under recent postal alterations connected with the
transmission of mails to the north of England, no ac-
celeration has taken place in the delivery of the day
mails from the south at Sunderland, while the northern
mail from Sunderland must now be despatched four
hours earlier.
Mr. WILSON gold his attention had been called to
the fact, and arrangements were now being mad° for a.
further acceleration of these particular mails.
'LEGACY DUTIES.
Mr. STAPLETON asked the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer whether it was his intention to make persons
who succeed to property under the shifting clause of a
settlement, by which one property shifts from them on
their succeeding to another, pay the duty to be imposed
on succession on the whole value of the property to
which they succeed, 'or merely on so much thereof as
may be in excess of the value of the property which
shifts from them ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
was necessary, in order to keep within the rules of the
house, to draw up his resolutions in a very general
form ; but what his intentions were would be stated
more explicitly and minutely in the bill which he should
introduce. It would be inconvenient, however, at pre-
sent to state what those intentions were.
LIGHT SOVEREIGNS.
Mr. PELLATT asked the Secretary of the Treasury
whether the Government intended to take any and what
steps to protect the public from the circulation of light
sovereigns and half-sovereigns, by which serious loss is
now sustained in the deductions for light gold by the
bankers ? -
Mr. WILSON said the Government had no intention
to take any steps on the subject. No party was how-
ever obliged to take light gold unless he pleased, and
when it was once paid into the bank it was not re-
ssued.

THE WHISKY TRADE.
In reply to Mi. COWAN,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
would be his duty to ask the, house to adopt the resolu-
tion in the Budget on the subject 'of whisky to-night, but
that would be as a mere matter of form, and parties out
of doors would not be precluded from hereafter opposing
the Government proposition.
DOCKYARD APPOINTMENTS.
Sir B. HALL gave notice that to-morrow evening he
would nominate the committee on dockyard appoint-

duty. Now the original importer, who entered the goods
in the first instance, was the only person known to the
Crown as liable for the duty ; but goods were sold over and
over again without being taken out of bond, and it was a
very great hardship for the original proprietor, 10 or 20
years after he . had sold the goods, and when they had
passed through several hands, and ho had no cognisance
whether they were in existence, to be legally liable for the
duty if it should be found that a large portion of them had
been abstracted. The Government would therefore pro-
pose that when the importer should part with his goods
they might be re-entered in the name of the purchaser,
and weighed or gauged, and the original importer should
be no longer liable for the duty except on any deficiency
during the time the goods had been his, any such small
amount of duty to be paid at once. (Hear.) Further, the
Custom-house was to -be obliged to take complete stock
every five years. (Hear, hear.) It would not be an entire
stock-taking of all goods in warehouse at one time, but it
would be going on from day to day, and every day, be-
cause it would be taking stock of all the goods which on
that day had been entered' five years, so that the process
would be going on gradually. (Hear, hear.) The great
bulk of goods were cleared in less than five years. (Hear.)
Upon such stock-taking, the duty upon any deficiency be-
yond what was allowed by law would be paid, and there
would be a re-entry, from time to time, as if there was a
fshresh importation. This would provide against the hard-
u
ship
me fyrn, a calling
as epro
oeftnh
persons r shaoan s
inadvertentlyp at payord N v
itthh e dt
shueetl
tyr
nugi upon
or
oegds otso
n ins
the quantity of which there had been a material alteration,
through accident, or leakage, or fraud. ' [Mr. Mitchell—
Do you mean that there is to be a fresh entry on every
transfer?"] The seller would be at liberty, if he chose (it
would not be compulsory) to re-enter the goods in the
name of the buyer at the time of the sale, transferring the
liability when he transferred the property. [Mr. Mitchell—
"Accompanied by weighing P"] As to weighing and
a dmeas-
uring that was done at present ; it was necessary for making
out your invoice. [A Member—" Oh, no.") In the case
of some goods you would take the entry, but with the more
valuable goods you would take reweight or remeasurement.
However, that was a matter for arrangement between the
buyer and seller ; but if the seller failed to take advantage
of that security to himself, he must not complain that he
had to pay duty to which he was not liable, since he did
not take the means to get rid of the liability. (Hear.)
