The Sun.
London, England, 1833-07-25 00:00:00

BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.

Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice that he should call the
attention of the House to-morrow to a breach of their
privileges committed by four of the Morninz Papers, by
the publication of their proceedings.—(Loud laughter. )
SUGAR REFINING.

Mr. CLAY, pursuant to notice, rose to submit a reso-
lution to the effect of admitting foreign sugar for refining
for exportation. The Hon. Member having stated that
he had hoped that the West India interest, in whose favour
the present mischievous monopoly was maintained, would
have, of their own accord, proposed a relaxation of that
monopoly, seeing that it had, without essentially benefit-
ting themselves, brought the sugar refining trade to the
verge of ruin, proceeded to sly that he would not deal in
idle declamation, but prove the terribly depressed condition
of the sugar-refining trade, by the irrefragable evidence
of facts. The restrictions at present imposed operated
very injuriously, both on the manufacture of refined sugar
and upon the export trade in that article. To show fur-
ther the injurious nature of the restrictions, he would read
a statement of the quantities of refined sugar exported
since the year 1815 : Cwt.
In 1816 the quantity exported was 584,1100
1817 697,000
1818 711,000
1819 520,000
1820
1821 frt.=
182° 374,000
408,000
1824 435,000
1825 359,000
18311 344,000
Showing a diminution since the year 1818 of more than
one-halt of the quantity of refined sugar exported. If they
inquired what were the circumstances attendant on this
gradual diminution of the exportation, they would find
that in 1815 the produce of the British plantations was
3,400,000 cwt. ; the home consumption being 2,500,000
cwt. Since that period, the produce of the British plan-
tations had risen to 3,900,000 cwt., and the home con-
sumption had risen to 3,500,000 cwt. It was also neces-
sary to say, that these were official returns ; so that the
real amount was not stated, the drawbacks on exportation
from this country, which were deducted in the calculation,
being nearly double the amount of the duty paid on the
importation. In the year 1827, great complaints being
made by the sugar refiners of their inability to continue
their manufacture for want of the raw material, Mr.
Huskisson took measures, which resulted in the issue of an
Order in Council, for its admission. In 1828, a Bill was
passed to the same effect, which 13111 was renewed in 1829.
The trade of the sugar refiners in consequence improved.
Cwt.
In 1827• the quantity of refined sugar exported was 409,000
18-28 456,000
1829 475,000
1830 607,000
The operation of the Bill terminated on the sth July,
1831, and the measure was not renewed. The consequence
was, there was a small falling off in the exportation of
the refined sugar in 1831 ; and in 1832 the quantity ex-
ported fell to 455,000 cwt. What had since occurred ?
In the first quarter of 1830, the quantity exported was
145,000 cwt. ; in the second quarter 150,000. In the
first quarter of the present year the quantity exported was
only 76,000 cwt., in the second quarter only 59,000,
making little more than 130,000 cwt. as the exportation
of half a year. It was clear, therefore, that the manu-
facture was nearly at the point of entire annihilation, and
unless some measures were adopted to relieve it, it must
sink into complete ruin. He had already stated the cir-
cumstances which rendered the official returns net entirely
to be depended upon ; but lie had from other sources rea-
son to believe the whole amount of sugar imported from
our colonies, including the Mauritius, in the year 1832,
had been 4,430,000 cwt. ; and the whole amount of home
consumption about 4,000,000 cwt. There was no reason
to doubt that the crop this year would fall of by at leiist
30.000 hhds. The result would he, the sugar refiners,
who refined for the foreign market would be under the ne-
cessity of entering in competition with the refiners fur home
consumption ; and eventually the whole of their capital
would be sacrificed, and a general distress overtake all the
branches of trade connected with them. It was quite
clear that, if the refiners could not refine for the foreign
market, they would be driven to compete with refiners
for the home market, and that the result would be the
ruin of all parties. He would state the effect which the
existing system had on the refiners of London.
In 1830 there were at work ..... 204 pans.
1831
1432 183
70
The state of the outports was equally distressing, In
Scotland a great many of the refineries were out of work.
In Liverpool not two-thirds of the refineries were at work.
In Bristol scarcely a half ; in Hull not two-thirds. In
fact, the whole trade might he considered as nearly at a
stand still. What must be the effect on numerous trades
connected with the manufactory in question he need
. scarcely mention. He had already presented to the House
petitions from the parties aggrieved. The sugar refineries
ha I formerly expended a sum between 600,0001. and
700,0001. a year on the trades connected with them.
\lore than 400,0001. of that expenditure were now with-
drawn, and misery pervaded every class of workmen. As
an illustration of the effect of this diminished expenditure,
he would state the comparative amount of the bills of a
builder of high character, who was much employed by the
sugar refiners.
In 1828 his billv.ad £ 7OO 0

1830
1830
1831
1832
1833, up to the present period 3 17

teth
He had been told by a master carpenter
trtiahiswhereas
lossh he
loyed 100 men,
he now employed only two ;
faomnnouenotyedemtop 15/. a day ; by a coopr,
and by a bricklayer, that having formerly employed forty
men, he now did not employ one. He was aware that
the subject was a dull one; but the House must feel that
it was of the highest importance.—(hear, hear.) There
was not only the misery of the pre,ent moment to be
the misery of
considered, but, unless relief were AGided,