The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-23 00:00:00

s ij

~=~.~=.

i'-

\,O

Fdthe megi
v,6uhl show
he circum—
;her in his

amendment arise heVcjilit,s;er
sures would be prepared e 44
that Ministers desired tb-
stances. He could nn fl 5p% go/
promise.
Lord G. BENTINCK was not disposed to press the
amendment, because he was quite sure the Government
would do what was right. In his opinion it mattered
little whether the navigation laws were suspended at this
period or not. He thought an erroneous impression had
got abroad, that they had lost opportunities of importing
considerable quantities of corn from the United States of
America,' from the existence of the navigation laws and the
4s. duty, and that in this respect France had recently
had considerably the advantage over England. Now
this impression was certainly not borne out by the im-
portation returns of the United States of America from
the Ist of Sept. last till the 22d of Dec. The returns re-
lated to the ports of New York, New Orleans and Bos-
ton. Now the importations of corn from these ports to
France during the period he had named were 65,000
quarters of every description, while those to Great
Britain and Ireland amounted to no less than
526,000 quarters. He thought from that state-
ment the House and the country would see
that Ministers had committed no great crime against
the people of Ireland in not having exhibited
greater haste to suspend these laws.—(Hear, hear.)
He believed neither the navigation nor the corn laws
had anything to do with the exportsof grain to France and
Great Britain. Respecting the supply of corn for France
from Odessa, a very high authority am%ng the political
economists, the Economist newspaper said great ad-
vantages had been bestowed on France through
the operation of the navigation laws ; and that no less
than fifteen ships belonging to foreign nations, princi-
pally Neapolitan and Greek, were loading there
with cargoes of corn for Marseilles. The infor-
mation of the Economist on this subject, he
believed to be incorrect, as it appears the
names of some of the ships which were given,
were the Barbeck, the Hydriot, the Cleope, the Newton,
the Maria Theresa, and the Fire Fly ; and the last in
the list was the Dicky Sand—(Laughter)—names that
would indicate the vessels were More likely load-
ing for England than France.— (Cries of " Hear, hear.")
If he might be allowed to throw out a suggestion to the
Noble Lord, it was to extend the same principle to
British as to foreign vessels, as by this short Act British
ships would be left under a disadvantage, being
obliged to have three-fourths of their crew
British sailors. There were other restrictions that
should be removed. British shipowners complained that,
in competing with foreign shipowners, they were obliged
to take a certain number of apprentices. He would
suggest to his Noble Friend to take these matters into his
serious consideration, to place British shipowners on an
equal footing with foreign shipowners, and to suspend
all laws that operated to produce a difference as far as
it was possible for him to do so.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. DUNCAN considered that it would be impos-
sible that any vessel loading in the Black Sea in June
or July could reach this country in time to avoid the
infraction of the law; and merchants and shippers,
knowing the risk, would not adventure their capital.
Mr. MOFFATT thought that no harm would result
from the following out the suggestion of the Hon.
Member for Bridport.
Mr. EWART disclaimed the doetrime propounded
by the Hon. Member for Bath, that they should leave
the matter in the hands of the Government. Some means
should be adopted to allow the entrance of ships which
had taken in their cargoes before a certain fixed period.
Mr. MITCHELL wished to say a few words in
answer to some observations which fell from the Right
Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The
Right Hon. Gentleman reckoned the voyage from
Odessa at two months, under ordinary circumstances.
He (Mr. Mitchell) was aware that it was a three-aud-a-
half months voyage. He had not heard any satisfactory
argument against the course which he had proposed.
Mr. BROTHERTON thought the proposition [of
the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Bridport a
very reasonable one, and the principle it involved was
a fair one as it regarded those foreign arrivals.
Mr. COLLET'!'—One additional ,reason for agreeing
to the amendment would be that vessels arriving after the
day would be liable to a duty of four shillings.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it _ lBB

Majority -138
The remaining clauses were then agreed to, the
House resumed, and the Bill went through its remaining
stages.

SUPPLY.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EX-
CHEQUER, the House then resolved itself into a Com-
mittee of Supply pro formcl4..and a resolution was agreed
to, granting supplies fur the use of her Majesty.
The report was ordered to be brought up on Monday
next.

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.-SUGAR, MOLASSES,
AND RUM.

