The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-12 00:00:00

we can of the probable supply of sugar for the future ;
aad in this respect, too, I would say that the prospect
of our success is great. I find by the returns that there
was in London on the sth of March, of British
Plantation and Mauritius sugars in warehouse,
410,000 cwt., and I find there was, in the outports, 48,000'
cwt. of sugar, being a total of 890,000 cvt't., the expected
import of sugar in the year ending April, 1842, has
been estimated by those, on whose judgment I am
disposed to rely, they are 2,400,000 cwt. ; 800,000 cwt.
from the Mauritius ; 700,000 cwt. from the East
Indies • add to that the. 590,000 cwt. that were
in the warehouses, which make a total for
consumption for 1843 of 5,490,000 cwt. Now the quan-
tity of sugar taken out was 440,000 cwt., and that
would leave a large surplus above the largest consump-
tion. I do not say that that is in itself a conclusive
argument against the competition with foreign
sugar ; but, at any rate, it appears to me that it is fit
for her Majesty's Government to retain the opinion
which I had expressed last year, and by anticipating
that, by a reduction of prices, an increase of the reve-
nue would be the result, without resorting to fur-
ther duties. These were the grounds on which I brought
forward this measure. There have been questions raised in
respect to the application of the measure which I
propose. Efforts were made to lay the foundation for
the gradual abolition of slavery, on the success
of which the Noble Lord opposite calculated, but
unhappily has been disappointed. There have been im-
putations, then, upon the humanity and good faith
of England, and the continued efforts which she made
for the abolition of slavery. With a view there-
fore to thoseobjects—by the admission of foreign
sugar, I must say that I am unwilling, to en-
courage cultivation or encouragement of slave labour.
These are the grounds upon which I adhere to the opi-
nion which I expressed last year. Unwilling to reduce
the duty, her Majesty's Government propose not to dis-
turb the existing rates. With respect to two other
articles of great consumption, coffee, and timber,
he thought that reductions in those would not be more
aeceptable than those which he had laid down. He was sorry
to say, that in the consumption of coffee there had been a
a great decrease. Tne quantity of coffee en-
tered for home consumption. in the year 1840, was
28,780,000 lbs. In 1841, it was but 28,421,000 lbs.
In 1840 the amount of duty paid was 920,0001. In 1841
it was 808,0001. It is scarcely necessary to remind
the House that the duty upon coffee directly imported
from foreign ports is ls. 3d.. per pound, imported
direct from British possessions; it was said 6d.
per pound; imported from British possessions,
within the limits of the East India Company's Charter,
it is 9d. ; the effect of this is that a considerable quan-
tity of foreign coffee is exempted from the duty, as it is
sent from Brazil and Hayti to the East Indies, from
whence it is imported to this country as East
Indian, and subject to a duty only of 9d. Now, Sir,
I think that if we make a reduction of the duty upon
this article, instead of spreading the reduction over three
different classes, we should place it on a simple and
intelligent basis, and make the reduction such as to
benefit the consumer ; it is my intention, therefore,
to propose . that there shall be but two duties,
I propose to reduce the duty on coffee, the produce of
British possessions, to 4d. per pound, and the
duty upon the produce of all foreign countries to
Bd. per pound. Now I proceed to calculate the
probable amount of loss of revenue on acccount of
that reduction. The revenue received in 1841
from coffee, the produce of British possessions,
at sixpence in the pound, was 463,0001., vary-
in.' duties of one shining and two• pence, 427,000/.,
making a total amount of revenue of 891,000/.
I think it hardly necessary for me to go
through all the calculations.—(Hear, hear.) Assum-
ing, however, that the loss of revenue would_in the first
instance be 237,000/., but that there would be an increase
of consumption to the amount of ten per cent. The
probable loss of revenue upon coffee will in fact be
171,000/. Now I come to another article, the article
of timber. I am now considering in what way,
with the greatest advantage to commerce and to manu-
factures, I can apply the amount of surplus re-
venue to timber. Sir, in determining what shall be
the duty on timber, we are embarrassed with the consi-
deration of the protection and interests of our
Canadian possessions.—(Hear, hear.) The present
rate of duty on foreign timber is 555. per load,
Bat the duty upon timber at present is levied in a
very complicated and unfair mode. If . you look
to the average amount of duty upon foreign timber,.
uniting the duty upon deals, staves, and lath-wood, I
apprehend the aggregate amount of duty, upon
the average, would not exceed 41s. per load.
—(Hear, hear.) The duty on Colonial timber
is 10s. a load, the average duty might perhaps be
calculated at Bs. or 9s. per load. Now it ap-
pears to me to be of the utmost importance
first, that if you do make a reduction of
the duty on timber, it shall be such a reduc-
tion that the consumer shall be certain to derive
benefit from it ; and, secondly, that you should make
your reduction in such a way that in the peculiar posi-
tion of the Canadas, knowing the importance which at-
tached in the Canadas to the timber trade, you should
not suddenly, or indeed at all, affect their interests.
