The Sun.
London, England, 1810-03-21 00:00:00

IRISH DISTILLERIES.

Mr..C. HUTCHINSON observed, that, before his
Right Hon. Friend opposite (Mr.. Foster)_ com-
pleted his Bill. upon the subjee.:l of the Irish Distil-
leries,, it was natural (if- suppose, that he had con-
sulted all those,authkirities which might be of use to
inform him as to its probable utility an 4 operation.
The, Excise Board, in particatr, he would stippose
him to have, consulted ; and it was for the Corre-
spondence which might have taken place .with that
Boat d, that he now rose to move; he did not think
that his Right lion. Friend could have any serious
objeEtion to granting it: there were great interests
involved, and accurate information should be al=
lowed to those who were to determine on them:--i
He then moved for copies of such communications
as the Chancellor of the Exchequer might have re-:
ceived from the Cournissioners of Excise in Ire-
land, relative to the proposed alterations in the Dis-
tillery Bill..
Mr. FOSTER, said, that he was desirous to\ give
every possible information upon all matters in which
it could, with propriety, be given ; but confidential
communications,
._between the dltlerent Officers of
Government, could not 6e disclosed without impos-
ing such restrictions, as must-render such commu-
nications useless. Besides, supposing that the opi-
nions'of the Excise Board had been against the Bill,
what could the klon. Gentleman make of it, as ap-
plicable to the question ?
Sir jonti NawroaT agreed perfealy with the
Rt. Hon. Gentleman opposite, as'to the impropriety
of disclosing Confidential communications. He
feared that the practical officers were but too, apt
to accede to any proposition originating in such a
quarter, and theretore he would be very unwilling

to lay it down as a principle, that their advice
shoidd be produced, in justification or in condemna-
: lion of, his ads: The opinion of the Board, he ad-;
ruitted,' Would not, in any manner, hirect the qnes-
., tion, especialiy as it went to an alteration; of system ;
it) which case "he could help-considering them
the most improper of all persons to communicate

Aft,...1--a few-words froM Mr:-FroTCHINSON,
motion-INa4 negatived. ‘.
Mr. O'HARA presented Petition's from Sligo, and
other counties, against the Distillery Bill, which
were ordered to be refilled to the Committee.
COMMITTEE ON DISTILLERY BILL.

The House having resolved itself into a Committee
on the Distillery Bill,
Mr. FOSTER proposed a clause for taking off, the
bounties on large stills.
Mr. SHAW moved, as an amendment, " That it
should not take place until fhe year 18 I I," and in
sisted that the systeM Was altogether injurious.
Mr. Hyrc HINSON supported the amendment.
Mr. FOSTER contended;
.that there was no period
when it was so fit to abrogate those bounties as now.
The other system had been tried', and,it was only
fair to give to the present a fair trial.
Attcr a few words from Mr. LESLIE FOSTER, OR
the same side, the Resolution was carried.
Mr. R. SHAW opposed the clause, and stated,
that an instance had come to his knowledge of a
distiller, who was in the habit Of paying a revenue
of 40001. having been deprived of his license for
seven weeks,4under the following circumstances:--
A gauger came, at twelve o'clock at night, in a rude
and improper manner, and received a blow frent
one of the workmen of the distiller ; he himself
being, in bed. The principal, on Coming to a know-
; ledge of the transaction, wrote to the ColleEtor of
Excise, but did not receive any-answer. He after-
wards'applied to the Commissioners with thd.saine
etleEt. Two informations at law were' brought,
vice versa, the distiller and gauger ; the first, was
acquitted, and the latter abscOnded, arid anont-
lawry ensued. He therefore.moVed,'“ That the
clause. vesting the pewier in the Commissioners of
Excise to suspend licenses should be expunged from
the Bill." . .
Mr. FOSTEE...—" The unpleasant circumstance
stated by the Honourable Gentleman who spoke last
did arise ,from a fraudulent cause, and from a too
anxious assiduity of the Revenue Officer. It was
, impossible that the Revenue laws could be carried
into etfeet if the power was taken away from the
Commissioners; it had been acted Upon ever since
the reign Of Charles the Second.
Mr. DENIS BROWNE perfealy agreed with the
amendment of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Shaw:)
Mr. WELLESLEY PoLtSaid, it would-15eTrifPOS-
sible to carry the regulations for the' bolle6tion of
the Revenue into effect, unless the Commissioners

