The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-17 00:00:00

THE SUGAR QUESTION.

The Sugar Bill is to be brought forward on Friday,
the 24th inst., and I call On all Members of the House
to give the matter only one moment's reflection, and they
will agree with the Chancellor, that it is an important
question.
The consumers should now have cheaper sugar, parti-
cularly as the revenue can afford the trial, and the re-
venue may benefit by the change, which would give us a
large amount from the produce of countries which now
give nothing.
Why should not the poor man have his sugar for
fourpence, instead of sixpence or sevenpence per pound?
And the sugars of all nations would be required—of
course, a foreigner paying a higher duty than our own
colonies. Indeed, our own colonies should only pay a
nominal duty of ls. or 2s. per cwt., and not make a chief
requisite of life the mode of obtaining so large an amount
of revenue, for it is felt chiefly by the poor. But to the
point. Lord John Russell has given notice of his amend-
ment on the question, which will not even be listened to.
But I warrant him, that if he will read this, and call to
his aid all his machinery, he will carry his measure, and
receive the support of every interest—colonist, foreigner,
the trade. shipowner, and, in fact, every trade. Let
him give immediate notice, and there is ample time for
all to show if they do not take this view of the measure.
lie cannot carry his present amendment—it injures too
many interests, and will scarcely be noticed.
When you wish to carry an important point, let every
interest derive advantage from the change—injure none,
and you do away with opposition.
lam practically experienced on the point, and never
saw a better opening. Sugar reduced from sixpence to
fourpence per pound for the poor man, will increase
the consumption of Ireland and Scotland materially,
where they scarcely see it now. Even the cattle may
be fed on molasses at the duty I propose ; and as the
consumption is so great in India and the islands pro-
ducing it, so will it be here, if they can get three pounds
for one shilling, instead of two pounds. The adultera-
tion would be done away with, which is said to be (in
the last price-current) 100 tons per week in London—
thus injuring the article it is mixed with and also the
revenue. Why is the consumption of sugar only the
same now that it was fifteen years ago, and the popula-
tion 15 per cent. more ? Because the price is the same
and adulteration going on to a great extent, and the
question of duty always on the taps.
The produce of the British possessions this year will
be 200,000 tons, which we should use with no change of
duty, and thus the revenue, with all sweets, would be
5,500,0001. Next year the produce of India will be
greater, and of Mauritius, owing to the import of hill
coolies there. And why cramp our West India colonies
and prohibit them being sent there. Demerara, Ja-
maica, and all our islands, would thrive if free emigre-
gration was allowed, and why prohibit it any more than
from this country to all the world ? Appoint Govern-
ment Emigration Officers, as in this country, to license
and inspect emigration ships, and the people would go
into a land of comfort, and be brought in many instances
to Christianity ; at any rate, would be more useful
members of the community, and likely to improve. See
the vast increase in all trades by such a measure. Why
grant the boon to one colony, and not to all ? This
would be the grand death-blow to slavery and the slave
trade.

------
I propose that Lord John Russell gives notice at once,
and thus give timely notice to the country and his
friends that the consumer be considered, as the revenue

can afford the trial, and may gain instead of lose, if not
in sugar, by the increased consumption of other articles.
It is a grand trial, and may be the means of giving
future Ministers the power of raising two or three
millions of revenue with much ease.
We now pay the War duty, and we ought to see it
changed.
Propose that the duty be reduced on—
British plantation to 10/. per ton, would give .£2,000,900
Foreign do. to 301. per ton-60,000 to 70,000
tons would be required this year; say
50,000 at 301.
British do. Molasses, at 2s. per cwt. £150,000
Foreign do. do., at 12s. per cwt.... 150,000
Other sweets

£4,000,000

Yours, respectfully,
A PHILANTHROPIST,

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Mozart's chef di ceuvre, Il Don Giovanni, was re-
peated last evening.with the same powerful cast as
when it was produced for the first time this season, a
fortnight since, and the announcement attracted a
crowd round the doors long before the usual
h our for opening them had arrived. The theatre
was crowded in every part long before the
commencement of the overture. Not a box or a
stall was unoccupied, and there was not even standing
room in pit or gallery. The overture was mag-
nificently given, and the opera, from beginnin to
end, was one continued series of triumphs. I or-
nasari and Persiani were encored, as a matter of
course, in " La ci darem lo mano," and Persiani
who was in excellent voice, was also encored in
" Batti, batti." The other encore of the evening
was " Il mio tesoro," which was exquisitely sung by
Mario. The trio in the first act, by Grisi, Favanti,
and Mario, was admirably given by these three
accomplished artists. It was much applauded, and
narrowly escaped an encore. Between the acts of
the opera, Cerito danced La Gitana with all that
naive coquetry, that ease, neatness, and fascinating
grace which is so peculiarly characteristic of the
style of this delightful dansense. The ballet of Alma
followed, for the first time this season, with Cerito as

•
the heroine, and never did she dance the celebrated
Pas de Fascination more delightfully. A most fas-
cinating creature is Cerito, and we wonder not at her
turning the heads of the old German authorities who
guard the city gates. They must have been more or
less than human, had they not been fascinated by the
charms of Alma, when represented by such a sylph-
like, graceful creature as Cerito. There is a heartiness,
if we may be pardoned the expression, about the
dancing of Cerito, which we seek for in vain in that
of any other artiste. It is evident that other artistes
have been taught dancing, but it seems natural to
Cerito. had dancing been unknown before her time,
she would have invented it. The third tableau
of the ballet, the ball-room scene, is a most magnificent
display of scenic effect. In this scene is introduced the
Polka Generale of the whole corps de ballet. The
Polka, danced in this manner is a most elegant
dance, and will, no doubt, become as fashionable
in this country as it already is in the salons of
Paris. The house continued crowded to the close
of the ballet.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, MAY I s.—The Royal Yacht —The Emily
barque, Beach master, hired by Government from the
r herltav e
Royallid
Mistress all her re-
pairsb
celebrated transport contractor Soames, arrived on
Sunday, from
London, with the new tubular boilers and
funnel for the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert. She
was obliged to have her main hatchway combings cut.
away to admit the boilers below ; the funnel was brought
and
expected
b e readysll fo ewill
the latter end of this or beginning of next month.
The Nautilus transport, Lieut. W. C. Saunders, agent,
sailed, pursuant to Admiralty orcjer3, for Chatham, on
Sunday morning, to disembark her invalids.
et t isd
,
The Rattlesnake, 2, trop-ship, Master-Commander
Richard Brown, arrived on Sunday, from China. She
on deck: m p
It
has brought 202 invalids out of 268 originally
embarked, dysentery having carried off sixty-six
of them. One died on Monday, while the Echo
steam-vessel was taking the others out of the
ship. Thirty have gone to the hospital. Of a party
of thirty of the Royal Artillery, fifteen, including the
commanding offi•••,er died. The whole of the survivors
disembarked on Monday. Great blame is attached to
those who authorised the crowding so many persons in
an ill state of health, for such a long voyage, in so small
a ship as the Rattlesnake.
The Indus, 78, Captain Sir James Sterling, Knight, is
hourly looked for at Spithead, from Lisbon, which she
left on the 4th instant.
The Court-martial on Mr. T. Sparkes, carpenter, R.N.,
which was announced to take place on board the St.
Vincent, the flag-ship of Sir Charles Rowley, Bart.,
G.C.R, G.C.H., &c., Commander-in-Chief, on hfonday
last, is indefinitely postponed, with a view, it. is reported,
of settling the matter without a trial.