The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-29 00:00:00

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THE S
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14 0 N) Ntz.9 NDA Ir V-214 IN' PR
1544

Mr. FRANKLAND moved a petition to the Legislature,
praying that it would adopt such measures as would esta-
blish, on a sure and permanent basis, the Art-Union of
London, and all other similarly constituted societies.
Mr Buss seconded it. _

The resolution was put and carried, like the others, with
only one dissentient.
The SECRETAItY then read the proposed petition to the
Houses of Lords and Commons. _ _ _

Mr:ANGLIO, sen., moved, and Mr. DAvIEs seconded the
adoption of the petition, which was agreed to.
HARDY suggested that artists should adopt some
means of,meeting each other more frequently.—(Cheers.)
If they could meet monthly it would be very desirable and
beneficial to all parties.
The SECRETARY promised to give the gentle Man a pros-
pectus of the Institute, which would afford all the facilities
he required.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman, who is to present
the petition to the Commons, and the Marquis of Lansdowne
to the Lords, and the meeting separated.

THE EXPRESS
H;Dl'i'lOii•

SUN OFFICE, Half-past Eight.

MPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
ntcAL OF LORD ELLENBOROUGIL

The Duke of WELLINGTON (in continuation from
our Third Edition) ' proceeded to say—He thought
he was justified again in. stigmatising as indiscreet
a line of conduct such as that adopted by. the
Court of Directors when they bad not the slightest
knoWledge. of-the nature of the instructions Which the
Governor-General received from the Home Government,
or indeed had no further notice of the private circum-
stances 'of the 'case than had either of the
Houses or Parliament, or the public, or the
world generally. He • should • say that the Court of Di-
rectors, •being in this state of ignorance, acted very
wrongly in depriving the Goiernment ofthe 'country of the
benefit'of the services of such an officer as Lord Ellenbo-
rough at this. moment. This was the first instance
they had of the exercise of this power by the Court of
Directors, and certainly a . dangerous power, it might
turn out to ,be ; for, he would ask their Lord-
ships, what would .have been the consequence if
the Court had chosen to issue such •an order dur-
ing the time whea those extensive operations
were carrying on againSt Gwalior ? Why that result
would be that the carrying out of them would be left to
some gentleman—a very -respectable gentleman he
might be, no doubt. connected with the Council, but
whe lacked experiencein that particular branch of the
Government in which his Noble Friend (LorA Ellen •
borough) ,was.so distinguished. He should again repeat
the word " indiscreet," and say that a more indiscreet
exercise of power than that of recalling the Governor-
General, he had never witnessed since the first time he
became connected with public affairs. (The Noble
Duke appeared, much excited at the close of his speech.)
Lord BROUGHAM wished to explain; that he had
never said he 'doubted the legality of the act of the Court
of Directors, in recalling the Governor-General, but he
fully concurred in what had fallen from the
Noble Duke opposite, with regard to. the in-
diScretion of_, their conduct—indeed he would have
almost inclined to go further'; for out of . the twenty-
four members, composing the Court. of Directors, only
three. were informed Of the nature of the instructions
given to the Governor-General, and they were bound by
oath not to reveal to their brother Directors what

those instructions were, yet the whole body
excepting three, acting in ignorance, adopted a measure
which alone could be justified by having the fullest know-
ledge of the whole bearings of the case.—(Hear, hear.)
He need say but little on this matter after what had
fallen from the Noble Duke who had just sat down—
one whose name was respected not alone ,in
India, but in every part of the known world, and whose
opinions carried that high respect with them to which
hi splendid achievment and high character entitled
thm.

opposite (the Duke of Wellington). He (the
( arquis of Clanricarde) thought it a most extraordi-
nary course for the Noble Duke to adopt, to rise up in
hi 4 place in that. House, and without giving the slightest
notice of his intention, to pronounce a ready censure
uppn the Court ofDirectors. He ( Harquis Clanricarde)
would ask what right had they, when they knew that the
Mist India Company possessed the power by
law of adopting the course they did to con-
demn them, without first examining into the matter
further, and affording them an opportunity of jus-
tqing themselves for the steps they took. He
II sh uld ask the Noble Duke if it were his intention
to ay upon the table the communication which passed
u n this subject between the Board of Control and the
Court of Direetors of the East India Company.
he Duke, of WELLINGTON—AIthough he was
unl ious to afford their Lordships every information yet h e
i.. th ught at the present momert it was not desirable to do so.
A uestion had been put to him by his Noble Friend
( rd Colchester), and in reply he said no more than
w at he considered it to be his duty, and nothing which
had fallen from the Noble Marquis opposite would induce
him to alter his opinion as to the indiscretion of the con-
dupt of the Court of Directors. •