With regard to taking stock, that was a suggestion of
the committee. It had been thought that the merchants
might find it caused a great deal of trouble. If they found
it troublesome, the Customs had no particular reason for
persevering in it ; but they were willing, as far as they
were concerned, to make trial of it. Further ; at pre-
sent there were three distinct classes of warehouses—ware-
houses of special security ; warehouses of ordinary security
where the warehouseman gave bond and not the merchant;
and warehouses of ordinary security, where the individual
merchant gave bond and not the warehouseman. The Go-
vernment thought these distinct ionslunnecessary and absurd,
and they had to propose that all warehouses should be of
one class. The multiplication of bonds was an evil, and it
was therefore proposed that there should not be a bond
from the merchant in each case ; no merchant would have
to give any bond at all, but in all cases (as at present in
the second class of cases just mentioned) the warehouse-
keeper would give bond in a moderate amount, and he
would be responsible to the Crown for the small deficien-
cies more than the leakage allowed, as ho was responsible
to his customer for safe custody of his goods. [Mr.
Mitchell.—" Do you propose any alteration with regard to
the removal of goods from one floor to another ?"] The
practice at present coincided with the recommendation of
the committee. They recommended delivery orders, but a
book that was kept answered all purposes. (Hear.) The
next subject was that of passengers' luggage. The com-
mittee recommended the examination of all the luggage on
board. He (Mr. Wilson) had taken a great deal of pains
upon this subject, and arrangements had already been
made which might be. regarded as an earnest of the desire
there was to give every facility and accommodation to pas-
sengers. (Hear.) With regard to Liverpool, passengers
arriving from North America had their luggage examined
on board already ; but the case of vessels of that size, with
a great deal of room on deck, and comparatively few pas-
sengers, was very different from that of short steamers
running up the Thames at every hour. The only place on
the continent where he had found the luggage examined
on board was Antwerp, and gontlemenwho were in a hurry
to get a glimpse of the Rhino might think it a very great
accommodation, and contrast it with what they might deem
our clumsy method. But there was a dark side as well as
a bright one in these cases. Ho had more than once ar-
rived at Antwerp when it was wet, and found it most in-
convenient that the luggage was to be examined on deck in
the pouring rain. After experience of both he was rather
disposed to think the English plan the better of the two.
The steamers on the Thames arrived at all hours, and some
of the vessels were very small. Suppose the only examina-
tion was to be on board—and you could not have both
plans—the steam-boat proprietors would not go to the ex-
pense of providing examining-rooms, unless the practice
was to be carried out to a considerable extent, for excep-
tional cases they would not provide rooms. You must have
the one plan or the other. But passengers would not much
like to be roused in the night, in the winter, to have their
luggage examined between Gravesend and London. At
the same time, it was hard that a man should be hindered
from catching the first train, and perhaps detained over
Sunday. The Government proposed to take a middle
course, and to arrange that passengers having not more
than two packages might have them examined between
Gravesend and London if they pleased, and passengers hav-
ing
more might have at least a carpet-bag examined, but if
they contained any article liable to duty, they must go to
the Custom-house ; and where there was a large quantity
of luggage the present course would be pursued with re-
gard to it. With regard to Dover, arrangements had al-
ready been made for the night train, for examination in
London, and instructions had been given for every facility
that was possible. (Hear, here.) The next subject was
the hours of attendance. The committee thought the
hours might be from 7 to 5 during the six summer months
in the out-door department, subject to a break in the
middle of the day, and for in-doors from 8 to 4, a clerk
remaining till Bto clear out ships. A few years ago a gene-
ral regulation was made with regard to attendance at all
the Custom-houses, but it was found thatthe circumstances
and the business varied so much that one rule could
not be applied to all ports. In Hull, for example, the
men were at work in summer from six o'clock to six,
-witte -au Interval Skit brcak-fwab alma digger, Lark- thou
they lived close to their work, and the inconvenience of
those intervals was very In Liverpool the officers
lived at a greater distance, and different arrangement was
made, and so in London • but special arrangements were
made from time to time to suit the convenience of parti-
cular trades. The Commissioners of Customs had consulted,
the dock authorittes upon the subject, because the circum-
stances of the docks and Customs were very much the same
to the extent of a large class of deck business ; and the
London Dock Company stated, through their secretary,
that in their judgment the present hours wore adequate for
the purposes of business. On aparticular emergency there
was always an extension of the hours. If the attendance
was lengthened, the men in Liverpool and London must
either take a long interval in the middle of the day to go to
their homes at a distance, or they must resort to taverns,
which it was not desirable for officers to do. But direc-
tions had been given that every possible facility should be
afforded, and especially where merchants were willing to
pay for the expense of attendance for extra time ; and ar-
rangements had been made, whereby vessels could be
cleared 'out to a much later hour than heretofore. The
hours could not be extendedin the indiscriminate way that
was recommended without an addition to the salaries of a
large number of men - there were upwards of 10,000 per-
sons in the employment of the Customs. (Hear.) The
next topic—the most important of this whole range of to-
pics—was the simplification of entries of free goods. It had
been supposed that the repeal of Customs duties must
cause a great saving in the transaction of Customs and
Excise duties. When the soap duties should be repealed
there would be no more occasion for the offioera connected
with that department than the duties had never existed;
so with all Excise duties, audit was almost acanon in fiscal
regulations that when you touched an Excise duty you
should remove it altogether. (Hear, hear.) But, in the
case of Customs' duties you must remember thatfree goods
might be made the medium of smuggling. The committee
had recommended " that the ship's manifest and the report
of her consignee b 3 the sole entry required in the case of
free goods, and that a copy of them be sent to the landing-
waiter as his warrant." But a bale professing to contain
one thing might be the medium of conveying another ; a
barrel of potatoes might have tobacco in the middle of it.
