The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-12-01 00:00:00

The improved mode in which the books are kept,

as the strict accuracy of the accounts, reticct the high

credit on the ability-of the treasurer, Mr. Capes Ashlin,
and prove that the onerous duties of the department have
been discharged with exemplary fidelity, unceasing care,

and attention; and they deem him, thirefore, deserving

the unanimous approbaiion of this board, and hope that
its successors, in making their arrangements for carrying
into effect the provisions of the Sanatory Act, w,ll not
overlook the valuable services of this officer, Signed by

William Waltie-w7,T;;;WFrOCter, James Denton, and

James Ackers. Mr:Lawrence said there was not a more
deserving officer in Liverpool connected with any public
board. The Chairman announced tha, a summary of the
yearly accounts was now ready, and that any of the rate-

payerswould be furnished with a copy, free of expense,

by applying at the office

Mr. Dunn reported that the

tower at Green-lane waterworks was now up to within

thirteen feet of the finished height, and that the other
portions of the works were proceeding satisfactorily. The
forming of the cooling ponds had been retarded by the

weather, but they would be completed ►n time for the

. _
THE ACCOUNTS OF THE HIGHWAY BOARTI.—The an-
nual statement, from the Ist of October, 1845, to the 30th

of September, 1846, has just made its appea.rance. On
the general account we find there has been expended (with
the exception of a balance now in the hands of the treasu-
rer of £2l Os. 4d.) .1_62,682 16s. 4d, The receipts have
been £59,042 16s. 10d., ineluding.tbe balance in hand last
year of £1915 14s. Ild., and the amount now due to the
bank on the general account is, £3639 19s, 6d. On the
paving and flagging account there was an ex. e,,diture of
£26,384 I6s. 10d. ; street watering, £2020 19s. 6d. ; the
Kip by water project, (engineering and Parliamentary ex-
penses,) £1942 19s. 10d. ; and salaries £1499 10s. 3d. ;
making a total expenditure, as given in the accounts under
this bead, of £31,848 Is. 4d., the receipts being only
£29,282 16s. 9d. The ,xpenditure on the sewerage ac-
count was £13.047 11s. 4d., the receipts £10,078 Is. 10d.
On the water-works there had been an expenditure of
£l7 766 3s. 4d , and in this part of the account there was
a balance due to the bank of £1531 9s. sd. The paving
and flagging rate produced £23,764 13s 10d., the sewer-
age rate £6324_1713. 10d., and the water rate £3082 6s. ld.

>or
ed
of
tr.

PUBLIC MEETING FOR OBTAINING A RE-
DUCTION OF THE DUTY ON TEA.

