The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-03 00:00:00

prehension expressed by the West India interest
could rest, that it an equalization of the duties on
East and West India rum were to take place, they
themselves would suffer great loss, while the state of
the
rum market would be altogether altered. He now
came to that part of the subject which had excited the
apprehensions of many who were ready to adroit, that
if they could be certain that the rum imported from the
East Indies would be really rum, the West Indians
would have no right to complain ; but they were ap-
prehensive, that under the name of rum, a cheap spirit,
distilled from rice, flavoured with rum, would be im-
ported, to the great detriment, not only of the West
India colonists, but also of the English distillers; and
some of the gentlemen representing the West India
interest, but, he was happy to say, however, without any
great success, had endeavoured to enlist the Eest
India distillers in opposition to this measure.
Now he thought that if any gentleman looked atten-
tively to this question he would at once perceive that a
more idle bugbear had never been set up than this
attempt. In the first place, the measure he intended
proposirg did not refer to all spirit but exclusively to
rum, the produce of the sugar cane, and if the House
should approve of his resolution, he should take care
that in the Bill founded on it a provision should be
introduced that no rum should be admitted into this
country except upon a reisular certiticete of the
Revenue officers in the East Indies.—(Hear, hear.)
It was true the Queen had no 'Revenue. establishment
in the East Indies, but on consulting the Board of Cus-
toms on the subject, he was authorised to say, by the
Chairman of that Board, that he should have as much
confidence in a certificate brought to the Customs in
this country from the officer of the East India Com-
pany, as he would in the Custom-house establishment of
her Majesty. He thought, therefore, unless gentlemen
were prepared to sty that a certificate was worth
nothing, he should, by having that ecrtificetc, put an
effectual stop to the introduction of rice spirits, He
should also observe that this spirit would have to pay a
9s. duty, and it was not very likely that the distillers
and merchants would be greatly injured by such
spirits being brought to this country.— (Hear,
hear.) He had not received any representation
from the distilling interests of the country, that there
was the least fear of that happening which had been
supposed, namely, the ietroduction of cheap spirits to
the detriment of the West Indies. As he understood
it was not intended to discuss the present question on
the other side of the Ilouse that night, he did not
think it would be necessary to go fusilier ; a l he was
anxious to do was to stet,: the general grounds on which
he introduced the subject. His firm conviction was
that, unless it could be shown that they were ir,flictio;
great injury on the West Indies. which had not been
proved, there could be na objection to the measure.
lie could assure the House that if he thought he was
inflicting injury, he should be as anxious not to intro-
duce the measure, as he was now to introduce it.
There was now, he was happy to say, a feeling arising
in the population of the East Indies which, if this coun•
try cultivated, would be one of the strongest links of
connection between them and this country, but which,
if despised, would be attended tenth the worst eff. ets.
He was anxious that they should show that country
that wherever inequalities existed it was their pleasure and
delight to redress them. He was sure the House would
not so far desert its duty as to suppose. that it was not
bound to consider the interests of the Eta: Indies as
much as any other part of the country. He should he
sorry to see the House turn a deaf ear to the proposal
which, without doing injury to the West .ludies,
would confer great benefits on the East Indies.—.
(Hear, hear, hear.) The duty on spices and silks
required revision, but he would not express any opinion
upon that now ; but there was one subject upon which
he would just state the opinion of the Government.
He alluded to the trade between the Eastern Colonies
of Ceylon and Australia. That trade had been greatly
injured by discriminating duties. A Committee of the
House of Lords had recommended that those duties
should be equalised, and he must say that in that opi-
nion he cordially concurred, for it was not to be tole-
rated that the trade between the East Indies and those
countries should be put a stop to by such duties.
Was it not a measure of common justice and of obvious
good policy, as regarded C-Ilon, Australia, and the
East Indies, that this state of things should undergo an
alteration ? He was happy to state that it was in con-
templation, by an Order in Council, to put the duties
upon Indian produce and manufactures upon a more
equal footing. He would not trouble the House with
any further remarks on that occasion. He had pledged
himself to give the subject his attentive consideration ;
and having done his best to redeem that pledge, he would
now propose that on Monday next the House should go
into Committee on that part of the Act of Purliameut
relating to the duties on runs and sugar.
Mr. EWART said he would not go into this sub-
ject at any length, partly because his Rght Honourable
Friend bad deprecated discussion on that occasion,
and partly because these was a question pending before
the House that evening which might possibly disin•
cline many Hon. Members from giving that attention
to a commercial subject, which it was so well qualified
to command. But ha must express his regret at the
mode of supporting his motion which had been
adopted by the Honourable Gentleman. Ile thought
it quite unnecessary upon a measure founded
on the strictest justice to argue the question
as one which might possibly affect the West Indian
body, or weaken a monopoly which had been so long
maintained.—(Hear, hear.) The question was one of
justice ; it was not to be narrowed and circumscribed
into a West Indian question, or a question of any
monopoly whatever. He also regretted that the Hon.
Gentleman had not made his motion more extensive,
and taken in a greater range of commerce. The Report
to which he had alluded opened to him a wider field
than the one over which he had expatiated. There
was the question of extending the commerce in sugar,
which now came almost exclusively from Bengal ;
there was the question of allowing produce grown in
many of our East Indian possessions to be placed on
the same level with Bengal. Mysore, too, which ought
to be placed upon the seine footing. Those questions
might all have been referred to. He would, hoWever,
reserve any further observations which he might have
to make upon this subject, until the second reading of
the Bill. For the present he would content himself with
deprecating the course of narrowing this into a mere
West Indian question, and entreating the House, when
the subject came again before them, to make the
measure of relief as large and comprehensive as
the case required. The subject was one of a vast
importance, not only to the East Indies, but to Great
Britain herself, and to the commerce which bound the
two countries together.