-fiiieiiarciuis of NORMANBY was sorry the Noble
Mike opposite said that he would not lay upon the table
th papers referred to. He did not think such a course
was in accordance with the usual straightforward con-
duct of the Noble Duke, because otherwise the Court of
Directors would not have an opportunity of having a
faii
• trial.
pie Duke of WELLINGTON (as we could under-
stdo) said he thought he had a right to s peak his
ic timents, and he also should say that the conduct of
L d Ellenborough met with the entire approval of her
M jesty's Government.
ord CAMPBELL thought it was essential that the
Court of Directors should be allowed to exercise their
undoubted and legal right over the Governorship of
India, without' being unduly interfered with.
st he e.
ternord mattero lf Etd
Nir
roAr
api pte
gNd
h.
ampreasegnatiendst
tier a few words from the Duke of BUCCLEUCH,
at petitionhe p i sse
nfroms
ct hheaDp
eilss-,
Bi I.*
i
he Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a pe-
tit on from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses
of! Sunderland against the proposed duty on coal
im orted into London. In doing so, he said
he thought it most unfair to injure the interes,
of the large coal-owners and their numerous dependants
by imposing a tax for the purpose of such chime-
ric 1 objects as the embankment of the Thames.
ord WHARNCLIFFJ said the Government had
The Marquis of NORMANBY said he intended
no as yet decided upon imposing this tax.
this evening to move for a Committee to in-
of 1 the Board of Charities in Ireland. However, he
quire into regulation and application of the funds
would postpone his motion for a week. in order
th4t he might afford an opportunity to the Government
of taking the matter into their own hands.
After a few words from Lord CAMPBELL and the
LORD CHANCELLOR the Local Procsss Bill was read a
seqond time.
Their Lordships then Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
THE BUDGET. ,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (in .
continuation from our Third Edition) said—lt was
imposed also with another object—namely, with
a • view of giving relief to the commercial
interests of the country, by reducing the
amount of taxes upon a variety of articles, and
for the purpose of trying the experiment whether by
immediate reduction in certain duties you might not
bring round in a limited period the revenue to the
same amount as that which it was before the reduc-
tion took place. It was imposed, therefore, with the
double objeet of supplying, (hiring an' interval, the
previous deficiency of the regular revenue of the
country, and for giving time for the repealed
chides to recover, so as to ' be as pro-
ductive as before the reduction was effected;
with that view it was submitted by my
.Right Hon.
Friend to the House, and he stated his opinion, that if
that tax were continued for five years, it would have
the effect which he anticipated.—(Cries of " Three
years.") My Right Hon. I riend took it for a shorter
period.—(Laughter.) My Right Hon. Friend
indeed' = took it flir a shorter period for
three years—and he did so on this ground,
that if at the expiration of that period the
result which he had anticipated, to occur at the end
of five years should not occur, then the House would
have an opportunity of considering whether they
Would continue that impost for the same period,
or whether - they would take another mode of
supplying any deficiency which might exist.
I have no hesitation in Saying that, at the present
moment, I cannot form any eStimate of what those
reductions may be. When I look at the list of arti-
clei'in the tariff on which reductions of duty took
place, and at the increased consumption which has
taken place of those=when I find that only on five
has consumption decreased, 'while on all the rest con-
sumption has increased —I must-say, I 'entertain, very
sanguine feelings as to the ultimate success of the ex-
periment. 'But the House will be good enough to bear
in mindthat in somemainarticles--timber, I will espe-
cially mention on which a reduction of the
duty has taken place, that reduction . did not
come into operation until the Middle of last
year. ' The experiment, therefore; in these instances,
has not had a fair trial ; and I am not therefore pre-
pared to say what course ought hereafter to be pur-
sued in respect of them. In the course of the next
year the property-tax must necessarily come under.
the consideration of, the Hotise, and it will be tor.
it 1 to say What course it would pursue with
respect to the continuance or discontinuance
of that impost. Such being the circumstances, I think
it mustbe obvious to every one that I should not have
acted a becoming part if I had induced the Muse to
consent to a large reduction of duty, which
. might have had but one effect, namely, that
of hindering Parliament from coming to an
unfettered decision on the financial condition of the
_country intthe course of the-next year. It is, there-
fore, that I think this is not the period for the House