On Wednesday, a public meeting convened by his
Worship the Mayor, in compliance with a numerously-
signed requisition presented to him for that purpose, was
held in the Sessions-house at twelve o'clock, The atten-
dance was extremely large, the building being densely
crowded in every part. Among the gentlemen present
were Wm. Brown, Esq., M.P., T. Thornely, Esq., M.P.,
Messrs. Earle, Scott, Corrie , Hornby, Rawson. Turner,
Winch, Moore, Horsfall, Nicol, Buckley, Crosbie, Grant,
Duckworth, Brocklebank, Hosack, Bushby, Balleney,
Harrison. Rathhone, Steains, Adam Hodgson, W. Dick-
son, Harding, Thompson, Fry. J. A. Scott, J. Cropper.
E. Cropper, Findlay, Brodribb, S. Holme, and Langton.
The MAYOR having taken the chair said, in com-
pliance with a requisition which had been presented to
him he had convened that meeting of the inhabitants of
Liverpool, in order to afford them an opportunity of
considering what measures should be adopted for the pur-
pose of procuring a speedy and very considerable altera-
tion in the existing duty on tea. (Hear.) It was need-
less for him to make any declaration of his own individual
sentiments. To speak candidly, he had permitted no
personal feelings to influence him in deciding as to the
propriety of calling that meeting—no feeling either of
sympathy or disapproval of the object they had in view.
It was quite sufficient for hint to know that a numerous
and influential body of his fellow-townsmen of all shades
of political opinion, were desirous to meet and express
their opinions upon that important subject. He had
only to express his hope and confident expectation that
their proceedings would be marked with moderation, and
with a due regard to those difficulties which might appear
to stand in the way, fiscally speaking. But he did hope
that the parties present would, above all things, demon-
strate that they were influenced not merely by a desire to
promote the interests of a class, but to secure, what he
was sure they could secure, a great and important benefit
to the entire community. (Applause.) The Mayor con-
cluded by reading the following letters, which had been
received by the secretary to the association, from Mr.
Entwisle, member for the county, and Lord Sandon.
[Mr. Entwisle stared that he fully participated in the anx-
iety to procure some modification of the now excessive
duty on an article of almost universal consumption, and
that the meeting would have his best co-operation in the
House of Commons. Lord Sandon said he was fully
sensible of the vital importance of a large reduction in the
duty on tea. with a view to extending, or even maintain-
ing at its present amount, our commercial intercourse
with China, as well as to extend the consumption of a
wholesome, agreeable, and unintoxicating beverage. He
also thought that from the nature of the article, that any
reduction of the specific duty would ere long be compen-
sated by such increased consumption. He considered,
however, that a not inconsiderable reduction in the re-
venue must for a time be the result, and would be a fear-
ful obstacle to their wishes. He hoped the finances next
year would be found in a condition to bear some little
hazard, and there was certainly no better subject for the
experiment than tea.l
Was. BROWN, Esq., moved the first resolution, which,
together with all the others, will be found in our adver-
tising columns. He stated that our object must be to in-
crease our direct trade with China, and be proceeded to
show, at some length, by reference to statistical and his-
torical facts, that we can do this without materially im-
pairing the revenue, or unnecessarily alarming or embar-
rassing the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who feels the
great responsibility that rests on his shoulders, to be able
faithfully to comply with all our public engagements, and
sustain the honour and dignity of the nation. He gave
an outline of our China trade from its commencement,
from which he showed the fluctuations that have taken
place with the rise and fall of the duty on tea. In 1667
the East India Company sent out their first order for
4001bs of the best lay, as it was then called. In 1747 the
duty was reduced 25., and it quadrupled the consumption.
In 1768 the duty on black tea was reduced Is., and the
consumption increased 80 per cent. In 1773 the duty
was re-imposed, and we lost that 80 per cent. From that
period we come down to 1784, when Mr. Pitt, under the
commutation act, in order to stop smuggling, and to add
to the comforts of the people, reduced the duty from Is.
and 6 per cent. ad valorem duty to 124 per cent. The
result was, the consumption rose from 5,000,0001b5. to
21,000,0001b5. in 1795. In 1795 the duty was raised to
20 per cent. ; and from that period to 1833, when the
charter of the East India Company was abrogated, there
was a continuous rise of duty at nine various periods; and
at the latter date the consumption, though more in pounds,
was less per head than in 1795. Mr. Brown then com-
batted the lbjection that China would not be able to pro-
duce a sufficient quantity of tea, arid concluded by press-
ing upon the public at large the necessity of aiding in the
movement for the reduction of the duty on tea; inas-
much as it was only by enlisting the almost omnipotent
voice of public opinion in their favour that their efforts
could be successful

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE rose with great pleasure to
second the resolution which had been proposed by the
honourable member for South Lancashire, who had put
the question so clearly before them that he had lett little
for him to say. There were other things as well as tea
on which a reduction was desirable, such as tobacco and
coffee ; and more especially the community ought to come
forward to do away with the most odious and scandalous
afionopoly of the day—the salt trade to the East. (Hear,
hear.) There could be no doubt that a reduction in the
duty on 'ea would confer great benefits on the town of
Liverpool in particular. As they were aware, the East
India Company's monopoly was only abolished in 1833.
Up to that time we had comparatively no trade with
China ; but since 1838, the tonnage to China from this
port had increased from 8,000 to 23,000 tons. (Hear,
hear.) The importations into this port had gone on at
the same rate. Up to a short time ago, the importations
were only 3,000,000 lbs. ' - during the last year they
amounted to 17,000,000 lbs. This, however, would give
but a faint idea of the extent to which the commerce and
the other advantages of a relaxation of the duty would go.
If London imported 34,000,000 lbs., he knew of no reit.

