The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-15 00:00:00

FOREIGN TRADE OF THE COUNTRY

REPORT.
(Continued from Yesterday': Sux.)
RAMSGATE IIARBOUtt.
Your Committee next directed their inquiry to Ramsgate
Harbour, and the dues collected for sapport of it, which are of
an amount sufficient to press heavily upon the shipping and
commerce of the country ; and which have been a cause of
serious complaint on the part of British and foreign shipowners,
nor in the opinion of your Committee, without justice : the
charge is made on all ships above a certain tonnage, that
may pass, whether to the east or west side of the Sand, al.
though many by their size and draught of water are precluded
from entering the harbour; and a practice has prevailed in re-
gard to foreign ships, of exacting a payment upon ships ca.
pahle of entering, at a rate amounting to double that on Bri-
tish ships of the same description, and upon those which are
unable to enter, about 4001. per cent. more, both prospectively
and retrospectively. The management of Ramsgate harbour
has, by several Acts of Parliament (continued and enlarged by
the 55th Geo, 111. c. 74), been placed under trustees, from
whom a Committee of Direction is chosen, consisting of the
chairman and deputy chairman for the time being, with the
addition of the deputy master of the Trinity House ; these are
elected by ballot, at a general meeting of the trustees annually
held ; 3001. are taken annually from the funds, and divided
amongst the members of the Committee, by whom the busi-
ness is done. The trustees hold an annual meeting at Rams-
gate, where a building for that purpose has been erected.
In London, a house is also provided for the monthly meet-
ings of the Committee, where a permanent establishment is
kept up. The rates established by act of Parliament are, upon
British ships passing the harbour, three-pence per ton, if tin-
der 300 tons; one penny per ton, if above 300 tons; and, 'if
laden, the owners are authorized by the act to receive the amount
payable for the voyage from the proprietors of the cargo. The
rates upon foreign vessels, whether passing to the eastward or
to the westward of the Goodwin Sand, are sixpence per ton, if
under 300 tons; and four-pence per ton, if above 300 tons;
which dues have been, till-lately, collected from foreign vessels
passing from foreign port to foreign port, prospectively and re-
trospectively. But since the subject has been under inquiry,
your Committee have been informed that orders have been
given for this practice to be discontinued, which they mention
with satisfaction, from having reason to believe that a subject
of great dissatisfaction will thereby be removed.
Under the Act of the 32 Geo. 111. c. 74, and 37 Geo. 111.
c. 89., masters of foreign ships arriving with cargoes for a
British port, are authorised to reimburse themselves from the
consignees or proprietor. The rates payable under the Act
were three-pence per ton ; but the Act of 55 Geo. 111., which
augmented the rate to sixpence per ton, is silent as to the re-
covery from the owners of the cargo ; so that the rate by that
Act is raised 100 per cent., and the right of reimbursement
from the cargo no longer expressly continued. By the same
Act, the trustees have a discretionary power of lowering the
rates, and the monies collected are directed to be applied to-
wards enlarging, building, finishing, maintaining, supporting,
and improving the harbour, and in defraying all other expences
which shall be incurred in carrying the act into execution.
Your Committee have already adverted to the exaction of a
duty from vessels for the support of the harbour, which, under
no circumstances, they are capable of entering.
The preamble to one of the Acts before mentioned assigns,as
the reason for imposing a rate upon vessels of this description,
that, as the harbour provides shelter for small vessels, it will
have the effect of affording more room for ships to ride in the
Downs ; and it cannot be denied, that to a certain extent, this
benefit is derived from it ; when a gale of wind sets in from
the south-west, and is of any continuance, the number of ships
which collect in the Downs is said to be occasionally very