to entertain propositions for any reduction—for any I
considerable amount of reduction—of the taxation of
the country. But there is •another reason which,
independently of the property-tax, must have consi-
derable weight with the House in inducing it
to pursue the course which we now' recommend.
We have had, as the House is aware, a defi-
ciency of revenue as compared with expenditure,
for a series of years. That deficiency continued for
six successive years, and though for the present we
have mastered it, yet it should be recollected by the
House that we are still suffering from the conse-
quences of it. Those deficiencies had to be met either
by adding to the debt of the country, or by drawing
on the decreasing amount in the Exchequer, in a
way which it was not *safe for any country to do.
Why, Sir, when I addressed the House in the course
of the last year, the balances in the Exchequer were
under 1,000,0001. per month ; by the addi-
tion of the surplus of the revenue during
the present year, those balances had arisen to from
2,000,0001. to 2,400,0001. But when we had
a balance of only 1,000,000/. per month in the Ex-
chequer, what was the state of our account at the
Bank of England? We were obliged to borrow
2,700,000/. in anticipation of the revenue, while we
were at the same • time obliged to borrow
5,000,0001. more in deficiency bills, for the purpose
of paying the public creditor the sums which were
due to him. I think, therefore, that we can-
not act wisely for ourselves, or honourably
for the country, or, indeed, safely for its interests, if
we do not make some effort to return to such a state
of prosperity as will place the balances in the Ex-
chequer in a position that will enable it to liquidate
its payments to its creditors, and to bring the demands
of the Bank on account of these deficiency bills
within some limited compass ; or, at all events, to
render the Government so far independent of that
,assistance, that it may have at its disposal a con-
siderable ' portion of the sum required for its usual
quarterly expenditure. The present quarter of
the year is at all times one of great pres-
sure on the finances, In consequence of the payments
on account of the National Debt. We require larger
balances in the Exchequer, in order that we may act in-
dependent of the Bank to a certain degree, and conduet
the operations of the Government on the principle I
have just stated. Under these impressions, so strongly
do I feel the importance of this course, that even if there
had been no question involving 'the continuance of the
property-tax coming on in the.course of the next year,
I should not have thought• was acting the part of an
honest man or a conscientious :Minister, if I had fore-
borne to ask the House to apply the surplus of the pre-
sent year to the' augmentacion of the balances in the•
Exchequer. I trust, and indeed I feel confident,
that the House, acting on the principle which
guided it on a former occasion, will not hesi-
tate to comply with that request. I cannot
forget that when I brought forward the proposal for the
reduction of the Three and-a-Hal per Cents., the House
at once cordially concurred in the sentiment that we
should not relieve ourselves at the risk of hazarding
dangers to be incurred hereafter, or at the expense of
those who are to' come after us. And upon that prin-
ciple I now call upoa the House not to give themselves
temporary relief by a present remission,of taxation, but
to place the finances of the cdtintry upon a footing that
will enable it hereafter to follow the beht of its

inclinations, and give relief to its constituents
without endangering the credit of the country,
or risking its ability to meet the payments
it was bound to make.—(Cheers.) These are the rea-
sons which have induced me to resist the large demands
which have bee made upon us from vari-
ous quarters for a reduction of taxation. But
at the same time there are some articles on which
taxes are imposed, upon which either a partial or total
reduction of the duty may be made without much injury
to the revenue, but the removal of which may be calcu-
lated to give an impetus and improvement to
trade. I propose to 'submit to the House a
varlet, of articles, more or less of importance, in which
I think some reduction of the duty may be made. First,
with respect to those articles that will affect the Excise
revenue, I allude to a regulation with respect to the
article of glass. I have had an application made to me
to repeal the whole of the duties on that article,
but that lam not going to do.—( Hear, hear, and a
laugh.) That is not the course I am about to
pursue ; but there is one portion of the duty on glass
which I think I can satisfy the House may be repealed
without injury to the revenue, and the effect of which
would give facility to trade. I allude to the distinctive
duties on flint glass and bottle glass. Flint glass, at the
present moment, pays a duty of 2d., while bottle glass
pays only a: duty of three farthings ; each of those
articles, upon exportation, are entitled to
receive a drawback, nearly amounting to the
whole of the duty ; and, in order to put an end to
fraud, the law ena,cts.that no drawback shall be made
on flint-glass, unless its price is sd. a pound. Now
the fact is, that there have been great improvements made
in the manufacture of that article. AL.nrmanufacturers
could make flint-glass at less than sd. a pound ; and if
they did so, then they were deprived of their
drawback, added to which, when they go into the
market they have to compete with the foreigner, who,,
manufacturing' his glass at a less price, has the advan-
tage. There is another necessity why some alteration
should be made—there is great difficulty, so well is the
article manufactured, in discovering which is bottle glass
and which is flint glass, and when the claim for the draw-
back came, there were perpetual disputes as to the duty.
Under those circumstances, I am of opinion that it would
be, beneficial to remove the distinctive duty between flint
and bottle glass. The reduction will only amount to the
limited sum of 45,0001. a-year, but in the present year
it will be only 35,0001., as I propose that the reduction is
not to take place till the sth of July, by, which time
the manufacturers will have an opportunity to bond their
glass, and avoid the imposition of 'the duty. The duty
on bottle glass being three farthings, andon flintglass two
pence, I propose that the duty on both shall be left at
three farthings. There is another article subject to duty
to which lam desirous of calling the attention of the House.
with a view to its repeal—l mean the duty on the article
of vinegar.—(Great laughter.)- It might excite the
laughter or ridicule of Hon. Gentlemen who were not
quite aware of the bearing such articles had upon manu-
factures; but looking to these considerations, I cannot for-
bear dealing with them. Now, if Hon. Gentlemen read the
ninth report of the Excise Commissioners, they will see
that, so far back as the year 1834, the repeal of this
duty on vinegar was recommended.—(Hear.) The Com-
missioners stated that the produce of the duty in the last
year was 23,0001., for the due protection of which there
was a code of regulations under the 58th of George 111,
with regard to which they observed it was difficult to
concede on what ground it was necessary to provide for
the protection 6f so small an amount of duty by a series
of provisions of so complicated and extensive a nature.
The Act in question contained twenty-nine clauses,
the infringement of which was punished by
penalties varying from 100/. to 5001. The circumstance
of vinegar manu-
facturers would be much benefited by the repeal of the
being
so generally
by
rall aduties, as well as the benefit which the public derived
from anarticle
were all additional
useeyli ic u o printers,use and that
in favour of a repeal.of the duty. This was the opinion of
a gentleman who directed the excise in 1833 and 1834.
I may observe to the House, that vinegar only pays a
t oge whilst
duty when it is made by the manufacturer for sale; and
uctruer e r
a
therefore, as in the case of beer, the duty falls heavily
upon those who have not the means of making the arti-
cle for themselves, and are obliged to purchase it from
tt hh ee mms eal nve sfa
a er thexeseempwthofrocman
tmheakebuitlefon
that presses upon their poorer brethren. Thlr
revenue, in this respect, has but little increased,
since the period I have alluded to. It amounts to
25,000/., and is a tax which I think ought to be repealed.
Acids of a particular kind are essentially necessary in
many branches of manufacture, such as calico-printing,
for instance, and in order to give to the manufacturer
the advantage Of procuring those acids cheaply, the
law provided that pyroligneous acids in a crude,
impure, and unrectified state, should be made
without payment of duty at all. This concession
was intended for the - benefit of the manufacturer
At the time the concession, was made it was considered
a very considerable one,' because manufacturers used
pyroligneous acids in the state contemplated by the Act
of Parliament. But as the skill of the manufacturer