son why Liverpotil should not do the same. (Hear.)
He would tell them the reason why we did not import as
much now. It was the exorbitant duty—not for the want
of a consuming population. We had a larger population
than London. Within two hours' journey from Liverpool
there was a population exceeding that of the metropolis ;
and if they consumed in the same proportion, the great

hulk of the trade would be brought to Liverpool, as be
felt assured it ultimately would. (Hear.) And it ought to
come here. Liverpool was the natural place for the ex-
ports, surrounded and backed by four or five millions of
people; and it was the natural place for the imports too.
Why should the Yorkshireman or the Lancashireman be
supplied with tea from London, when he could get it so
much nearer home, and at less cost? It was the exorbi-
tant duty that put it out of the power of the bulk of the
people to consume it as they would. Yorkshire and
Lancashire together contained more than double the in-
habitants of the county of Middlesex and Westminster.
(Hear, hear.) Therefore, as the trade of,this district be-

longed to Liverpool, the only place of import, it was
clear that the consumption of tea ought very largely to

be increased in this locality and in the: northern Farts of

the empire, which derived their supplies from this port.
(Hear, hear.) _ The only time he had had the honour of

addressing a public meeting in his life was in that build-
ing, on the sugar and coffee question. (Hear, hear.)

Since then they had acquired considerable experience.

and that experience fully justified the most sanguine ex

pectations entertained at the time. In 1801, the con-
sumption of coffee in this kingdom was 750,000 lbs.

about one ounce. The contribution per head to the re-
venue was lid. la 1811, when the duty was reduced to
7d., the aggregate consumption rose to 6,390,000 lbs.,

during the present year. The reduction made on wines
had also tended to increase the revenue. Mr. Dixon pro-
ceeded to remark that if a reduction of duty on articles of
luxury, the consumption of which was confined to the
more affluent portion of the community, had led to an ac-
tual increase of revenue, bow much more forcibly would
the principle apply to an article absolutely required by
every class of society ? (Applause.)
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. H HORNRY moved the next resolution. He said
he had never yet heard an argument against the reduc-
tion, to which it would not be an insult upon the common
sense ot the meeting to take up its time by a reply.
(Applause.) The advantages which the commerce and
manufactures of the country must derive from an increased
consumption of tea, and the benefits which would thereby
accrue to all classes, were so obvious and manifest to all
who had paid attention to the subject, that he felt he
should be trespassing unnecessarily upon their time and
patience if he spoke at any considerable length.
Mr. HORSFALL, in seconding the resolution, said the
question of the reduction on tea was perhaps the one that
was exciting more general interest at present among the
commercial community than any other. The importer
and the consumer, the merchant and the manufacturer,
were all deeply interested in the question. They were be-
ginning to feel its importance, and they were met that
day to make a firm but a rational and respectful remon-
stance to her Majesty's government on the subject. He
was of opinion that a trifling reduction would not extend
commerce and manufactures, and that to effect that im-
portant object there must be a large and substantial re-
duction. He was not one of those who would declaim
against any tax or duty irrespective of its bearing on the
revenue of the country, but when all they asked was, that
the same principle be adopted to tea which had answered
so admirably with respect to coffee, surely they had a right
to expect that her Majesty's ministers would give their
calm and dispassionate consideration to the subject, and,
if they did, he entertained not a doubt of the conclusion
to which they would come. He then referred to the year
1745, when the duty was reduced from 4s. per lb. and 14
per cent. ad valorem, to 2s. per lb. and 25 per cent. ad
valorem, and be asked what was the consequence? In the
fiveyears preceding the reduction, government got £175,000
while in the five years subsequent to the reduction, they
got £318,000. He also referred to the year 1783, when
the government reduced the duty from 119 per cent. ad
valorem to 14 per cent. and again he asked what was the
consequence? Those who argued against this reduction
immediately said that government would lose nine-tenths
of the revenue,:but instead of the revenue falling off nine-
tenths it only fell off one-half, and the consumption in-
creased from 5,000,000 to 16,000,000 lbs. annually. At
present the trade to China was suffering to a very great
extent. The shipment of manufactured goods from this
country to China during ten months of this year was 40
_ _

