The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-05-02 00:00:00

~^

9CiIE ATATESNIAN

ion ,f barracks to keep doen the national spirit in
;11 the populous districts: Much was said of the
totebt tyranny of Bonaparte; but was not the node
000. pursued not only following his steps, but even
merrunning him in the forniatiOn of a military des.
to govern the people, not by law, but by the
Itign
r• od hear ! hear! and order I—Were1—Were not,
s[
tile soldiers on the slightest occasions called in to
keep down the people Did they not commit Mur-
ders upon the people ?--[Order ! order! order!—
This was indeed a new, and an auspicious era!—
[Order !]__Gentlemen might make what exclama-
tions they pleased, but they should not drown his
voice, which was only uttering the truth.
General MANNERS spoke to order. lie said,
that to assert, that what the lion. Baronet was stating
vai the truth)was casting an undeserved slur upon the

limy'.
Sir F. BURDETT denied that he was making any
accusation against those who were compelled to act
under the orders of their superiors.
General MANNERS desired that the Hon. Dare-
net's words might be taken down.
Sir F. BURDETT insisted, that if be were called
to order when in truth he was perfectly regular, the
erds of the lion. Gen. ought rather to be minuted.
Ile repeated, that the soldiers were compelled to
commit military executions on the people. [Bear,
hear l] Ile disapproved of the priuciple of the Bar-
rack system, because it separated the soldier from the
citizen ; it was governing the country not by love,
but subduing it by fear. The lion. Baronet then
meta on to prove the unconstitutionality of a standing
army, by reference to the reigns of Elizabeth, Charles
I. and James 11. and to the speech of Lord Chester-
field on the subject in the reign of George 11. lie
insisted that the interference of military to quell dis-
turbances was wholly illegal. He defied the Right
Bon. and very Learned Gentleman (the Chancellor
of the Exchequer) to shew him, in the Riot Act, any
authority for it—yet every day we saw soldiers
turned loose upon the people to destroy thetn.-J--
I !liar, hear!) In this new era, he admitted. the
Regent might, perhaps, deem it requisite to his safe-
ty to have barracks of military near his residence,
and Ministers might 'deem it not less expedient to
save their guards to protect them from the indigna-
tion of the natives of Great Britain.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
ssas firmly convinced that few men in the House, or'
in the Empire, would concur in a single sentianent
tittered by the Hon. Baronet.—[Fleet, -hear ! far
c!! aides.] Did he expect to persuade any persons
iu their senses that he Was acting under the dictates
of a sound discretion—when at this period of all
ethers—when his mind could not fail to be impressed
with the disgraceful scenes that every day occurred
In a particular part atm kingdom, when he held out,
to the people that those measures, the employment
of which cruel necessity compelled, were resorted to
fot the purpose of crushing the liberties of the subs
joct ?—[licar, heat!]--That the military was em-
ployed not to protect but to subdue the people—
[Hear, hear I]-•-uot to protect the lives and proper►
ty of individuals from itiondiariest_ but to sacrifice
and destroy them.—tUear, heart] this the
tootle the Hon. Baronet thought it right to pursue iu
advocating the cause of those who were setting atdefi-
ance all law, and whom the Hon. Bart. chose to take
under his protection, because they were not allowed
to burn, plunder, and destroy at their pleasure, all
the wealth, ingenuity, and property of the realm ? i
f Loud cheers.)—Be (the Chancellor of the Exche- f
quer) could without much difficulty, attribute the I
speech just heard to its true origin. The Hon. Baronet I
meant that the constitution had been violated, and
the libettios infringed some few months since, when i
Government Was compelled to send a military force
to quell the multitude raised by him. Now, he un- 1
derstood why hedlsliked the Life Guards, and their
barracks, it arose from some awkward impresoion
that yet remained of an unouccessful attempt, to defy
and defeat the law.—[Cheers and laughing for some
montents.]—Governinent would indeed be permit-
the; all tights to be trampled upon if such lawless
tumults were permitted with Impunity. lie was per-
suaded that the good sense of the people would con.
Bidet whit had jest been said as nothing more than
declamatory nonsense, calculited, however, to pro-
duce the greatest mischief. The Right Hon. Gentle-
man then, in conaidemble detail, examined the cir-
cumstances attending the different Barracks proposed
to be erected, and concluded by declaring his deter-
mination to support the Vote, since it would save
to the country natty five thousand pounds per
annum.
Ceneral- TAR LETON explained.
Mr. HUSKISSON condemned, in very strong and
pointed language, the speech delivered by Sir F. Bur-,
dett, ss hich he had heard with pain, though net with
astonishment, recollecting his rooted aversion to any
thing like accommodation to the Life Guards, who
had restored older at a time when the Hon. Baronet
was the first to set the law) at defiance. [Loud cries
of hear, hear 0 He maintained that the military,
sshenever they were called on to suppress distur-
bances, behaved with a moderation that, was highly
admirable, and which even the deluded wretches
whom they quelled were the first to acknowledge.
He ridiculed some cif the historical allusions of the
Honourable Baronet, but expressed his sorrow that I
be was compelled to concur with him in -the vote he
should give. He contended that the erection of the
Barracks, in all the situations required, was inex.
pedient, and in some instances unnecessary. The
Estimate for them was also extremely excessive, the
must rate being only about 1201. for every man and
horse of the cavalry, and only about 601. for every
man of the infantry. The frontage of the Barracks
in Mary-le-bone was nearly one-third of a mile,
and the wall to inclose it not less than a mile in cir-
cumference.—Thinking that the postponement could
not be injurious in any point of view, be should sup-
port the amendment.
Mr. BAItHAM said, that although he came down
to the House to vote for the Amendment, he had
Dearly been induced to change his resolution by the
address of the Honourable Baronet, and certainly
the Chancellor of the Exchequer had in his comments
btien a little ungrateful, since no speech that had
ben delivered could have sore benefited him. [Hear!
9541 a lough.] He (Mr. Barham) was an enemy to
Barracks, but if may thing could convince him to
think that atanary, it would be the pregaissai of

