The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-11 00:00:00

THE TARIFF.

On the motion thattheOider of the Day for the House re-
solving itself into Committee on the Customs' Bill be read,
Lord STANLEY presented two petitions, one from Mon-
treal, and the other from the inhabitants of Canada, in favour
of the Government measure. . . . . .

Mr. HAWES presented a petition from the timber mer-
chants of London, praying for an alteration in certain por-
tions of the proposed measure relating to the admeasurement
oft • -sber for the calculation of the duty.
Sir Rt. BERT PEEL rose and said—Mr. Speaker, Sir, I
was in hopes would
he enabled to make the stater I
subject of the commercial tariff after the
hand to make on tel o a Committee on the Customs' Duties
House resolved itself in,.
e;:ar that it was for the general con.
Bill, but I think it is quite
general discussion on the
venience that I did not raise s..
1y
Lord (Lord Howick) has
tariff at that time; and as the Noble .
t2s to make, .I have,
given notice of motions which he inteh
iny‘ general
under the circumstances, no option but to
statement previous to the motion for the Order of 1::e "aYbeing
read. But at the same time it is not my desire tea: ticipate
any discussion that probably will take place. I think, as im-
portant notices have been given, it is better to avoid enterims-•
into the discussion of those particular questions, and not preju-
dice the facts by any partial representation of them.—( Hear,
hear.) Sir, I rejoice that we are now arrived at a period
when we can enter, as I trust we are about to do now, seri-
ous:;' and continuously, on the discussion of this subject.—
(Heal hoar.) I very much fear that great public inconveni-
ence has resulted necessarily from the delay that has taken
place, but it was absolutely necessary that at whatever period
these propositions were made, a considerable interval must
have intervened between the first proposal of them, and their
being submitted by Government for the consideration of the
House in their perfect form..--( Hear, hear.) But, at the
same time, I am not complaining of any impediments that
have been thrown in the way of their discussion. The delay
was unavoidable on the part of the Government ; because I
am sure the House will feel it was the duty of her Ma-
' jesty's Government to avoid having communications
with parties who were were personally interested. It
would be .impossible to hold those communications without
giving some declaration of our intention as to the proposal to be
made, and those persons who had knowledge of the measure
to be proposed had an unfair advantage over the rest of the
public. There was no alterative but to make the motion with-
out the advantage of private communication; but, having made
it, the parties had time to be heard against any important
changes affecting their private arrangements. I trust that some
compensation of the evil necessarily connected with this pro-
posal—l trust that there has been the opportunity given to
those whose partial and individual interests are affected mate-
rially, to consider the whole scope of her Majesty's Ministers,
and fairly to consider whether they cannot find ample compen-
sation for the losses they may sustain in their special occupa•
Lions by the general advantage which we may hope to gain
from the measure in contemplation. The House has before it,
in the papers recently presented, the existing rate of duties
upon the imports. They have also the amount of duty collected
under those duties which are now existing. They have the
original proposition submitted by the Government for the
amendment of the commercial tariff, and they have also before
them the proposal last suggested by her Majesty's present Go-
vernment. They have also the opportunity of comparing the last
proposal with the former, and also of judging of the altera-
tions made by the Government, and of the temper and spirit
with which those great arrangements had been undertaken ;
and I think it must be evident to every one who has com-
pared the first with the last proportion, that no undue influences
have been allowed to operate on the judgment of her Majesty's
Government. In the course of this discussion I have been re-
peatedly assured that I should not be able tti, set aside party
considerations. Now, I appeal to her Majesty's late Govern-
ment, to the House, and to all parties, whether any 0i.2,1,he mo-
difications have been introduced from unworthy motiirs.ls•
( Hear, hear.) I think it will be seen by parties who had rea.•
sons on either side for inquiry, that modifications have been at-
tended to, and their requests granted; and I think it will also'
be manifest that powerful parties, who have urged alterations
without foundation, have been resisted. I think it
will also be shown that when weak parties have
suggested alterations, they have had a fair hearing;
and if favour has been shown to any one, it has been