Mr. GOULBURN said he had been very much
surprised at the motion then before the (louse, and,
considering everything which had occurred, the pub-
lished Report of the House of Lords, which was laid
upon the table of the House last Session, and the cir-
cumstance that, from the Committee of the House of
Commons which contained members of the Govern-
ment, there had not proceeded a single syllable in de-
rogation of the opinion of that Committee of the
House of Lords, he thought it was impossible for the
House to accede to the proposition before it. He (Mr.
Goulburn) thought it would be highly improper for the
House to embark in a discussion so large and impor-
tant in the absence of complete and full information.
He would not express any decided opinion at present,
but he should be prepared to state his opinion on some
future occasion.

Mr. HUME said that if the Right Honourable
Gentleman was surprised at what had been brought
forward he was taken by surprise, not because the pro-
, position was so extensive and vast but bscauge it was
I
so trifling.—( Hear, hear.) As far as it went he per-
fectly accorded with the measure, but it was only one
act of justice when many were required.—( Hear, hear.)
Not only the interests of India but the best resources
of England had been injured by the restrictions rhich
bad been suffered to remain so long upon commerce.
The vast powers of India to promote commerce, and to
increase .svealtla, we by our legislation had actually
limited and prevented. Indii had not had fair play ; on
the contrary she had been cramped and confined in the
exercise of those ample powers which she naturally
, possessed for the extension of her commerce. The reve •
nue of India had consequently suffered toso great a degree
that she teal scarcely able to meet her increased exp7n-
diture. If England had been benefited, it might be
' some excuse for this state of things ; but England had
herself teen a loser by C:ese restrictions. He had
therefore expected that the Hon. Gentleman would have
brought forward a mach more extensive measure than
was before the House. The Right Hon. Gentle Man
would find as much opposition to this paltry and trifling
amendment as if he had brought the whole question be-
fore the House. The time was come when all legisl a-
hit ion in relation to our commerce must be reconsidered.
He would only at present enter his protest against this
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larger measure, more suitable to the requirements of
the country and to the present state of India.
Mr. HOGG wished to say one or two words with
regard to the Committee referred to by the Honourable
Member for Gimbridge. That Committee was per.
vetted into a regular West Indian Committee.—
(Hear, hear.) There was no Report made. When he
proposed that they should make a Report, he was met
by the objection that they had not heard half the evi-
dence that could be adduced. It was said that witnesses
could be brought from almost every island in the West Its-
dies, and that it would be useless in the absence of such evi-
dence to m.ik,e a Report. With regard to the measure
proposed, as fa, as he (Mr. Hogg) was acquainted with
i the feelings of those connected with the East Indies, he
could safely say that it would be hailed with plea-
sure and received with the deepest gratitude. A
more extended measure might, and he hoped soon
would, be introduced into that House ; but the
great and crying evil in India was the question of rum ;
and he believed that the particular body with which he
was connected, and the Elst Indian interest, at largo,
would hail
.with great s,:ttiA.wt?on tli;.. useasf:re v,'Lici
had been propos,--Ni.
Sir JOHN HODHOUSE said he hoped that the 1