The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-12 00:00:00

EFFICIENCY OF THE LIGHTS.

Your Committee has the satisfaction of reporting
that, " according to the evidence before them, the public
general lights on the coasts of England, under the
management of the Trinity House in Loudon ; these on
the coasts of Scotland, under the management of the
Northern Commissioners in Edinburgh ; and the lights
on the coast of Ireland, under the management of the
Ballast Buard in Dublin, are all maintained in an
efficient state."

The complaints made in petitions to the House of
Commons, and by witnesses before your Committee,
have not been in any case against the efficiency of the
lights, but against the high charge for light dues, or
the mode of levying them, or the irregularity of the
rates.

In 1834, there were in England 126 lights (of which
128 were fixed, and 18 floating); while, in 1844, they
had increased to 175, containing 1,152 burners alto-
gether.
The aggregate number of lights in the United King-
dom in 1833-4 was 219, cnnsisting of 105 public general
coast lights, of 93 local or harbour, and 21 floating
lights ; while the aggregate number of lights in the
United Kingdom in 1844 was 309. consisting of 121
public general coast lights, of 29 floating lights, and of
159 local or harbour lights. There has consequently
been an increase in the United Kingdom of 83 lights
since 1833, viz.:—

In England of 8 public general, of 8 public floating,
and of 33 harbour lights
In Scotl4nd of 4 public general, and of 10 harbour
lights
In Ireland of 4 public general, and 16 harbour lights 20

Total
The Isle cf Man lights were not returned in 1833,
but are now included in the total number, and will
make

90
The total gross receipts for the public general lights
in the year 1843, by the Trinity House, Commissioners
of Northern Lights, private individuals, and the Ballast
Board, were 240,304/.
The total gross receipts of dues for the public general
lights in 1843, were 356.905 L
It must be evident that so large an amount levied on
the commercial shipping for the public general lights,
besides the amount levied for local or harbour lights,
must form a considerable portion of their expenses.
It appears by the return for 1843, that the aggregate
amount of light dues collected for the United Kingdom
in that year was 356,905/., and that the charge for col-
lection was 15,814 L, or nearly ss. per cent. ; and that,
by other returns before this Committee, the stamp
duties of the United Kingdom are collected at the rate
of 2L 2s. 84d. per cent., and the property and income-
tax at the rate of 2L 16s. 61d., whilst, in the parish of
Marylebone, the parish rates are collected at a charge
of IL 6s. Bd. per cent. ; and your Committee submit
that, in case the collection of light dues shall be discon-
tinued, the above sum of 14,953/. would be wholly saved;
and if continued, there is no reason why the charge for
collection should not be greatly reduced.
Your Committee further submit, if light duties shall
continue, they ought to be collected by the officers of
Customs in every port of the United Kingdom, free of
all charge whatsoever, in like manner as was enacted
in the case of Ireland by the Acts of the 51st and 52d
Geo. 111.