to those who were weak and unprotected.—(llear. hear.) Sir,
avoiding, as far as I can, reference to the specific question
brought under consideration, I will state what the general
scope and purport of the commercial art angements are which
are proposed by her Mrjt sty's Government. The general ob-
ject of her Majesty's liovernment has been to simplify the
tariff. It cannot be denied that there arc duties on different
articles not reconcileable with that principle. At different pe-
riods great alterations have been made in the tariff: in 1787
Mr. Pitt consolidated the Customs' duties. During the war,
as there was a financial pressure, it was the practice occa-
sionally to raise the Customs' duties by an indiscriminating per
tentage; and a great part of the anomalies of the present
tariff arose from that practice. In 1825, the Customs'
duties came under the review of Parliament, at the instance
of Mr. Huskisson, and great changes were made. I wish to
claim for her Majesty's Government no undue credit for the
alterations which are now proposed. I remember the last oc-
casion on which the attention of Parliament was called to
the subject was by the Committee on the Import Duties
is 1539. I do not say that, it time had permitted, the inquiry
might not have been more complete; I never did at the time,
nor do I wish now to depreciate the labours of that Committee,
neither do I wish to deny that by bsinging the attention of the
public to the state of the tariff, the Import duty Committee ac-
quired a claim to public gratitude. We have, therefore, applied
ourselves to making the tariff clear, intelligible, and, as far as
possible, consistent, which, Without reference to the amount of
duty, would be a great public benefit. We have endeavoured.
to remove all positive prohibitons on the importation of foreign
articles, toreduce the duty on such articles, so as to admit them
to a free competition with our domestic produce. In
the cases in which we have departed from this rule,
it was justified by special circumstances, but the gene-
ral rule has been to abolish all prohibition, and reduce
all prohibitive duties within the range of fair competition.
With respect to duties on raw material ;constituting the ele-
ments of manfactures, the object has been to reduce the duties
on those materials to a nominal amount. On half manufac-
tured articles, which enter almost as much into manufactures
as raw material; the object has been to reduce the duty to a
moderate amount. With respect to articles completely manu-
factured, the object has been to remove prohibition so that the
manufactures of foreign countries may enter into Competition
with our own ; and I still entertain a confident belief and ex-
pectation that the general result of this tariff, if adopted, will
he materially to diminish the charge of living in this country.
If you say we do not make such a reduction in this or that par-
ties lar article as to make any saving in the expenses of a
farn;;ly, I am ready to admit that that is true as to an individual
articale ; but if you consider the general effect of the reduction
taken together, I contend that the inevitable result must be
to mak e a great reduction in the price of living in this couhtry
as cornioared to what it is at present; and that must be a
great advantage to all classes.—( Hear, bear.)- I am not ap-
plying th.,35 to any one or two particular duties, but taking

ductions of duty. Brit, Sir, I think that when you mike re.-
ductions which affect an individual, it is but just and proper'
to give him compensation in some other articles.-(Hear.}'
Let me take an article which is of .great importance to ages-:
culture, I mean clover seed. -(lcer, hear.) I .find that
the duty on clover seed is 1/. per cwt. on foreign clover, and
such is the demand for it, that the amount of the duty, in lB4ls
was 141,00U-('t-leer, hear.) The clover seed is produced in
some of the southern counties of England,.but in some of,the, •
northern counties, and in Scotland, they depend on the foreign,
or, at least, the extraneous supply.-( Hear, hear.) .We pro-
pine to reduce that duty from 1/. to 10s. per cwt.--,(Hear.
hear.) 1 know very well that in this reduction some injrnY"
will be inflicted on those districts which derive a profit from •
the monopoly, for they have in some so. t a monopoly, but a
monopoly which was, however, overruled by the necessity, as
is shown by the duty producing a revenue of 141,0001.-e.
( Hear, hear.) But I think that the cheap admission
of 5°
important an article must be fur the general benefit of aryl- •
culture.-( Hear, hear.) With respect to grain, there may.
be a scarcity in some years, which would render a supply trete('
abroad a great benefit, or there may be a superiority in foreigo •
grass, and it is not of great importance that it should be Cill'Ilp•
The reduction of the duty on grass was from 11. to .55. per cwt.
