The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-23 00:00:00

preceding 13 years, has not been enabled, from the effect of the duty, to import for
the 7 years on an average above C. 8,580 per annum, consequently a-deficiency of
revenue, from the iccrease of duty, of 70,2091. per annum ; the consumer paying
at the same time double the amount. For C. 24,96!, at 91. will produce 224,6491.
and C. 8,580, at 181. 1,51,4401.

From the same Statement it will appear, that the average importation from the
north of Europe has diminished, both in timber and deals, very considerably in the
last 7 years ; but that, including the importation from Canada, the consumption of
timber has been more; but not above two-thirds of the quantity of deals have been
imported into England. It may easily be supposed, that in the last 7 years the
average consumption should be more, from the increased wealth of the country,
but the high duty alone can cause a diminution of expenditure ; and I think it will
appear, if there had been no increase of duty in 1811, that it would have produced
as much revenue.

Average importation before 1811, 161,442 Timber.
add increased consumption - 52,239

Loads - - 213,681 at 11. 125. 6d. = 1.347,232
Importation during last 7 years - - 96,770
on which a duty of 31. ss. has been paid

- - - - 314,502

Average importation of deal, before). ~,050
at 91. - - 351,450
1811
D. - last 7 years - - - 22,969 - 181. - - 403,442
I have omitted fractional parts, and have not taken any notice of the further
increase in 131. i, which must be first deducted from the amount in the Exchequer to
ascertain the above. The calculation is sufficient to elucidate my view of the sub-
ject ; and I am confident that, with respect to Norway deals, the committee, on
reference to the Exchequer, will find, that if the year 1820 does not shew that the
revenue from this article, at 201. 15s. Bd. per hundred, produces less than the
average of the years 1785 to 1792, when the duty was IL 13s. 4d. that the year
1821 will Ehog that remit.

. How far do you attribute that to the mode in which the duty is taken upon the
deals ? conFequence of Russia being enabled to bring deals of a longer length
than Norway, the mode of taking the duty favours them so much, that they have
been enabled in the course of the same period,to increase their importation, whilp
Norway has diminished.
Is not the importation from Norway confined to a particular length ? It is.
The Russian deals are much longer ? They are.
May not that increased importation have arisen from the superior convenience of
having the deals of a greater length than Norway could supply ? From being en-
abled to import them of a longer' length, certainly she has an advantage over Nor-
way. • Suppose.the prime cost 101. the hundred, when the duty was 11. 13s. 4d.
and now 211..105. ed. the difference in duty between long and short deals is about as
two to five, but I will take it at half; half 11. 13s. is IGs. Gd. only 8 per cent on
prime cost; half 211.105. 3d. is 101. 15s. ld. and is 107 per cent on prime cost.
Does not the contiguity of Norway, and the difference of freight, nearly com-
pensate for the difference of duty on the different lengths of deals ? Certainly not ;
if it had, they would have retained their relative proportions of import ; but my
answer to the preceding question will chew an advantage beyond three times
difference of freight.
It being stated that the duty on five loads and 20 feet of Norway deals is the
same, by the practice which now prevails of taking the duty with that on nine
loads and 45 feet of Russian deals, to what extent would the difference of freight
between the two countries compensate that difference ? Not being acquainted with
the rate of frieghts to the Baltic, I cannot answer that question at present with
accuracy.
What Is the price of Norway timber now in the market ? There is none ; we
have not imported a single load the last year, and very few the preceding one. Our
importation has been, in some years, very considerable.
What was the price, compared with Memel timber, of the last import ? From
255. to 30s. under the price of Memel. There is always this difference, Memel
being now Gl. a load ; we could not obtain 41. 10s. the duty being 31. ss. would
leave only 11. ss. for cost, freight and charges, at which it cannot be imported.
What difference in the existing regulations of the duty on deals would, in your
opinion, place the Norwegian deals and the Baltic deals on a fair footing, in this
market ? I think nothing short of a graduated scale, or taking 'them upon the
cubical contents.

Then that would, in fact, be nearly doubling the present duty upon Russian
deals ? It would but only make it equal to that from Norway.
Do not you think that the effect of that would be to throw the great importation
of deals into Norway, instead of bringing them from Russia and Prussia ? Cep:
tainly not.

Explain why ? Upon the average I have given, Russia has increased in so very
trifling a degree, that it would only put Norway into the situation in which she was
from the year 1799 t 0.131 I .
Do you know the comparative quality of the wood imported from Norway with
that imported from Itusia. and Prussia ? For deals, those from Christiana are su-
perior, but the Dram. deals and the Longsound deals, and Moss deals, fetch no
more in the market, than the Russia deals do.