great, and, at certain seasons, becomes such as to render the
anchorage unsafe- In such cases, vessels of a moderate size
seek shelter in Ramsgate harbour, and, so far, the larger ships
receive advantage. But, whatever the advantages may be, they
do not appear to your Committee equivalent to the heavy bur-
den entailed upon the shipping by which they are purchased,
and they therefore submit to the consideration •of the House
the expediency of discontinuing the rate upon all ships beyond
the tonnage which the harbour is capable of admitting., namely,
of 300 tons, and upwards, the amount of rates on which; ac-
cording to the return for the year 1820, is about 2,8001. per ann.
The imposition of a duty, to which the act has subjected all
ships that, in the course of navigation from foreign port to foreign
port, must unavoidably pass Ramsgate, but do not approach
it, whether passing to the eastward or the westward of Good-
win Sands, is very questionable. It could never be intended
that a foreign ship sailing from Rotterdam to Calais should be
liable to the Ramsgate harbour clues ; these, however, are
claimed, and form a subject of complaint, in the opinion of
your Committee so reasonable, that it ought to be removed.
The sums which have at various times been expended on
Ramsgate harbour are stated to amount to no less than
1,500,0001. ; and it appears from the evidence of Mr. Rennie,
that although he estimates the amount required to complete the
works at about 52,0001., he is of opinion that it is not unlikely
150,000/. may he required for that ,purpose. Your Committee
do not question the accommodatitin.the harbour has the means
of afrording to shipping of a particular class ; but they are not
of opinion that any increase of the harbour will be attended with
additional adVantage to the shipping, and that some limit ought
to be imposed on the receipts to prevent any further increase,
and to enforce economy, that the trade may not continue to be
burdened, either in point of time or amount, beyond what abso-
lute necessity demands, consistently with certain expences on
works and repairs to be incurred. Your Committee have consi-
dered whether all the shipping may not, to a certain extent,
be immediately relieved. The trustees have a power under
the seventh section of the 55th George 111, c. 74, of raising
monies upon the credit of the rates, to the extent of 50,0001.,
the repayment to be secured by mortgage thereof. The esti-
mate by Mr. Rennie, of the sum required to complete the works
amounts to 52,000/. ; and it appears in evidence, that if no
more than the present number of workmen are employed, it
will take about seven years to finish them. Your Committee
are of opinion that such of the repairs as are considered to be
absolutely necessary, ought for the accommodation of the pub-
lic to be completed with every possible despatch, and that per-
sons should immediately he contracted with by public tender to
execute the works to be performed within a given time, to be
done under the general superintendence of the engineer. That
the trustees should raise in the manner authorized by the act
the necessary funds for that purpose, by which they would be
enabled at once to discontinue the rates on ships above 300 tons,
and to equalize the duties on foreign ships with those on Bri-
tish ships, and reduce the rates upon all vessels bound to or
from foreign ports.
The amount of the annual revenues of the trust is about
20,0001. per annum, arising from rates and permanent capital ;
and the charges of the establishment, according to the evidence
of the Chairman of the Committee of management, 26 per cent.,
rather more than one fourth of the total receipts ; which ap-
pears to your Committee a very heavy charge, and susceptible
of considerable reduction.
Out of the receipts 2001. are annually paid to the corpora-
tion of Sandwich. On the subject of this payment, there is
some conflicting evidence; on the one hand it is stated that the
harbour of Ramsgate is rather an advantage than a detriment
to the port of Sandwich ; on the other, that considerable injury
is sustained from it, for which the sum in question is no more
than a fair compensation. It appears that the payment was
originally established in the year 1748, and was founded upon
a report of a Committee of the House of Commons, in conse-
quence of a petition from the town of Sandwich. Your Com.
mittee not having before them sufficient evidence to come to a
satisfactory conclusion in respect to this charge, do not feel it
incumbent upon them at present to tecommend the discontinu,
ance of it.
Having examined the accounts of revenue and expenditure
produced to them, your ComMittee beg to submit a calculation,
formed upon an estimated reduction in the rates, &c., which,
in relieving the shipping, will, as they believe, provide a suffi-
cient fund for the establishment and contingencies.
The number of tons of British shipping under 300
tons register, which, according to the returns
made in 1820, passed Ramsgate harbour, are
816,733 tons, which, at 1 Ad. per ton, proposed
rate, being one-half less than the present, will
yield - £5,10411 8
Number of tons of foreign shipping under 300 tons,
which passed Ramsgate harbour during the like
period, 154,897 tons, at the reduced rate lid. per
ton 968 2 1
Colliers, 307,881 tons, at lid, per ton - 1,924 5 2
Vessels laden with stone, 15,353 tons, at 1 idper ton 96 0 0