Now again, take onions-( A laugh twos au Hon. 111ernber on
the Opposition)-Hon. Gentlemen may laugh, butethe.ii."
portation of vegetable of this kind is of great importance;
and it is of importance with respect to the grower of that
vegetable, that the home grower may be able to enter into
competition with the foreigner. The duty is- i,:s 6d. Per
pound at present on onion seed, and in this case we pie.•notte t?..
.
make a great reduction from the present amount, that .is w
bring it to is. per pound. With respect to lint-seed, twilit'
seed, and oil- seed, the duty is at present Is.; we propose t.
reduce it to Id. for the purpose of encouraging the manures!
turers here to enter into competition with the manufacturer*
abroad. I will now call the attention of the House to the
changes proposed on the charges at present imposed on the lane
portation of foreign woods for purposes of ornamental furniture
and dying. The duty on foreign woods had ranged from ba
to 100 per cent. on the value of the article. The high amount
of duty has, I believe, nearly contributed to effect of ,site.
years, a great change in the industry of this country, with' re"
spect.to furniture. . What country in the world is there voters
there might be greater skid exercised in the makintof faille
titre than England? I cannot conceive a country- in which
there are greater opportunities for the exercise of consumnist!
skill than this : but what has been the cohsequence of the big!
duties upon these woods ? I know there have beeti WOO
which mahogany has been imported into -England, 'llr'
exported into the Continent, where the furniture -hsg
been manufactured from that mahogany, and then it haiteca '
re-imported into England, paying 20 per cent. duty. OTIS
advantage, 1 think, would arise from reducing the duty 01'
this wood. And Ido not despair, by the reduction of thsS
duty, to make such alteration, that instead of leading yen to
import furniture from France and Germany, you may 11
enabled to make a considerahle export from the produce s' i
the skilful mechanics of the country. At present it elevitivr '
possible to deny that the Cabinet trade„ whether from-th.;
operation of this cause alone, or conjointly with-other cane!'
has been transferred from this country 'to France. and 'Or"
many. I pass on then from the reduction •of the -dutY 011,,
woods for the purposes of ornamental furniture, and le thi^,s'
we shall by and see the great advantage which will arilefr".
the reduction of the duty on mahogany. It ,has been dlleS'
erred of late years that this mast useful, wood, which b*
hitherto been confined to furniture, may be apezlied. ?ie.,'
great effect to the more substantial parts of ship-bilitwits,e;
It is a wood that strenuously resists the operation of dri'";
-ne wood more so-and I believe if the price could be ir,'
duced, it would be used with great advantage in ship-build
ing. I think it would be also right to reduce the duty,l.
woods for dyeing. I pass on now to ores of metal, and '
think there is no part of the tariff which is more imports"
than that which relates to the reduction on the duty tie
ores of metal-whether I speak of iron, whether I sneak ,e,
lead, or whether I speak
,of copper, in my opinion Bre
advantage to the commerce and manufactures of this cowl
will result from permitting the 'entry of those impel,
articles at a much diminished rate of duty. Just let me is
the case of copper. At present in, this country, eon cati°,",
import and sell foreign copper for internal, use. You hs,'
greater advantages than any other country possesses with
spect to coal; you have it at a cheaper Tale, and can spill •
with great advantage to the smelting of ,foreign copper,- `
when smelted you cannot make use of it for home manufactl,
and you must send it to France and Belgium to undergO
.e,
more valuable process, viz., to be rolled and manufactOr`;
And what is the consequence of this?•' Foreign countries C
undersell you in copper smelted with your coals ; thee( r:
undersell you in the production of bolts and sheaths for ShlP,f'. '
and of boilers for steam-vessels, and in a variety of .0u1„--
articles of manufacture made of brass and copper. 'lle e°
,:e
sequence of permitting that use of smelted copper abroad '-00
been to give to foreign countries an advantage of la: per ta •
in the market on copper smelted with your coal. In France' ea
Belgium-I believe lam stating a fact-the price of sineLtel
copper is 10/. per ton less than in this country; and seep.r
in foreign countries can be fastened and coppered, on acePtfo'
.of this advantage, at, a cheaper rate than they can in
_eo•
country ; this is a decisive proof of the advantage which wedr
be derived from reducing the price of the manufactured c01)14:
in this country, or 'rather of raising it on the Continent ;-;111
this tariff has bad that effect already.-(Hear, hear.) L. )
state to you what has been the effect of the present duty. se
foreign 'Power was desirous of entering into a very lare_ecfse
tract for the building of several large steam-ships. ApPie.