On the motion of the CHANCELLOR, of the EX-
CHEQUER, the House resolved itself into Committee to
consider the recommendations in her Majesty's Speech
with respect to temporarily suspending the penalties im-
posed on those using sugar and molasses in their
breweries and di2tilleries.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then
rose to bring forward the propositions of the Govern-
ment. He said he proposed now to state the measure
which her Majesty's Government had resolved to submit
to a Committee of the whole House with reference
to sugar, molasses, and rum. The House last night
and the preceding night seemed to entertain some
misapprehension as to the exact recommendations
in the Queen's Speech. He certainly thought
that no misapprehension could have existed in the
minds of Hon. Members with respect to these recom-
mendations, especially those having reference to the
temporary suspension of the corn and navigation laws
as the repeal of the duties on the corn-laws, lifter a limited
period, received the sanction of the House last session.
rhe navigation laws were those to which the greatest im-
portance attached, as, except under no ordinary circum-
stances, could a suspension of those laws take place with
safety. A similar remark might apply, with equal force
with respect to the measure which he was now about
to propose to the House ; but Hon. Gentlemen would
recollect what took place at the close of last session—
that the Government considered that further reductions
ought to be made.—(Hear, hear.) He, therefore, rose
in pursuance of the intentions entertained by her
Majesty's Government at the close of the last
session, for the express purpose of proposing a
further reduction of those duties which they considered,
at that period, ought to be modified.—(Cheers.) Mea-
sures of considerable importance were passed at the
close of last session, reducing much of the protection
which the West and East Indies had previously
enjoyed against foreign competition—a course, the
adoption of which, he thought, was calculated
to produce the greatest advantage to this country.
A reduction had been made in the duty on molasses,
ruin, and sugar, of from ls. 6d. to Is. In making
these reduction& consideration was had not only
to the public benefit, but also to the revenue. It
was -with a view to this point that measures had
been proposed last session. No one was more
fully alive to the advantages of what were called
the doctrines of free trade, but it was impossible to
apply it fully to all the different circumstances
that might arise. The produce from the Customs was
a million and a half. It was impossible to raise a con-
siderable portion of this without indirect taxation. It
might be in the recollection of Hon. Gentlemen,
in the statement that had been made on the sugar
duties, that the prospects for the ensuing year were not
very favourable. It was calculated that there would
be a deficiency of between 300,0001. and 400,000/.
Now, up to the present time the increase in the reve-
nue exceeded the most sanguine expectations. The
balance sheet showed a considerable increase. With
regard to the Customs duties there was an increase in
every article, except in those the duties on which were
remitted last session. There was a considerable increase
on sugar and corn. He was of opinion the present state
of the country was not such that they could not expect
the revenue to be much improved. The great want of
food, the high price to which it advanced, and the con-
sequent effects upon the population, should make all con-
siderations in regard to revenue to be put aside. It afforded
the Government, therefore, considerable satisfaction
to know that they had done all in their power to reduce
the price of corn, and to relieve this great pressure on
the people. In like manner the produce of the Excise
was considerable in this country. up to the 10th of
October last. The increase also in Ireland was con-
siderable, and the excess in that country was such as to
exceed what was considered the greatest powers of
consumption which it possessed. Since the 10th of
October, however, there had been a great change. The
Excise had fallen off considerably, and one might take
that as a forerunner of what might be shortly expected
in this country and in Scotland. The price of every
commodity was very high, and no other opinion
could be formed, but that this must
an
injurious effect upon the revenue of
activitythe weal
He did not anticipate that this commercial the revenue
be likely to continue so long aa. Under
long•to
o those eireum•
which had been already obtai j:coavuentry_.
upon
ndtihdo s
en ortesutlhtisnika •
nc
same results arise as his
againststanees no
the Governmentdefioiey which pwoasssiblylikeplyrovidteo
nor could the
occur,
had been submitted to the House,
predicted. He
thifiaedd i calculating u
whichothNhreeostbhtleaoetualisFdnurii:Ceeeosnnjdusisderation of the revenue he should suffer
these duties to be abolished. lie would now turn
to the measures which he intended to propose, and
the first subject was the request which had been
made by the brewers for sugar and molasses to
be used in breweries as well as in distilleries.
According to the present state of the law the use of
sugar and molasses was not prohibited, although there
was some difficulty in adopting it as a substitute for malt.
In the measures which he proposed to submit to the
House he was quite ready to allow the substitution
of sugar in breweries, for it mattered little
to the revenue which of the two substances was em-
ployed. The duty on a quarter 7ff malt was 21s. Bd.,
which quantity was considered equivalent to 1081bs.
of sugar, the duty upon which was 225. 6d.
He did not believe that sugar would displace
malt, because it would never be the interest of
the brewer to dispense with the use of malt, and
unless the price of malt rose to an extravagant
height, it was impossible that its consumption could
decrease
to any considerable degree. A large quantity
of sugar, no doubt, would be used in breweries to mix
with the liquor produced frominalt, and hence the opera-
tions of the brewer would be much facilitated, and
very likely extended. This must naturally lead to a
reduction in price, increased consumption, and thus tend
to prove to the interest and increase the trade of the
r leihal ic‘. Within the la,t h w w,(l, the pr7CO
1-:1.1.ri,y lima Ihial to a great o.tent, and the ra: -
1
suit was brewers suspended their malt opera-
tions, but shortly afterwards the
and.
of beer
was raised one penny per pot, and. tha eualnect.