Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-05-30
BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS

BRITISH HOUSE Of COMMo1No.
INTERESTING DEBATE.
A petition was presented to the British
House of Commons Oh the 10th of April,
from the merchants of London trading to
Canada, complaining of the duties about
to be laid on the timber imported from
Canada. Mr.. Elice stated that if the pro-
posed duties were laid, these merchants
would not be able to receive any return
from that country; the timber and corn
of Canada could not then be imported IN
to England The corn of Canada, said
Mr.. E. which was allowed by the regula-
| tions of 1915 to be imported at 67 shllilngs,
was, through the lowness of the article,
now rotting in the warehouses OF this
country They therefore wished to have
corn imported without restriction. The
exports of Great Britain to Canada had
amounted last year to ogSO0,OOO but If
those duties were imposed, the imports of
deals and timber which had last year been
to the amount of 100000 would not be
one half as much next year. The corn
of Canada could not be imported without
SOS. addition on the growing price: the
petitioners therefore prayed that the corn
should be imported without restrictions.
He therefore moved that the petition
should be referred to the Committee on
the Agriculture of the country.
Sir |. Coffin said that Canada cost
Eng land annually the sum of I500,000
| That it was better sunk to the bottom OF
the sea, than that England should have
the trouble of paying 100000 for the
preservation of a colony which brought
no profit to the kingdom.
Mr. Marryat spoSe at some length a
gainst the injuries which 10000 seaman
would suffer from the ruin of the timber
trade. He said that the British colonies
in the West Indies received much of their
timber from the United States of Ameri-
ca, through the medium of Halifax and
Bermuda He thought that while the
House was arguing for a free trade,
free trade ought to be allowed in timber.
Mr.. Bennett would not tax the British
peopie for the benefit of the ship owners.
England had paupers; and it seemed to
be wished, according to the practice of the
Hon. Member opposite to him, to make
more paupers. He would always support
the free importation of corn from Cana
da, for he would uphold that free trade
would be useful. He would ever object
to the injury about to be imposed on the
country, by taxing it to the amount of
.e4OO,OO0 for the advantages of that
colony.
FOREIGN TIMBER DUTIES BILL.
MIR. Wallace moved the Order of the
| Day for the Commitment of the Foreign
Timber Duties Bill.
MIR. J. P. Grant said, that it was his in
tention to move an amendment that the
question should again be referred to
Committee. The Hon. Member proceed
ed to argue that the duties contemplated
| by the Bill, went to impose tax OF six
hundred thousand pounds upon the coun-
try. He contended that the principle OF
free trade ought to be acted upon In this
trade. Independent of the protection gl-
ven to Canada, the present Bill rendered
us tributary to Russia for Sl6O,OOO
year, for no other reason than because we
would not have the deals of Norway. He
would ask the Right Hon. Gentleman
(the Chancellor of the Exchequer,} IT he
refused to give up tax like the Malt Tax,
pressing with the greatest severity upon
| the country, because the revenue must be
kept up, how he could feel himself in
condition to allow drawback to Russia
of one hundred & sixty thousand pounds,
and to the colonies of 100000. year.
The Hon. Member expressed his surprise
at the Report which the Committee had
made. He thought their determination
must have been made under the existence
of some miraculous mistake for they be-
slowed industry enough in examining
the question, and the principles upon
which they ought to have acted were per
fectly clear 4 Ineligible. And what was
said in vindication of the principles OF the
Bill with respect to Canada was, that if
the protecting duties were not afforded,
machinery to the value of l5o, O0ol. would
be destroyed. Ifany losses OF this would
ensue, in Gods name grant compensation.
The loss of one quarter under the propo-
sed duties would cover such compensatlon,
and that objection would be got rid OF.
His object was to refer the subject again
to the Committee, & the rate OF duties &
the plan he should then recommend was
this: He should propose the 81. l5s. should
be the duty upon Baltic timber All