The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-04 00:00:00

TLIE WINE DUTIES BEDUUTION.

A. numerous and influential deputation waited upon
Viscount Palmerston at his residence in Piccadilly, yes-
terday, by appointment, on this subject. Amongst the
gentlemen present were—Mr. Benjamin Oliveira, M.P.,
Mr. John Macgregor, M.P., Mr. A. J. Otway, M.P.,
Mr. William Scholefield, M.P., Mr. W. H. G. Langton,
M.P.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Wm. White (pre.
sident), Henry Buxton, Charles Hackney, and Benjamin
Bamford (secretary), from the Anglo-French Free Trade
Association of the Staffordshire Potteries, also attended.
Mr. OLIVEIRA, M.P., who introduced the deputation,
referred to the various steps that had been taken upon
the question within the last few years. In 1852 a com-
mittee of the House of Commons was appointed to In-
vestigate the whole subject, as affecting revenue, moral
and social considerations, and international results.
That committee sat for seven Weeks, and collected a
vast amount of valuable information, proving, first, that
the existing duty was far too high, and prohibited the in-
troduction to this country of many excellent wines; that
a lower duty would promote a vastly increased consump-
tion, and in a very short time produce a much augmented
revenue. That the experiment of introducing the use of
wines amongst the humbler classes by retail was emi-
nently successful, and drunkenness from the excessive
use of spirits consequently diminished ; that a dimiuu-
tion of the import duty upon foreign wines would sti-
mulate the commercial relations between Great Britain
and the wine-growing countries of Europe, and lead to
more intimate and extended transactions to the obvious
advantage of all parties concerned ; and that a reciprocal
lowering of the tariff in those:countries would be the ulti-
mate, and not distant, result. Having formed these
conclusions, he brought the question under the conside-
ration of the House of Commons early in 1853, when
Mr. Gladstone, while admitting many of his arguments,
still thought the time inopportune, as he was effecting
many reductions in other atid up.re prtasing matters.
The motion was then withdrawn, aed again brought
forward early in the session of 1854, with a large amount
of fresh information, but the apprelmisioes then enter-
tained that war with Russia was inevitable, induced hint
not to debate the question. During last session he placed
a notice on the jourtals of the house, immediately that
the meeting of the Conferences at Vienna gave borne
hope of peace, and on vi-iting the present Chancellor of
the Exchequer, on the 20th March, he made use of the
folio wieg expressions :—" He (the Chancellor of the
Xxchequer) hoped that Mr. Oliveira's anticipations of the
result of the Vienna Conferences would be realised, and
then the question of the reduction of the wine duties
would be a subject for discussion." Upon a subse-
quent occasion, Mr. Gladstone, speaking in the House
of Commons, used the following words Un-
doubtedly there are some duties in our tariff
which partake in a limited degree of the principle Of
protection, but the hon. gentleman gave my right hon.
friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer bad advice when, ,
instead of selecting the articles best able to bear addi-
tional duties be entirely declined to discriminate, and
recommended my right hon. friend to take the wine duty,-
which is already the scandal of our tariff, and prohibits
nine-tenths of the wine of Europe." Towards the cud
of last session he (Mr. Oliveira) had a conversation with
his lordship upon the subject of his motion, when his
lordship admitted that it was one quite worthy of dis-
cussion. A treaty of peace having now been signed at
Paris, it appeared that the period was particularlyfavours
able to its consideration. From the close alliance which
the war had brought between France and Great Britain,
and the advances which the French Emperor had already
made in the principles of free trade, there was no doubt
that in both countries the prosecution of every measure
tending to strengthen that alliance would meet with •
universal approval. His convictions as to the policy
and wisdom of an early settlement of the question were
fortified and strengthened by the proofs he had that
under the present duty there was no perceptible increase
of revenue, that the public was imposed upon by the
substitution of adulterated wines at an extravagant
charge, and an important commercial interest was kept
in a state of suspense. His object in placing these facts
before him was, for the purpose of ascertaining how far
he, as the head of the Government, might think the sub-
jcct worthy of hie support, and whether there might not ,
be interests of sufficient magnitude involves.' in the quell'
tion to render it desirable to deal with it as a necessary
auxiliary to the Peace Conference in the extension of the
commercial and international transactions of the Euro'
pean Powers.
The objects of the deputation. were also strongly urged
by Mr. Ashworth, of Manchester, Alderman Copeland,'
the Mayors of Leeds and Bradford, Mr. Hadfield, and
several other gentlemen.