Upon the supposition of the duties being equal, would not that give a preference
to the Norway deals ? No doubt ; but when the duties were less on referring to
the average, it would only place Norway in the same situation that she was with
respect to Russia before.
Is there not a considerable difference in the number of voyages that can be
made between Norway and Russia ? Certainly.,
Does not that make a considerable difference in the freight that is paid ?
Certainly.
With those advantages, and the quality, is it not calculated to throw the chief
importation of deals into Norway, rather than to divide it, as it is now divided,
between Norway, Prussia and Russia ? I can only state upon the average, that
it would net have that effect; the importation from Norway might be considerably
increased, but it would reduce the importation from the other parts very little.
I found my opinion on the statement, that when the duty was doubled, in I 8 1 1 ,
although the importation from Norway was considerably reduced, it did not create
a correspondent increase from the other parts on the continent.
What was the last price of deals at Christiana? We do not buy any there. 1
Arc not deals sold there ? I believe
,not many for London ; they are sent
generally to the houses of agency.
Jr what ships does the importation from Norway usually take place ? Sometimes
in British and sometimes in Norway ; but the larger proportion in Norway, I
certainly.
Do you think that proportion is increasing or decreasing? Decreasing; they
have sold- almost all their ships.
Are they building fresh ones? Not that I know of.
If the trade from the north should increase, do you think the proportion of
British ships employed in that trade would increase or decrease ? Increase, cer-
certainly.
Are you at all acquainted with the cost of building ships in Norway ? No, lam
not ; but they wished so much to get rid of their ships, that I had several to
sell last year, if I could have got five pounds a ton for them, masts, yards, and all
their stores ; they were fir ships.
Do you know what is left to the importer, after all the expenses and charges are
paid upon the price at which Norway deals are sold ? On onehundred and twenty
deals from Christiana, at the present price, it would leave him about seven pounds
a hundred, but from any other port in Norway it would not leave four pounds,
consequently the deals from any other port than Christiana are excluded.
Can you state what proportion that bears to what would be left the importer
upon a hundred and twenty deals brought from any other ports in the north of
Europe ? No, I cannot.
Do you happen to know what arc the ships in which the timber is usually con-
veyed from other ports of the north •cf Europe besides Norway ? Not being
engaged in that trade, I can only give a hearsay evidence ; I believe principally
British.

Has not the importation of deal ends, since the imposition of the high duties,
very much increased from Norway ? No, not very much increased ; it has been
stated there is a particular advantage to Norway, which is not the case.
State how? Thirteen pounds ten shillings being the price of Christiana deals
independent of duty, is at the rate of one shilling a foot ; on one hundred of eight-
foot deals clear of the duty, it would be one and a penny a foot, consequently an
advantage of three halfpence a foot on the eight-feet deals ; but as a great many of
our "nines, tens, and elevens are cut down to eight feet, taking the average at ten,
it would only produce eleven pence a foot.
Then the deals of nine, ten, and eleven feet are cut down for the express pur-
pose of escaping from the heavy duty ? They must be, or they would not pay,
freight and charges ; the heavy duty would overcome, freight and charges. And the
reason why Norway has so many more than any other country is this, that the
wood in the other countries will enable them to cut their wood to make deals of
sixteen feet ; upon an average we cannot cut above thirteen feet, therefore, if any
accident happens in the falls, the butt end is spoiled, and every deal that does not
run the twelve feet must be reduced : but a sixteen feet deal from the other ports
would make a fourteen, thirteen, or twelve. But all our smaller deals must be
cut down at once to eight feet. The sacrifice is to the shipper, and the consumer
gets the advantage of it. The Norway merchant gets no advantage from it,
because, if you will divest the two articles of duty, .the net proceeds to him are only
Is. Id. All the advantage of the difference of duty is to the consumer. Two
eight-feet deals are sold always as one twelve feet, and produce, as above, Is.l d.
per foot. Had we been able to have imported the same quantity in sixteen-feet
lengths, it would have produced Is. 4d. per foot.
If no alteration should- take place in the scale by which duties are now levied on
deals, what effect would the continuance of such a state of things produce upon the
trade of Norway ? It would annihilate it, unless the duty was generally reduced,
and then we should stand, if it was reduced to what it was before 1811, in a better
relative situation with respect to the other ports on the Continent, and our impor-
tation would increase ; but theirs would not much diminish.

Do you think; that if any increase were to take place in the export" of Norway
timber, there would be a considerable increase in the export of British manu.
factures ? Certainly.
What reason have you to think that ? Because the Norwegians always have
taken a very large quantity of British manufactures ; they use British manufactures
in every way.
Are there any laws prohibitory of British manufactures at present operating in
Norway? None that I know of.
The laws that operate in Sweden do not extend to Norway ? Certainly not.
And none have been enacted for that kingdom ? None that lam aware of.
Do you know whether Norway has been. in the habit of taking to the extent
of her imports ? I believe to the full,
Is there any great debt in Norway to British merchants ? A very considerable
debt, and which they would readily pay in wood.
In what way has that been accumulated ? The debt has been accumulated
under a variety of circumstances ; advances upon exportations ; advances upon the
produce of Norway ; and part of the debt has been in consequence of the confis-
cation of British property, in retaliation for the seizures at Copenhagen. The