such doctrines as he had heird with disgust Oil night;
[Hear, hear 1
• The question being loudly called for, the tiOnsie
divided on the atttnit 'notion, When the ntinibett
were=
FF , Ayer in faVoir of the ERte-
l'MON OF THE HARK ciksm
The othlit; Orders of the Day were then disposed
of, and thf noultadjOitrited at Twelve o'Clock.

ERK/iTA.
- la the AistertiNimetie of the Wine hnd Spirit Shire, 59, Linsibl
Conduit-street, in.eited in dol. Paper of Monday Ink,
For best Coghine Brandy, 5.55: read :355.
For Old Pale Sherry (Ili Flits), 535, read 30s,
l•

Arr. alitiV. Due.
1 .. r • Thiblin
‘: . :. A 2
0 .• . , . .
• . . witerfora 2
6
o •I' i • • ' I.lolin '''• • ' - •' 1
O. •'.... Malta
3 • n.e..., •
.. . •
~ • • Jar •• •
.4, ,•- : _ . . i

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS
Rank
S per Cent. Conk 64
S per Cent. Red. 6:1
4 per Cent. ;51
5 per Cent. Navy 914
Leag. Ana. 15 16

OAT AT-ONE O'CLOCK.
India Bond; par 9 p
Exchequei Bills pm 1 pir.
Dkta
Omaium
Consols fo Ara. 64*
LatreaThkets

THE STATESMAK,

LONDON:
SATUELOIN, MAY 2) 11111.

ANOTHER FLAG OF TRUCE FROM FRANCE;
DEAL, Mmr 1.

Arrived last night, after post, a Flag of Truce from
Calais, intended for Dover, mistook the port in a
fog, and, being obseried by the Officers of his Ma-
jesty's ship lnconstcnl, a boat was manned, and
Lieutenant CLARK went alongside, to whom the
French Officer delivered his dispatches, which were
immediately sent 3n shore to the Admiral, and for•
warded by express to London. The French Officer,
after receiving ar acknowledgment from the Corn-
, mander in Chief (Admiral Formr), proceeded for
the opposite coast.

DISTURBANCES IN THE COHNTRY.

We ars sorry to tifid that symptoms of riot, similar
to what have already agitated the country, and which
are attributable only to the continuance of the war,
have shown themselves at Liverpool, as will appear
from the following letter, which we received this
morning from a Gentleman resident there, on whose
veracity we have the utmost reliance :

LIVERPOOL, Aran. 30.

