Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-01-27
G0rargsS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENT.dTIYES

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Friday, January IS.
Mr.. Lewis reported bill to incorporate
the trustees of the Presbyterian church
of Alexandria. Twice read and referred.
A bill from the Senate amendatory of the
act for the establishment of an uniform
militia (by establishing marine militia)
was referred to the committee on our mi
Ii AIRY and naval establishments.
Mr.. G.. w. Campbell presented two me
MORALS on the subject of the batture at
New Orleans, which were referred.
ADDITIONAL DUTIES.
Mr.. G.. w. Campbell from the COM
mittee of ways and means reported a bill
for imposing additional duties on all goods,
wares and merchandise imported into the
United States, from any foreign port or
place; which was twice read and referred
to a comm ttee of the whole. THE bill is
blank as to the amount of duty.]
Mr. Burwell, from the committee ap-
pointed TO enquire into the propriety of
providing for supply of salt, reported, in
part, a bill authorizing the President of the
u. States, to permit vessels to depart
from the u. States for the purpose of bring
ing in salt. The following letter from the
Secretary of the Treasury was also laid
before the House:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.,
January 9TH, 1905.
SIR,
/ had the honor to receive your letter
of the 27th ult. requesting such informant.
on as may possess respecting the means
of obtaining immediate and permanent sup
plies of salt from the establishments of the
us.
The annexed statement A shews the an
nual consumption of imported salt for each
of the calendar years 1902 1907, after de-
Quoting the quantities used for the Goldfish
cry, and also for picked fish and sailed
provisions exported from the United
States.
The annual average is almost three mil"
lions of ba"heis, weighing each 56ibs. equal
to IS 900 tons, and requiring in fact 125 900
tons of shipping for lis Importation. 1t
must also be observed that the deductions
aforementioned being calculated by the
allowances on fishery and drawbacks and
the allowance being in fact greater
than the amount Of duty on salt employed
in the cod-hshery, the GU antity Of importer
salt actually consumed in the u. States is
greater than appears by the statement.
The statement B is intended to shew the
gross amount of salt annually imported for
the years 1802-1807, and the countries
from which imported. The manner in
which the accounts are kept at the treasu
ny has rendered it more convenient to give
the amount in this instance for the years
ending the 30th Sept than for calendar
years.
Ii will be perceived by the statement A
that the domestic establishments have not
increased, even in the same ratio as the
-. e. u. r.
veragc of their consumption Of imported
salt is greater FOR the last than for the first
years of the statement. Considering also
the regularity of the importations and the
well known fact that the article has been
principally imported as ballast from Eng
land, there is reason to believe that the
quantity of salt now in the country is very
inadequate to the supply of the present
year and am confident that there can be
no reasonable expectation of the deficiency
being supplied for that year from internal
resources.
l arm therefore clearly Of opinion, that
every encouragement should be given to
Immediate importations, and that measures
should at the same time be adopted for the
purpose of insuTing for the succeeding years
a supply from domestic establishments.
The only means Of promoting IMMEDIATE
liuDtttdAlouor NpptdI " is lStg CttbtT 10
except salt from the operation of the non
intercourse act, or to put OF the general
operation of that act till the first of July
next; which last alternative appears in
every respect the most eligible ally, to au-
thorise the President TO permit American
vessels to proceed, during the continuance
of the embargo, to such foreign ports as
may be designated by law, for the sole pur.
pose Of bringing IN cargoes OF salt
The internal resources must be drawn
from either the salt springs in various parts
Of the Western states from the Onondago
springs in the state of New-York, or from
the Atlantic shores.
The high price Of salt in the Western
states does not arise from the actual ex.
pense incurred in manufacturing the ar
tcle; for il does not cost more than IS
cents per busnel at the Indiana or Wa
bash Saline and yet its market price has
not been less than Two dollars. 1t follows,