Star.
London, England, 1801-12-07 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY' PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF HOMMQNS, SATURDAY, DEC. 5.

Mr. R. Tomorrow prefentod o Peddon from the Catpors
den of Fangßonemoss-Holl, praying the prohibit:kw di.
tilling from grain ..-.Ordered to he on the Table.
A Petition was prefented from the Prifemers sonfined for
Debt in the Gaol of the County of Tort, praying for Rod...
Ordered to yc on the Table.
A new Writ was ordered for Aberdeen, in the room of A.
Allard; cc, F.fq. deceafed.

The Reports of the Five Millions Exchequer Bills Bill. ant
the Prize Goods Landing Bill, were brought up and agrees. to,
and they were ordered to be rend a third time on Monday.
Mr. W. Dundas moved for hove to bring in a Bill for a Houk
of Corredion in Aberdeen... Leave granted.

The ornaniad Silk HUI went through a CoMmittee, and
the Report was ordered to be received en Maui*

STARCH M•MVFACTOtF•

Mr. VANSITTAILT rofe for the purpofe of propof-
ing an important meafure upon the fubjell of the
manufaaure of Starch. The fpeech of the Hon.
Member upon the occafion, was to the following
effea :—" Sir, I was yefierday indulged with the
pennifGon of the Houfe to bring forward a mea-
Cure without the ufual formality of notice. The
meafure to which I allude, was the motion which
I then fubmitted for leave to bring in a Bill to pro-
hibiting the dillillatioa of fpirits from wheat in Ire-
land. I am now about to fubmit another motion
of the fame clafs for the purpofe of carrying a fyf-
tem of economy fill farther in that particular
fpecies of grain, which is fo much ufed for the fuf-
tenance of man. The fame reafon, for expedition,
which induced the Houfe to entertain my motion
laft night, and to difpenfe with the ordinary forms
of proceeding, exit in the prefent cafe ; I !hall,
therefore, proceed to the point without further
preface, hoping to receive the fame indulgence....
The Houfc is, no doubt, aware that the manufac-
ture of Starch from wheat is prohibited no longer
than the ill of January next, and it is fufficiently
obvious that fuch manufacture, if fuffered to pro-
ceed after that period without reftraint, molt have
a tendency to raife the price of bread. The mea-
fure, which I now mean to propofe, is for the pur-
pofe of counter-acting that circa, by giving up en-
tirely the duty upon Starch made from rice and
potatoes, and thereby throwing the manufafture
upon thofe two articles. I am perfeetly aware that
rice and potatoes are alfo very principal articles of
provifion; and that any thing, which could materi-
ally affea their price, would take fo much from the
advantage which will arife from the application of
that wheat to the ufe of man, which would otherw ire
have been confumed in the manufaelure of Starch.
—The prefent nate of the country with relpeet
to thefe two kinds of pi cm ilions, I am happy to lay,
is fuch as affords no ground whatever to apprehend
any inconvenience of that fort. In confequence of
the very large importation of rice, and the abun-
dance of the fate handl, there is at prerent more of
that article in the country than is v ante!. The fur-
plus, therefore, cannot be better Applied than in
the manufaaure of Starch, and in thus increafing
the cpumtity of bread, for which rice is only a rub-
"bane. This advantage will appear great to every
nusiereanding; but thofe only who are acquainted
with the manufalture, can appreciate its merits in
their full extent. • As I am informed it is not com-
mon or ordinary wheat that is ufed for flarch; but,
dm 11W 071Strary, the grain Of ;ha Inca quality;
ao the grcatcli pains are taken to procure pp.