were invested with these powers, But his Right
Honourable Friend (Mr. Browne) was under a sery
great mistake if he supp-sed_that the Commissioners
of the Excise were not under the' controul of tho
Lords of the Treasury. The Commissioners held
,their offices during pleasure, and if any case were
made out against them, of improper 'conduO,
Executive Government would . certainly ioterpose,
upon the Occasion.. _With reap.: to..the.case which
had
.been mentioned; he had never heard of it be-
fore,. but certainly the person 9ggrieved might have
represented his ease to the Lords of the Treasury; or
to the Executive Government, and it would have
wet tv jib full attention.. ;He had had many appli-
cations made to him'since he had filled his present
I 'office: `His Bight 'Honourable Friend (Mr. Browne)
was acquainted with some of them, and knew that
they had undergone alcarefbl investigation. He did .
not mean to contend that the Board had 4ed right
in every' instance'; there certainly were cases in
which; he did not approve of their conduct. He
was of opinion that they Wanted some check to be
placed upon them. The system in' Ireland had been
very much relaxed,' and .it required .to. be drawn a
little tighter. But-at the saute time it must be
ob-
vious that it would be impossible for the business of
the Revenue to go on, unles4s they 'were allowed
sufficient p'owers, and he could assure the Com-
mittee, 'that:there was no disposition on the 'part of
Governinent to permit tiny abkise of their power.
Sir .L NEwrofer was happy to hear the. Hon.
Secretary say, that the' string requirtil pulling, thus
acknowledging that' it had been relaxed ; which
shewed he was convinced that a strong Wncl should
be kept over the Commissioners.- He therefore
wished that a clause. should inserted,' that no dis-
tillershould be deprived of his lieense, without the
Commissioner, from time to time, stating to the
Lords of the Treasury,
.t he cause of
,the suspension.
The Hon. Baronet then alluded to a general order
which had been issued by the Board of Excise, in
which, after setting forth that instances had oc-
curred in which the
.Sub-Commissioners- had given
judgment on informations, without hearing any evi-
dence whatever, and directing that for the future
they should not proceed to condemnation without
hearing evidence in support of the information. By
this Order the Sub-Commissioners were not direct-
ed to hear evidence on both sides, which lie conceiv-
ed to be highty improper. •
Mr. FOSTER said, that. the Hon. Baronet must be
aivare that previous to the Order in question, the Sub-
Commissioners ft equently prGceeded to condemna=
tion without any evidence at all. It certainly was
true that the situations of these Sub-Commissioners
were liable to observation, as they were sometimes
in the Characters of Informers and sometimes of
Judges.

. Mf. DENIS BROWNE was of opinion, that it was
necessary to controul the Excise 136ard.

Mr. CRoKER explained t he objed of this order. of
the Commissioners of -Excise. He said,' the prac-
tice which this order was meant.to correct was
highly reprehensible. He said it frequently hap.
pened, that, by corrupt ineaus,.claithants were' nut
informed
~when their cases came on to be heard,
and it bad been the law .and instructions to -Sub-
Commissionersi when the Defenlimt did not come
tot ward and plead, tO suppose hiin guilty, and give
judgment against him; but the Commissioners of
the Beard of Excise, by the order which appeared
so offensive to the Htin. .Baronet, requirtd them
to late evidence, even if the Defendant did not
appear.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT disapproved highly of the
pfalice, acid said it was in direct opposition to,
cle.iy principle of the Constitution. '
M 1.1
r, W.L:I:.iLEY Poi said, that as it had been

represented that an amendment such as that pre,
posed was much wished for by the distillers in
Ireland, he should certainly not oppose it; at th 4
same time he contended, that the Lords of the'
Treasury had full controul over the Revenui
Boards. •

I, Aft& some further conversation, Mr. Sbaw'gk
! Amendment was I.yitlidrawn, and_one_of Mr.- Fos
ter's adopted in its stead, -by-which,no regular-dts'
tiller is to be deprived of his license without thd
approbation of the Lords of the Treasury.
A .clause was introduced,-, directing the Corn'
missioners of Excise to repay to any Distiller who.
from the sth day of March last, should have paid f},
duty of more than es. 6d. per gallots, the amount 01
the surplus dtiiy so paid by them.
Mr. O'HARA proposed the abolition of the system
of fines on land, on account of illegal stills.
Mr. FOSTER agreed that this should be suspended
for two) ears.
After some discussion, in which the, conciliating
conduct of Mr. Foster in the present business re'
ceived every merited, compliment, the proposition
was postponed till the bringing up of the Reports
when Mr. Foster 'undertook to bring, in a clause 03
this stilijebt.

