The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-15 00:00:00

CUSTOMS ACTS.

The House then went into Committee on the Customs Acts.
On the resolution imposing a duty of 4s. per ton on coi,
culm, and cinders, exported in foreign ships, being proposed, a
desultory conversation ensued, in which Mr. Ward, Lord
Howick, Mr. Gladstone, and Dr. Bowring, took part, after
which the item was agreed to.
On the proposal of a duty of 2s. on coals in British ships,
not being small coal,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Noble
Lord opposite had the other evening asked why the 4s.
duty had been abandoned. When his Right Hon. Friend made
his financial statement, the Government conceived that coal
might be exported at a duty of 4s. per ton without material in-
convenience to the trade of the country, or, at least, without
any inconvenience at all proportioned to the advantage which
would be derived to the revenue. It had since appeared to
them, from statements of parties connected with the trade,
that that duty could not be continued with effect. Foreign na-
tions required the coal of this country, and doing so they had
levied a duty on it. It therefore became the Govern-
ment to consider whether they could not derive a
revenue from the export. The sum originally fixed upon was
a 4s. duty, and since that, propositions had been made to the
House. It was true, a great variety of statements had been
made to the Government on the subject, and inquiries had
been totde, with a view of seeing how far the duty proposed
to be imposed was one which the article could fairly bear, and
the result of that inquiry was the proposition which his Right
Hots. Friend bad submitted that evening to the House. There
was also another consideration which arose out of the state of
steam navigation. It. had been represented to the Govern-
ment, by the owners of steath-vessels having depots of ccal in
foreign countries, that the .dintrof 4s. a ton would be a bur-
den which they would.not he.able to bear, and they asked that
means might be devised for exempting them from this charge.
Upon an examination of the subjetli; it was found that it would
be impossible to devise any satisfactory means of exempting
coals sent abroad for these steamers, without leading to
fraud. It therefore appeared desirable that such a rate of
duty should be imposed as could be fairly borne by the
Companies engaged in this system in steam navigation, and
would avoid fraud ; these were the main inducements to the
Government to adopt the present proposition. The amount of
duty anticipated from the duty of 4s. was 200,0001., and from
information that he hest received, he believed that the duty of
25., if the exportation of coal went on in the same proportion
as during the year that had elapsed, would produce altogether
140,0001., which was a reduction of 60,0001. on the gross
amount anticipated by his Right Hon. Friend. He considered
that the House was perfectly justified in endeavouring to raise
a duty which, without affecting our foreign trade, would make
a considerable addition to the revenue.
Mr. BELL said, that, considering the strength of the Go-
vernment in that House, he felt grateful to them for the con-
cession they had made. A meeting had been lately held at
Newcastle-upon-Tyne of the proprietors of collieries upon
the subject now under the consideration of the House.
At that meeting resolutions had been agreed to, stating the im-
policy of imposing any duty on the exportation of coals, and
suggesting that if it should be deemed expedient to impose
such a duty, it ought not to exceed 2s. per ton on large coal,
and Is. per ton on small. He felt grateful to the Right Hon.
Baronet for the concessions he had made, and he trusted tl,at
from the great anxiety which the Right Hon. Baronet had
always exhibited to promote the commercial interests of the
country, if the imposition of the duty should be found to opt-
rate prejudicially, he would not hesitate to reduce it, or to do
away with it altogether. He hoped, also, that the Right Hon.
Baronet would consent to postpone the imposition of it to the
latest possible period—say to the month of October—because
he felt convinced that if it were imposed earlier it would ope-
rate prejudicially on those engaged in the collieries. Ile could
not sit down wi,hout expressing his gratitude to the Govern-
ment for not having extended the duty to cu:m and cind re, as
had been at first proposed.
