The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-10-18 00:00:00

SUGAR TRADE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. '
SIE;—In continuation of the subject of my former letter to
you, I proceed to remark briefly upon the effect that the de-
crease of exportation of sugar from this country to the other
parts of Europe, which it appears probable will take place, must
have upon the value of the article in the markets of the conti-
nent. The best ground for forming. a judgment in this matter
is to ascertain, if possible, in the first place, what proportion
the quantity which will he so withdrawn bears to the whole
consumption of those, countries.
The consumption of the other nations of Europe cannot be
ascertained so easily as that of the united kingdom, as similar
returns of importation to those made in this country are not
easily to be met with, even if they be in existence, and should
be correct. I have endeavoured to estimate the consumption of
the continent of Europe, by ascertaining, as nearly as possible,
the quantities of sugar exported from the countries which supply
this quarter of the world. Ido not vouch for the perfect accu-
racy of the following statement, though, I believe, it is pretty
nearly .correct.
Estirnate of'sugar produced for the consumption of Europe
and Ninth America:—
Asia, all profli4kl• by compulsory labour, except 26,000 tons.
British India 16,000
Java
Manilla; Siam, &c. 5,000
Mauritius .•• • • •
-BourbOn..
72,000
America, all produced by compulsory labour.
British Colonies
French Colonies BO,OOO
Cuba and Porte Rico 95,000
Dutch and Danish Colonies 25,000
Brazil. ••••• BO,OOO
Louisiana 45,000
537,000

Tons 609,000

Consumption of United Kingdom 200,000
British N. America 7,000
United States 73,000
282,000

Left for consumption of Continent of Europe, tons 327,000

The exports from Great Britain to the continent of Europe
being 68,1;0X0 tons, it follows that the quantity imported direct
from the places of growth is 259,000 tons. Of the 68,000 ex-
ported
front this country it has been shown that 43,000 tons is
colonial and East India Sugar, and that this quantity would be
withdrawn from the continental markets, if wanted for consump-
tion here. This quantity bears but a small proportion to the
whole importation to' the continent, being 'little more than oue7
eighth part; but vet, supposing it not replaced, there are cir-
cumstances which, 1 think, make it probable that even this
falling off would cause a considerable rise in the value of sugar
in Europe.
Be the importation-of sugar to the continent of Europe what
it may, as there is not any complaint of an accumulation of
stock, and the price of the article has been latterly increasing,
there is reason to conclude it is not beyond the consumption.
In a statement given-in Messrs. Trueman and Cook's S'ate of
the Commerce of Great Britain for 1831, the stock of sugar on
hand iu Europe, exclusive or the United Kingdom, is estimated
as 83,600 tons at the'end of 1830, and as only 67,310 tons at the
end of 1831 ; shews that, at all events in that year, the
consumption exceeded, by 16,260 tons, the supply, though that
was not deficient. The diminution, then, of the supply to the
extent of 43,000 tons, would, by reducing the importation below
the consumption, have a tendency to produce the same effect in
raising the price, ns has 'been shown would take place in this
country ; and this effect would probably proceed to a greater
extent—that is, the price might rise higher than in England
without checking consumption; because it is very clear, from a
comparison of the quantities consumed, that, on the continent,
the use of sugar is infinitely less widely extended among all
classes than in England ; and that it has not, as here, entered
into the habitual consumption of the lower classes, who, when
consumers at all, are by far the most important class of consum-
ers, and who are obliged to give up wing any article when it
becomes expensive. On the continent of Europe the great pro-
portion of sugar is used by the higher ranks, who are not so
speedily exposed to this alternative, but who would be
and able, to pay a higher price rather than forego the use of
what they are accustomed to. It is thus possible sugar may be-
come more valuable in the other countries of Europe than in
the United Kingdom.
On considering the small quantities of this article consumed
by the Continental nations, in comparison with what is used in
this country, every one must see to how great an extent the
consumption, which is now increasing, might be carried ; for, if
they had the means of doing so, there is no reason why all
other people should.not use as much-as ourselves. A very.much
enlarged production, if it could be afforded at low prices, would
be speedily absorbed by the continent of Europe, where the
lower classes would be continually entering into the number of
consumers; and sugar is an article which is acceptable to all
persons, anti when once a people have acquired a taste for it,
which, indeed,' appears natural to all creatures, it would be-
come, as it has done here, a necessary of life. The low price at
Las sugar as been producedi in late years, which is probably
as low as is consistent with a profitable cultivation of .it in any
country, has tended much to establish the increased consump-
' tion of the article. The value of sugar is quite dependent upon
the extent and cost of its production; it can never, it appears
to me, fall very low, as there are large classes of persons ready
to take advantage of such au event, and to beCome consumers.
1 thiraCille consumption of sugar is now pressing to exceed the
production, and will continue to do so.
I cannot ferheer to direct attention to the fact that this ar-

tiele,noW so largely used, and capable of being used to so much
greater an extent, has been created as jwi article of coMinerce
by the systein of coMpulSory labliuirtitiOn Which system the
continuance of the supply is dependent. It is only irons the
increased production of countries cititivated by slaves that the
deticieney in the supply to the conftinent of Europe—which,
have been considering, can be made good—or the increasing
consumption provided for. Indeed the whole history of sugar
is very extraorctinarY. It is an article, the production of which,
has been prodigiously increased in a very short period—not by
the natural progress of population and or improved cultivation
in the countries producing it, but by a forced and artificial sys-
tem, by means of a vast extension of which the supply has been
so abundantly increased that it has caused the very description
of the article as it were to change ; for whereas sugar. was for-
merly a luxury only used by the rich, it has become, in this
country especially a necessary of life to all classes. The coin-
therce in this production has consequently very Much increased;
n and yet the supply of this necessary of life and important article
of trade is dependant upon the abiiity of a small proportion of
Europeans to enforce the exercise of industry by an immense
number of half civilized negroes, to -whom labour is for niany•
reasons distasteful. St. Domingo has already afforded to the
world an instance of the overthrow of this system in one coun-
try, and nobody can deny that all the other parts of the system
are daily exposed to a similar contingency. Let us imagine
anything like a successful insurrection of slaves to take
.place
in the French 'colonies, or in Brazil—and we do nut picture
to ourselves what is at ail impossible—the effect which would be
produced in the trade in sugar.would be great- indeed; and in
consequence of the cessation of the slave trade there would not
exist the means of extending the cultivation elsewhere, and so
make up
.the deficiency, as was done after the destruction of
St. Domingo. A nation of freed negroes would never produce
the necessary 'quantity, simply because it is not their natural
occupation. In considering the present measures of the British
nation, a thinking man must take into his view the effects which
they may produce on the markets of the world, as far as the
very important article sugar is concerned.
rn a future communication I purpose to state my views as to
the duties levied on sugar consumed in the united kingdom.
Liverpool, October 16, 1833. A NVES'r INDIAN.

[ln a former letter from the same correspondent, published
in our paper of the 11th instant, there was a typographical error,
which was calculated materially to affect the general reasoning.
Fifteen lines from the bottom of the column which the letter
occupied, for "supposing the price should so rise about I() per
cent.," read "tea shillings per cwt."—Lip. STAN DA till.]