Last night a mob of about 500 persons collected
at Mr. Mvaaay GLaorrones ropery, where patent
machinery is used, with the intent, it is supposed,
of destroy ing the same ; but notice having been given
to the proprietor, they were induced to disperse
'without doing any material damage. The machinery
is estimated at 10,0001. Mr. LA t:, appre-
, hensivo of being revisited, has placed a guard in the
walks. The ropery is situated at a place called the
11 Park, immediately contiguous to the boundaries of
the town.

Letters from different ruts concur in stating, that
the great tumults have subsided, but that shocking
outrages are committed by small parties of depreda-
tors and assassins.—Mr. CARTWRIGHT, who so
bravely defended his property in Yorkshire, has been
fired at on three distinct occasions; but without do-
ing him the slightest injury. Mr. TRENTHAM, not-
withstanding his alarming wound, is likely to re-
cover. The Luddites have had the audacity to pia-
card the streets of Nottingham in the night, offering
a reward for Mr. WI t.sox, the Mayor, dead or alive.
lie had committed no other offence than signing the
1 offer of reward of 6901. from the Corporation of
Nottingham, for the discovery of the assassin who
shot Mr. TRENTHAvt. These inflituited men are said
I actually to meet in the streets of Nottingham, in
small parties, in the day-time, and triumphantly talk
I over their nightly depredations. Every thing was
tranquil in Manchester on the 29th ult. The rioters
were becoming mere marauders. The Local Militia
had assembled, and the public mind was more at ease.

In former times, fur instance, its the reigns of
CHARLES, or of .I.OlEs, the Champions of Liberty,
had to contend with the parasites of power—whether
the will of a people, calling themselves free, should I
be without resource, subjected to the will of a Prince.
The case Is now a little changed, for it is Whether the
will of a Minister gall be paramount to the will of
the people. No Prince who ever satson the British
Throne was eter able to effect so much against the •
wish of the nation as 'Mr. PITT, We call it the wish, ;
for it would be mocking their impotency and their
feeling to call it the will of the people. The " heaven
born" Minister was allowed` to run the tuition
one hundred millions in debt ; to shed the blood
of eighty thousand of its inhabitants ; to throw
away the commerce of the Country ; and,
above all, to bring famine to the threshold of
the dwellings of three-fourths of his countrymen.---•
Ilis successor, ;In, PERCIVAL, without either the
judgment to conceive, or the talents to execute, the
destructive projects of his predecessor, affects to
adopt his schemes, and, in the prosecution of them,
he has nearly completed the work which his worthy
prototype so patriotically began. Famine has not
I only, in these days, approached the threshold of the
dwellings of the great mass of the community, but
it has actually penetrated into the interior ; and, as
the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER admitted last
night is the Rouse of Commons, has given birth
to innumerable seditious, if net treasonable, assem-
bler, Ouotagbottt the Country. Yetv in oppositiog

to the *railing distress in the inenufactnring

trieta, so feelingly and SO justly attributed, In the bu-
merons Pet Wont before Parliament, to the Orders
Council, Ministers allege that the commerce of our
country is improting ; that our eriports are increasing;
and tousequeiitly it is impossible that the sufferings

of the nuinufactureti can have been occasioned by

these nietiSurei; They reluctantly admit that the
Manufactures are not in the must prosperous state,
:OW that there is some ground of complaint; but
they deny that those who ought to form Some idea of
the cause of these misfortunes, know ally thing about it.
The question is simply this:—There is a large stock
Of goods on hand which cannot be disposed of. The
Manufacturer has exhausted his capital ; he has
Worked up all the raw materials he could prudently

-- . -
purchase, and has no longer the means of buying I
More; of course he thnnot give employment, evert
itt reduced wages, to the numerous workmen he for-
merly kept in his service. To what does the Maim-
,factirer attribnte this stagnation in his business ?
To the loss of the Anterican market. Why so ?
Because he formerly sold Such goods as he has now
on hand to the American merchant. Westriglini to
Sod that Ow COShmittee of the Monte of cooMMOrth
for investigating the depressed state of trades is
daily engaged in hearing evidence; and it irk* be ti
great satisfaction to the suffering Minufacturer4 to
end, that An opportunity is thus afforded them, dun;
ing the sitting of the Committee, to lay their disz
tresses before Parliament;

