The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-06 00:00:00

MORN IN G ED ITION

,---
ported into the place at or from whence such fishery 1 Hon. Gentleman come forward and show in what manner 1
is carried on, duty free, shall he repealed, except so tar they would be injurious, and he would do his best to re- 1
• 1
as regards the following articles (that is to say), bread, move his apprehensions; but it was impossible fur him to
flour, pork, beet, bacon, butter, lard, cheese, molasses, meet apprehensions so veggie and general as those that hay
( the produce of the British possessions), potatoes, oat-
I been adverted to. He thought it must have struck the
House bow much the Right Hon. Gentleman had eluded
meal, pot barley, Indian meal, peas, rice, salt, oak-staves, the argument which seemed to him (Mr. Labouchere) to
shingles, wood hoops, leather and leatherware, end all be the most convincing; he (Mr. Goulburn) had never
sorts of fishing craft and bait, fishermen's clothing and told them for what reason it was there existed these con.
hosiery, which shall be delivered duty free, for the use , trasts in our commercial system, that whereas we were sa-
of the fisheries, tisfied with light protections in our Eastern empire, on the
"6. That goods, the produce or manufacture of other hand we retained this obsolete and injurious system in
the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, or our West Indian and North American colonies.—( Hear.)
Sark, imported from such Islands, be admitted into the The onusprobandi lay upon those who asserted that there
British possessions in America upon the payment of the should be one provision for the East, and another for the
same duty us the like goods the produce or manufac-
West Indies. They ought to recollect, that now they
lure of the United Kingdom, or any of the said pot- were acting upon a more just principle, treating all alike,
there was no excuse for making those diffbrences between
sessions." the East and West Indies. He confessed that in arguing
The lion. Member said that having entered so fully the question of the admission of East India rum into this
into the subject on a former occasion, he should not oc- country, it was put strongly to him by the Hon. Member
cupy the House at any great length. He had made an for Sussex that it was unjust to give those equalities,
alteration in the amount of reduction since he first while they kept up the high prohibitory duties. The
brought the subject before the House. He hail then Right Hon. Gentleman had admitted that the measure he
proposed thet the ad valorent duties which were ( Mr. Labouchere) had brought forward was most import-
levied on the West Indian and North Ame-
ant to the West India interest. There could be no doubt
rican colonies, varying from 7 to 15, 20, andthat, he
all had
the
that that was the_ feet ; and,
a
~asa proof o
,1-f tfh
3l) per cent. should be reduced to two duties, own.l.evitt o
Indiastat that
agenhts, hadwith the exception of Tobago, ea_
ree memorial
namely, a duty of seven and a half per cent., and a duty
of ten per cent. ad valorem. In consequence of tepee pressing the high gratification they felt at the enure that
had beenpursued by the Government. Was this, he
setae ions which had since been made to him, he pr yosed . •
, would ask, nothing ?—was it nothing to conciliate those
to sub-titute one iniform duty of seven per cent. at/ veto- • •
important interests ?—( Hear, hear.) He thought this
rem ; thus placing those colonies upon the same foetieg as was not only a commercial, but a great political question
our Eastern posses-ions. He did not see why if the
system had worked well in the East, it should not work and there need be no apprehension of injuring their
own commercial interests by the adoption of these reso-
well a!so in the %lest Indies, and in British North Arne-
lutions ( Hear, ',ear ) The resolutions bad been printed
i
ries. It had heel strongly urged by gentlemen connected
with the West Indies, that important benefits would ac- far some
tme, and h e had not heard a sizzle complaint
aainst them. The manufacturers of the country, he was
crue from the proposed alteration. With re-poet to Tii- happy to say, had begun now to see that they were not
nidad, is particular, it was said that under a duty of seven protecting their manufactures by high prohibitory duties.
per cent., fore.gn goods would find their way into that The Hon. Gentleman had talked of the cotton manutae-
colony, and great facilities would be given to the trade tures. Was it, he would ask, to be supposed that they hal
between that island and the continent of South America ; anything to fear from taking off these high duties? But
and that cargoes of British and foreign goods would he
the Right Hon. Gentleman had stated that this was not
made up there to the great advantage of the trade in Bri-
merely a question of manufactures, but it also involvel a
ti h manufactures. It was also hoped that, in consc-
great shy it g question ;he admitted that, and he thought
anence of the high duties levied in the island (if St.
the House ought to look most carefully into the subject.
