The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-23 00:00:00

No. 15,705.

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ITATIONAL LOAN FUND LIFE ASSUR•
• ANCE SOCIETY,
FOR GRANTING

THE SUGAR DUTIES.

LIFE ASSURANCES, DEFERRED ANNUITIES, &c.
No. 26, CORNHILL.
Capital £500,000.
Empowered by Special Act of Parliament.
DIRECTORS.
T. LAMIE MURRAY, Esq., Chairman.
Elliotson, M. D., F. R. S. John Rawson, Esq.
John Griffithth Frith, Esq. I John Riddle Stodart, Esq.
Hunter Gordon, Esq. Clement Tabor, Esq.
George Lungiey, Esq. I Joseph Thompson, Esq.

The Jamaica papers of the sth of November con-
tain a report of the proceedings in the House of As-
sembly, on the motion of Mr. Thompson, for a
Committee to memorialise the. Queen, not to admit
foreign sugar to the home consumption without giving
protection to British West India interests by the esta-
blishment of a fair differential duty. Mr. Thompson,
in introducing the subject to the House, at once
avowed that "he gave up all idea of continuing the
present prohibitory duties, and hoped . to satisfy the
'House that it would be beneficial to the growers in
the British Colonies to have this question finally set-
tled." Mr. Thompson then observed, that it must be
obvious to every one, who had given the subject any
consideration, that the present duty cannot remain
much longer ; and it became a matter of serious con-
sideration whether it would not be better to meet the
.Government half-way, than to wait until measures
were forced upon them that they would be unable to
resist. He then adduced some returns showing the
decrease of island exports from 1831 t 0,1841. After
which he proved, on good sound .free-trade Principles,
that if the duties were lowered, the consumption would
begreatly increased, and the planter would receive as
good remuneration as he did at present. The aver-
age price of foreign sugar for the last six years was
stated by him at about 19s. per cwt., exclusive of
duty in the London market, and he thought if it were
admitted into British markets the price would rise to
about 225. per cwt. The duty on foreign sugar
should be reduced to 305., and the duty-ol British
-
Pantation to 155., which would give a protection of
15s. per cwt.; add the differential duty to 225., the
average price of foreign sugar, and the British planter
would have 375., exclusive of duty, a much larger
sum than had been obtained for the last ten years,. if
the year 1840 were excepted, when sugar was at an
extraordinary price. 'Mr. Thompson next proceeded
to read to the Assembly a dispatch from the island
agent, of date the 14th of June last, which is very
graphic. After adverting to the debate on the
Sugar Duties of the 18th of that month, when the
renewal of the former duties was carried by a
majority of. 81, the Jamaica agent states that, en-
tertaining a deep-rooted. conviction that any re-
laxation of the Sugar Duties would ruin the colo-
nies, and perpetuate the slave trade and slavery, he
deeply regretted that the tone and spirit taken in the
debate "were not so high, nor the grounds of resist-
ance of that moral national character on which such a
measure, oughtto be resisted," . To continue the pre-
sent duty merely to enable the Government, in the
treaty with Brazil, to insist on her putting an end to
the slave trade, is to place the question on too narrow
a ground. " I strongly advise," says the Jamaica
agent, " that in the • next session of the Legislature
there should be repeated &memorial to her Majesty,
deprecating. any relaxation of the duty on sugar.
The reduction of the duty on foreign sugar ought to
be resisted on grounds which should arouse the
moral and religious feelings of this country, and ren-
der it impossible for any persons to support it." Mr.
Thompson'sPomment on this advice from the island
agent,• who evidently works hard for his fees, may be
summed up in. these. few words :—" That it was im-
possible for any Minister much longer to resist the
almost universal cry for cheap. sugar. He referred
the House to Lord Stanley's dispatch, where he states
that the Government were determined to carry
out the principles of Mr. Huskisson, and if those
principles, he said, meant anything, they meant an
approximation to free trade.. Mr. Barclay admitted
that the present differential duty could not be main-
tained, and that it was desirable to have the question
definitively settled. He believed that the approaching
session would do so, and that the Government had
already decided, as Mr. Ellis had left England for
Brazil, to negotiate a new treaty of commerce,. in
'which the sugar duties would form an essential part,
and on which he, no doubt, had instructions to guide
him. He then observed that a proposition similar to
that of Mr. Thompson had been made by a Committee
of the House of Commons under a Whig Administra-
tion, but he had no objections to the 'Committee,
which was then appointed without a division. The
Morning Journel in. commenting upon the subject
says, " It is gratifying to observe this move made to
meet the Government half-way on the sugar duties,
because it affords the best possible evidence that the
Jamaica planters are ceasing to consider the present
sugar duties as essential to their existence, having ac-
quired more confidence, and are preparing for a com-
petition which has hitherto been regarded not only
with alarm, but a feeling bordering on horror and
dismay."

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