Colonel HUTCIUNSON wished to know hary
watoh was to be kept on- those-, numerous small
stills ?

Mr. Fosisa stated, that he proposed doing 60
by the present Officer., sod by ;8O others, novi
employed at high salaries in the 'collodion of tile.
Assessed Taxes.

The House the❑ resumed, and the Report we
ordered to be received to-morrow.

. The Report of the Comdrittee of Supply, and of
the Committee on the Exchequer '&115 Furditl
'Bill were brought up and Agreed to,--Adjourned.

MAILS.
ARRIVED-2 Dublin, t Waterford. DUE-3 Gottenbure,
Lisbon; 3 Waterford.

PRICE OF STOCKS
THIS DAY AT TWILVIt o'oLocit.
Consuls - - -63 it

1' ii L S UN.

SOLSM QUIS DICIRI FALSUM AUDEAT ?

LONDON.

IVEDN'ESWA7, MARCH 21, 1810.

Although the official account or General O'Dotr•
NEL, respecting the late battle in Catalonia, has not
yet been received, yet the letters received from Spain
fully justify us in the opinion we expressed respect-
ing the result of that battle. The battle, or rather
the continued series of attacks made by the Spa'
niards, lasted nearly two days, and though they at
length retreated, it was not in confusion, not until
they had killed several thousands of their enemies-

The last accounts from Par,tußal,-are of the date
of the inst.; at that time no movement of Un-
portance kid taken place;• the sritish and Portu'

guese armies remained in their former situations.
No apprehensions were entertained of the atlvavc.s
of the French.

On Mo467:and yesterdy mornings, his i{
JESTY rode on horseback in Windsor Park, accoragi
p inject hy 'P;incess AUGUSTA, Lady THYNNE, Ear 4
WESTMORLAND, Count MUNSTER, Generals CAR/4
WRIGHTAnd VITZROY, and Col. TAYI4Oa,
Yesterday a Cabinet Council was held at the f
reign Office, which was attended by all the Cabinet
-Ministers.

Yesterday Lieut.-Colonel PATTERSON of the
Guards, JAMES BROUGHAM, and EDWARD WAS 4:,
field, Esqrs. were elected Henourary Members v 7
the Board of Agriculture,
Yesterday Sir DAVID DUNDAS held a public dal
at his office in the Horse Guards, and gave audiences
to several Military Officers.
From Peterburgh letters have arrived to the doff
of
.the 3d instant. Nothing of war is 'mentioned in
these communication,, and trade was proceeding 14
if there was no expeelation of it. The exchange at
Petersburg!) had improved, and was at )7i. TalIS
had advanced 30 per cent. beyond the price of WC
year, and obtained Bts rubles. Contiacis were 0-1-
tered into in various.ot her articles of Russian prodt3ce
to a great extent, and at high prices, in the coati'
dence that the trade with thiS country would be open
during the enduing summer.
It instated in some of the most recent letters fro°,
Bombay, that the King of Persia, not satisfied wit"
sliewing prefe.rence for British alliance, by sentl-
ing an Ambassador to our gracious Sovereign, has
solicited the'Government of Bombay to send hint a.
sufficient number of Officers to instruct a corps °I.
)5,000 men' in British manceuvres and discipline.
Memorials having been presented from the Guards,
and other, regiments of the line, as well as the ant'
litia, in consequence of a late regulation respecting
epaulettes, it is understood the said order will not be
enlbrced, and some method will be adopted to dis-
tinguish regimental rank on the strap of the epat'.
kite. Officers will be allowed to wear out their
epaulettes in present. use. In point ofcecononly, the
new plan would not have been any saving to subal-
tern officers.

• Colonel DONEIN, who lately, so much to the re-
gret of the brigade which he commanded in Spain,
quitted that service fora higher command, his trans-
mitted to a deserving young officer, Lieutenanr
ST WART, Acting Adjutant Ist Battalion, WO
Regiment, son. of Mr. STEWART MILTON, Of Ita. .
noc, Perthshire, a. testimonial in writing, in which.
be repeats the thanks ()tiered by him to Lieutenant
STEWART, in front of his battalions, after the battle
Of Talavera, for his veriy gallant conduct during
that memorable conflict, and for the manner in
which he discharged the duty of Adjutant on 1113 C
day.

The York Rangers, who distinguished themselves
so much in !he captere of Guadaloupe, are a neo"
corps, for which a number of recruits were raised jo
LeWes. ,Mnjor kIiMpERSOIi 'was the officer conr
manding the York Rangers. •

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