Viscount HOW ICK had heard, with regret the intimation of
the Hon. Gentleman opposite, that it was not his intention to per-
sist in the course of which he had given notice, because he be-
lieved that if he had persevered, a case would have been made out
so strong that if it had been brought forward supported, as it
would have been supported, her Majesty's Government would
have been obliged to }field.— ( Hear.) He was sorry, because
it had devolved upon him (Lord Howick) to take the sense of
the House upon the subject, and it had imposed upon him the
painful duty of expressing to the House his opinion of the
manner in which the negotiations between the Hon. Member,
the coal trade, and her Majesty's Government, had been con-
ducted. He thought the manner in which that negotiation
had been conducted was a ground for grave objection. Ile
was perfectly aware that in all cases in which an announce-
ment had been made of an intention on the part of the Govern-
ment to impose a duty which was likely to affect any of the
commercial interests of the country, those whose interests were
affected had a right to state their reasons to the Government
why such a duty should not be imposed. Nothing was more
proper than that these ;communications should take place, and
that the Government should, in deference to the information
and reason• which might be adduced, modify the propositions
they submitted to the consideration of Parliament. But, at
the same time, it was the duty of Government to make up their
minds, after deliberate consideration of the facts and reasons
brought before them, upon the amount of taxation to be im-
posed upon any particular interest, and hay.ng so de-
cided, it was the duty of Government to propose
to Parliament the rate of duty that they thought
it right to impose, without reference to the parties interested.
But they had no right to say to the parties, whom a particular
tax would affect, " If you abstain from your opposition, we
will recommend to Parliament a modified rate of duty ; .but if
you persist in your opposition, and impede and thwart the mea-
sure we propose, we will punish you, by adhering to the ori-
ginal proposition, and impose on the interest with which you
are connected a heavier duty than we think it ought in reason
to bear."—( Hear, hear.) A Government had no right to
take such a course ; and he thought no independent Member
of Parliament was entitled to assist in carrying on any nego-
tiations to induce parties to submit to the propositions of Go-
vernment. That was a practice against which every Member
ought to set his face. Now, the Government listened to the
representations of persons connected with the coal trade ; and
he begged to thank the Right. Hon. Baronet, for the patience
and courtesy with which he had listened to the statements made
by him (Lord Howiek), and the Hon. Gentleman opposite, on
the subject. He would now lead to the House some documents
connected with the subject, and at greater length than he
should wish, but the subject aas so important, that he hell ed
the House would excuse him.—( Cheers.) (The Noble Lord
here read a letter from the Hun. Member for Northumberland
(Mr. Bell), to the Chairman of the United Committee of the
Coal Trade in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to the effect that he
( Mr. Bell) had heard that the Government had shown a dispo-
sition to remit 2s. per ton, of the duty proposed to be le-
vied on coals exported in British ships, provided such
concession would have the effect of inducing the coalowners to
abandon their threatened opposition to the duty as it now stood
in the amended tariff, namely, 4s. per ton; that it would be sa-
tisfactory to him (Mr. Bell) to learn that. such a proposition
spas favourably received by the trade in general, as the
Government was so strong that he had no hope of carrying the
amendment of which he had given notice, and that the conse-
quence of failure would be that they would he saddled with the
whole duty of 4s. per ton.) The Noble Lord went on to say
that that letter was communicated to the Committee of the
Coal Trade in Newcastle, and on the 25th instant they adopted
a resolution, stating that the meeting was grateful for the sug-
gested reduction of 2s. on coals exported in British ships, and
desired to express their grateful sense of Mr. Bell's exertions ;
and that as far as the discriminating duty between British and
foreign vessels was concerned, the sneering were strongly im-
pressed with the conviction that the duty of 2s. could
not be imposed without seriously affecting the importation
of coal. A meeting was a I Lek at the Chamber of

Commerce in Newcastle on the.3d of June, ,lese.,2,,et FF eh
the following tesoiution was adopted That this inertng
ate .ut,animously of opinion that the imposition of any duty
e$
the export of coals is not only objectionable -principle. 1311'
will be highly injurious to the commercial and shipping inie
rests of this district, as well as to the important interests dee
pendent on the prospecity of the trade. and. under this cos'
viction, they express their hope that her Majesty's Got
ment will abanseen the proposed or any other ewe of duty." ie
addition to this ameeting was held in Palace. yard of the-pupl;
bets connected with the coal district. This .meeting was held
on the 30th of May, and then there was no imiroationeaf
farther modification of the plan being in contemplation; but
on the fellowing morning another notice w. s issued„ and andthe;
meeting again assembled : at this meeting a resolution W 0
agreed to that it, was inexpedient to accept a duty Of, 23• r_
ton on all coal, but if the Government 'would fix a ditty- of '•""
per tpn on round coal, and Is. per ton ion small. it would be
their interest to accept it, rather than risk the imposition of the
duty originally imposed. A further iesolution-ti usted that flieor
Government would be induced to abandon tl.e imposition t
any duty, as they were convinced that any duty rang
be hejutious, in proportion to its amount, .to t"
trade and the shipping, and other interests connected vrith it'
'these were the only papers necessary to read to the Houk' „
and after he had done so, and referred to the, epeee
of the Honourable Member for South Northumberland, '"
would ask whether they did not fully substantiate the state..
