The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-08 00:00:00

THE SUN,
_LONDON,_ SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 8, !818.

BRITISH PLANTATION.

From and after July 5, 1848, to
July 5, 1854, inclusive.
.C. s. d.
Double Refined, &c. 1 1 0
Single Refined ... 0 18 8
Muscovado 0 14 0
Molasses 0 5 3
FOREIGN.
From July 5, 1848, From
to July 5, 1845. July 5, 1854.
s. d.
Double Refined, 1 7 9

Single itt tined ... 1 4 8
Same rates
Browu Ulayed, or equal
thereto ... ... 1 1 7 as British
,Muscovado ... ... 018 6 Plantation.
Molasses ... ... 0 6 11

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that, as it was the duty on Muscovado sugar which was
under the consideration of the Committee, the first di-
vision must be taken on the question whether that duty
should be I3s. or 14s. as proposed in the scheme of the
Hon. Member, The Hon. Member proposed, in the
first place, to raise the duty on foreign brown clayed
sugar to 11. Is. 7d., instead of leaving it at 20e., as
proposed by the Government. He proposed to main-
tain that duty for six years, and to main British Mus-
covado at 14s. for the same period, instead of allowing
it to fall 'gradually. But he did not confine his foreign
duty to brown clayed, for he added in his schedule
"or equal thereto." The Honourable Member con•
tended that the process of classification would be
rendered more simple, but he (the Chancellor of the
Exchequer) contended that nothing could be plainer than
the mode adopted at present. The effect of the first
part of the Hon. Member's resolution would be to raise
the price. of sugar le. 7d. per cwt. to the consumer,
and would give less protection to the producer than the
Government proposition. Next the Hon. Member pro-
posed that his duty should continue for six years, and
then drop all at once. Surely the effect on trade would
be greater by such a proceeding than if the Committee
adopted the plan of Government. The third objection was,
that the duty on colonial sugars would be 14s. instead of
13e. as prOposed by Government; and this, while from
every island complaints were coming that the high duty
was one of the greatest evils of which the colonists com-
plained. (The Right Hon. Gentleman here read an extract
trots a Jamaica memorial in proof of his assertion.)
They (the Government) proposed to give to the con-
sumer security for permanet classification and gradual
reduction in price, while, as they conceived, the colonists
would have greater virtual protection. This would in-
volve a loss to the revenue of 240,0001. in the first in-
stance, and the question was whether it would be ultimately
made up by increased consumption. The beneficial action
of the low price on the revenue would not be confined to
the year in which the reduction took place, but would be
permanent, inasmuch as the habit of consuming sugar
would be promoted by the power of the people to consume.
Taking the average consumption now at 351 b. per head,
and giving credit for a reasonable increase consequent
upon improved trade and additional employment, of which
there was every prospect, he saw no reason why the total
consumption should not amount to 305,000 or 310,000
tons in the next year; and should that be the case, and
if the chief increase should be in colonial sugar, the loss
to the revenue would be much less than had been calcu-
lated. Perhaps there would be no loss at all. At all
events, at the end of the six years, he had every reason
to believe the increased consumption would fully make
up for the total reduction proposed. But an increase of
duty, while it would inflict an injury on the consumer,
would in the end occasion a loss to the producer. He
did not think that a 14s. duty would give to the colonial
grower equal advantages to those which he would derive
from the Government plan; and believing that that plan
would, without ultimate risk to the revenue, benefit both
the consumer and the producer, he must oppose the pro-
position of the Hon. Gentleman.
Mr. GLADSTONE said, that he should . give his
vote for the motion of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Barklv)
in favour of a duty of 14s, on colonial sugar. While he
did so, however, he could not help stating to the House,
that he did not conceive that any addition to protec-
tional duties would have the least effect in bettering the
present deplorable condition of the colonies. While he
confessed that he did not quarrel with the purposes for
, which the grant now proposed was to be given, namely,
that of emigration, he was at the same time of opinion
that the most effectual mode of benefiting those colo-
nies would be to give the holders of the property in
them a grant, which would enable them to promote and
further the purposes of agriculture. Should the money
now proposed be given away in that way, he should nut
be averse to the plan proposed by the Government, but
he was certain that if no relief was given to these colo-
nies, other than that which was proposed by the pre-
sent measure, thcse colonies would be reduced to the ut-
most ruin. It was not a protections! duty that would
rescue those colonies from the deplorable state in which
they were at present.--(Hear, hear.) What he con-
ceived to be the most important part of the question,
was the duty on Muscovado sugar of 14s, as ,proposed
by his lion. Friend. He conceived that the West
Indies were entitled to that protection which his Hon.
Friend demanded tor them, and white the Right Hon.
Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer had said,
that the rea-on why the Government bad proposed the
present course of a yearly and gradual reduction of the
duty on sugar, the produce of these colonies, was that
these colonies should bo prepared to withstand
the competition which would ensue after the
expiring of this four years sliding-scale, so far
from agreeing with him, he thought that the
adoption of such a system would have the worst
possible effect. The Right Hon. Gentleman had said
that the present measure would set the question of sugar
at rest; but while the fact was, that no later than yes-
terday thirty thousand tons of foreign sugar were ad-
witted, no doubt to the exclusion of their own colonial

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