The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-26 00:00:00

EAST INDIA COMPANY.

Sir R. JENKINS rose to call the attention of the
House to the petition of the East India Company,
presented on the 11th of February, for the alteration
of the duties on articles of East India produce.
He should observe that the East India Company
was no longer a trading company, and that they appeared
on behalf of the population of India, to whom the
' British Legislature was bound to extend its care. If
the resources of India were not equal to its expenses,
there might be some reason why the interests of the
mother country should be preferred to those of
its inhabitants ; that, however, was not the case ;
but India was, on the contrary, a source of great
glory, wealth, and power to this country. The
annual remittances from it amounted to 3,000,0001.
sterling, for which, as there was no return, this sum
might be considered in the shape of a tribute
—not to mention the immense fortunes which
individuals bad made there.—(Hear.) He called
on the House in return for those benefits to protect the
interests, and to encourage the industry of the inhabi-
tants of India by every means consistent with justice to
others. The first article alluded to in the petition of
the East India Company was the article of sugar.
The duties on East and West Indian sugars had, in
1836, been equalized ; but at the same time the im-
portation of foreign sugar into the East Indies was
prohibited ; and the provision was imposed that her Ma-
jesty in Council should be satisfied that the importation
of foreign sugar was prohibited duly in the Presi-
dencies. Now it was of the necessity for that reference
to the Council that the Company complained. They
saw not the need, they felt the hardship of interposing
such delay in their trade. The very reference
itself provoked a contest, and it became a matter not of
fact, but of opinion. And India had not always proved
herself able to contend with conflicting interests, which
were more powerfully advocated at home. The Com-
pany wished to have the provisions of the 6th
and 7th William IV., giving certain exemp-
tions from this troublesome proceeding to the Presi-
dency of Bengal, extended to the whole of India.
All that the petitioners desired was that that confidence
which had been placed on some of the dependencies of
British India should be made general : two of the sub-
, jects to which the petition alluded were tobacco and
, spirits. The tobacco which castle from our American
colonies only paid a duty of 2s. 9d. per pound
while that which was imported from British India paid
3s. The petitioners, therefore, prayed that that article
coming from India, might be placed on the same footing,
as that which came from our American colonies.—
(Hear.) Then with respect to spirits—he alluded
principally to Ruin—whilst the imports from the
West Indian colonies paid Do. a gallon, those from
India paid 15s. a gallon. Now he did not see why
rum should not be admitted from India on the same
terms as it was from the West India colonies. The
petition also stated that whilst the cotton goods of this
country were exported to India at from 3ito 7 per cent.
the goods manufactured in that country were only
admitted into this on the payment of a duty
of from ten to twenty per cent. Then with
regard to silk, it was treated in the same man-
ner. In India, silk goods were subjected to a duty
of 3f and 7 per cent., while Indian silk goods were sub-
jected in this country to a duty of 20 per cent. He was
quite satisfied that this injury might be done away with
without prejudice to either the manufactures or the re-
venue of England. There was another article alluded to
in the petition, which at the present moment wasa subject
of peculiar interest in this country—he meant the lately
established culture of tea in Assam. He thought that
it would be good policy, and most advantageous to this
country, if protection and encouragement was given to
that culture.—( Hear, hear.) In time, no doubt, the
tea grown in Assam would be as good as that im-
ported from China, and he truste,l yet to see that a
very considerable proportion of the tea consumed in
this country would be the growth of India.—(Cheers.)
There was another point, also of very great interest.
A difficulty arose two or three years ago respecting the
importation of coffee from the kingdom of Mysore.
Upon the article of coffee the petition prayed
for an equalization of the duties, upon the
same principle as upon the atticle of sugar.
It being clear that Mysore and other States similarly
circumstanced were treated by the British Government
as British territories, induced British subjects to embark
their capital there, and much of the produce imported
from those countries was the result of their exertions.
The East Indies should be considered as British posses-
sions in every point that could lead to their benefit.
The natives should be entitled to the privileges of Bri-
tish subjects. Yet under the Navigation Act they were
excluded from the privileges of British seamen, though
negroes of the West Indies were not. A ship from India
could not, except under peculiar circumstances, come to
this country without British seamen, and could not leave
this country on her return without British seamen, who
thus had to be carried back as passengers. He had
thus gone into the general statements of the petition,
he trusted, without much tiring the House.—(Hear,
hekr.) The empire of England in India had been ac-
quired by this country under circumstances that made
it the wonder of the world. The natives of that
country looked to England for encouragement, protec-
tion, and assistance ; and when it was considered what
benefits we derived from them, surely it could not be
too much to ask that they should have full scope afforded
them for their industry, and every assistance for their en-
couragement. He felt convinced that the desirable results
prayed for by the petition could not be effected until
every enactment that interfered oppressively with
India was obliterated from the Statute Book.
The Honourable Baronet concluded by proposing
the resolutions of which he had given notice, the effect
of which was that the duties payable on East India
sugar, spirits, tobacco, silk, and cotton should be made
equal with the duty paid on similar goods from other
countries, and that the House should on Wednesday
the 4th of March resolve itself into a Committee of the
whole House to consider the dutiespayable on articles the
produce of British India, with theview of equalizing them.
Mr. HOGG seconded the motion. He felt a deep
consciousness of the importance of the present pies-
tion, and he also felt prompted to discharge
his duty by his strong feelings of gratitude and
attachment towards that country, where he
had passed the best days of his life. He know
well how little disposed Hon. Members were to submit
to the 'Action of an Indian debate. There was none
of that party feeling involved in it which commanded
the attention of the House, or afforded an expectation
that the great leaders would take any part in
the discussion there were no watchful con-
stituents to note those who were absent,
or canvass the votes of those who were present. It was
a mere detail of grievances long existing and patiently
endured, urged perhaps by the feeblest portion of the
House on behalf of millions, who exercised no influ•
encs in their councils.—(Hear, hear, hear.) The
day had passed by when India might be regarded
as wholly separate and distinct in its political and
commercial relations from the rest of the empire. No
man seeking to take a part in public life, could now
look upon India as a country fitted only for the sphere of