It gives as real satisfaction to find, that Goierrii;
meat have determined tb extend the PAW India trade
to all the out-ports of the kingdom, notwithstanding
the opposition shown to this measure by those Who
are so obviously interested in its being confined to
the port of London. A meeting of the Fast India
Proprietors was held yesterday, to which this deter
mination was communicated, and which occassioned,
as might naturally be expected, much dissatisfaction.
The President was extremely indignant at Ministeis
for having resolved to confek so great a service on the
country, and attributed this to what he was pleased
to call the " clamours made by the traders in the out-
ports." lie likewise endeavotired, in a strain not more
consistent with decorum, to show, that I free itn-
port trade would not be of any real advantage to
our manufactures. Was it likely, he said, " that
the natives of the Fast would take the goods of the
manufacturers of Manchester? or the goods of those
of Glasgow and Liverpool ? Yet they petitioned Par-
liament to open the trade, as a means of relieving
them from the pressure under which they at present
are. With respect to Nottingham, from which town
a petition had been presented, would the manufac-
turers there be benefited by the projected measure,
for they never wear stockings in India ? Birmingham
and Sheffield too could hope little benefit." Now,
without entering into any argument to show the fal-
lacy of this reasoning, we would ask the Fast India
Company, what injury they can possibly suffer, by
the trade being opened to the out-ports, if neither
these nor the interior manufacturing towns are to be
benefited by it ? The fact is, the East India Propri-
etors care for no person's interests but their ow n,and
therefore, they treat all others with contempt
who would expose their unjust mouepoly, and
assert their legitimate right to a free trade.—
We seldom find any thing in the Courier that merits
our approbation. On the present subject, however,
the following article, which appeared in that Paper
of last night, claims our recommendation, es it
contains sentiments aualagous to what we have
already advanced respecting the views of the
London Merchants, who have resolved to Peti-
tion against the out-port trade to India. —" At
the Meeting styled Merchants, Manufacturers, &c.
of the City of London, held at the City of
London Tavern, on the 25th ult. we apprehend but
few people attended, except those concerned in the
East India Company's Shipping, such as ships' hus-
bands, India agents, wholesale grocers; brokers;
&c. ; and those men, considering their own imme-
diate interest likely to be affected by the destruction
of the India monopoly, have the assurance to place
their situation in opposition to the general good of
of the country very modestly say to the Public,
c If you take from the India Company their exclu-
siVe Charter, give to us, te.xident iu London, a mo-
nopoly of the whole of the Indian Trade.' Such
presumption and illiberality surely cannot be coun-
tenanced by any respectable Merchants Or inhabit-
ants, whose interests have not altogether blinded
their judgMent. We have no doubt that, when
the ports of India and China are laid open to the
dation at large, the capital of the kingdom will not
suffer, as it is probable the business will chiefly re-
main in London, and' be so much extended as to
make up for the proportion of the trade that .will be
carried on at the out-ports."
By the following Official Docntnent, issued at
Berlin within these few weeks, it will be seen, that
the King of Noma has deter Mined to enforce the
Anti-Commercial Decrees of the Code Napoleon,
with the utmost rigour 2
BERLIN.—tioTtriCATtOI4I.

As the navigation for the ensuing season must
now soon recommence at the different ports, it is
proper to remind the commercial public of the Or.
dinances issued from time to time by his Majesty the
King, fer the maintenance of the Continental sys-
tem, And the strict prohibition of all trade, or other
prohibited intertmursa with England, especially theße-

gidatiois ofithi 11th Jdne, 1808, sod 4bd Oniißamir
of the 28th Aug. 18ifli find Bth. Moroi 1811: More
effectually to pretest Xll iftfetripti to *ioiate the taii4
Ordinances, his Majesty has teSolved that guaiii
ships shall be fitted out as soon t 3 possiblei iti
the principal ports of the kingdom, to see that the
laws relative to commerce are duly carried into exe
cution, and to guard the coasts against any attack of
the enemy; and to carry into the nearest or most
suitable Prussian harbour for further examination,
all ships suspected in being engaged in any kind of
illicit trade, and all persons found Offending against
the regulations and Ordinances relitiie to the Conti-
nental System, must expect to be punished in their
persons and property with de utmost rigour:

VAN HARDENBIF,EI6.
(Hainbargh Correqxmdenten, April 15.)

