The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-20 00:00:00

THE DUTY ON MOLASSES.

The views of Mr. Pease in proposing, in the House of
Commons on Friday last, that the duty on Molasses imported
from the \Vest Indies should be raised from nine shillings to
a duty of 243. per cwt., were evidently two-fold; he con-
tended that nine shillings per cwt. duty on Molasses was
insufficient, because the sugar mixed in the Molasses
very much exceeded the weight on which this duty was
computed—he argued that the Government was aware
of that fact. He had been told that, at the recommen-
dation of the Customs, about three years since, the Govern-
ment had directed Dr. Ure to test, by actual experiments, the
molasses contained in several hundred puncheons under deten-
tion; and the result showed in some instances 701 b. of sugar_
others 651 b., others 601 b., but in none so little as the proportion
estimated by the Gouernment, as the basis on which to com.
pute duty. With this information before the Board of Trade,
obtained by a disinterested party—proving, beyond the pos-
sibility of doubt, the evasion of duty—and against the remon-
strances of some of the sugar refiners, an order was sent to the
Customs by the Treasury to liberate the whole of the Mo-
lasses under detention. Extraerdinary as such a pro-
ceeding must appear to the public, yet it is a fact
which stands recorded on the Custom-house books. From
that period to this, all molasses have been entered for con-
sumption, without that strictness of investigation which the
case positively requires. The afore-named transaction hap-
pened in the port of London, where the officers are particu-
larly vigilant and zealous in the performance of their duty, and
where their numbers enable them to scrutinize closely, and to
see that the laws are obeyed ; had the like occurred in some of
the outports, where from bad economy the officers of the ens_
toms aro unduly diminished, it is easy to suppose the importation
would have been made without detection. To prevent this eva-
sion of duty was Mr. Pease's first object ; his second was to 'en-
able the Government to return on all the exported produce of
the refineries exactly the same amount per cwt. which is
paid as duty, and by taxing sweet in solution the same as
sweet in crystal, to prevent the exportation of molasses,
which had paid a 93. duty only, as a part or parcel of the
1121bs. of Muscovado sugar which had paid 245. per cwt.,
and to which amount the treacle from the latter would be,
clearly entitled as a drawback, provided the bounty of 439. 2,1.
on the cwt. of double refined sugar were reduced to 245. per
cwt. The consequence is, that Mr. Clay will have to propose
to restrict the refineries to the exportation of the treacle actually
resulting from the refinement of the raw sugar placed in their
hands by the Customs.
An average of the three experiments on British Plantation
sugar made by Dr. Ure, gives 17 lb. 10 oz. of treacle from
each cwt. of Muscovado, but as he had many difficulties to
contend against, it will be fair to suppose that part of the loss
he exhibits by dirt and waste, viz., 7 lb. 5 oz. each cwt. of
raw sugar, would have been saved, and would have been
classed under the head of treacle ; taking this saving at
2 lb. 5 oz. leaves 5 lb. for dirt—the treacle may therefore be
put at 20 lb. front 112 lb. of Muscovado sugar.

EAST INDIA HOUSE-(THIS DAY.)

A Quarterly General Court of the Proprietors of East India Stock
was held this day at the Company's House, in Leadenhall.street.

Sir JAMES L. LUSIIINGTON in the Chair.
The minutes of the last Court were read, and confirmed.

The CHAIRMAN acquainted the Court that the warrants for payment
of the dividends on the Company's Stock, would be ready for delivery on
Friday, the 6th of July next.

Mr. BURNIE brought up the report of the Committee on the bye-laws.
Sir C. Foanns complained of the Directors not having called the at-
tention of the Proprietors to the China Bill now before the House of
Commons, and the East India Labourers Bill, now before the House of
Lords.

The CHAIRMAN said neither of those Bills had as yet arrived at a stage
,hat would render such a proceeding necessary.
Mr. WIGRAM defended the course pursued by the Directors.

CHANCERY COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

SAUNDERS V. SMITH.

The further arguments in this appeal motion were proceeded with to-
day. The case came before the Court upon appeal from the decision of
his Honour the Vice-Chancellor refusing to grant an injunction restrain-
ing the defendant, Mr. Smith, from publishing the first Part of his
second volume of Cases in the Common Law Courts. The grounds on
which the injunction was sought were that the work was a pi racy on
the Term Reports published by the plaintiff.
The arguments had not concluded when we left.

VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)

EAMPSON V. SMITH.

The. arguments in this case were concluded to-day. This case came
before the Court, upon motion, for an injunction to restrain the defendant
from working a stcam.engine in the manner he bad done, since March
last, by which the plaintiff, who was a draper, in Princes-street, Soho,
was materially injured, in consequence of the smoke that came from
the chimney belonging to the engine.

His HoNoua granted the Injunction on the terms asked, upon the
understanding, that the parties might come on Friday to modify it.
His HoNourt rose shortly after one o'clock, and will not sit again till
Friday.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY•)

THE QUEEN V: DEAN AND OTHERS,

This was a prosecution at the instance of the Loon CHANCELLOR
against Thomas Dean, Abraham Slade, John George Ansdell and Maria
his wife, Win. Ansdell and Harriet his wife, and Mary Grant, for a
conspiracy, by which they had obtained 37,000/. out of the Court of
Chancery in a snit then pending relative to the will of a person named
Henry Isaac, who died about the year 1780, leaving two sons, Benjamin
and Joseph. The dispute arose as to the legitimacy of the sons of Joseph,
and the case has been very frequently before the Courts.
The Attorney• General, the SAicitor-General, Sir F. Pollock, and Mr.
Wightman, appeared for the prosecution. For the defendants, Sir W.
Follett, Mr. Erie, Br. Fitzroy Kelly, Mr. Crowder, Mr. Cockburn, Mr.
Butt and Mr. Halamb.

The ATTORNEY. GENERAL ,fter opening the case, said he should not