improved, those acids were produce& in an improved
state, which offered more advantages in their use than
if they were used in what he might call their Parliamen-
tary state.—(Laughter.) I will, however, allow one year
for the &alai...to get rid of the stock on hand.
The next subject is .one of considerable importance,
both as regards its consequences on the commerce of the
country, and the amount of revenue derived from it. I
propose to the House a considerable reduction upon the
duty on marine assurance. By making that reduc-
tion, we aro likely to produce an effect which is ad-
vantageous and appears attainable. To those who know
anything of marine insurance, it is obvious that it should
settle
,itself in Great Britain. Marine assurance re-
quires large capital on the part of those, who .conduct
it, and perfect confidence in their hotiour. If, therefore,
there be any country in the world in which I should say
marine 'insurance would flourish above any other coun-
try, it is Great Britain, possessing, as it does,
capital, integrity, and great extent of territory.
Yet, notwithstanding those things, insurance was on the
decline. The tax was originally imposed in time of
war, and was valued at a very large amount. Every
ship that sailed, and all the property it carried, was in-
sured, and they eould be. insured no where but
in this country. But then,' after the peace, when
the country was suffering under heavy contributions,
imposed for. the carrying on of the war, no reduction
"was made in' the duty on marine insurance. But in 1834
the pressure of this duty was felt to be so great, that
Lord Auckland,' acting upon the principle upon which
I now propose to act, reduced the duty on marine in-
surance to one-half, and calculated upon a considerable
loss to'the revenue. But in that calculation Lord
Auckland was mistaken, for in two years, notwith-
standing that large reduction, the duty equalled what it
had previously attained. The consequence of the present
high rates of insurance was that at present British mer-
chants insured in foreign countries in preference to
their own ; and in Hamburgh, for instance, the trade:in
marine insurance had very much increased. In our own
country, in marine insurance the amount of
duty had decreased, and he was sorry , to say
materially so, a fact Which-he certainly attributed to the
present high rate of duty. There was another circum-
stance which made the duty on, marine insurance in
England heavier in many instances. The insurance on
goods sent: by steam-vessels was considerably less than
when sent, by sailing vessels ; therefore in short trips,
as between this country and France, and Hamburgh and
Germany, and neighbouring countries, an insur-
ance of one4hird on • every hundred pounds, where
the premium was two shillings and five shillings'

the duty on sailing vessels was foar shillings,
and seven shillings and sixpence, and ten shillings.
Under theie eiscumstances it is necessary to reduce the

duty, in order to secure to thisßountry -the advantages
to be derived from marine insurances. In order to effect

this, I propose, not only:6 reduce the duty,_ but to alter
the scale on which it is levied. The present rate of
duty is as folloWs:—For every 1001., where the premium*
does not exceed 15s. per cent., the duty levied amounts
to is. 3d.--per cent; ; *here the premium exceeds 15s„
but does not exceed 305., the duty is 2s. ,6d. per cent.';
and where it exceeds 30s. the duty amounts, to. 5s per
cent. This presses . unduly upon .small insurances.
therefore propose to reduce the duty and to vary the..
rates according to the. following scale. For every .100/I
insurance, in which the premium does not exceed4os,i'
I propose to levy a duty of:3d. instead of is: 3d..; where
the premium does exceed 10s, but, . does not
exceed -205.,- a. duty. of 6a.; instead of -Is. 3d. ;2
and in some, cases vs.. 6d.. as at present ;
where the premium exceeds 20S. but does not eceed3os.
a duty of ls.; were it exceeds 30s. but does not exceed
40s. a duty of 2s, ; where, it exceeds 40s. but does not
exceed 50s. a duty of 3s. ; *here it exceeds 50s. but does
not exceed 60s. a duty of 4s:;- and'where it is above 60s.
a duty of ss. I calculate that during the course of
the present year the _ diminution of revenue con-
sequent upon this reduction will amount to .100,0001.
But I
,'.calculate -that :during the :courz..e' of the
following two years after the, change shall
have been effected, there 'will be a sensible increase in

the disposition of foreigners to. come to this country to
effect their insurance's, and that the country will reap
the advantage even if no 'advantage 'should be derived
by the revenue in consequence of this reduction.—
(Cheers.) It is also my intention partially to
reduce the Stamp duty on agreements and on

proxies for voting' for Railway Conpanies, but those
reductions will affect the revenue to a very small ex-
tent, that Ido not think it necessary to trouble the

House on the subject.

