The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-22 00:00:00

STATE I.

" In this statement, the duty on fir timber is supposed to remain as at present,
at 31. ss. per load of 50 cubic feet; and deals and battens to be charged according
to their cubic contents, at the same rate per load as timber, taking the importations
of the year 1818 as the data of the calculations.
Timber imported in the year 1818, calculated
from the Parliamentary_ returns of revenue
as stated in the foregoing paper 125,432 loads
Deals, battens, deal ends and bat-
ten ends

L. S. to

253,750

879,182 loads a' 31.5 s
per load.
Deduct amount of revenue from Euro- L. S. D.,
pean fir timber in the year 1818,
per parliamentary return - 407,652 19 1
Ditto from deals and deal ends - 603,385 14
Ditto from battens and batten ends 56,365 8 7

1,232,341 10 -

1,067,404 1 8

Increise of the revenue under this vievil

163,937 8 4

" The proportion of deals and timber imported, would probably be little if at all
affected by this change, forNo long as deals and battens pay no higher than timber,
it will be the interest of the merchant to import deals and battens in preference,
because in order to manufacture deals and battens in this country, he must pay
freight and duty on at least one-fourth part more wood, to make allowance for the
waste occasioned by slabbing and saw drafts, &c.
Note.—ln the above state, the deals imported into Britain, are supposed to aver-
age only eight loads per hundred; but it appears from the shore dues office
returns at Leith, that the importation into that port averaged 94a loads. if
the importations into other ports of the country are as well adapted to the
duties, the increase of revenue would be 354,61 4L 9s. I Id.
s AT 111.

" In this statement, the duty on tialber is supposed to remain as at present at
31. ss. per load, and deals and battens to be charged according to their cubic
contents, at 61. lOs per load, (being double the rate of timber) and that in conse-
quence of deals and battens paying a higher duty than timber, one-third only in-
stead of two thirds of the importation of fir wood, will consist of deals and battens.
The importations of fir wood in the year 1818, are here also takenas the data of the
calculations.
The whole quantity of European fir wood imported in timber L. 5. D.
deals, and battens, in the year 1818, as per State I, amounted

•
to 379,182 loads.
Two-thirds of said importation, supposed to consist of timber,
give 252,788 loads, the duty on which at 31. 5s per load,
amounts to -- - -
One-third of said importation, is supposed to consist of deals,
deal ends, battens and batten ends, give 1'26,394 loads, the
duty on which at 61. 10s. per load, is -

Deduct amount of revenue from European fir wood in the
year 1818, as per State I. - •

821,5G1

STATEMENT, showing the quantity of European Fin WOOD imported into
Leith, in the shape of Deals and Battens, in the year 1818, with the duties
paid thereon ; and showing what duty would have been paid on the same
quantity of Wocd, if it had been imported in the form of unsawn Timber.

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From the above Statement, it appears that the deals imported into Leith in the
year 1818, averaged 9.10 loads per hundred, and paid duty at the rate of 21. 2s. 3d.
per load, and the battens averaged 560 loads per hundred, and paid a duty at the
rate of 21. Is. 10 d. per load.
Note.—The above calculations being made from the returns of the Leith Shore
Dues Office, and reckoned as all imported in British-built vessels, will vary
a little from the Custom-house returns, but not so much as materially to
affect the result.
Do you know the extent of capital generally employed in saw-mills ? No,
I do not.

Calculating from your own establishment, how many men do you suppose were
employed when they were all going; the Committee allude to Scotland? dare
say there were not above twenty men employed ; but I would add, that a great
quantity of battens was manufactured by hand in Scotland.

William Price, Esquire, called in; and examined.

Have you resided in Canada ? I resided in Quebec for eleven years.
When did you leave that country ? In November last.
In what situation were you ? AS a merchant I transacted business myself there
for six years.
What effect did you find the timber trade produce with respect to the advantage
to the country and the landholder ? It is now of great benefit to the landholder,
especially to the farmer of Lower Canada.
State in what way? In the employment it gives them in cutting and hauling
their timber in the winter season, when they cannot occupy themselves on their
farms ; and in many instances, from the real value of the timber standing ; likewise
from the demand which this trade creates in the cities for agricultural produce; for
the supply of the ships, and the large body of workmen employed in the trade.
Is the timber cut by the labourers who are employed in agriculture at other seasons
of the year? It is entirely so in Lower Canada; it is generally cut and hauled by
the farmers, their sons or people.
To what timber do you allude? It is principally 12-feet saw logs, which they
get out in Lower Canada for the supply of the large saw-mill establishments at
Quebec.
_ _

What description of wood is cut in this way, in Lower Canada ? White spruce;
almost entirely in Lower Canada.
The Committee understand, that this timber is principally used for the lacuna
consumption of the country? No, for exportation, _
Is it exported to any extent to this country ? Yes ; to a great extent.
As compared with the yellow, to what extent? At least to one-third.
Are you a proprietor of land in that country? No; I have mills.
Are you much acquainted with the interior of the country, and the Manner of
conducting the timber business ? I am.
Have you been much, through the interior of it ? I have been through every
part of it.
In what part of Lower Canada are the chief woods, from whence the pine thhber
is exported? From the Ottawa, or Grand River.
Is that timber usually cut by the farmers? Yes, it is usually cut by farmers.
Is not it a common practice to bring in gangs of American axe-men, for the
purpose of cutting the timber? It was so many years ago, but it is not so now.
How long since? Nine yews ago; I should say it was the custom before the
last American war, but it is not so now.