Lord PaLmiRSTON, in reply, said that there was no
reason to impress on him the general principles on which
they sought for the reduction of the duties in question.
c-mvinced as he was of the advantages of the trade.
Indeed, every man who had turned his attention to the
matter felt that duties ought only to be levied for the
purposes of revenue, and not in any degree for the pro'
tection of particular branches of trade ; but, while they
levied duties for the purposes of revenue, they should
take care that they did not do so in such a manner as to
cripple the industry of the country. Ile would add, tom
that most town who reflected on the;subj.ct, know that
commercial treaties, as far as they regulated national
tariffs, were frequently evaded. There bad been fro'
queutly an understanding between England and nonti•
nental countries that where they thought that We
charged too high a duty on some one of their product-,
we undertook to lower it on c3ndition of their rtTeivini
in return some of our products at a lower duty than .
hitherto. Such arrangements had never worked
well, as there were always local prtjniicea to 10*
terfere with them. The question of aduiteration wee

not a new one, for it had been notorious for a 104
time. His own grandfather, the Earl of Pembroke,
used to tell his own guests that he could onll
give them the assurance of his wine merchant with re
spect to the purity of his champagne, claret, and other
wines, but that for the port he could himself answer, se
he was the person who made it. He (Lord Palmerstoul
bad the receipt still in his possession, but he had to sal
that he should be very reluctant to try it. It was w
well known fact that there was never a good champagne
year i❑ France but there-was also-a good apple harvest
in Normandy. The question whether the duties were
too high, orwitrongly put on, bad engaged the attention
of Mr. Gladstone, and it was that gentleman's opinion
that there were a great many difficulties in the way of
their making an ad valorent duty, while that at present
►evied did not on an average amount to more than 25
per cent., or about is. per bottle ; and that could take,
little effect on the consumer. It could scarcely inter•
fee with the importation of the cheap wines, as it would
only raise their price from Is. 6d. to 2s. 6i. a bott'.e•
Now, suppose they were to reduce it one half, 61, was
so small in proportion to 55. or 6.4. a bottle paid for the
wine., or to the 2s. 6d. a bottle paid for the cheap ones,
that there would be a very small increase in the con'
sumption wbile the revenue would be very much re'
duced ; while as there was no such thing as a vacuum,
it was evident that even that partial increase in the Col-
sumption of wine would displaca some other beverage
at present in use, and from which considerable revenue
was derived.

The deputation having thanked his lordship for the
attention with which he had listened to the exgositios
of their views, retired.

COWES, ISLE OF WlGffT.-April 3.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LAUNCH OF ANOTHER STEAM GUN-BOAT.—Tile
core, of 232 tons, was launched from Messrs. White's
shipyard this morning. They have several others in a
very forward state.

TAE ROYAL REVlEW.—Sixteen ships of the line, WI
gun-boats, and a number of other ships are already as'
gambled inside the Wight. The number is daily in'
creasing, and, in another ten days, one of the most
powerful fleets ever seen will be assembled in these
waters.

NORTHWOOD CEMETERY.—It having been found ins'
possible to get the chapels erected by the Ist of may
next, the day fixed fur closing the burial ground at
West Cowes, application was made to the Privy Council
to extend the thee to the let of September, which bag
been done. The ground has been drained to a depth of
eight feet; the roads and paths are nearly complete, $J
is the boundary wall. The ground is four-aud-a half
acres in extent, the population about 6,000.