Thomas, a large portion of the trade now enjoyed by that
He had most anxiously looked to the effect the resolutions
colony, would be transferred to our islands under a more
were likely to have upon navigation, and he would venture
liberal system. Upon these representations being made to say that they would have a most beneficial effect. The
to hire, and not being able to see that the al ghtest
Right Hon. Gentleman had said that he epprehended
isture would be inflicted upon any British interest
great injury to the colonies of British North America by
whatev -, ho had no h, citation in complying with the sug-
slo in de t him to r .(u-e the duty from 10 percent. to the alterations proposed in the duties by the second rese-
lution. Now he (Mr. Labouchere) was satisfied that the
7 per cent. to the first instance he had thought the
alteration be here proposed would produce no such effects.
tine:lion whether it should be 10 per cent. or 7 per cent.
co 11,1 only elf iet the L. anti; trade, and it was chiefly with He was exceedingly surprised at the observations of the
Right Hon. Gentleman with reference to the resolution
vi.ow to teat trade that he had proposed the reduction.
he had proposed relative to tea. He had proposed that
Mr. G 0 UL BURN regretted that the subject had been tea should be admitted into Canada at a reduced duty from
brought forward when it could not possibly have a full
discustion, lie would shortly state to the House his America. He did this at the suggestion of Lord Sydenham,
views on one of the most important parts of the resolu-
and he believed if the system he proposed was adopt id, the
revenue for tea would be trebled in amount. Then as to the
tions. The resolulioes proposed affected not meri ly the
4th resolution, he thought the Right Hon. Gentleman had
isteres:s of the colonists, but of the whole mercantile
community of 'his country. As app:ied to the colonies acted a most ungrateful part with respect to that, because
h
alone, no ORC could deny that the measure would be ad_ he had introduced it at the suggestion of the Right Hon.
Gentleman himself. Then with regard to the fisheries,
vantegeous ; but they were bound to consider is ultinis te
the evil that now took place was, that the exemption now
consequences rather than the immediate advantage which
weal flow to the colonies which it was intended to Lenefir. enjoyed was made the means of a most extensive system
of smuggling, it was therefore necessary to adopt some
The form in which the Hon. Gentleman had proposed hls
remedy, and he thought he had done so by the resolution
motion, was not one which was calculated to give Oat full
information which it was expedient on such a soh gigs to he proposed on the subject. But the Right Hon. Gen-
lay before the public. The Hon. Gentleman had told Hemel had said that he had opened the deor so wide that
he felt no doubt it would be carried on as much as ever;
them that lie proposed to make r. ertain reductions, but he
had not stated to what articles that reduction would apply, he (Mr. L.) did not, however, think that such would be
He (Mr. Goulburn) would state to the House, that
the case, with the proper restrictions he intended to pre-
amongst those articles, about one hundred in num-
pose. The Right Hon. Gentleman had twitted hire with
her, which were admitted into the coion'es at
making alterations in the resolutions since be bad brought
them before the House. He admitted that he had done
a duty of thirty per cent., were leather, linen,
so, and he was not ashamed of that, as he beliewel those
and silk. He mentioned these to show the extent to which
sl!era.iens would be found to he greet improveme ,is. He
the measure would affect commercial interests. Cotton,
glass, soap, refined sugar, and other articles were admitted did not mean to say that these resoltuions bed met faith
at a duty of 20 per cent. ; hardware and a nu.nber of other approbation everywhere; but this he did believe, that no
resolutions were ever proposed in that House that had met
articles at 15 per cent. To all these it was preen: ei to
with such universal concurrence.—( Hear, bear ) The
apply a uniform duty of 7 per cent. The present system
strongest opposition h® had met with was from persons in
of dotes was of nu later date than 1833, when they were
enneutred in by Mr. Poulctt Thomson, then President
the provision trade in the South of Ireland. In conclu-
sion, he trusted that the Committee would adopt the re-
ef the Board of Trade. The House should have sonic-
thing more than a mere general statement before it con-
solutions he had proposed.
seated to so extensive an alteration. It was no trivial Mr. COLQUHOUN said that with many of the provi-
question, but one of vast importance. In the West Indies
sloes in the resolutions he entirely c -recurred ; but his ob-
to the last returns
alone the amount of duty aceordin jection to the measure of the Right Hon. Gentleman was
e was that by it he made promises, but he did not perform them.
two millions and a half, in North mAmerica three millions
and a half. The duties as hitherto levied had He did not think that by the resolutions the East and West
been found to answer all the purposes of the colon
India colonies were placed on the same footing, for the
There was another point which required explanation, be-
y.
same articles bore different duties. In the East Indies a
fore a,, pinion could be pronounced upon it. When
duty was imposed upon woollen manufactures of 2 per cent.,
e
and upon cotton manufactures of 3i per cent, whereas iir
these theists were imposed in the West Indies, duties of a
similar nature were imposed upon the produce of foreign the West Indies even under the proposed alteration there
w
countries into Great Britain. A duty was imposed upon would be a duty upon these manufactures of 7 per cent.