A ship's manifest, which was but a list of the cargo, told
nothing, unless what it consisted of was stated ; there
might beamixed cargo, and a number of packages consigned
to order, and entered " contents unknown ;" and, if the
thing was discovered, no person came forward to own them.
To show the great danger that would be incurre I by such
regulation, lie should, withpermissionof the house, describe
a few cases in which smuggling had been attempted on an
extensive scale. A short time ago a large importation took
place into London of oil-seed cake—an article duty free.
It was imported in open baskets from Belgium. A Custom-
house officer (a judge of oil-cake), happened to pick up a
piece. Smelling it made him sneeze very much ; and, on
examining it, he found that it consisted of compressed
snuff in the centre, with two cakes of oil-cake on either
side. The agent came forward and gave the name of the
owner who had employed him, and stated that another
quantity of the same article had been passed at another
wharf. What came of that ?56 cwt. of oil-cake and 52
cwt. of snuff, on which the duty was 1,6661. There was a
case at Leith, in which the bill of lading was made out
in the name of Long—no such person being known—and in
which the Custom house officer, having received iaforina-
tion found a large quantity of tobacco at the bottom of 5
casks' of potatoes. It was asked what reward would be
given for information on the transaction ; and for some re-
ward which was offered the person who had not succeeded
in making a large sum by smuggling gave information to
the Custom-house officers, which led them to discover an
extensive system of fraud. The Government felt the neces-
sity of giving every facility for the admission of goods, but
would notand
theex t ;latdoo .
Ostend r t
butterl 1 e
venue
had become a favourite article of import. The anxiety to
interestsnd that
of facilityth ef fair at
rs
gat it to market was suet by every facility. A number of
cases of Ostend butter were landed from a steamer a
,few
days ago. The rolls were not weighed, but
coulTtedhiciinlcila
an officer with a piece of cleats wire probed ahro‘od
hon. member held tip
such as that he had in his hand (the
which for each
found to contain something hard. Each roll,
nwit a tin
one of them) full of tobacco, the duty on
case was 201. At Liverpool 32 tierces The dock company'
visions arrived in an Ameriean ship.
d them. When the
finding the goods in their way, cleare
and out came
tumbled to pieces,
,s of pro-
tierces were examined one
a large quanti have produce(
those tierces had passed,
ho
couridAt Glasgow, a sheet time
lading, and claimed the goods.
anded.
The rosin, which
*ty of tobacco. The owner never_ apipp).asre.lli if
ago, 120 barrels of rosin wer.eilstate,
and congealed, was
was run into barrels in a lieuis34.
ten being cut in two ; 120 barrels
were examined by one in .
se but from an intimation which was given to
brought in a solid form. tth country, where the barrels
officers they were led to follow the
they d. that, out of the 120 barrels, to-
baccough came to yield duties amounting to 0 5 31. A
e
enough twghoeeor
;tar' ssato4 :heus of ooffin
ds
large steamer arrived in the river in September last with
what purported to be rapeseed oil, which was passing as
free goods, whoa ono piece of a cask came out, be-
tweenaneaslelizeroduNtivdasstnuoffleedsswithtahntdooacct.o.
There The wduatsyanonte
the oil and the outside it was found that there was
smuggling to 'which he wished to advert. Th o • el.
acotoaf
sbsePß:coocelfOugue had arrived from Boulogne in the Thames
e City
some two months ego, an officer, going into
" Whose boots are these?" " They arcerme.isnineg”,
reapnldiedsatihde,
mate's room, found the chief-mate 1s • the
chief-
mate ; and the officer on looking into them them found. 49 watches
in the boot. The male was puttinc, on an article of dress
capable of holding a great many watches.t (It seemed to be
a bag, with a string for suspending it from the neck.)