.4.:8092 18 1I
Interest on 5,000/. :1 per cent. capital stock, it being
proposed to appropriate 15,0001. of the whole, say
20,0001. towards the monies required for com-
pleting the repairs, leaving 5,0001. as a reserve
Rents at Ramsgate of houses, &c.
Average receipts for rental of dock and store-
houses

150 0 0
193 10 0

Total •
CHARGES.
Commission collecting the harbour
dues, say 5,0001. At 5 per cent. - 250 0 0
As at some places the expense of col-
lecting is greater than at others,
and 4,500/. at 2i per cent. • 110 10 0

£8,786

£360 10 0

Money to be borrowed upon security
of rates, to complete the works, say
38,0001. at 4 per cent., the residue,
12,0001., being taken from the
present capital - 1,520 0 a
Allowance to Trustees, annual 300 0 0
Ditto to Corporation of Sandwich, do. 200 0 0
Establishment in Ramsgate, as per
account - 1,000 0 0
Ditto, in London, ditto 730 0 0
Office rents, &c. - 350 0 0
Mr. Rennie, Engineer, permanent 200 0 0
salary
Mr. Gott, Deputy Engineer, resid-
ing at Ramsgate
Present actual allowance to master
masons and carpenters, who may
be continued to superintend and
look over the works to be executed
Allowance for excavating and clean-
ing the harbour annually, which
it is presumed when the sluices
are completed, may be reduced
materially
Housekeeper at Ramsgate
Warehousekeeper ditto, which office
appears to be overpaid .
Sundry charges, account, postage,
small expences

200 0 0

380 0 0

- 400 0 0
50 0 0

100 0 0

100 0' 0

0 0

5,890 10 0

Surplus to meet contingencies, and to pay off the
monies borrowed, exclusive of the reductions
the Trustees may be ahle to make in the esta-
blishment - - 2,895 18
Add, amount of difference of rate on ships of Fo-
reign States, which will continue to be collect-
ed until British ships shall be placed in such
countries upon the same footing in respect to
charges as their own, 154,897 tons, at lid. per
ton, to be charged only one way. The charge
on all ships above 300 tons, as recommended,
being abandoned

968 2

Total surplus, at reduced rates £3,864, 1 0
In addition to the surplus, it may be stated, that in conse-
quence of the reduction in the rates, the number of vessels that
will frequent Ramsgate harbour will be materially increased,
and the efore probably rather exceed than fall short
of the estimate. In concluding, your Committee beg to repeat
a suggestion offered in a former part of their Report, that, with
a view to the accommodation of the Made, the collection of all
the rates may be consolidated, and that the Trustees should
authorize the collection of the dues payable in London by the
Trinity Corporation, at their office on Tower hill ; a commis-
sion of two and a half per cent, being allowed the Corporation
for the trouble of collecting them.
(To be concluded in our next.]

Ma. EDITOII,—As a return to Paper Cur-
rency has been represented as a matter wholly
impracticable, as attended with infinitely greater
disadvantages, and subjected to much greater
objections than a perseverance in the change o f
system under which the Nation is now groaning,
and may be fairly considered as approaching to
utter disorganization, it may not be amiss to en-
quire into those comparative disadvantages, and
place matters in a just point of view before the
Public. in the first place, it is said that the one
is at the best but an artificial currency ; the
other, the Metallic, the more sane and sure mu.
as a medium of exchange between country and
country and individual with individual. This
must of necessity be granted ; but from the mo-
ment that Mr. Pitt was necessitated to change the
currency frOm metal to paper, from that instant