The newt class ,of , articles on

which I propose to make a reduction are articles of con-
sumption. The first one is an article, in mentioning
which I shall no doubt excite the laughter of the House
—I mean the article orcurrants.--(Cheets and Jaugh.ter.)
This is an atticle ofgeneralconSumption, and is,therefore
a very fitting article for reduction, whether we coasider the
value of the article, the ditty which Is imposed upon it,
on the country which produces it. One of the countries
which produce it derives nearly the whole of its wealth
from the produce of this.article,. The value of one cwt.

of currants is 405., according to our tariff, this cwt. of
currants, there is a duty imposed of 225. Now, what'are
currants ?—(A. laugh.) • They are but grapi s after all.—
(Renewed laughter.) They , are an article of
great consumption among the lower orders of
the people. They constitute' a luiury agreeable
to them, • and beneficial to: their general health.

Currants are mainly consumed by persons in the lower
ranks of society, and the duty is a very large one. I
therefore propose to reduce the duty on currants from
225. to 15s. Sir, there is is another argument also in
favour of this reduct;on,—currants are the main

produce _of the lonian Islands, whose intimate con-
nection with us affords ,an argument in favour
of ous promoting their interest. by. promoting that
branch of industry from which its resources are chiefly
derived: I have said that currants are mainly derived
from the Idnian 'lslands. Those which do not come

from thence, come froni Greece ; and whatever may be

said of that country in other respects, it must at leait be
confessed that it ' treats Great Britain as regards
commercial intercourse, with the most perfect fairness.
—(Hear, hear.) For these reasons—and I could mention
others if it were necessary to do so—l think we
are justified in making a sacrifice even of 90,0001. of
revenue, which is the amount which I calculate will
in the first instance be lost on this branch of revenue, on

behalf of those classes of society who look upon this ar-
ticle as a great luxury, .but who are now in a great degree
debarred from its consumption by the price at which it
is sold.—(Hear.) The next article to which I would call

the attention of the House is that of coffee.—(Hear, hear.)
The House will recollect, that when the general arrange-
ment of duties took place, in 1842, the distinctive
dutiesupon foreign and British coffee were fixed at Bd.

and 4d., that is, there was duty of Bd. upon the one, and
4d. on the other, and that extent of discriminating duty
being extremely large, with respect to the value of the
article on which it was imposed, was only maintained
on the ground that we were then engaged in negotia-
tions with Brazil, which made it extremely difficult and
injudicious at that time to reduce the duty on foreign
coffee to the amount to which we should have thought
under other circumstances it ought to ha% e been re-
duced. I think it right, therefore, to avail myself of
the opportunity which the termination of those negotia-
tions has given me, to recommend the House to re-
duce the duty on foreign. coffee from Bd. to 6d.

That reduction, I'am satisfied, from all the examination

I have been able to give to the subject, will admit coffee
very extensively for consumption in this country, with-
out injury to the. interests of the colonies.—(Hear.)
The effect of the high duty has been greatly to reduce
the amount of foreign coffee consumed in the course of
last year—indeed nearly 30 per cent.—fur the reduction
has been from more than 11,000,000165. to less than

9,000,0001b5. It being a most important thing to extend
the use of a beverage which is a great luxury to the