meats made at the commencement, that this degree of stol.„.°P
escence in the coal trade in the rates of duties now pro Petr"
had been obtained by a dread that if they persisted in refu,s7
to agree to-the compromise the Government proposed.l
would propose the ruinous duty of 4s. Was that amode,
proceeding to which the House should give its sanction 170
approbation. He would say no more as to the manner
vs
which they compromised ; but he would now consider lsetiier
r,,
the duty, in its present modified shape, was one which 7,-
House ought to consent to. He contended that it was w',
Had any sound reason been shown for the House adopting
high a duty? He had received a statement from a gentle:Os?"
who was one of the largest proprietors of colleries on the Weir'
and he stated that they had been selling coals at Is. &._a °ire
so that the duty, in some instances, would be 40, and, in otiseL"
70 per cent. on the value of the article. He argued that the
increase in exportation of coal was always contemporanee°
with the decrease of duty; there had recently been a elillieeier,
tion in the amount of the exportation from this`wte
try, which he ascribed to the sevete competition to
which they were subjected. In Holland they hed,
compete with the Belgian coal, and it was the inn",,
in the Mediterraneah ; there was reason to fear that'll ID'
duty was imposed they would lose the market of the Mel,
ral,ean altogether. It was calculated that in the course
last year 1,000,000 tons of small coal had been destroys
the coal districts ; and there could be no doubt butt std
e"
greater quantity would be destroyed if our colliers svecel`r
prived, by the imposition of a new duty, of any of the soseeat
which they now possessed. It should also be rereembered,:e.te",
in order to enforce the payment of the duty, there should o'
large addition made to the Custom-house force ; and the re'
venue expected from the duty would, of course, be Mei
tfonately diminished, Coals were now shipped at all hours
the day and night, and it would be found necessary to intteht;
fere with that practice; so that the imposition •of se
new duty would render various vexatious arrangements ne'e'd.
sary ; and the trade would thus be materially ceiPr,
sp,
The argument he advanced was, that the effect of the Cso°!e,
ment proposition would, be to. reduce the exportation of.!`"-e,„
and instead of 140,0001., which the Right Hon. Gentle:natter
petted, he would not get half that sum. The Right It..bru-
.,
Gentleman said that the exportation of coal gave an in,n,
to manufactures abroad ; but was it not notorious that oleo,
factures could best be carried on where the coal was fotlna4,
the spot? That was the case in this country, and it lessee',
same with regard to other countries. The Right Hon. ,ter-of
tleman had said that this measure would have the effectles
making foreign countries tributary to them. It may bec,;,,
foreign countries would levy a tax on these coals, and.o‘7
would be a legitimate object of taxation. The impositiosty
this duty. would stimulate foreigners to pay attention to'deo
raising of coals from the mines in their own countries. ine
neral activity already prevailed abroad on this subject' ef
France and Spain the attention both of the Governineweed
those countries and of the capitalists had been . diee7of
to the subject of their collieries, and the Governlnelkv.
this country was about to render them most
portant assistance by the imposition of this duty 'I:0
loss, which we should experience in consequence,
not be limited to the loss of our export trade for eoals, bit
foreigners succeeded in establishing a cheap productioe
of
coals, they would employ those coals in carrying on a varlet,'
manufactories whiele would compete with our own.—(114:01
The coal trade was, at the present moment, in a most der.
