The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-29 00:00:00

was reduced ; and they prayed for relief. NiTheta be
stated, that i❑ Durham and the neighbouring count/
there were between 40,000 and 50,000 persons wiwte
subsistence depended entirely on the mines, the Bub'
ject would at once be recognized as one of considerable
importance. The petitioners stated that Spanish eft
to a considerable amount was imported into this country►
and he was informed that the Spanish ore was of a much
finer quality than the ore of this kingdom ; and they wished
to call the attention of the Right Hon. Gentleman to the
inequality between the duty on lead sic imported, as com-
pared with that charged on manufactured lead. The duty
on the former was 1 Os. a ton ; on the latter it was upwar,!e
of 40s. They were desirous that these duties should be
equalized. He must, however, in candour observe, that
there bad been so small an importation of the raw material
for some years, that he did not think it could have opera-
ted against this country. He believed the real cause of the
depression arose from a very considerable quantity of the
Spanish ore being sent to South America, which shut n 5
out of that market. The mines of Spain yielded 40,000
tons of lea 44 per veer; and of that quantity 20,000 tons
were exported. The subject was however, yell worthy
of consideration, since the British mines employed an im-
mense number of persons who had no other means of sub-
sistence whatever.

Mr. HUSKISSON said, an alteration had undoubtedlY
been made in the law on this subject ; but he did not attri-
bute the depression complained of to that circumstance.
The scale of duty had been lowered with reference to lead
ore ; and an additional duty had been placed on the manu-
factured article. That plan was adopted because it gave an
opportunity for the employment of British capital, and the
exertion of British industry, in the manufacttue of the rare
article. The importation had been, however, so small,
that he could not attribute to that cause the depression
which be, in common with the Noble Lord, deplored; nue!,
which he (Mr. Huskisson) would immediately remedy,
he knew any means of doing so. He could sot consent
to repeal the 'law, a course which would not relieve the
parties, and which.would, in fact, seem like a recall of those
measures with respect to the commercial policy of thto
country, in the propriety of which the House had agreed
with him.
Mr. WARBURTON•observed, that lead mines of pecu-
liar richness had been discovered in Spain, and from those
mines she supplied the world with this article. That being
the case, it was impossible that any thing could be done
by the Government to effect the change required by the
petitioners.
Mr. SYKES entirely agreed with the principle laid
down by the Right Hon. Gentleman,—namely, that
greater impost should be laid on the manufactured than on
the unmanufactured article, and he wished the Right Hon.
Gentleman would in all cases adhere to that principle.
But in one very important branch of our trade, a rule di-
rectly contrary was adopted : he alluded to the timber
trade. With respect to that trade, a higher duty was
charged on timber in the beam, than when it was sawed
into boards.

The petition was read, and ordered to be printed.
SALMON FISHERIES (SCOTLAND).
Mr. H. DRUMMOND obtained leave to bring in a bill
to regulate the salmon fisheries in Scotland.
Adjourned at Seven o'Clock.