It is said, on the authority of letters from St. Pei.
tersburgh, that all the British Nairal 011icers whd
have been residing, during the war with England, in
the interior of Russia, have been invi ed to St. Pe.
tersburgh, and many of them have been engaged i t
superintending the titting out of Russian ships of
war.
A Deputation from the Silk-weavers of Spitellieldi
*sited ou thairentaient yesterday, for the purpose of
liying before it the situatibn of the trade.
Mr; WIiITRREAii, Mr. Biltc, Mr. BitAxo, and
Several distinguished Members of Parliament, havd
accepted the invitation of the Livery of London,
Friends to Parliamentaryßefotm, to dine their map
niversdry Meeting, at the City df London Tavern,
on Saturday, the 9th inst.
The L )RD MAYOR will bold a t °when Co acid
Ott Tuesday next.
The Livery of London should be informed that the
Address now lying for signatures, is a counter Ad-
drets to that passed at the Common Hall, as frritt
the artifices that have been used to of tan signatur
numerous Liver,men have signed it through error.
Another banking-houte forgery to the amount of
30001. has been discovered at the West end of the
town, end the defaulter has fled.
The GentlemOn who cinipote the Canada Club,
of the City of London, wan, we understand, to
expel HENRY from their society, at their next meet-
lug,, which will be this day.
Sir Viceny Grans, it is said, is to sudeed Sir
ALAN CIIANRitt (With a promise of the first vazant
Chiefship), as a Puisne Judge of the Court °Kam-
mon Pleas ; Sir Tuostas Pt.bstrit to bOcome Attor-
ney-General; and Mr. GARROW Solicitor-General
to I.i Majesty.
It is soni.'what curious that the only rat Which has
slunk away from his old companions to get a snug
' birth in Carlton House, makes a conspicuous figure
in the outset of the Delicate Investigation, and is
I named in Mr. PEacEvAE's Book.—SO much for the
county of Chester.

N.4114L INTELI.IGENCR:
PII.YMUU~ K, azurlifiam.
Awass.ll):•• • •
Arrived yesterday the Tigre, of 74 guns, frost to itoadi.
A frigate is cot up Channel last evening, said to be the Loire,
from the West I ndiis.
Arrived the Dattemark, of 74 guns, from the Westward ; the
Mary, t'ross; Mary, Smith; and Ceres, Thatcher; all from
London; the Sampson, Sebour, (ruin Dundalk.
The Sterliiig, Castle did not arrive yegeeday, it having proved
to be the Tigre.
FA ',MOUTH, Aeßtr. 29.
Arrived the Charles, Tunbury, from Gibraltar.
-DARTMOUTH, APRIL 30.

Arrived the Paquebot cartel, from Mortal x, with four
ladies and two gentlemen; also ten English boys, taken by the
L'Orient squadron. Six vessels were taken by them :--the J ohn,
Clegg; and thb Ocean, Dansen ; from Surinam to London; the
Neptune, from Liverpool to the West Indies; a brig,
Captain Morrison; from Ireland, do. ; and a brig,
from St. Michael's, *ere taken and destroyed in March, by the
L'Orient squadron ; and, with the Mary, I)onaldsen, from ti-
'Altar to Bristol, found at sea, without any person on btiarci,
and carried into Ireland; arc all the vessel• which they cap-
tured.

DEAL, MAY SO.
Sailed his Majesty's ships Plantagenet add Sceptre, the former
for the Baltic, and the latter fur oil Fluvhing t and the ti.gturad
frigate, for Portsmouth.
Came Bonn Flom the itiver tho Diana East Indianian, and, re-
mains.