When a person landed who might wear it, having appa-
rently a good large chest, there would be an end of the
matter. There was a case of a very serious nature to which
it was necessary to advert. and the more so as it had at-
tracted a great deal of notice, as.it was a case in which a
lad of the public press had been imposed on, and also as

it was a case in which persons who stood as high , • ,• • 'fj N
credit and reputation had been imposed on ant el*;.tt
wittingly the means of bringing charges of a n ,:q e ?feeVAI -7.. -e--7-1 -
kind and without the slightest foundation . I. e e; ._447„._ eeaerfee, 0
i
moat deserving officers. It was a case with wh n.,. ~,....., ~.yw p:::.-„,,,,, ~
would be acquainted as one purporting to be '-0-'s b7S:. ,:-7,,,,. FA-7i..; A
injury to a Mr. Marchand. Early last year t. • e,...,..1 .51e.c:-.1? /11
sioners of Customs had intimation that a very 1 e ~.X,T.'"„ ji--::--,2.%
of smuggling had been organised and was carried-. • \ le,„--7-:, - -.-
chairman said, " Ca general information I cannotlicefilete,, I c. (A rs i 7
us such information as shall lead to the detection of -the 7-A
parties engaged in an act of smuggling." Two or three
weeks after the same gentleman came with an intimation
that Mr. Marchand was so engaged; though his place of
business was in Red Lion-street, yet they pointed to a place
behind Bedford-row, near Jockey-fields, as a place where a
large quantity of smuggled property would be found. The
officers knocked at the door of the place pointed out, were
admitted by a lady, and when told their errand, no woman
charged with any crime could have better expressed indigna-
tion. She denied all knowledge of Marchand. The officers
searched the house in vain, and were about to leave, when,
one of them happening by chance to knock his heel against
the landing, observed that it sounded as if it were hollow.
He took up the carpet, and on a search found a quantity of
papers and no less than 11 cases of watches, to the value of
5,000/. A person came to the door at the time and the officer
asked whether his name was Marchand ? He replied in the
negative, but the officer afterwards recognised him, and he
was known to the commissioners as Mr. Marchand. The '
lady would not produce the key of the boxes. The officers
said " We will seal them up in your presence ; and to-mor-
row, if you or any one else will come, they will be opened
in your presence or in the other's, and the contents will be
carefully noted." A solicitor came for this person, whose
name was Miss Payne ; and the goods were scheduled. An
inquiry was commenced as to the property of those goods.
A correspondence, seized with them, showed that a very
large and extensively-organised system of smuggling existed
and that the steamboats between this country and the con-
tinent were made vehicles for smuggling. Letters from
Geneva, Boulogne and Paris spoke of " the man of Mon-
day," " the man of Tuesday,' and so on. Those goods,
according to law, must be claimed within a certain period
or forfeited to the Crown. No one appeared. Miss Payne
was prosecuted and imprisoned ; she expressed contrition
for having been engaged in this crime. The goods were
put up to public sale. . The foreman of Marchand came and
examined them ; Marchand did so himself ; but several
mo months after, when the case had been compromised for
2501., paid for Payne by this very man, he came with a pe-
titionpraying to have his goods returned. He stayed till
he was out of danger, till the case had been compromised.
The commissioners said they could not do anything. He
petitioned the Treasury. The case Was carefully examined
by the hon. gentleman opposite. The facts became known,
and he gave a very short reply to Marchand, that he had
nothing to do but to adhere to the decision of the Commis-
sioners of Customs. There was always a list of persons
who made application when a Government came into office.
