The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-24 00:00:00

EAST INDIA RUM BILL,

The Marquis of NV- NE, in moving the second
reading of this Bill, stated that it was a measure of some
irrportance; and, after stating the object of the Bill, said
the Committee which had been appointed on the subject
had presented a mass of important evidence exhibiting the
state of Indian produce and Indian commerce. It ap-
peared to him at that time, although be did not then think
it necessary to say so until he saw an opportunity of carry-
ing the view into effect, that the most advantageous mea-
sure of relief that could be given to the Indian cultiva-
tion, considering sugar as one of the most important arti-
cles of produce, would be, after reducing the duty on
sugar, to effect a corresponding diminution on rum. The
Committee undoubtedly, in the Report, expressed an opi-
nion that they were not prepared at that moment to
recommend such nn alteration to take place.
Ho was not himself the author of the words
so inserted in that Report, but he did not oppose
their introduction, because he was not at that time
prepared to propose any such measure to their Lordships.
He did not think, however, that the Noble Baron who
eras the Chairman of the Committee, at all intended they
should bar relief to the Indian cultivator. All the in..
quiries made by the Government, had tended to convince
the Government that there would be no danger whatever
of the introduction of rum, the produce of rice, or other
substance, by allowing the free introduction of rum the
produce of the sugar cane, and the date tree. The equa-
lisation of the duties on East and West Lelia sugars in
1836, had proved of essential benefit, not only to India but
also to England. Without troubling their Lordships with
details, he might state that the importation of sugar from
India in 1836, was only 50,000 cwts. ; in 1840 it bad risen
to 400,000 cwts., and had it not beer for such increased
importation from the East, the alarming rise which had
taken place in sugar during the last two or three years,
an 4 t`-,e most alarming decrease in its consumption in the
same period, would have been much greeter. It had
been thought necessary to facilitate the introduction of
rum, the produce of that most useful production of
nature—the date tree. He was not prepared to
state the respective quantities of sugar produced from the
cane, and the date, but he believed a very consid -rsble
portion of it was Vie produce of the latter, and it was
thought necessary to afford the same facility to its intro-
ducti in as to that the produce of the cane. The fin,l re-
gulations to be adopted by the Governor-General, and
sent to this country before bring acted upon, would effec-
tually prevent the introduction of a spirit produced from
rice or any other prohibited article. He would not take
tha' occasion to dwell upon the act of fairness, of justice,
and of liberality their Lordships were then called upon to
perform towards the natives of India, from whom they had
taken the most valuable branch of their industry and
trade. They had beet, the cause of actual depoppla:lon
in India by the extinction of their manufacture of muslin
by the introduction of our manufactured goods, and had
refused any adequate redress by refusing to take their pro-
ducts upon the same terms as the other colonies bound to
us by the same ties. There must remain a difference in
favour of the WeA Incites. Nature bad drawn a prraia-
neat line for their advantage mer those to whom, never-
thelese, we owed the same duties, and felt the same inte-
rest. The Noble Marquis then moved tho second reading
of the Bill.

Lord ASHBURTON rose, but was almost altogether
inaudible in the gallery. We understood the Noble Lord
to say that circumstances were in favour of the measure.
The only doubt was, whether, from recent events in the
West Indies, the altered condition of the population was
such as would admit of such a change ; but he took it for
gtantcd the Government had looked carefully into the
subject. lie wished to know whether it was the inte 1-
tiou of the Government to let in fot eien sugar also. There
were great apprehensions as to the intentien of the Go-
verment on this subject. He was the more induced to
refer to it in consequence of a Report of a Committee of
the other House of Parliament, which bad been commu-
nicated to their Lorships, and which had been circulated
through the country at the expense of certain persons who
had formed themselves into a society. This Committee
, but it did not sit until July. was appointed in May last
They summoned before them some three or four great
free-trade philosophers, some of whom were connected
with the Board of Trade, and who had made the most ex-
travagant, exaggerated, and absurd statements that could
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side ; and thus their proceedings were as
unfair and as absurd as could well be conceived. Their
proceedings were founded upon vague theories of free
trade. The Noble Lord was then understood to comment
upon the subj, cts comprised in the Report, and particu-
larly upon the opinions expressed respecting the Corn-
laws, and said that such theories, if carried into practice,
would completely overturn the principles upon which the
commercial wealth and greatness of this country was
founded, and introduce the wildest and most ruinous
changes. A strong opinion was expressed in the Report
with respect to the subject to which he had just alluded,
namely, that of letting in the sugar of the Brazils, and
other foreign sugar, at a considerable reduction of duty.
It was this circumstance which induced him to put the
question, which he would thank the Noble Marquis to
answer, respecting the intentions of the Government on
the subject.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, that although
his Noble Friend had an undoubted right to enter into any
statement of his opinions with respect to the Report of a
Committee of the other House of Parliament which had
sat last year, he was sure their Lordships would not ex-
pect him (the Marquis of Lansdowne) to enter into any
discussion as to the merits of the Report, or the great
variety of topics introduced into it, comprising, as it
did, almost all subjects connected with the revenue
and economy of the country, each of which would
require long and full consideration. He was aware
that the Committee had sat at a late period of the Session.
It was not a Committee proposed by the Government, but
one in which they acquisced. It had bestowed consider-
able attention on the subject, but circumstances made it
inconvenient for them to receive evidence which would
have been of a different nature to that which they should
have received. But at the same time he considered a
Committee extremely fitted to consider the subject. He
did not feel himself called upon to enter into any general
discussion upon that subject. He could assure his Noble
Friend that the Bill was totally disconnected with any
other measure, and did not grow out of the Report to
to which he alluded. The measure was proposed upon its
own merits, and was merely an accompaniment to the
measure of 1836, and, in order to give that measure full
effect, he was convinced their Lordships ought not to
hesitate in passing the Bill.
Lord ASHBURTON made a few observations that
were not heard in the gallery.
Lord MONTEAGLE rejoiced that the attention of
the House and the public had been drawn to the
Report on which the Noble Lord opposite (Lord
Ashburton) had observed. No doubt it was a very
popular argument to say that if taxation is reduced
tint revenue will be increased, but people out of doors
were very apt to take a one-sided view, and to say give
us a reduction, and take your chance of an increase of re_
venue. The extravagance of some of the suggestions that
had been made before that Committee were impediments
in the way of improvement. He would allude to one,
being the great question on which his Noble Friend bad
observed, the corn question. What was the evidence given
by some of those gentlemen on the subject of the protec-
tive duties on corn? It was that the existence of those
protective duties caused a charge upon thepeople of Eng_
land which was equal to twice the whole amount levied by
taxation for the treasury—namely, an annual amount of
100,000,0001. produced by those protective duties. He
was not a friend to the existing system of the. Corn_
laws, but he thought that those exaggerated views
/Mid rather defeat than further the object of those