Star.
London, England, 1828-07-25 00:00:00

benefits were best shown by observing the great increase
in the revenue and expenditure of the country. The
peaee establishment of 1792 amounted to 6,369,0001.
but of late it had amounted to eighteen, nineteen, or
twenty millions. Our expenses and our debt had in-
creased considerably, and yet our credit was good. No
nation placed under similar circumstances had ever
snide-such great financial exertions, or had conducted
itself with equal vigour. It was their Lordships duty
to see this system persevered in. It was possible that
other arrangements might be suggested apparently as
efficacious as those recommended by Mr. Pitt; some,
other permanent system might be proposed, but he!
strongly recommended the Noble Duke not to give up
t system we now possessed till he was assured that
some other would be more efficacious. He did not object
to the present Bill; it was only temporary, and would
give the Noble Duke and his colleagues time to make
full and ample inquiries into the subject, and. he was
lure that further inquiries would only induce them to
persevere, for they would find Mr. Pitt's plans capable
of realizing all their expectations. He would, with their
Loidships leave, then reter to some Returns, to show
That there was no reason to apprehend any future telling
off in the revenue. By tie public Returns, it had been
ascertained that the population of this comity had
been increasing annually at the rate of one and a half
per cent. since the year 1800, when the first Population
Returns were made. He saw no reason to doubt that
this increase would go on; and he saw no reason to
believe that there was any diminution in the wealth
and comfotts of the people. He thought it reasonable
to suppose that this increase would be accompanied by
an increase in the revenue ; which increase, he supposed,
was likely to amount to 750 0001. Comparing the pro-
duce of tto Revenue for the last four or five years, he
found that the increase accorded with what he had just
stated. But during the last five years there bad been
some peculiar circumstances in operation, which made
him believe that this increase in the next few years
would be more than realised. If in the last five years
the Revenue had increased as much as 750,0001. a year,
he thought, looking at the increased consumption, that
in the next five it would increase more than a million;
and by the returns of the quantities of various articles
consumed, he found this view fully justified. To men-
tion a few of the articles, and going back to a peiiod of
forty years, the consumption of tea in Great Britain
then, that is in the year 1788, was 13,218,000 pounds.
He took that year because it was subsequent to Mr.
Pitt's Commutation Tax, and before that passed the
smuggling was so extensive that the accounts•of the
quantity consumed must be erroneous. Since the year
1788 the duty had been greatly increased, amounting
almost to cent. per cent. on the price of the article, and
yet the consumption of tea was in 18g7 26,000.000.b5.
or, since 1788, it had exactly doubled. A similar in-
crease, which it was gratifying to him to remark, bad
taken place in Ireland. in 1788 the quantity con•
sutned in that county was 1,516,0001b5. and in 1827
it was 3 887,0001b5. The consumption of tobacco had
increased in a similar matures. In 1788 the quantity con-
sumed in Great Britain was 6.858,000 pou,ids, and
although the duty had been increased, the consump-
tion in 1827 amounted ta 14,711,000 pounds. In
Ireland, toe consumrtion at the firmer period was
3,120,000 pounds, and at the latter 4 041,000 pounds.
In foreign spirits, although the duty had been much
augmented, a great increase had also taken place in the
consumption. He must except brandy, which had de-
creased from. 2,203,000 gallons to 1,636,000 gallons ;
but there bad been a great increase of consumption in
the %putts brought from our Colonies. The amount of
roan consumed in 1788, was 1,846,000 gallons, and in
1827, 3,916/000 gallons. In wine there had not b• en
so great an increare. In 1788 the consumption. of wine
was very great in consequence of the commercial treaty
with France, which had just then been entered into; st
then amounted to 6,701,000 gallons, and in. 1827 to
7412,000 gallons. The consumption of sugar in Great
Britain in 1788. was 1,775,000 cwt. and 1827, 3,021,000
cwt. In Ireland the consumption had augmented during
the same period from 196,000 cwt. to 319,000 cwt. In
coffee the increase was most remarkable. The consump-
tion in Great Britain, in 1788. was 758,0001h5. and in
1827 it was 14,980,0001bs: fa Ireland a somewhat si-
milar increase had taken place. Looking at the increase
which had taken place, be %il have no doubt that a
similar increase of consumpti (nod coi.tinue.• and a
similar increase of revenue. He hoped, thereture, that
the Noble Duke would preserve the machinery of the
Sinking Fund, unless he could find souse other system
equally solid and advantageous. He did not, indeed,
wish to see the redu von of the debt too' speedily ef-
fected; for if it ware rapidly reduced, it would, by
throwing so many millions on the market, probably de-
range all the money transactions of the country, and
forte its capital abiz,ad. It would not be wise. be
thought, ta redeem the din beyond bringing the three
per cents. to par. These was another mode of dealing
with the subject, to which he was glad to see the Com.
mittee had turned their attention; that of exchanging
part of it for a debt beating a less rate of interest. Ile,
was sorry to find the Committee teconimend to Ydrlia.i'
went the repeal it WO eicalakta—that:. pi granting life
enamors, and of providing for khe militxpy and ffilval
pensions--which be thought beneficial. He holed to
see the annuity system revived, when the tables on
which it could be f unded, which he admitted, with
Mr; Finishon, were now inaccurate, should be made
correct. The objectn ns to that system had been grossly
exaggerated. As the cables weroinaceurate, however,
he could not object to the systedlibeing• suspended, but
he hoped to see it reVived. With regard to the other
imeasuse, as it did notrodd tgiiie actual income of the
taus try, he had no objettioßto see it repealed. At the'
same duet* measure whetbu wasadopted, was a:tendedi
with the, great coavenjpociodeonversing aII annual sum
to be paid bithe countrywintkan annuity. He would
not then take up more of their- Lordships' time, but he.
had wished to Ittplain his opinion, and he knew that
next-Session the swhject must be reverted to. He hoped
that then Lordships- would, in the mean tune, make
themselves masters of tfse.excelleist Report to which he
bad alluded; and should no oth'er Noble Lord do so,
be would make it his budness to moire that a Message
be sent t the- Commons. requesting them to send a
copy of it to tbeir Lordships. r.. •
'lke Duke of WELLINGTON did not intend fol-
low his Aoble Friend,through the details of the subject.l
He rose principally fur the purpose of thanking Mini
for the excellent speech' with 'which he bad fa• owed
them*, and of express ng the sat; .taction with which their
Lordships wt uld concur iu the motion he intended to
make. There was no doubt that this valuable Report
contained a great quantity of highly important lobos—
mation. He, trice his Noble Friend. saw in it the proofs
that the resources of the country were unimpaired, and
he saw in it likewise abundant proof of the advantages
which had been derived bom the great plan of Mr.
Pat, for Are maintenance of an efficient Sinking Fund,
and the stro gest inducements to persevere in the prin-
ciples be had raid down upon that important .subject.
It, wished, in common with his Noble Friend, to draw