Thursday the State Lottery finirited Drawing: the
following Capital Prizes were sold in, 64 ShareS by
ItiCllAlto4olll, GOODLUCK, and Co. :—NO. 5,519, a
Prize of XlOlOOO-11,518, £5,000-11,433,
Q;1,000--`2,404, £3OO-10,609, 9300--:010,
1,4200—and 3,238., 2200; Tickets and Shares. for
the State Lottery, to be drawn the 4th of -June • ate
now on Sale at the Offices of Ricumsosost,' Goon.
Luca, and Co. corner of Battk-buildings,-COrnhill„
and facing the King's Mews, Charing-croei.
The Drawing of the State Lottery took placo 00
Thursday, the 30th ult. at Coopers' flail, _when leas/
7,12.051 a Prize of RO,OOO-2,880, '9,722, and
3,722, £ lOW each-1,288, E5OO-1,109, MO—
and 2,873, k2O0—were all. sold and shared at
Messrs. Ilazatte BdaNa, and WA R Elea Office,
Royal Exchange. Tickets and, Shares for the en-
snit% Llttery, consisting of only 8,000 Tickets, ere
now oh Sale; the I)rawlng will take place oil the
4th of June next, the King's Birth Day.
LosooNozaay, A eau. 17.-r fk preacher of the gospel, mount-
' ed on a joint stool, and surrounded by a number of his associated,
with psalm books in their hands, held, forth', on Sunday last, in
King VVilliams'a-square, to an admiring multitude which h • 00-
velty of the scene had collected. Ile thought that be might p-
sibly catch a few soils amidst the crowds of inconsiderate ti
amidst
which the fineness ‘ll
the evening had called from their habita-
tion:: ; but alas! alas! as well might he have bobbed for eels in
mill-pand.
4, The gay, licentious crowd"
passed tin without hearing " what this babbler might say." In
the midst of his exertion the Lanarkshire drums iolledalinust
vender his nose, preparatory to their butting the retreat; hot this
was not sufficient to overcome the spirit within him, till a jack-
ass which happened to pass that way, after picking his scanty
fare about the ditches, began to euquire what was the caws of
so unusual an assemblage, by very loud bravings, to which the
boys, who had by this time collected, joined 'their efforts, and,
tone 'her with the ass' raised such a clatter as would have drowne
ed the voice of the Angel with the seventh and last trumpet—
The preacher instantly decamped with his stoat under one arm,
and a bodb under the ether. His text was froin the ;it!' of sr.
matttiew,—., When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as eke by pii-
crites are t for they laic to pray standing in the syuageg les, and
n the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of meu. Ve-
ily I say unto you, thee have sk..te
, Lieresonoissiav Ikavne.—On the orb ;mt. at Hollinwonil.
Peggy, the wife cf Samuel Booth, was delivered of three fine
children, all girls, and likely to do well i they have called them
Faith, Hope, and Charity. Scarcely tutees sleuths have elapsed
aince.she was brought to bed of twins.

It

~G,

ip

THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN,

I

ILLICIT DISTILLATION.