poorer classes—(Hear, hear)—and while at the same
time that it is a luxury to them, and which, at the same
time, supersedes those other luxuries which are preju-
dicial to their, health and morals—(Hear)—l there-
fore take this,opportunity of calling upon the House to
place the differential duty on this article upon a foot-
ing which will admit of its most extensive use.—(Hear,
hear.) At the same time, it appears to me that it is but
justice that a provision should be introduced into the
Customs Bill, increasing the duty on chicory root.
In consequence of the reduction of the duty
on that root last year, chicory-root has been
introduced to a great extent—it is ground in this
country, and mixed with coffee. I do not say that the
coffee is deteriorated by the mixture, for that is a matter
of taste; but the revenue has been defrauded to a great
extent in losing the duty upon the coffee, for which the
root has been substituted. From these changes in the
differential duties, I calculate that the loss will not
be more than 50,0001.—(Hear, hear.) I come
now to what I may consider as the most
important article—l mean the duty upon wool,
which I propose to take off altogether.—(Cheers.)
Upou the merits of that particular question, it cannot
be necessary for me to enter at present. In two sucees-
sive sessions they have been ably detailed to the House
by the Hon. Member for Halifax, who has taken the
greatest pains with that departmeet of trade. And,
Sir, I may here say that, when I have resisted the
claims which were alleged for the reduction of this duty,
I did so only on account of the claims of. the revenue--
(Hear, hear)—and I never denied that wool was a raw
material of the utmost importance to the manufac-
tures and trade of the country.—(Hear, hear.)
There has been great competitien between British cloth
monufacturers and the foreign 'cloth manufacturer ; and
the least advantage given to the English manufacturer
of course would place him in a better position than the
foreigner. Sir, I do not intend to follow the example of the
Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, of merely partially reduc-
ing the duty on wool; but I have thought it better to remit
both the duty on export and import of wool, and to leave
the trade open.—(Cheers.) That duty produced last
year, altogether, about the sum of 100,0001.,
and we 'must take that amount as the loss
which will be sustained on that particular article, the
arrangement respecting which I shall recommend to
the House. But I cannot but feel that, although we shall
on the article itself sustain a loss, yet we shall
give an additional stimulus to the industry of the com-
munity engaged in that branch of our manufactures
likely to be benefited by this arrangement, which I be-
lieve will more than compensate for the loss we shall
sustain. This is the last article upon which I propose
to make any reduction. The total amount of
reduction will be onlglass for the present year 35,000/.—
upon vinegar in' the present year, 12,0001.—upon cur-
rants for the. present year 9,000/—upon coffee, 50,000/.
—upon marine insurances, 100,0001., and upon wool,
100,0001., making a sum of about 390,000/. ; or, in round
numbers 400,0001., as the amount of reduction which I
believe we may safely make. Having made this
statement to the House, I should have thought it my
duty here to close the observations which, I fear, I have
already too long troubled the House with. But, Sir,
there is one article which, though not immediately under
the consideration of the House, must necessarily form
the subject of very deliberate consideration—and with
respect to which much anxiety is felt with respect to the
views of the Government upon it—l mean the article of
sugar. . I should not think that I acted fairly towards the
rersons engaged in the produce of this article, if
I were not on the present occasion distinctly to state to
the House the course which it is • my intention to pursue
when I move the sugar duties. The House will not ex-
pect me, as I shall so shortly bring before them the
details of the question to enter into all the particulars
necessary to compose an explanation of this subject. I
shall merely state the principle upon which I intend
to act; I allude to the subject now only because I know
the immense importance to those connected with the
growth and manufacture of sugar distinctly to under-
stand before next May what is the determination of the
Government with respect to that article. Sir,
the House is aware that the treaty with
Brazil will come to a termination in the
month of November next, and with that treaty with
Brazil will terminate the right which Brazil now en-
joys of importing her produce into this country upon a
fboting of the most favoured nation. That treaty
which enables' Brazil to bring • slave-grown produce
into this country will, in November next, be removed
It is my intention, in moving the sugar duties, to re-
commend for the House, that from and after November
next the duty upon sugar produced in those countries
which are ' exempt from the taint of the
slave-trade—that do, not raise sugar by means
of slave labour—shall 'be mduced from their present
amount. .By this means we shall throw open, under cer-
tain regulations, to countries- eastward of the Cape of
Good Hope, a valuable trade, and shall most
especially " encourage the growing commerce with
China„ :tv,itia 'which country, hitherto, our re-
lations: lations: haVe .been extremely confined, And this will_
be thine without any departure from that principle
we have hitherto maintained and acted upon in respect to
the slave trade—ohus affording an additional supply
of Sugar, which will greatly add to the comfort
of the people, and give an additional spur
the industry of colonies in which we have the great-
est possible interest. In thus' .speaking of countries
eastward of, the_ _cape • Of -Good • Hope, I must im-
press upon the House that I refer only to such
with which we have relations,- and wherein the sugar
is not raised by means of slavery. Sir, the differential
duty which I shall 'propose to this Hoose to be ImPOsed
on sugars from countries free from the tarnish of
slavery will be 103 per ewt—that whereas British colo- '
nial sugars pay a dury of 245. ber_cwt., the sugars from
the countries I refer 'to shall pry 345. per cwt. I am
quite aware_ it may be- said that although the treaty
with Brazil is brought to a conclusion there is a treaty

