The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-09-15 00:00:00

TIMBER DUTIES.

G: F. Yousto presenteld petition from Mr. William Tin-
dal, chattnian of the Shipowners' Society, praying the house not
to sanction the recommendations of the committee that lately
sat on the subject of timber duties. The petition was only that
of an individual. (said the hon. member,) but this gentleman
was not only a person of the highest respectability and ability,
.but was possessed of the best opportunities of fiecoming ac-
quainted with the sentiments of shipowners in general. lie (Mr.
Young) entirely agreed in the prayer of the petition, and also
in the truth of the statement, that the depression among the
shipping interest still continued unabated. The colonial timber
trade, at all times worthy of great attention, from its extent and
value, would especially undergo still greater depression if the
recommendations of the .committee were carried into effect. Not
only would a very considerable portion of British tonnage be
displaced, but ten thousand seamen thrown out of employ, who
would then have no other resource but to enlist in the service of
foreign countries, and so tend to increase their power to the
detriment of ours. The alterations proposed were unjust and
impolitic, for the burdens and impositions the shipping interest
was now labouring under were not for their own advantage, but
for the assumed benefit of the community at large, which, taking
the petitions for evidence; had not demanded this change. Sea-
men were nowbeing trained in the merchant service in readiness
to serve their country when the occasion required it, without
being a shilling's expense to the nation, but swelling the national

wealth and forming a remarkable contrast to our great military
establishments, thatcost such enormous sums of money, without
animmediate advantage being derived from them. He was
perfectly certain great delusion prevailed on the subject; and if
hon. gentlemen during the recess condescended to make a refer-
ence to the evidence, they would find that a great portion of the
timber imported from America was equal in quality to that
coining
.irons the Baltic; and that the system et ,present existing
supplied this country with the bestportion of the Baltic timber,
the refuse going to other nations. Should the Change take place
we should be deluged with inferior timber from the Baltic. With
reference to the whole proceedings before the committee, not-
withstanding his respect for the individual members-of it, he
took. the libet ty of saying they were a mere farce, for it had not
been appointed in order to elicit information upon which legis-
lation might be,grottuded, but clearly to take off the responsi-
bility of the measure from those who ought to have proposed it,
if they thought it just, and to throw it upon the committee of
the house. The composition of the committee he -had before
had occasion to express his sentiments upon, when two members
were at his suggestion added to the thirty-one, in order in some
degree.to restore the balance of opinion. When the list of it
was first read he had ventured to prophesy how all,,with tha
exception of five, would vote, and, excepting in one case, and
one case alone, he had been right in his anticipation. Many of
• them could not have considered the evidence, as they did not
attend the committee ; and nine days' arrears of that evidence
,were actually not in the hands of any of the members at the
tiwe they agreed to their resolutions. He was persuaded, too,
that if any hon. gentleman looked into it be would find the reso-
lutions contrary to the evidence, notwithstanding that the great
bulk had been summoned and produced by those favourable to
the principle of the resolution.

MESSAGE FROM 1415 MAJESTY.

The Yeoman Usher of the black rod rapped three times at the
door, and advancing to the table with the usual reverences, said
—" Mr. Speaker, his Majesty commands the attendance of this
hon. house immediately in the house of peers."
The Speaker then quitted the chair, and, followed by the
members went to obey the summons of the black rod.—(See
lords' report.)
In about a quarter of an hour the Speaker returned, and tak-
ing,► his seat at the table read his Majesty's most gracious speech,
the members standing in the meanwhile, and baying concluded,
the members severally shook hands with the right hon, gentle-
pan, and immediately left the house.