The Sun.
London, England, 1823-03-20 00:00:00

WEST INDIA DUTIES.

Oeneral 31ON'is4OMERY presented a Petition from the
Planters, Merchants, and others, interested in the trade of the
island of Dominica, against the equalization of duties on West
and East India sugar. Mr. MANNING presented a Petition from the Council
and House of Assembly of the Island of St. Vincent, corn-
plaining of the distress under which their mercantile interests
laboured.

Mr. ELLIS said, that he had similar petitions to present
from the islands of Antigua, 13arbadoes, and Montserrat : they
ccnnplained of the distress which had fallen upon their trade,
and prayed that the House would equalize the duties upon
East and West India sugar.
The Barbadoes Petition was first brought np anti read : in
addition to the general complaint, it alluded to the impost upon
the island of the Ver rent. duties.
Mr. CREEVE . said, that it was important to find the
people of Barbadoes complaining of the heavy grievance of
the 4 psi cent. duties. It wac most slut:nein' to find, that
whilst the West India planters were complaining :of heavy
distress, they should be called upon to-maintain a fund of the
4.1 per cents., to be divided among persons of rank and sta.

tion in that House, and among their families in the country.
It was important to look to such a complaint.—(Hear, hear I)
Sir W. DE CP:SPIGNY hoped the prayer of the Peti-
tioners would be attended to : if it were not, a death-itlow
would be given to the colonial interests of thbi country.
Sir ISAAC COFFIN said, that he had served a good deal
in the West Indies during the last war, and could from his
own actual knowledge speak to the importance of the colo-
nial trade,as a-nursery for seamen for his Majesty's navy. The
House ought to be careful how they exposed such a trade to
destruction.

Sir. T. LETHBRIDGE said, that the colonial trade was of
the greatest importance to the country, and he was glad that
the Honourable Member who had given notice of a motion for
the equalization of the sugar duties, had postponed it until a
distant day—a day, he hoped, so distant as that there was no
prospect of its ever arriving. This subject was of great im.
portance to the home as well as the foreign trade. The whole
of the landed interest of this country was bound-to support the
colonial interests, and he hoped the attention of the Govern-
ment would be eventually roused to the importance of the sub-
ject.—(Hear
Mr. BENNET hoped the time would speedily come when
the whole subject would be fully discussed, and he hoped that
nothing would prevent his Hon. Friend (Mr. Whitmore) from
bringing on the motion of which he had given notice. The
subject was indeed singular; theinhabitants of the West India
Islands appeared to be nearly. ruined, and yet the revenue aris-
ing from them was gaing,on increasing at the same time. • 'hy
not look at the question. properly ? The only remedy to which
they ought to direct their attention was a reduction of taxes,
and not by any attempt to levy additional duties on oilier parties
who were equally entitled to protection. The Hon. Gent. con-
chided by repeating that the only effectual remedy tbr the evil
complained of was to be found in a large reduction of taxation,
s hich would occasion an increase of consumption.
Mr. WHITMORE rose for the purpose of declaring that no
consideration should induce him to abstain from bringing for-
ward the motion of which he had given notice at the time fixed
upon. He could assure the Hon. Baronet who had made an
allusion to him, that he was fully aware of the immence im-
portance of the subject to which his motion referred. A sub-
ject of greater importance could hardly come under the consi-
deration of the House. He desired only that the House would
not prejudge the question, but would look at it as not only af-
fecting the interests of the West India Colonies, but also those
of this Country, and of its Eastern Possessions.—(Hear
Mr. CREEVEY asked whether the Hon. Gentleman who
had presented the petition intended to move that it eiiould be
taken into consideration at a future period ? If he did not in.
tend to do so, he (Mr. Creevay) would make that part of the
petition which complained of the 4! per cent duties the subject
of a motion after the holydays.
Mr. ELMS replied, that he meant to content himself with
moving that the-petition do lie upon the table, and he printed.
The petition, upon the motion of the lion. Gentleman, was
ordered to lie upon the table, and to be printed.
'Mr. ELLIS then presented petitions of a similar natnrefrom
the respective Councils and Assemblies of the Islands of An.
tigua, Granada, and Montserrat.—They were ordered to be
printed.
Sir W. CONGREVE presented two petitions from the in-
habitants of Plymouth : one complaining of the Insolvent
Debtors' Act, and the other of the coal duties.

Mr. GItOSISET'r presented tt -petition from the Planters
and other inhabitants of the Island of St. Vincent, complain.
ing of distress. _ _ _

At the request of. Mr. H. G. BENNET, on the part of the
Member for Essex (Mr. Western), Lord For.xEsT ONE agreed
to postpone his motion for the appointment of' n Committee to
considtr the necessity of effecting an equitable adjustment of
contracts, from the lid of' April to the 14th of May.
Mr. H. G. BENNET, on behalf of the Member for Essex,
then postponed the motion relative to the resumption of cash
payments, from the 10th to the 23d of April.
Mr. SCOTT presented a petition from the traders of Reid-
port," complaining of the duties on coals.
Mr. M. URE presented a petition from the Council and
House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands, setting forth the dis-
tress of the planters, and praying for such relief' as the House
mieltindge it proper togrant.
eneral FERGUSSON presented a petition from the Pro-
prietors of Coal Mines, near the River Forth, In Scotland, corn.
plaining of the Tax upon Coals.
Mr. CHALONER presented a petition from the Traders of
the North Riding of 1 orkshire, against the Insolvent Debtors'
Act, and another of a similar nature from the Traders of
Wakefield.