.„‘
condition, and they were about to add to the difliculty,L.
the distress experienced in the coal districts. If a small no
portion only of that trade should be lost, it would add grlet
the general distress and depression. The ships whickw wlib
thrown out of employment, would enter into competition,
ill
those now engaged in the coasting trade, and thus delseete
lower the present ruinously low rate of freights., The IMe
ing men, who were now employed in raising coals for the w'sse
market, would be thrown out of . employment, and wouldeao
into competition with the other collieries,-atid'thus bring" ea.
the rate of wages; and they were about to risk all those,
sequences for a duty which it was calculated, in ehe'S;
would net yield more than 140,0001., and that, on a eee
tion that there would be no diminution in the
„exportano,
consequence of the tax, for a tax, the net produce of lose
would never exceed 70,0001. a year, and that at a tittle:.
they were throwing away a revenue of 170,000 e, by•sMite
alteration in the duties on coffee. He was surprise's:id
Right Hon. Baronet adopting this retrograde policy with
to one article at the very time when he was stating, as 7-110
an-
for imposing a heavy pecuniary burden upon the natios4Sse,
he was by his tariff affording increased facilities to teedes';4ol
Mr. H UTT, as the representative -of an importantt!
district, felt bound to protest against the imposition oftbte
even in its modified form, and he felt convinced that thei.lo
owners of the North of England must have had other flegullsol
than those derived from reason laid before them to induce '
to consent to the adopting of a proposition 30 diestet
ruinous tothe districts in which they reside. The dol. 0#
annihilate the export trade in small coal. He could no'
150' •
at this postcript to the tariff, without expressing his eststirset
ment that such a postcript should have been added by.ooo
who introduced the tariff itself , so inconsistent was it 17; ise
those ptinciplts on whiCh the tariff was founded. As rt
e fee
hostile to all former legislation on the subject, he thane` of
Government were bound to state satisfactory reasons for lea
proposed alteration. When the facilities of conveyance, 11110
were now in progress, had been completed, the coal trade
be subjected to a most injurious competition. Neat/ter'
whole of Europe; as regarded the article of coal, was as yet
explored, and this fact, together with the progress of rod,
on the Continent, might well lead there to expect great...io,
petitit n in coal. The Hen. Gentleman trueted,that tebeltiesS
position of the Government would be abandoned, its .1;V
convinced there was no soundness in it. The Home
e-Pird,So
concluded by seconding the amendment of the Noble seu_si.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER expkailiti
Lord HOWICK explained. Although it could not be'd
that a threat had been held out to the coal trade, yet -it 10
cot be denied that an inducement had been held out to
not to agitate.
Mr. LIDDELL said, that as the Noble Lord had dec. esogi;iej
his intention of dividing the House on this question, it beeeesi
his (Mr. Liddell's) duty to explain the vote which he intc".,loo
to give. He considered that great danger was attendant
any impost on the exportation of coal, but he was haPPi_eeett ties
that a difference was still to continue in favour of exPer"-tedis
of English buttons. He was decidedly opposed to allY
tional duty on coal, but as there was no chance of success..
to be
opposing the original proposed duty, he had considered a pat
to the advantage of the trade to accept the modified rafeed eet
taking all the circumstances into consideration, he cou'pesell
help regretting that her Majesty's Government had Pro
any duty at all. Having co-operated with the Hon. 147;0f
for North -Northumberland and others connected with the or
with respect to the compromise, he felt bound in honour to Ad,
port it, and he should, therefore, not vo e with the Noble
but but with her Majesty's Government. He reposed in the 0,
feet Lope, that if the Government found the proposed atitilreer
the eff, et of diminishing the export of coal, they_4o
take hereafter some remedying steps. They must re_rsoi
that where a market was lost it could never he regained,
such should he the case with respect to the coal treee',
Government would have much to answer for.
Mr. BERN AL said that with respect to our being elteillt•
compete with foreign countries, they must recollect 'lied'.