Then the business is now carried on by the farmers? Yes ; I should say so de-
cidedly; and more particularly so in Lower Canada; they cut the timber, and haul
it out themselves.

Who rafts it? In Lower Canada the farmers raft it, and bring it down them'
selves, or people are hired to do it by the merchants.
What proportion of the timber comes from Lower Canada? I should say onej•
fourth.
You mean to state, that one-fourth of the timber comes from Lower Canada?
Yes; which is exported from Quebec.
Do you know how it is cut in Upper Canada ? , Principally it is cut and hauled
to the bank by the farmers in the winter season, who make their payments by this
timber to the country merchants, who supply them with goods.
What description of people are employed in cutting? The farmers themselves;
the Upper Canada people are excellent axe-men, as good as the Americans.
That practice of bringing axe-men from the United States,. the .committee un-
derstand you to say, has ceased? It has ceased entirely; 1 have seen nothing of
it ; on the contrary, I know that the inhabitants of the country cut it themselves.
Do the same people raft it from Upper Canada? No; it is the country ma'
chants, who hire people to do it; it is generally rafted by French Canadians, v 7116
are hired and sent up from the Lower Province; the timberis rafted at the expeno
of the country merchants. and brought down by them. They. employ the French
Canadians to work upon their rafts.
Has the timber trade given much occupation to the emigrants, who have gong
out from this country? Ido not think it has.
Then you have been speaking of those who are settlers in the country? Yes,
the residents of the country ; the emigrants are generally settled much higher UP
the country, where they do not lumber; I have no doubt, however, that Mao%
emigrants from this country are employed in the timber trade.
The objects of the emigrants then, chiefly, are settlement and agriculture ? Yes,
though I have frequently seen them working on rafts.
What number of men does a large raft require to bring it down? A very large
raft would require about 50 men.
What
.proportion do you consider the timber shipped from Canada, to bear to the
other exportk of the province ? I should say it was full half.
How are the proceeds of that shipping paid for? The timber is generally paid
for in British goods, either directly or indirectly, at Quebec or Montreal.
What proportion of the timber comes from the United States? I •sheuld say-
about one-third.
Do you mean from one or both of the provinces? Altogether; I speak of thO
whole.
The whole of which has been paid for in British goods? In all cases, a vet;
great proportion of it is laid out in British
,goods ; I can state, that two
Of the American timber, purchased last year by me for shipment, was paid for'"
British goods.
Can you state what are the net proceeds of a load of American yellow fille
timber, at the present market price? I have not shipped any lately on my °II
Account, I cannot therefore speak correctly to that point.
What in your opinion would be the effect of laying a duty upon timber from the
British Colonies? I ant not prepared to state any thing upon that subject.
W hat hasbeen the effect of the expectation of a duty being laid on the America..
timber, or some alteration taking' place in the amount of the duties upon the Bahl
timber, on the exportation of the last year or two ? Ido not see that it has Irrsj
any effect ; it has always been considered in Canada, that that measure never wont°
be adopted. hree
How do. you account for the great increase that has taken place for the last t ve
years in the exports of America? From the encouragement which the markets 13.3 0
in that country, in the year 1818, by a great number Of ships going out ; it was t 1
ships coming out that created 'the great demand. I`.)
Has the exportation of timber been profitable to the Canadian merchant, in l-
and 1820? I have understood in most cases it was a losing trade.
Then would they have continued this trade as a losing trade, without soril
expectation of the kind to which the committee has alluded ? It has been consideocr;
that the great loss in the trade has been caused by the great number of ship-ow''
who have entered the trade.
Then the trade has been created by the shipping, and the shipping has octoio
been
called for by the natural demand of fire trade ? In some measure it has ; but
ship-owners have gone.out to seek for freight, or to purchase, which has occas
an increased demand.
or.al
nccpt at the
Is there not a great deal of timber that would not be exported,
present low rates? No, I think not; think we are getting more ard in
'oof
tieular in the manufacturing of timber ; I `think we were more particular
timber last yeat than ever we were before.
Then you do not think, that any measure which led to snore care in the selection'
and the squaring, and the preparing of the timber, would be beneficial to the trade?
site'
I-really am not prepared to answer anv thing that relates to the market otl
•
n
is

[7l, te contiutadj

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