lion was made to this country, and the only objection to A
ing into the contract was the very great expense of fassee9;st
and coppering in this country as compared with Hsellatawiee
Belgium. A demand was made, on account- of the egedit
of eoppering, to,which it was found impossible to accede,o et
was then stated that the contract must be transferred.eitWile,
Rotterdam or to some part of Belgium. I believe, b"1.011
that the matter will not be decided until the tleci'ajcss° 0,
willth eboenrter as
reserved
4i ndsftoeraodnorf
own'.ot"' tier
fuse'.°
House shall be made known. I think there is eyeairiv re°
believe that, int case the proposed reduction flt1"-;,'T teat'
cfeorprpeedr
tsohofuorldeibgen agreede:.urietos,
now from copper to other most important elements of inauu to
tune, which are arranged under the head of oils and Otribcoo
Now, I consider that the manufactures of this country ° ii•
f
been exposed to disadvantage on account of, the price 0, ea.
and extracts. In point of fact, there is no more importalr.me.
ment in the manufactures of this country than 'l,,r.
maceti oil -( Hear, hear.) The present duty on 'wit
aceti oil is 26/. 10s. per tun. That duty applits 0
Vcc. se
I s,4oaceti oil and train and blubber oil. Now we propooer
„retie, teat duty from 26r. 10s., in respect to train and blOO5 ;
oil, to 6/ ' cod with respect to spermaceti oil to 15/. iei
• , . 'es,
thus giving a co..;"petition to oil the produce of Ameri
.egt
cases where the pries" of oil in this country is extraoorocit'Se
and extravagant. I he;:i 1 'of
e I sin not wearying the f-
~1.0 ,
these details.-(Cheers ).. I •
wart to establish the t'spi
that the general result of the . to give new life 0
tariff will be etre
activitto cmerce,d to aks•
e a reduction in those Co re)
which are unavoidable WunderM the (Ghee 0
p,eeeent system.-
_a
Now a very short time since the preele of spermac.eti,r est
almost fit/Ler 701. per tun. But of late ;ears the pr_Li Fe
risen. In the year 1839 or 1840 the pr;ee of SP7.4ell°
oil rose to 93/. and 1111. per tun. Th.! conTs_eer
has been a great reduction in the consumption. -. Th :1;000.
facturer his had no other alternative, but either tes, ce, of '
olive or other vegetable oil for his machinery, or else'bseer-;, 0;
most extravagant price for spermaceti oil in this coandililes
compared with spermaceti oil in the United States ; 11°.1,),„' li
are no oils which, when applied to certain purposes .'.':. if',
ehinery, will answer the purpose so well as spermaceti 0001
have a formidable competition with the United States ilo' ell
branches of manufactures; and they have this ativantage::ilitl
us that the spermaceti oil in that country of the hest '1I;
ieef. id
is sold at from 33. 9d. to 4s. per .gallon, ;chi Jeee
this country the price is from 83. to 9''
gallon. 1 propose a reduction of the dtt'ye- 'y
will not, I trust, seriously affect that important-. wi,ter,,.
of our fisheries engaged in the oil-trade ; but yet.at the,-; el
time it is advisable, in my opinion, that as the sperroafe /'
has borne the price to which it has of late years beersral se
think it is advisable that there should be some cornpetitiol:loo
the oils of other countries, so as to reduce the price it tlO
reasonable limits.-( Hear, hear.) I do not believe that,
price here were reasonable, the American oil could (nit
With the oil of this country. From oil I shall pass t° jir
stuffs. The amount of duty at present leseaele upon oft
stuffs is so great as to have led to considerable srunglr)o
Very recently a person had smuggled to so large an arnounier; ,
he had compounded with the Custom }louse officers folid,li . •
of 100,000/. rather than defend the action commenced ,aiti to
him. The great amount of the duty naturally ger!"
