Star.
London, England, 1828-04-18 00:00:00

WOOL TRADE.

Sir THOMAS LETHBRIDGE presented a Petition
from a parish in the county of Somerset, praying for a
further protection to British Wool. He considered the
Petition as one of great importance. The Petitioners
mated that the p ice of Blitish wool had been considera-
bly reduced, I wing to the system lately adopted by the
Government of this coarsely. It was now agreed upon
that the agriculture of the country should be protected,
and he saw no reason why the trade of wool, so inti-
mately connected with that of corn, should not also ob-
tain the best attention of the Government and the coun-
try. He hoped the Hon. Member for Sussex, who had
already given notice of a motion on this subject, would
speedily follow it up: Time was now wearing away;
there was much business to be done in the present Se,-
clan, and he therefore hoped that no time would be lost
in bringing a question of so much importance forward.
Mr. HUME said, he did not complain that the Yeti-
tioners should set forth their opinions ; but, at the same
time, he contended, that if the measure of protection
now called for by the agriculturists and the wool
growers was to be extended to them, that the mans
factures of the country would retrograde in the same
proportion.
Sir C. BURRELL said he could by no means agree
with the Hos. Member tor Montrose. His !Tinian was,
that the wool growers had not beets fairly dealt with,
by the Government; and further, that if the imports of
foreign villa cautioned to iaereaa, our looms would be
tsver.~enspleyed for atilfter_and then, in consequence of,
the glut, be sevaaeurocery thrown oat of ellaployattati
It happened that in the last year no lees that sixty-sit
million pounds of foreign wool was imported into this
country, whereas twenty years ago scarcely a twentieth

It ant of that tlaitatity was imported. , He hoped that tht
qtfaedon as to the wool trail* ilituildltlifrly considet ear
and aft no unfair prejedi* would be now exc?teil
eletiidk it.
Mr. MABERLY contended, that the greater the itt-•
port of foreign wool, the greater would be the employ.
mint of 'British labour. He was surprised the country
Gentlemen did not took into those pamphlets/which
were daily put forth for their perusal; for antra they'
would find that in tolling for prohibitory dales they
were inkcting the most serious injury on their o*n in-
terests. They should recollect that they •had now no
Sinking Fund to rely upon ; and they should therefore
loot to those legitimate sources of trade from whence
alone ail teal iropeovernent could flow. They might
depend upon it, that sill efforts at creating a monopoly
would defeat the object they had in view.
The Petition was then ordered to be Ldd des chit table.
On the 'notion That it be printed,
Sir F.I3OIIDETT said, he had already stated his
opinionto be in favour of a free trade in corn, and he
did not also see why the same principle should not ex-,
tend to the trade •in wool. He felt entirely persuaded
that it would be detrimental to every interest in the,
country, if any jealously were to hcescited between the
agricultural and manutacturiiik interests. Nothing
could be more absurd....nething more Oration, and no.
thing mart groundless than such a course of proceeding.
It was said that experience sometimes made men wise,
but it would now appear as it some persons thought
they had acquired too much, and therefore refused to,
look into those sources from which new and valuable
information might be sappßeds No tan, however, who
now looked to the enlightened works which issued from
the press, and to the great ability with vihich topics'
connected with trade and currency had been treated,
bat must come better prepared for their discussion, than;
some years ago they possibly could have dose. It wits,
evident, that if Gentlemen wished to do good, they
should keep pace with the intelligence of the times' in
which they lived; for, if they pertinaciously adhered to
ancient prejudices, time world still move on, and they
would never be able to regain the petted thby had lost.
Upon the prosperity of the agricultural interest de
pended that of every other; and he hoped, very shortly,
to be able to prove that a free trade in OM would be,
most beneficial to all branches of trade and commerce
in the State; and if he succeeded in doing so, he was
sure the country Gentlemen would be the last persons
not to alter their opinions. They would, on the coo-
trary, he was sure, be ready to yield much, as soon as
they discovered they had been in error. He spoke with,
no unfriendly voice either upon the subject of corn or of
wool ; and with respect to the supposed glut arising
from an excessive import of the latter article, all be had
to say was, that those who caused the glut ought to
gaffer—but to the rest of the community the glut would
prove beneficial. The Petitioners had a perfect right
to make their application to this House, and to state
any apprehensions or any grievances which they might
feel; and the so ter the subject was settled, the better
would it be for every interest in the country.

Sir T. LETHBRIDGE said, the Hon. Baronet had
been pleased to read the country Gentlemen a lecture
upon their want of experience, and their not reading the
various pamphlets which had been recently published
upon the subjeit of Corn, Wool, and other matter%.
Whether the charge were well founded or not, all he
.could say for himself was, that he took up the subject
of the Petition as one to be dealt with by practical in
formation, and that he thought the best way of meeting
it. This Petition complainel of the existence of a mono
poly, but then it was a monopoly which the foreign
dealer now enjoyed at to the Wool Trade. A great
alteration had taken place in 1824, when the duty was
reduced from sixpence to one penny per pound, and
such had been the excessive importation since that pe-
riod, that the home growth was utterly stagnated ; it was
not saleable—in short, it was not wanted. It should
not be forgotten, that the growth of we of was closely
connect-d with the agricultural interest, and as such
required the protection of the British P.irliantent. They
were told that the growers of corn were to be protect, d,
and he was only claiming the performance of an act of
Bstice, when he claimed protection for the growers of
ritish wool.
The Petition was then ordered to be printed.
Colonel DAVIES presented a Petition (rem the Nahum of
Kidderminster, praying tbe Repeal et the Duty upon bleJt.—Orr
dered to be printed.