Stn,—The unprecedented height to which private
in Scotland has lately been carried, in-
cl:!ces me, in behalf of a most useful body of men,
the Scots Distillers, to make some remarks upon that
subject, and their situation. It will be unnecessary
to expatiate upon their general utility to Scotland,
which is acknowledged, regarding agriculture alone.
The reeding of cattle, and the manure afforded towards
the cultivation of many thousand acres of waste
laud, prove that their etiOrts have produced the most
lasneficial effects. To hurt an interest like this must
be serious to the country, and occasion a great loss
to individuals who have embarked large capitals in
the business. The Legislature has wisely prohibited
the use of grain in the Distilleries; notwithstanding
which illicit Distillers aro mashing down, and de-
sl: (vying large quantities of grain, tending to increase
~,iseries of the poor. The consumption of legal
i .titled spirits in Edinburgh and Leith, has de-
creased nearly one-half ; and, in many provincial
terns, ceased.altogether, occasioned by the increase
of .isnall stills, and smuggled Highland spirits. In
every inn and tavern., throughout Scotland, it is to
be found, and in every private family in Edinburgh
and Glasgow. To the latter place it is sent by car-
rinrs from Dunbartonshire and Argyleshire in pack-
ages of every kind ; and what is made in the Isle of
Arran, is smuggled by gabberts and lighters into
Greenock. and Port Glasgow. Greenock may be
denominated a deptit for the Glasgow market for i
spirits made at Arran, Bate, and Argyleshire. Ayr-.
shire, from its vicinity to Ireland, has become a place
of smuggling to a great extent. Vessels in the coal
and lime trade, under the pretence of saying in sea-
stock, take on board large quantities, which are
smuggled into small towns; and Ayr, Irvine, Salt-
ceats, &c. all of which formerly bought their spirits
from the licensed Distillers, now. procure them from
Arran, Bute, and the masters of trading vessels from
Ireland. In the interior parts of Ayrshire and La-
narkshire illicit distillation is carried on very exten-
sively, particularly about Muirkirk and Lead-hills,
where a considerable quantity of spirits was former-
ly- consumed by miners, furnished to them by the
licensed dealers of Kilmarnock, Cumnock, Muir-
kirk, and Marchlin, all which places are now sup-
plied from small stills not paying the duty.—Kirk-
eld)right and Dumfriesshire are supplied in the like
manner. In the North of Scotland the same system
is carried on to a greater extent in every town, al-
though Government, in order to encourage the agri-
culture of that quarter, allowed the Highland Dis-
tillers to enter small stills at a lower rate of duty,
than what is paid by the Lowland Distillers.
It is evidently proved by the immense increase of
illicit distillation, that very few of the northern li-
tn,ssti avillers can work,being thereby undersold and
ruined, ss bile the same cause threatens destruction to
Cie soAltern Dinillers, many of whom, who sent
sp;rits to Perth, Dundee, For-far, Montrose,- Cu;)ar-
Angus, and Abordeon, cannot now sell a .sallon in
these paces. S;augeled spirits from the Highlands
are seat by Perth, tiriing, and Dundee carriers, and
conveyed to Lsith and other sea-port towns by
sloops, and &inn% ise in banqaers, boxes, dry ware
casks, tin boxes, and butter-kits. There is a story
of a bookbinder, who, having provided himself
with a piece of tin, hammered into the convenient
form of a large ledger, and fitted up with the other
suitable appendages of such an article, had regular
supplies of Highland whisky sent to him by means
of, this ingenious device.

All highland spirits of every strength sold by the
Excise, must be for private use, and cannot be per-
mitted into the stock of any dealer ; this formerly
vvas not the case. Consequently dealers hold in their
stocks Highland whisky, and have credit for it in the
officers' books, which is another encouragement to
smuggling, as they advertise it for sale ; and their
never having any decrease ht stock is accounted for,
by their supplying their customers from private
louses, and unentered places. By discontinuing
this mode, and allowing them payment for what re-
mains in stock, or a reasonable time to dispose of it,
si:id sending to the Highland district to be sold, all
Highland whisky seized, would cousidexably prevent
its being smuggled, as any quantity, wherever found,
would then be seizable. This system of defrauding

the revenue ; increasing the scarcity of grain ; de-
. stoyi,l6 the morals of the people; atul :.uinittir, the
Srotedistilleries ; as well as hurting tha porauit4 of
tgriculture, seems to be rising to au alarming height,
which to Government must be a matter of no small

importance ; for the legal Scots distillers formerly
paid nearly a million annually, to preserve which j
there can beno choice, but suppr,,:ing smuggling, orl
lozrering the duties. Officers of Excise cannot get
information without paying for it, while they are
allowed nothing for doing so ; neither is any allow-
once made were they-to travel ten or twenty miles,
and eveo detect a private distillery, from which the
distilled spirits has been previously removed, while 1
thesstiil and utensils, in many cases, are not worth
twenty shillings, and could by no means defray the
ex.:once of the officers: for this reason many officers
..f Excise have refused to pay for information. An ;
ciiicer lately paid three guineas for one of a private !
.still made of tin, which with the head and worm,
Has sold at the Excise sale here the 24th instant, for
the sum of one penny. This may be seen recorded in
tae hook of sale. A discretionary power in the
Commissioners of Excise to reward active officers,
and to pay their actual expences, might be of essen-
tial service. At the above-tneutioned sale, there was
no less than 381 gallons of smuggled British
soirits, contained in 58 packages, with, inn,. mrable
rills, worn's, mash, and low wines. Mr. lAwrie,
General Supervisor of Excise, and Mr. MtKeitele,
S•lvervi.or of Excise, have been of essensial service
11 discovering private stills. • The latter Gentleman,
within these few wanks, detected is this neighbour-
lio,d two stills at work, of 38 gallons, which he
L'ized ; together with 8 gallons of spirits, 50 gallons