The same appeal was made to the Treasury ; the same in-
quiry was made. Ho (Mr. Wilson) took pains to inquire
into all the circumstances ; and, on knowing the facts; he
had very little hesitation in returning the same answer as
his hon. friend opposite. Marcuana rote to Mr. Travers
e
who he regretted to think should have been imposed upon,,
and than whom none had inherited a higher commercial
name, or added a greater lustre to that name by the man-
ner in which he had conducted his business. Marchand
said, " Give me my books and papers back, and I will
prove everything." What were the facts ? The goods
were seized on the 10th of February. On the 12th his bill
book was returned ; every paper was returned in the early
part of March, and the receipt of his solicitor taken. That
was the foundation of all the imputations made against
the Custom-house officers—whom he trusted that, by his
statement of those circumstances, he had entirely excul-
pated. Among the
papers was a copy of a memorial which
Marchand had presented to the Customs ; and one of the
watches in the steamboat was traced as having been sold
by Marchand, and sent back to Geneva to be repaired—a
circumstance distinctly connecting Marchand with the
smuggling transaction. That case must show how care-
ful it was necessary to be in dealing with the question of
free goods. One great advantage anticipated from reduc-
ing duties on raw materials was, that facilities would be
given for trade ; but the plan which the Government pro-
posed was not one recommended by the committee. With
respect to free goods introduced as free goods, it was ar-
ranged that a separate room, as 'distinct from the long-
room, should be opened, so that on the arrival of a ship no
time should be lost in making the entry. [Mr. Mitchell
inquired what was to be done with free goods outwards?]
With respect to the entry of free goods outwards, the com-
mittee proposed that the bill of lading should be sent with
the information required. If there were no goods in regard
to which you did not require bond or give drawback, you
might allow vessels to sail with the entry suggested ; but
seeing that every cargo contained one or both descriptions
of goods, it was clear that the Custom-house officers must
have cognisance of everything in regard to the discharge
and the sailing, and clearances of such ships. With respect
to the codification of the present Acts of Parliament, hon.
members were probably not aware, that prior to 1825 the
number of acts relating to the Customs amounted to 1,500.
Perhaps ono of the most laborious and meritorious works
that were over performed by man was the reducing those
1,500 acts of Parliament into the compass of the small
volume he then held in his hand. That work was performed
by Mr. James Deacon Hume, and he believed that the very
book he then had before him was the one which Mr. Hos-
kisson produced to the house in the year 1825 as ono of the
greatest triumphs of human labour that he had ever heard
of. In alluding to that work, he might adduce it as fur-
nishing a remarkable example of the sound policy of the
present regulations established at the Customs-office with
regard to promotions. Tho principle there recognised was
that every public officer, in however humble a position,
ought to have the prospect of, sooner or later, rising to the
most prominent station provided he deserved it ; for Mr.
Hume entered the service in a very humble capacity, and
by merit was raised through the various grades until he
was selected to be Secretary to the Board of Trade. In
1836, under Mr. Poulett Thomson, that work was still fur-
ther reduced'; and in 1845 the whole of those 1,590 acts
were finally comprised in six acts of Parliament only. In-
structions had now been given to reduce those six acts into
one act—(hear, hear)—which would nevertheless include
every rule necessary to conduct the business of the Cus-
toms. The present solicitor to the Customs had undertaken
that work, and he had proceeded with it in a manner that
would do him great credit. He had discarded all technical
terms—(hear, hear)—using plain and simple language,
which any person who comprehended the English language
could not misunderstand. He (Mr. Wilson) hoped very
shortly to lay on the table of the house a bill containing
every law and regulation with regard to the Customs.
(Hear, hear.) And in order that no complaint should be
made as to any alterations that might from time to time bo
made, instructions had been given to the Custom-house
addedso n eall
ott f ion thees
verycontain act,gr e as
to
that
Commissioners that every month all new regulations that
might be made should be published ; and it was intended
(so wo understood) that every new regulation so made
should, a
eiantglteh the
act of
of
Parliament e v every year,
whichyas rh,e
should at
the whole of the Customs' regulations. He now came to
the subject of the outports,
importance. When the present constitution of the Board
of Customs was framed, and the present regulations were
laid down, a very different state of things with regard to
the outporis existed to what was now the case. In 1817
the amount of shipping in the port of Liverpool was only
700,161 tons, whereas in the year 1850 it amounted to
01t of London wa
3,786,000 1817tons.Ins2
1,t2h0,85 tonseBtonnage ; in 5
of shipping
it nginthe
pwas
3,280,000 tons, being 500,000 tons less than in the port of
Liverpool. In 1317 the tonnage of shipping in the port of
Hull was 208,703 tons ; iu 1850 it was 836,003 tons. In
1817, in the Clyde, the tonnage was 106,512 tons ; in 1850
it was 435,000 tons. In 1817, at Newcastle, the tonnage
was 264,030 tons; in 1850 it was 1,165,000 tons. In 1817,
at Southampton, the tonnage was 43,030 tons ; in 1850 it
was 299,000 tons ; and at Bristol the tonnage in 1817 was
108,851 tons, and in 1350 it was 217,00) tos. The total
exports in 1850 amounted to 71,300,0001. The value of
exports from Liverpool was 34,891,000/. ; from London,
14,137,000/. ; from Hull, 10,366,000/. ; from Glasgow and
the Clyde, 4,150,000/. ; making together 63,544,000/. ;
leaving the balance of 7,756,0)31. exported from the various
other ports of the k; ngdom. These facts showed that the
time had come when there must be a change in the organ-
isation of the Custom-house establishment. Circumstances
had totally altered since the time when London was almost
the only place of export, and seat of Custom-house autho-
rity.