Linen, glass, silk, and leather were admitted into our East
leather, lioen, and cotton of 30 per cent. when im-
ported into the colonies, and of from 30 to 40 per cent. India possessions without any discriminating duty what-
when introduced into this country, and so of other arti-
ever ; upon these articles in the West Indies tbo resolu-
cles in proportion. If, then, the Right Hon, Gentleman tions imposed a discriminating of 7 per cent. The Hon.
proposed this measure as an experiment towards carr Gentleman, then Member for Wigan, in speaking of these
ying
resolutions had called it a system of free trade. He (Mr.
into effect a similar reduction of duties here, let the House
take into consideration the effect that it would have not Colquhoun) could not agree with the Hot,. Member in
e-
only upon domestic industry with regard to manufactures, that definition. It was, however, a very important and us
but with respect to the shipping also, by which these ma-
ful measure, and be trusted the House weuld be induced
to extend still further benefits to our colonial possessions.
nufactures were transferred. For unless we could show
to foreign countries that they could carry on their corn-
Mr. HUME said it was quite cheering to hear the
merce better in English ships, they would carry it on with speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman after that of the
their own shipping ; and, therefore, in addition to the less Hon. Gentleman the late Chancellor of the Exchequer,
of manufactures, we must make up our minds to sustain a He thought the Government were entitled to the grab..
diminution in tne number of those employed in the mer-
tude of she House for the measure which they had intro-
cantile marine of this country. He had addressed these duced. He agreed, however, with the Hon. Gentleman
observations to that which was the first resolution on the who had just addressed the House, that the measure did
table, but it would be more convenient to treat the other not go far enough. Many articles which were admitted
resolutions generally. free of duty into the East Indies were still subjected to a
Mr. LABOUCHERE said he thought it would be heavy duty in the West. He must say, he had been ex-
more convenient to discuss the resolutions separately. tremely surprised to hear the Member for the University
Mr. G 0 ULBO URN resumed. He thought they were
of Cambridge raising fears and alarms as to the result of
this measure. To show how unfounded were such fears,
so intimately connected, that they could not well he die_
cussed apart. The first resolution most materially ahe would state the result of those changes which had taken
affected he
in our commercial system in 1815, 1823, 1824, and
the industry and shipping of the country, and unless ex-
1820. The Hon. Gentleman had spoken of maintaining
plained, might lead to serious changes, and they certainly
the colonial principle. What was that principle ? It bad
required more information on the subject than they pot_ been that of exclusiveness and monopoly. One result of
seared at present. The second resolution affected another
that system bad been to give to Newfoundland a monopoly
almost as important subject as the trade between the
mother country and the c lonies, namely, the trade be- by which it was first exempted from all duty, and then a
duty of 2& per cent. was imposed upon all fish im-
tween our North American possessions and the West
ported into the West Indies. If they meant to deal
Indies. The Honourable Gentleman carried into this
with the West Indies as they were deag with the East
trade the same principles which he was about to apply to
the trade with foreign countries. He materially reduced Indies, they should let the colonists maintain their own
the duty on foreign commodities when brought into corn. customhouses. Upwards of 500,0001. a year was levied
petition with North American commodities in the West in the colonies under the British Custom-house officers,
Indies. Now, he (Mr. Goulburn) must say there never was not one farthing of which came to England ; and
a moment less fit for the discussion of such a question than yet it was proved that upwards of 140,0001. was
that. There were subjects which excited very sensitive paid annually by this country to maintain those
feelings in parties interested, and, considering the situation establishments. He advised his Hon. Friend the Chan-
in which Upper Canada was placed, he considered that it cellor of the Exchequer to consider what bad been the
would have been more prudent on general grounds to result of the partial relaxation of the old system. Let him
avoid any measure at the present moment that could give look at the change which had taken place since the re-
