The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-11 00:00:00

EFFICIENCY OF THE LIGHTS.

Your Committee has the satisfaction of reporting
" according to the evidence before them, the public
general lights on the coasts of England, under the
management of the Trinity House in London ; those on
the coasts of Scotland, under the management of the
Northern Commissioners in Edinburgh ; and the lights
un the coast of Ireland, under the management of the
Ballast Board in Dublin, are all maintained in an
efficient state."

The complaints made in petitions to the House of
Commons, and by witnesses before your Committee,
have not been in any case against the efficiency of the
lights, but against the high charge for light dues, or
the mode of levying them, or the irregularity of the
rates.

In 1834, there were in England 126 lights (of which
128 were fixed, and 18 floating); while, in 1844, they
!lad increased to 175, containing 1,152 burners alto-
gether.
The aggregate number of lights in the United King-
dom in 1833-4 was 219, cnnsisting of 105 public general
coast lights, of 93 local or harbour, and 21 floating
tights ; while the aggregate number of lights in the
United Kingdom in 1844 was 309, consisting of 121
public general coast lights, of 29 floating lights, and of
159 local or harbour lights. There has consequently
loin an increase in the United Kingdom of 83 lights
,ince 1833, viz.:—

In England of 8 public general, of 8 public floating,
and of 33 harbour lights
[n Scotland of 4 public general, and of 10 harbour
lights
In Ireland of 4 public general, and 16 harbour lights 20

Total ' 83
The Isle cf Man lights were not returned in 1833,'
but are now included in the total number, and will!:
make

The total gross receipts for the public general lights
in the year 1843, by the Trinity House, Commissioners
of Northern Lights, private individuals, and the Ballast
Board, were 240,3041.

The total gross receipts of dues for the public general
lights in 1843, were 356,9051.
It must be evident that so large an amount levied on
the commercial shipping for the public general lights,
besides the amount levied for local or harbour lights,
must form a considerable portion of their expenses.
It appears by the return for 1843, that the aggregate
amount of light dues collected fur the United Kingdom
in that year was 356,9051., and that the charge for col-
,ection was 15,8141., or nearly ss. per cent. ; and that,
by other returns before this Committee, the stamp
duties of the United Kingdom are collected at the rate
of 21. 2s. Bid. per cent., and the property and income-
tax at the rate of 21. 16s. 6id., whilst, in the parish of
Nlarylebone, the parish rates are collected at a charge
of 11. 6s. Bd. per cent. ; and your Committee submit
that, in case the collection of light dues shall be discon-
tinued, the above sum of 14,9531. would be wholly saved;
and if continued, there is no reason why the charge for
collection should not be greatly reduced.
Your Committee further submit, if light duties shall
continue, they ought to be collected by the officers of
Customs in every port of the United Kingdom, free of
all charge whatsoever, in like mannerfas was enacted
in the case of Ireland by the Acts of the 51st and 52d
Geo. 111.

PRESSURE OF LIGHT DUES.
Your Committee are convinced, on the clearest evi-
dence, that the light dues press heavily on the commer-
cial shipping of this kingdom, especially on the coasting
trade.

They are heavy on British shipping as compared with
other countries. In Russia, France, the United States
of America, and l'russia, no separate charge is made for
lights. The British over-sea trader complains that
:,hips, from the continent of Europe bound to the East
or West Indies, or any part of the south of Europe, pass
up and down Channel without paying any light dues,
whilst British ships sailing with cargo from the United
Kingdom to the same ports must pay heavy light dues ;
that vessels wait for a full cargo, or go in ballast up and
down Channel to avoid the charge of light dues ; and
that it consequently often happens that merchants cannot
execute the small orders they receive at home or from
abroad at the time Ranted, and thereby often lose the
market.

COASTING TRADE SUPPLY OP SEAMEN.
The rates for light dues are not only unequal in the
amount charged by the boards in each of the three king-
doms, as shown in another part of. this report, but they
press also, in the opinion of the witnesses, more heavily
on some branches of the ship•
ping than on others.
Thus, whilst every class of shipowners complain of the
burden of light dues, the sailing coasting traders have
the strongest ground for complaint, as they say their
trade has been a losing one for some years past. They
allege that the value of all shipping, and of the coasters
in particular, has been deteriorating, whilst they have
to meet the competiton of the steamers, now generally
employed between the principal ports of the kingdom ;
and the competition of steamers daily increasing has
obliged them to lower the frei▪
ghts so mnch that the
owners are now compelled to seek every possible means
of lessening the expense of sailing their vessels, and
they consequently look to relief from the light dues,
which form a large part of their expenses. Indeed, in
some places, the sailing coasters have already much de-
creased in number, and in others have entirely ceased to
sail, leaving the trade to the steamers.
The steamers also complain loudly of the burden of
the light due, which become very heavy, as they make
more frequent voyages, and pay every time they pass
the lights.
Your Committee is most anxious to submit to the
House the claims of the coasting-trade to immediate re-
lief, not only on economical, but on political grounds of
e
ay.: highest importance to the maritime interests of this
country.
The great support of the naval power of the United
Kingdom has been the facility of obtaining a supply of
hardy seamen from the mercantile shipping, whenever
required for the service of the navy. Great Britain has
had several branches of commerce, the nursery of that
hardy race which have so ably maintained the honour
and power of the country on that element where her