per cent. less than during ten months of last year,

concluded by directing attention to the vast extent of the
Chinese territory, to the teeming population of 350,000,000
of that country, to the extent of our commerce and,manu-
factures at home, and to the vast field of enterprise and
usefulness which was open to us, and which, he was con-
vinced, an ample reduction on tea would give us at the
present moment. Relying on the support of the pe,ple
of this country, and on the representatives of the people
in the House of Commons, with such a cause as was now
in hand, he could not doubt that her Majesty's govern-
ment would attend to the representations which the pre-
sent meeting would make.
Mr. ADAM HoonsoN said he had great pleasure in
taking a part in the proceedings of the meeting, because
he believed it was only the beginning of the end of a
series of exertions in which many of them had now been
engaged for a period of nearly thirty years. Tea was
taxed in the place of its growth. It was taxed four or
five times between the place of its growth and the coast.
It was taxed at the coast again, and at last it fell into the
merciless handi of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who
gave it the coup de grace of 200 per cent. It was now
quite notorious, from the testimony of judges and magis-
trates, and all who had anything to do with the ad i-
nistration of justice in this country, that a very large
proportion of the crime coming before them might be
traced to habits of intemperance ; and those who were in
the practice of visiting the dwellings of the poor would
bear this testimony also, that the most destitute as well
as the most hopeless cases of indigence they met with
might be traced to the same unhappy cause. He believed
that the lowering of the duty on tea would not only have
the effect of extending our commerce and manufactures
to an indefinite extent, and our relations with the bound-
less regions of the east, but that it would confer one of
the greatest boons on our own population. (Great ap-
plause.) He was persuaded that there was scarcely any
sanitary measure proposed, or which had found its way
into Lord Lincoln's bi.l, that would have a stronger
tendency to produce the desired objects than a reduction
of the duty on tea. He felt satisfied that that duty would
not be maintained, and he concluded, amidst great ap-
plause, by expressing his confident assurance that their
victory was close at hand.

Mr: THOMAS .61.ACHBURNE Was the next speaker.
He referred to the moral effects which might be expected
from a reduction of the duty, and said that then very
many would give up the public-house, and would remain
with their families around their comfortable firesides.

He drew a graphic hut melancholy picture of the drunk-
ard's haunts and the sober man's home, and concluded
by saying that not only upon physical but upon moral
grounds it was high time that the obnoxious impost upon
tea should be abolished.

Mr. SAMUEL HOLME, on rising, said that as the em-
ployer of some hundreds of mechanics and labourers in
Liverpool, he felt that he should be shrinking from his

duty it he did not express it as his firm conviction that
not only a great reetic, ion should be made in the duty on
tea, but that it should be repealed altogether. (Cheers.)
He believed it would have the effect of so increasing the
commerce of England with China, and would so re-act
upon our manufactures, as not only to benefit the working
classes of the country, but also the merchants, the ship-
owners, the tradesmen, and all classes of her Majesty's
subjects. There were political questions upon which men
might and must differ, but this was a question which men
of all parties could unite in advancing. He would fear-

lessly assert that no minister wielding the destinies of
Britain ought to refuse to lend an ear to the expression of

opinion given at this meeting against the present tax upon
tea. It was a monstrous injustice that the_poor of the
... ...

country should be obliged to pay as much duty upon an
inferior quality of tea as the nobles of the land did upon
the best quality. So much did he desire to see a reduc-

. -
tion of this duty, that if it could not be done without
affecting the revenue, he, for one, would gladly pay an
increased property and income tax to make up the defi-

ciency ; and he was sure such an increase, under such

circumstances, would not be unpopular in the country.
(Loud cheers.)
Mr. HENRY WINCH delivered an excellent statistical
speech, the design of which was to show that the revenue
would benefit by the reduction.
Mr. BRODRIBB seconded the resolution in a very ani-
mated speech, which was at intervals loudly cheered. He

contended at great length that the reduction of the duty

would open up an unlimited trade with China ; that the
- - - - - -

revenue derived from the increased consumption of tea in

this country would very soon be even greater than now;
and there was no time so favourable for the reduction of

that duty as the present time

[A memorial to the Lords of the Treasury, to be signed
by the Mayor on behalf of the meeting was then adopted.

It expressed the opinion of the memorialists that the pre-
sent exorbitant duty on tea deprived large portions of the

community of a wholesome beverage

—fhrit the reduction

promote the moral improvement of the industrious
classes, and that they thought no serious loss would accrue
They therefore entreated their lordships