it became artificial, and by that, and that alone,
did he raise funds for carrying on the war, sub-
sidizing Allies, and in the end concluding that
war with ho-nour and advantage to his country.—
During the whole of its continuance, England
was never subjected to any material loss or in-
convenience,. whilst, without the assistance of
that currency it could not have been supported
for a single year. The arch-Tyrant of Europe
must, had his reign been prolonged, have con-
tinued so to this hour ; and the whole of the
European Continent subjected to the despotism
of France-. Heavy taxes were imposed, and
quietly submitted to through the means alone of
that currency, which is now deemed so perni-
cious, nor was the weight of them felt as oppres-
sive whilst the power of paying them was ren-
dered easy by the application of those means.
Had that gi-eat Minister lived to this time
could he have heard his system so unjustly de-
cried, with any degree of patience, or have suf.,
fered a debt of upwards of 600 millions incurred
under it to fall with oppressive and ruinous
weight, on an already over-taxed kingdom ? It
scarcely needed such penetration, as he possessed
to have perceived the injustice and impracticability
of such a change of system, or such political pru-
dence as his, to have counteracted it by all the
means in his power. He would have seen at a
single glance the utter incompatibility of low
prices and high taxation, and not have uselessly
endeavoured to render one consistent with the
other. He could have seen that, the moment
metallic was substituted for paper currency, an
addition of 30 per cent. was made on all our taxes,
and never have given his sanction to so evidently
ruinous an attempt. So much for the exclusive
expediency and propriety of the measure; ano-
ther objection lies on the score of our manufac-
turers, who, it is said, cannot sustain higher
prices than the present; to which the plain and
obvious answer is, that they must be content
to pay the prices at which the cultivator of
the land can afford to sell at, and it would be far
preferable in a national point of view, that 10 or
420,000 of them should be thrown out of work,
and compelled to take up the plough, the spade,
and the hoe, than that a million or two, or per-
haps double or treble that number, of sturdy cul-
tivators, should be forced into foreign countries,
or reduced to parochial assistance in this. A. man
of that description, it has been repeatedly and
truly said, cannot be converted into a manufac-
turer ; the loom, the shuttle, and the spindle,
would be wholly useless in his hands, whilst
every manufacturer could be soon taught to ma-
nage the plough, the spade, the cart, and every
implement of husbandry. But such necessity
looks only to the worser and more desperate side
of the question, as it does not seem probable
that any such would be imposed upon them, a
fair reduction of manufacturers profits would
probably be the sole consequence, whereas the
continuance of the present system, involving the
whole landed property of the kingdom in inevi-
table ruin, deprives those manufacturers of their
home-market, greatly more than equal to all
foreign markets inclusive, and consequently acts
greatly more to their disadvantage than a com-
pulsion to pay such a price for their provisions
as the British cultivator can afford to sell

them at. A further objection derives from the
course of exchange, which they say would be
materially effected by a recourse to the paper
system. This objection may carry with it some
weight, but none comparatively with a conti-
nuance in the present absolutely ruinous system,
for why should that difference be greater now
than it was for upwards of the last twenty years,
and what loss or even what inconvenience was
then felt from it ? Did not our commerce and
manufactures flourish, and was not plenty and
happiness diffused through the land, whilst that
artificial currency was continued in all its trans-
actions external and internal, public and private,
throughout the kingdom ? What at the worst is
a depreciation-of 30r4 or 5 per cent. to the po-
verty, the misery, and wretchedness now stalking
with giant steps through every part of the land ?
It is further said, that the consumers greatly ex-
ceeding the producers, a Minister adopting any
measure tending to enhance prices, would imme-
diately become unpopular, and be borne down by
the general outcry ; but even this consideration
would have little weight with a wise and magna-
nimous Minister who, seeing and feeling the ne-
cessity of a measure, should look only to ulti-
timate consequences, regardless of idle and un-
founded popular clamour : what he sees for the
substantial benefit of the nation, he should wisely
and magnanimously adopt and steadily pursue,
looking only to the salvation of a state which he
has undertaken to govern, with honour to himself
and ultimate advantage to the general community.
Ezehurst Park. , J. S.