In the early part of his speech he stated that it was
not the ii toation of the Government at the present time to
make any statement with regard to the reconstruction of
the Board of Customs, but that the subject was under con-
sideration. But this he might say, that, whatever recon-
struction might take place in regard to that board, he had
stated enough to show that the town of Liverpool must be
placed in such a position as that it should be able for its
merchants to have decided day by day all important ques-
tions that might arise under the Customs, whether by
means of a board or by any other form which it might be
consider ed necessary to establish. That was the decision
to which the Government hal arrived ; and, considering
that Liverpool was rapidly increasing in importance, they
felt they should net be justified iri postponing such An •
taerrmaewheanaietihiteieevfeenrefboreeme
daanyth o rTi shoed Ct oeme
xmtieses ido new;
existing
authority at Liverpool to adjudicate upon all cases not ex-
ceeding 1001. value, without requiring the parties to wait,
as they were now bliged to do, till the Boar'! of Customs
in London could bo appealed to. The inquiries
.sions was
were to be
conducted in open court, and a report of all decisions
dirocted to bo made weakly to the board in London,
for the purpose of presoi ring uniformity in practice.
The County Court of Liverpool would also be open
to those who wished to go to it in all cases limited to
the sum he had mentioned. The Government wore
now induced to extend this advantage to Liverpool
because it could not be denied that that town was be_c_ooniiiarl
the great coirniercial empeeimn of this country.i IS
t' ns of the
now gone tin ough the whole or the recoere
committee made no report, but
matter unon which the
t meant to make a change of
upon which the Co-:el-ninon
Ye alluded to the Isla of Man.
committee in regard to the Customs. Tihmercenlvhaswone small
considerable importance. .i.
When that island was purchased from the Duke of Atholl
rlent] arose
eee • e;ffieulties consee y on accounts of
corn ay 2
being afforded for smuggling. To obviate those
the Customs duties there was much lower than in this
fac:lities
difficulties should be granted
to particula
• e persons to impos t a limited number of arti-
cles it was arranged tint licenses
subject to duty. But applications wore constantly
being nand° to have those quantities increased. After con-
sulting with the Lieutenant-Governor, of the island, the
raise the
Ir.eafteerss
:nog.f , dvuetryy,
Commissioners of Customs had come to the conclusion
that it wovld be wise to enti-eely abolish the licensing sys-
nndPertnolitthiein importation taat t ibolnto
te,r.:
any extent whatever. He could not conclude his observa-
tions
which had been cast upon the shortly,'
L melon. He
would
mon., Custom-house authorities in
asktan a remarkable fact .He
would the house to consider the vast increase of labour
which had been imposed upon the Custom-house officers in
a few years. In 1832 the exports and imports amounted
to 82,1:3,003/. Now the senor at of business to be done
by the Custom-house officers might bo measured by the
amount of imports and exports. What, then, was the
amount of imports and exports in 1852 ? Instead of
82,030,000/. it was 187,003,c001. The shipping in and out
in 1832 was 5,603,000 tons ; in 1852 it was 16,000,000
tons. Then, by what number of men was this work per-
formed ? In 1832 there were 10,770 men employed ; in
1852, notwithstanding the increase of business, there were
only 10,863 men employed. He would ask whether, in
fairness, this great increase of labour ought not to be taken
into consideration. The cost of collection and manage-
ment in 1832 was 1,376,060/. ; the cost of collection in
1852, notwithstanding the shipping had increased from
5,600,030 tons to 1'6,009,000 tons, was only 1,268,0001.,
being less than in the year 1832, although three times the
amount of duty had to be performed by the same number
of men. These were cac's,s which ought to be borne in min i
whoa persons complained of the conduct of Custom-house
officers. The object ho had in making this statement, and
of laying these papers before the house, was that the gi eat-
est possible facility should be given to the house and the
country to understand what were the intentions of s the
Government upon this subjecform to alt. Ho should tak P t
1 the eut Porta of
forward the papers iu proper

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