with America, which contains a similar clause to the
other, entitles America to the rights extended by us to the
most favoured nation. Nothing can be further from
my intention than to infringe the letter of any enact-
ment'existing with that or any other country, but I
think when we take the discussion on the sugar duties I
shall be able to show that the sugar produced in the
southern states of North America is not calculated to
be brought into competition with the sugar, the produce
of free -labour, I have now been speaking of. I can
assure you, Sir, it would have been most satisfactory to
ane if the state of the revenue would have permitted me
to make some general arrangement of a per-
manent nature with respect to the sugar duties.
it would have been desirable to place the reduction of
the duty on colonial sugar on a solid and permanent
foundation ; but if is obvious that till November next-it
will be utterly impossible to act upon any principle of
that ' description, for the doing so would paralyse all
the trade in the interior. I think that the better
course will be to admit foreign sugar at a dis-
criminating duty, and continue it till that period shall
arrive when the sugar duties come again under conside-
ration. In doing this, far be:it from me to entertain any
ill feeling toward jhose countries whose sugar will re-
main excluded. I think the reduction we have made in
the coffee of those countries' proves sufficiently that no
such feeling animates the Government. With respect
to the amount, both of the fixed duty and the
differential duty, I have been anxious to take that
amount which represents, as nearly as possible, the ad-
vantage which I apprehend ought to be given to colonial
or foreign sugar—to free-grown sugar above that pro-
duced by slave labour. I have now stated to the House
the details of our financial plan for the last year and for
that -which is to come ; and I trust the House will per-
mit me, without assuming anything like arrogance or
presumption, to congratulate it on the generally improved
condition of our manufactures aad commerce.
It is perhaps of all tasks, the most difficult to arrest the
downward progress of revenue arising. from deficiency
extending over a series of years. With respect to this,
the House has fulfilled its assurance to the Crown, of
n:aking the revenue of the ccuntry equal to its expendi-
ture. They have in the course of this session, given
evident proof of the/ effect which their conduct has had
on the credit of the country, and I cannot but hope, that
if the House goes on in the prudent and forbearing
course they< have hitherto pursued, and which I have
taken the liberty of recommending to them this even-
ing. If they prefer to a present advantage the policy
of placing the finances cf the country on a solid footing,
sufficient not only to meet an annual deficiency, but to
protect us from those vicissitudes of fortune to which
the complicated concerns of a great country like this
must necessarily be exposed, I believe that the House
will insure to this country a continuance of its prospe-
rity, and will essentially promote the happiness of the
whole empire.—(Cheers.)
The question having been put,
Mr. HUME said it was but justice to state that his
statement was extremely clear, and in some respects sa-
tisfactory. He vi-as one that did not expect so favour-
able a result on the state of the country as had been
stated by the Right Hon. Gentleman. He congratulated
the country on its improved state, but he could
not do so with respect to the continued taxation that
the Right Honourable Gentleman had alluded to.
He thought it was the duty of the House to raise the
lowest amount of revenue they possibly could. The
revenue of the country had been the same for the
last 12 years, but the expenditure had increased.
A great increase bad taken place in the war establish-
ment of the country during 1833, 1837, and .1839. He
protested against such an evil, and he therefore thought
tuat the present Government should proceed to reduce
those establishments with as great avidity as they had
been increased. The revenue of 1834 and 1843 was of
the same amount within 200,0001., and there
was no income-tax in the former year. He did
not wish to have the income-tax done away with
if the -taxation on " other articles was reduced
to the same amount.—(Hear, hear.) He wished to
have the duties on soap and paper and glass reduced.
He did not think the reduction of the latter article
would be any great benefit. If the duty on all glass
was repealed it would be of the greatest
advantage to the country. No country was .so well
qualified fir the manufacture of the finest glass in
England.—(Hear, hear.) He believed the expenses of
collecting the revenue on glass absorbed the whole duty.
and he thought the late Government committed a great
mistake when they reduced the duty by 2d. without di-
minishing the expenses of collecting it.—
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.—DIS-
TRIBUTION OF PRIZES.
On Saturday the annual distribution of prises in
the medical department of University College, took
place at two o'clock, in the lecture-room. The place
was crowded in every part. The number present
must have exceeded 1,000 ; a large proportion of the
audience consisted of ladies. Lord Brougham pre-
sided on the occasion. Lord Auckland, late Gover-
nor-General of India, sat at the right hand 'of the
Noble and Learned Chairman. Immediately after
the chair was taken, a brief report was read, in which
it was stated that the number of students attending
the medical classes was the same as last year—
namely,. 300—of whom 93 had entered this year.
The following distribution of prizes then took place :
Chemistry.—Gold medal, Mr. C. W. Randall, of Lon-
don; Ist silver medal, Mr. Edward Cousins, of London;
2d silver medal, Mr. James Morris, of London ; Prize
Essay, Ist silver medal, Mr. Robert Ellis, of Ruthin,
N. W. ; ditto, 2d silver medal, Mr. Edward Palmer, of
London.
Botany (Summer Term, 1843).—G01d medal, Mr.
Charles Prentice, of Kingston-on-Thames; silver medal,
Mr. W. 11. Colborne, of Chippenham, Wilts.
Medicine.—Gold medal, Mr. John Gabb, of Bewdley;
Ist silv6r medal, Mr. F. W. Marshall, of Norwich ; 2d
silver Medal, Mr. W. H. Allchin, of East Malting.
Anatomy and Physiology.—Gold medal, Mr. William
W. Moore, of Doncaster ; Ist silver medal, Mr. H.
Crocker, of London ; 2d silver medal, Mr. T. A. Cam-
mack,,of Spalding.
Comparative Anatomy.—Gold medal, Mr. W. H. Col-
borne.