dly of that description; it 1:. not therefore merely
the quantity of wheat, but the quality of bread that
will be encreefed and improved by this meal-tire.—
Some may, perhaps, think that a mixture of da-
maged wheat, with rice and potatoes, would make
a better kind of fiarch than can be had from thole
materials alone ; and that the manufafture might
be carried on in that way without lefening, in any
refpelt, the benefit pmpored by the mealtime. I
mall be always an advocate for free and open trade „-
and I have accordingly confidered this point with
an the anxiety, which, as one profeffing this prin.
ciple, I mutt feel, when the queflion is to impofe
reltraints upon manufafture, and to interfere with
the inure& of individuals in trade. With every
difpoittion then to reduce the retlraint in the pre.
Cent cafe as low as potable, I cannot admit even a,
partial and qualified ale of wheat in the taanufae•
tore of Ruch in the manner which I have Rated.
The fubjea is of fuch a nature, that any modifica.
tion, any liberty in the ufe of wheat, however li-
mited and precife, would afford fo many opportu.
tildes to the manufalturer to extend it to the ufe of
grain of every quality, that no potable degree of
vigilance on the part of the Revenue Officers would
be fufficient to prevent the abufe; and the t.itele
benefit of the mature would be endangered or loft
to the public. So far then with refpraft to the ufe
of rice in the manufalture of ftarch, and the danger
°fallowing even *mixture ofdamagedeorn,though
, unfit for human funenance. Now with refpen to
potatoes, they alto exift in great abundance, and
therefore may with fafety be applied to this We.
Of all fpecies of vegetables, I believe it will be 31. '
lowed they anti& the ben and furelt remedy for
fcarcity in other articles of food, but particularly
in fcareity of bread. The great difcouragement,
however, to the cultivation of potatoes is the want
of a certain market. The meatus° they which
I propofe will, by removing that dikouragement,
promote their growth ; and, as all the other ohfer-
vations which I have made upon rice apply equal.
ly to potatoes, I think I need not fay any thin
farther upon this part of the fobjeft. The idea
will no doubt fuggen Welt to *Mk who feel the
force of my a t, that if the ale of
in the man ure of /larch is Co defirah=
confumption in the &tinniest mutt be Rill snore
beneficial ; I than only Wave, that this Mita
has not efeaped the attention of thofe perfuns con.
netted with government, who have turned their
minds aeon to the queltion or provifions. The fob.
jeft is under coo/Iteration. bat the inquiry made.
is not yet fuffident. for all tho purpofes of a Tar
meervazilserfelt as to enable one to brag
it fo I nave so doubt, how,
ever, but *at pa*** y bapplied with ad,
vantage to rental other , Wes the dinilleries,
Some of them are now cantelnplatiots, and I
hope to fee, ere long, a gillehl end compnleo.
five fyltem of regulaticms ilmt mull prove
n
highly beneficial to the co in Ms article of fo
t,i
much importance as that Mons. I have
now only to add, that the:,lllA Ilk the, winner,
ihould my propofition be selopellk 1144 be. 90604
but when it is confidcred, that hiy IRIt means *e
than Pave for the ale of man atm no to 40,000
quarters of wheat now in:attuned in 'the manufaxv
tare of Ruch, I hope the Houk *lll cheerfully
fuhmit to the Menace ofveveinw. Mr. Vantittaxt
concluded with moving, a Tlffit the Al imposing
the duties on Rand be read;" Aich being done,
he moved

" That the Houfe do now refolve kfilf -into
Committee of the whole Houfe, to conhdkr of the
propriety of permitting the making Inch from
rice and potatoes, free of duty."
The Houfe havinl accordingly refolvcd Wee
into the ftid Committee;
Mr. VADISITTILIT-•-" I have Very few &Cereal
tions to make upon this fubjea, in addition to
thofe which I have already Rated. I Mali only
notice one point in which Gentlemen may wilh to
have fome more fatisfaftion.—l mean the relin-
quifhment of fo much revenue. By the airs which
will be revived upon the expiration of the prefenx
prohibitory law, the duty on (larch from wheat
will be sid. per pound, and foam may think we
might preferve a part of the revenue. by lay.
in; a (mall duty upon sflarch from rice and pots,
toes,. taking care, however, that the proportion
fhonld be fuch as mull induce the mannfafturerto
give a decided prefer:nee to the latter materials.
I have duly conlidered this fubjeft; bat from the
fluauation of the pi-ices, and various other cireinn-
fiances topbe taken into the account; I fear it would
be extremely difficult, if not impoale, to adopt
that plan upon anyproportion that would net elt•
danger, and perhaps ultimately defeat the whole
objeta of the meafure. I hope, therefore, that the
Houfe, rather than rifting Each a confequerliMi will
fubmit at once to a total abandonsuot of the 'dit-
ty. I (hall therefore move, Sir, " That the Chair-
man be direacd to move the Houfe for leave to
bring in a bill to permk the making of ftarch from
rice and potatoes, free of duty."
The motion being agreed to, the Houfe refumed,
the report was then received, and leave was given
to bring in the Bill.

IRISH WHIRR DISTILLPRII.
On the Motion for the fecond reading of the
'hint Wheat Dillillery Prevention Bill, Roe-
son Paid, he did not objat to the principlt. of the
Bill, but he thought it did not go fir enough.--
He walled the prohibition fhould extend to all
fpecies of grain in both countries. The evil :o be
apprehended from opening the w;•:,
great, that he thought Paliament thould adopt
fome roeafure for its preventuin befe,e the adjourn-
ment. What had been Paid on the preceding
night, by an Hon. Member not now in his place
(hlr. Wilberforce), relative ita the died tit the
price of oats in Ireland nisrm the price of that
grain in Yorkfhire, Chewed the neeeSity of a ge-
; neral prohibition. •
The SPEARS% raid, that if the Hon. Member
had any regulations to propofe, the Corow.ittie
would be the proper ftage of the Bill in which to
introduce them.
Mi.'niLy ADDISIGTOII contended, that the re-
duifticifp u the price of provilions wai ranter! t,s
Inearqus propofed in regard to the
The Bill was then read a fecond time, tui,! on!
'mined for graday.—. Adjourned. •