them an idea that their interests were likely to be injured moval of the monopoly in the Indian trade. The total
by the British Parliament, and more especially if it should annual value of the exports from Great &Rain' in the year
be supposed that the measure taken with respect to the 1814, was 1,874,000/. In the twelve years that Matted,
trade with the West India Colonies, was to be applied to under a comparative free trade, the exports increased to
their trade with Great Britain hereafter, and to affect the 3,499,0001. ; whilst in 1839, after the trade bad been thrown
great staple commodities in which the province dealt. He open, it had increased to 5,600,000/. In exact proportion
should have thought it sound policy to avoid every thing to the relief of the trade of that immense continent from
calculated to excite angry feelings, but we had taken the old monopoly, had the resources both of India and of
a moment to legislate on our Colonial inter- our own country been developed. He well recollected the
course when Canada had, in fact, no represen- shipowners attending the House for the purpose of opposing
tative Assembly, and we had not the means of the measures brought forward by the late Mr. Huskisson,
knowing their sentiments and feeling:, with respect to a which they did upon the ground that they were calculated
measure in which they were so deeply interested. He did to i. jure tbem. But what was the result? It was said
not undervalue the information and knowledge of the that the effect would be that the Americans would, in
Noble Lord who presided over the colony, but he thought twenty years, destroy the whole of our trade. Iu 1815, the
it would have been of the greatest importance to have commencement of the reciprocity with the United States,
and the first real step in free trade, the inward tonnage
kthnown, from the representative body in that colony, that
e measure about to be adopted was one which, if it did was 1,379,000. In the last year it was 3.101,000. In 1824
not give Mr. H tskis:on reduced the duty on raw silk to a low amount,
general satisfaction, would rot be violently ob-
jected to. For these reasons, therefore, he thought this and on thrown silk from 159.8 d. to rates vsrying from 3s. 6d.
was an unfortunate moment for bringing forward these re- to la- 6d. In the ten }ears preceding 1824, under the pro-
solutions. He could not but entertain a fear that this tective system, the average consumption of raw silk under
measure would be injurious to the trade which the North the protective system. was 1.940,000 bs. ; in
,tohoeo.tweNlvoet
American colonies at resent carried on with the West In. succeeding years 4,169 000, and in 1839 5 000
dies. Under the resent atem, the lumber trade of the onlyL so, but England had become an expo:l6g country.
West Indies with North Americait and the British pos- ast year she had exported 860,000105, of manufactured
sessions was as equally silk, 66.0001b5. of which had been sent to France ; and he
thought this resolution coulded as
possible, and he
y affect it iisju- felt sure that if the whole trade in the manufacture of silk
riously. The third and fourth onlresolutions referred to
If the
twhas ohnjeee,tthoef were thrown tipen, and a reasonable duty imposed, it would
Canada alone, and really the third resolution go on increasing,
. and our artisans find more steady employ..
.The same was true of linen, iron, and every other
policy of which he did not understand.
commodity on which the duty had been reduced. In every
the resolution was to remove the prohibitory dutiese at pre_ commodity
in which there had beaednia relaxation of the duty
noo linen.
sent imposed on the introduction of tea by law into Ca
' on imports the export trade h
nada, in such a manner as to render smuggling useless,
was the improvemet more remarkablemertoehydaettlion thwat
from the wisdom of that policy he did not dissent ; but
revenue,pArlol t
et
nh tei n
gdaundtdinetsyt.heoruelgfhtsthhontotoldpb ei
principle
peldeouo were
did the Hon. Gentleman's resolution mend the matter in
sucht
adopted tah indgui
in ya
this
forhi as
the Inset? He imposed a duty so large that so far from
mending the situation he aggravated it. The duty which
country, other countries would follow the example. It
was 'to be reembered that we had now a new populatio
he proposed to be maintained was a prohibition. The sys-
in our dominionshefi—the free black populayteiinondn
tem on which be ought to have proceeded was that adopted
step for their improvemera would be to
by Mr. Pitt, namely to lower the duty imported from lt,:ng..
hear.) T
land, so as to make it not an object of gain to the smuggler.