I think if the House would consent to it, a mode can be
devised of affecting that object ; but if I am correct in
supposing that the aggregate amount of duty on foreign
timber does not exceed 41s. per load, the scope in which
we will have to act is limited. Various measures
have been proposed to effect the object which
I have in view • but of these measures none were likely
to o.tford the sllhtest success but the one proposed by
her Majesty's Government last year, namely, the
nin
reduction of duty on foreign tiel the in-
crease of the duty on Canadian timber. Now I am
going to propose a plan totally different, and
in stating this case let ma be allowed
to say that I am not influenced by party bias ; that I
am desirous of avoiding as far as I can, such a paltry
object as recrimination, which must sink as nothing
compared with the immense importance of the subject,
of which lam treating. I do not think that the mea-
sure proposed by her Majesty's Government last year,
would have been attended with benefit to the consumer.
Having the surplus to deal with, and wishing to deal
with it in the best possible manner for the general ad-
vantage of the consumer, I have considered in what
way, without injuring the Canadian interests, that
advantage could be accomplished. This is not
so plausible as it might be. It may be repre-
sented to the working classes that there is a
great reduction made in the tariff, from which no benefit
shall be derived to them, But surely benefit must un-
questionably accrue to the working classes by re-
moving the burdens which press on the manufacturing
interests. Now, Sir, as I believe the aggregate
average of duty on foreign timber does not
exceed 41s. per load, I propose that a reduction shall
be carried to a sufficient extent to benefit the consumer
I propose that the present duty on foreign timber, as
distinguished from deal, shall be reduced to 30s. per
load. For the present year, that is the year ending the
sth April, 1843, I shall propose that the duty on
deal shall be reduced to 355. But I shall propose
a total change in the mode of collecting the duties so as
to place all the shores of the Baltic upon the same footing.
I believe the mode of taking the cubical contents will be
much better than the present system. But so far am I
from intending to injure Canada, that I propose to
confer a great and permanent benefit on her. The
Committee of 1835 recommended that no immediate
interference with the produce of Canada; and I believe
Lord Sydenham held out this expectation. I said last
year we ought to wait and see how the ener-
gies and resources of Canada would develope them-
selves under new circumstances, and I still
think that we should use the utmost caution, and beware
of any measure that would suddenly interfere with the
interests of Canada. Now what I propose, far from
having any injurious tendency, will confer a positive
and lasting benefit on'the Canadian, and will also be of
great and immediate benefit to the consumer here.
With this view, I propose that in the year
beginning the sth of April, 1843, the-duty on foreign
timber shall be reduced to 255. ; that on deals, from the
present duty to 30s. ; that on lath to 20s.—(Here the
Right Hon. Baronet was so much exhausted that there
was much difficulty in catching his emphatic words in
the gallery, but these were the periods we understood
him to name.)—This proposition will have the effect of
greatly encouraging commercial enterprise, while it ac-
knowledges a due regard to our present relations with Ca-
nada. Now, I must say that with respect to this article of
timber, and considering our peculiar position in regard
to a country with which I trust the most friendly inter-
course and communications on our part will be
long maintained, Ido think it is desirable to act
upon the principle so far as you can safely apply it with
reference to the general interest, to trust Canada
in respect to timber, as if she were an integral portion
of your own empire.—(Hear, hear.) The distance at
which she is placed, and the cost of bringing her timber
here, necessarily subject timber to some disadvantage ;
and if the duty upon foreign timber' is to be reduced to
255., and the duty upon foreign deals 305., it appears to
me that you have no talternative but to export timber
from Canada at an almost nominal duty.—(Hear, hear.)
You would otherwise be subjecting Canada to a ruinous
competition ; if you inquire into the condition of Ca-
nada, as compared with other countries, and if you
apply that principle of a reduction of the duty upon
foreign timber which I propose, justice to Canada will
require that the duty you may levy upon Canadian
timber should be almost merely nominal. I propose,
therefore, that the duty upon Colonial timber shall be
reduced to ls., the duty upon deals andlath-wood: to 2s.
Of course this great measure cannot be adopted without
incurring a risk of loss. I say at once that the adoption
of this measure will produce a loss, but with my views,
having made a reduction on other articles which
enter into the elements of manufacture, I cannot
conceive a more beneficial reduction, than the reduction
on foreign timber.---(Hear, hear.) And I estimate the
total loss incurred by the reduction on timber will be
600,0001. If it be the wish of the House, I will go through
the calculation—(Cries of " No, no")—but if it be not I
should be glad to be spared the trouble.(Hear, hear.)
Sir, there are two—only two other considerable reduc-
tions to which I wish to call the attention of the House,but
I cannot help thinking that with respect to both I shall have
the unanimous consent of all. There are at present cer-
tain duties levied on the exportation of British
manufactures, contrary, as I think, to sound prin-
ciples, which amount to a sum of 108,000/.
Thes duties are imposed on exports of woollen goods and
yarn which are sent to the places with which we have
no treaty of reciprocity. The duty on woollen amounts to
30,0001., on linen yarn to 4000/., on silk manufactured goods
to 4,800/., and on manufactured Iron to 24,0001. On
other articles, such as earthenware and glass, the duty
was 8,5001. ; on provisions, 2,8001. amounting in
the entire to 81,900/. There are other articles
of minor importance which amountto about 20,0001.,
making on the whole a total of more than 100,000/. ; I
propose to remit altogether the duty upon the export
of British mannfactures.—(Loud opposition cheers.)
There was then a loss amounting to that sum. There are
other different classes of duties, which I think are