illicit importation. With regard to timber, lam awariller..;
a difference of opinion has prevailed upon the proposedlotr,
lion in the duty on that article. Now the more I co.litrit
subject, the more I am_ inclined to think that we are ar4 lei
confer an important benefit on the country at large bY,oietteji
posed reduction, although at the expense of a large est 6e; ,
revenue. I beg to remind the House of a meroorable•!"74
of the late Mr. Deacon Hume, on the subject of timber,'
flume says, " we hive abundance of untaxed coal, able
of untaxed iron, and we only want abundance of mite-0
;:e order to be provided chiefly with the .0%0%00'01
primary raw materials of employment and of. mantdategeie•
That %e 1.., the opinion of Mr. Hume. The import_ Qtrs-,- or
timber wilt, in my opinion, keep in check any dernort,efprse,
upon us on ace: of the additional facility given for-
portation of Baltis.' et
timber. I admit that the propose Si.;
is liable to this rake objection, that it will at first, baj4.'i •,,e1
with the loss of reiwnuc to the amount of 6005,0e1,,,
700,000/. ; but I doubt whether there •is any article!. sees,
a reduction of the revenue. would be attended with betifoile
These are the principal raw materials or elements oft
be
tilliet,
tares with respect to which great reductions have b'A, 11.00 f
1 cited some instances as examples of time benefit iituFt"cheeli of
will arise from the proposed reduerioee• Now ~I 010'600 re
consideration of the reduction of - ,:ry upon ori.ingv
foreign mannfacturer. I propose, gene: ally SPIC! 10;1/
apply an amount of duty, net. exceediag; ' .roi
per cent., upon articles of foreign manufietur;al ,11
will be particular exceptions, but, as a ge°`-a.tOY
the maximum amount of duty Inch has been serP"°4l,of;lile,,
tides of foreign manufacture is twenty per cent. At; ee)of',
sent moment many of the duties upon these articles are ti.,),01 ii
as they were during the war. There does not aPPeauetinti,
been any consistent, uniform consideration of. the aim, fi
these duties. Now objections have been taken by. s° of Id
Gentlemen to the proposed reduction in the dutiesakiaisepi
articles of foreign manufacture. It is said that by °if fefe4l
reduction, and by inviting competition is ith articles
..t
ori9ieV
manufacture, we have begun at the wrong end-111" id Op, •
to have dealt more largely with the Corn-laws-qv, ~,
hear," from the Opposition benches)-that we ongn. 43;
reduced, in a greater degree, the duties upon article' of
visions, and that it is not just to reduce the duties ,90..../.! joi
manufactures until such reductions have been maCts_iiset,ef
oh," from the Opposition beaches)-that we are e.ii gee
the manufacturers of this country to a competition
fv,e3te, itt.l
which can be had on the Continent on more favou.arrrio
• il
and therefore that it is unjust to the manufacturer
_.. to
wish to consider the force of that objection. 'My ansfft,e, oe
in the first place, that we have reduced, 'Pe Os
material degree the price of the necessaries of life. ff, .
article of corn. The duty upon tt,e importationnr 4_ it , 10
wheat is at present 15s. ; if the old law were in fO7, le ji,
be 275. I say there has been a very material redact_tv7se;tr)
duty on the import of foreign corn; and if ail rotten.. or
pare die duties which are payable at this day.oo ottitee, IV
foreign oats, barley, and wheat, es ou 1,041'
Kith the dutt , sAralsoioi
have been paid were the old law in force, he limo tiosit,
there has been a very great reduction in the duty oleo
041
ties. 1 will next take the article of meet. add beta 41,1
more particularly to the reductions which harvoe *sr i I
posed in the duties on beef, either fre'h.tiee. .eO;4,
salted, which is subject to absolute prohibt obibitie
regard to fresh pork, there is at present a I),':f ene,soo;
propose freely to admit that article at a dutY,Yk, 0.... e.
Then, with regard to lard, a most important art' e
joo
membe, ed to the poor, and an article of the greatest e ere'
00
in many of our manufactures-with regard to lar:e terePtel
at present subject to a duty of Bs, a cwt.. and 7ed t 0,9,10101
reduce that duty to 25.-(Cheers.) With regalvv.a,
meat, it is at present subject to a duty of 12s. a•;tlty 0 oli!"
propose to reduce it to Bs. a cwt. On hams tine `.:itis.Y.P :e
” 1/. 8s a cwt., we propose to reduce it to 10;1 to'
, . , • • • -.- -