put the West andrst
ylnkdiineds.on
Heat teetateliret
Noble Lord the Seeretaer.r;:espftohleiricsettahttronoe
The Hon. Gentleman must show a strong case of the
customs duties of etavhseetr
impossibility of levying the duty in other colonies before
the consideration of
Colonies, whteosste enlightener) policy on colonial affairs did
he introduced the present principle. With regard to the
Nohleonour. ioHhe. heard,with
4th resolution respecting rum, there was no occasion for him the greatest
any observation. He bad little other observation to make the greatest
except that he wished the same degree of liberty bad been Pleasure, . Lord,. is. speech on the Newfound-
shown
land question the other night, intimate a desire to leave
to in the first resolution as in the last. With respect
to the trade in Canada, no man could object to give them the colonies to regulate their own affairs.--( Hear.) He
every advantage possessed by the mother country to pre-
hoped the Noble Lord would leave them to regulate their
vent their being made the channel of an illicit trade. -He own affairs in respect to customs duties and revenue.
wished now only briefly to sum up what he thought ini
portant for their consideration. First, whether o
rnot this (Hear.) He was sorry to have heard a Noble Lord in
the other House (Lord Ashburton) who had been in this
was not only the precursor of further and more
important House, who was one of the greatest advocates of frs Chair_trade,eeth
e
concessions. Secondly, Whether the House was prepared cast a most unfounded imputation on a Committee of the
for such a reduction on the hitherto large protective duties, House
and was of opinion that they could be safely abandoned to man.o
Ho
oChuamdmaponps, applied
df
tow htihceh
Nimob(leMLr.orlido til lo
e)
contradictWa
the extent to which it was proposed to abandon statement in an( ther place, and as that had not been done
them, without giving the to the exclusion of that
great part of our numerous manufactures wbich he thought it due to the Committee to state that the
He thoughtwhen the Huse they now consumed. charges made against it were not well founded. In con.
found the Government so uncertain as to hesitate at the elusion he hoped the Government world persevere in the
wise course of commercial pixy which tbcy had coin-
last moment between sumseso large as 10 per cent, arid 7 m.encre.u.
per cent. they should themselves hesitate before they,' eel.
Anether subject M BERRIES said it was not the object of Mr. Bus.
ceded to the Government proposition.kisson to destroy that system, but to ascertain the point
for their consideration was the moral effect these measuresm' to which duties might le lowered without removing the
would have upon the population of the North A protection.—(Hear, heir.) He thought that the Com.
American•
Colonies, especially in Canada, under the circumstances in mittee of Inquiry had collected a useful map of informa-
which that country was now placed. When, however the lion, for which they deserved thanks. But looking to the
Bill was before the House they should have before tleen short time in which that information had been collected,
the returns fer which be had moved, and be, as he hoped and that it is r ally ex parte and all on one side, he
better goalie, dto come to a right conclusion upon the seo: thought it was net to- be endured in this country that any
ject.—(Hear, hear.)
the
pshould be taken upon it without hearing evidence on
Mr. LABOUCHERE said be had listened to theother side. He had expected that there would be
tarm-
speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman with great satisf etll_e_,
r Committee appointed of a more enlarged constitu-
Coln, because he was satisfied that if a Gentleman of his i"" comprehending a greater variety of opinions. With
Ability -and' lontexer.respect to the opinions attributed to Mr. Huskisson he
must say that it was an injustice to that statesman to say
e had any more valid objections
to adVanee tothiseltritions than those which met every
attempt toliberalize t *-Zbal.
justice to hi
that he was an advocate for free trade, and it was an in-
. !ould bave stated the mercial system of thiscountry ,ate
.nl7
n(
rsHeeofa lrl: a
hear.)gue s o sayHi s that
Right t they e y
Honourable
lean
Friendliberal
-11Qtthertfoie help
thirsti,n2Yon the present occasion. He could ttiLan,uhee
the Right: Hon. Goat "Chat in listening to the speech of ,s, er s
he had heard all that was 10 he er.,,,5, „.d
~,,,,,,.e,.:,zdane
or Tamworth, and his other colleagues,
advanoheilairtst:ehe MI
of his men-ores; and he (Mr. i
. nr _
__: ass X 4anall.itions which he had the honour
tialtr.o7taebotgusz,i4TutiT,ntleman had said that iie !iint ''.p.l, . flees ;s -,, bi!,. iii(freti,,,,nr7 obt„es°.P)iuit'lnf. "tii,tl,2l,
accrue from `these,. resolutions. toHstowh had endeavoured aetnndoeaev%oi turtedr)atiod , eo- se ee• s Gs. e ;;ear, s se, r , ,
acquire every information en these points, and let any f-o'llo' wOl.[t''the s.;.ine PrinciPes, 'et's" it 'a;;;;cende "fcjo; 'hi s
i speech this evening he was resolved to do, that is, to re.