Anatomy—Senior Class.—Gold medal, Mr. William
Cadge, of Hoveton, Norfolk ; Ist silver medal, Mr. Wil-
liam Brown, of Altarnum, Cornwall ; 2d silver medal,
Mr. W. L. Dickinson, of London.
Junior Class : silver medal, Mr. T. Littleton, of
Salta,h.
Materia Medica.—Gold medal, Mr. R. Babington, of
Horncastle ; Ist silver medal, Mr. J. E. Wuod, of
Rochdale ; 2d silver medal, Mr. Edward Cousins.
Medical Jurisprudence (Summer Term, 1843).
Prize.
pathological Anatomy (Summer Term, 1843).—G01d
medal.
Midwifery.—Gold medal, Mr. James Hakes, of Lon-
don ; Ist silver medal, Mr. Alfred Jackson, of Ports-
mouth ; 2d silver medal, Mr. James Clifton, of
Bi oughton.
Surgery.—Gold medal, Mr. Robert Ellis ; Ist silver
medal, Mr. H. J. M'Dougall, of Exeter ; 2d silver
medal, Mr. Henry Vevers, of Herefordshire.
Fellows' Medals for Clinical Instruction (Summer,
1843).—G01d medal, Mr. H. Fearnside, of Otley, near
Leeds.—Winter, 1843-4.—Gold medal, Mr. F. W. Mar-
shall ; silver medal, Mr. G. S. Deane, of Liverpool.
Th distribution of prizes being finished,
Lord BROUGHAM rose and said, that he had great
pleasure in presiding on that occasion, as he had in
being President of the Council of the University.
He was gratified at again meeting them, and that it
was in his power to congratulate them, not only on
the rising, but the flourishing state of their funds.
He felt also bound to express his gratification at the
mode of distributing the prizes which had lately
been resorted to, a mode which secured the most
perfect impartiality. Nor could he refrain from ex-
pressing the great pleasure he felt, when he con-
sidered the high character of the professors of the
University.—(Cheers.) Ib had lately had an oppor-
tunity of examining the celebrated medical institution
in the south of France—he meant the institution at
Montpellier—and he had great pleasure in saying
that their institution would not suffer from com-
parison. The prosperity and excellence of their in-
stitution was satisfactorily proved by the number of
degrees conferred on _its students by the central
university. lie wished to speak with all possible
respect of the rival institution (King's College) ; it
was a graduating university; but it was not remark-
able for the number of degrees conferred on its
students. Out of the 233 cases in which degrees had
been conferred by the Central College, 114, or nearly
one-half, had been conferred on the students of the
University College.-(Loud cheers.) The number
of degrees conferred on the medical students of King's
College was only one-sixth of what had just been
stated. They (the University College) had no r_eli-
gious observances. They had been blamed for this,
and told they had too little religion. He (the Chair-
man) differed from those who held that opinion. It
was because they had so much religion, that they con-
sidered it too sacred a subject to be lightly dealt with.
At the other places medical students coming from
Portman-square and other places at the West-end, at
two o'clock, to hear lectures, were not allowed to
enter the room unless they had been present at prayers
at ten in the morning. He thought this a clumsy
way of going to work. Whether medical students
were the most likely persons to relish this compulsory
attendance at prayers he did not know. The financial
affairs of their institution were in a most flourishing
condition. Tie late Mr. Brindell, a barrister, and
a most honourable and worthy man, had lately left
them 20,0001., and Mr. Bacon had left them,
subject
to the life of his widow, a sum which was expected to
realise 28,0001.—making in all nearly 50,0001., which
was now at the disposal of the council. He had no
doubt whatever, at any rate he would recommend it
to the council, that that great building should be now
completed (Loud cheers.) He now came to the darker
side of the picture. Instead of being the first, theirs
was undoubtedly the last institution of the kind in re-
ference to science and literature. When the institu-
tion was first established, the projectors did confidently
expect diat their magnificent establishent, in which
education of the highest order would be taught at so
low a rate, would he crowded with persons eager to
avail themselves of such opportunities. At Oxford
and Cambridge the same class and quality of educa-
tion, for which they would only have to pay 251. per
annum at the University College, would cost from
200/. to 300/. ; yet the citizens did not send their
children to receive the advantage of this economical
arrangement. They preferred (and he could not

sufficiently express the thorough scorn and contemp
he felt for their conduct)-;-they preferred making up
a purse of 2001. or 300/. to educate their eldest son at
Oxford or Cambridge, and left. all the rest of the
family to grow up in ignorance.—(Hear, hear: No
one said that the University in which they were as-.
sembled was not in a centrical situation ; no one coia-
plainecl that it was not a healthy place ; and no one
contended that better teachers than they had were to
be had elsewhere; and yet, notwithstanding all this,
the sons of the citizens never darkened their dobrs.
He hoped to live to see the day when this stain 'on the
character of the citizens should be wiped off, and
when, instead of 190 boys and young men receiving a
general education, they should have, as they ought tY
have, at least 2,G00 or 3,000. The Noble and Learned
Chairman, after a few remarks on the desirablene'ss
the medical students taking care to acquiregeneral
information, concluded amidst loud and protracted
cheers.
Lord AUCKLAND then proposed a:vote of thairka
to Lord Brougham for his conduct' that day In
the chair, which was carried amidst loud acclamations.
The meeting then broke up.