"Ipao
of coal in France and in Antwerp had been for some 00
declining, and he thought it very doubtful whether theYo,lit
be able to compete with the foreigner, even if thereeeeeifti
duty. If the Government risked the prosperity of a grTee,
terest, they incurred a heavy responsibility. dpi
Mr. GLADSTONE trusted the Committee would needle
that the proposed imposition of a duty upon coal wle.srei,
productive of very ill effects, because Hon. Members W
presented the coal districts had thought fit to represelibee
results as most tuitions and devastating : such oppositl° 401
been raised to almost every proposition, and for at 10gi...00
were almost led to believe that threet taxation was a bad
of things ; and then again, when direct taxation was pro
"the most powerful arguments were raised,against that sroeoest
It was their duty now, however, -to consider the F:rtielei
arguments which had been made use of against thisesi
and the most feasible of those,. as it appeared to hirst_lta
which related to the money that was expected to be TtOotil
this tax, which was between 130,0001. and 140/. Perevene:,
He did not think that this tax would be injurious in 11 ter
sequences ; if the effect of it would be to impede the Prsjobefe
of the trade, then it might be held to be injurious; bu
eve;
the effect would be to raise a sum of money for their On's:3oe,
and necessary purposes, then he thought that the irePtreero
be considered as a proper one. Revenue was ale Kao, tbe;
object in view, and he must say he was surprised to
t.)
Noble Lord, the Member for Sunderland, say that the
of this tax would be to increase the price of coal to 4
A 0
consumer; on this point he (Mr. Gladstone) was oil ootte
opposite opinion ; he thought that the effect would be &
.001,11
reduetion of the price to the home consumer.—(bath"`'
The question for the Committee to consider was, 'pent:
result of this impost would be any considerable d...utttsHoin-
upon the amount of coal at present exported. He tlll7-OSy
the case of such a result occurring had not been et` reetie",
out, for though an impost had been imposed he did
,n9c,oela:,
fain the slightest expectation that the foreign cos; woof ,
able to compete with the British. The Belgian cot' oeffetr'
very inferior a character to British, that it could never
with it in that country for purposes requiring good e:;;,s e.. 0;
Denmark there was no doubt but the quantity at Peeej rssn;
ported from England to that country would be inceee,,b 14;
than diminished, and he did not hesitate to say that Witsei wet,
to that country the duty of 4s. might have been lTthoutii.
very considerable advantage. To Norway, also, hefor ateit'o
the exportations would Increase. We had been
.0 ,855.0,.
years exporting coals to Holland, and from 1831.t,..5pi
exported no less than 120,000 tons at a duty of 3s. 'K.' r"
He could not think, then, that the apprehensionswitheorrePre
to the effects of this duty had the slightest grounds
foundation. l
do Mr. LAM BTON felt himself obligedto oppose the
ob,
in its modified shape, inasmuch as it was calculated:oloe fart",
our commercial intercourse with other nations, and
amid important interests. It would injure not onl Y tltsebllo
coalowners of the north, but also the shipowners..jeton e°ealte,
also prove most injurious to the great steam nay c,a.nter43.- 1 04.'
nies and the continental gas companies, whichof htand;.rewpfeass 10_
t,
large contracts expressly on the faith
this duty. Theeetroposition of the Governm!nicl
consistent w.th IR' principle of the tariff,
of reciprocal benefit to this and to foreign cviohnict_reieb.oleferee:'
imposition of this duty was calculated to irritate 005911 ,res.u.oe
rnents with which we sought to establish comenereleightnie
and to strengthen whatever determi: ations theYe; rejettefitti
contemplated as to imposing restrictive or prohileitt this cf, to
articles exported by us. On that ground alone
.looisteootios
ought to be condemned. It was a duty greatlYern. j3srd be
impede the commercial policy which the Right
at%l2. ao_ere
considered of such paramount importance to esf 1" to supl'",
(Ms. Lambtcn) should therefore feel it his du je oPV
the proposition of the Noble Lord (Lord Howie',
vobje
tion to that ot the Governmet.
Lol‘rdir.(
rests uf his constituents subservient to a wish not pit
HBottl:,Li
eLk fen). lidee tided
ad himselfeeuf.r.odmh
itmh the
fatt attack °f ttthoheeopp:%:oo4:
the Government oanerhmeenrtepellAtdmiotrew
deserved.-- ( Hear.) He never did, and be , et stelv!i
iuthnfctihu
sacrifice the interests of his constituents, to s
tup ei.4o:74get
vernment whatever. No blame could attach If! ifies'
Government for the part they took inathis sußliche
could be more manl and a raightforward than was brill°e
which they acted—(Hear, hear)—and if there
the
unfounded
scorn accusation caunsda t
nenvdei
gr
13,
sou:et