The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-04-17

2 duty imposed by law OF 4sper ton on coal exported in
foreign ships. At the time the duty was imposed the po-
Icy Of the law was ofcourse the increase ofthe revenue,
but there is no duty required on coal exported in Birth
been to exempt foreign ships from the payment of the
duty which 1t was intended TO levy on the export Of coal;
but | must say that cannot conceive any more legiti
nate object en- which to impose a reasonable and just
duty than on coal exported. (Cheersl lion an article
produced in this country, the element OF manufactures.
necessary for man uisctures, and contributing by its
expectation to increase the competition of foreign manu-.
features with our own-(chsersl-i we can raise a rea
sonable amount Of duty by a tax on British coal exported
to forsign countries, / think it will be perfectly legiti-
mate to do SO. [Cheersl Sir, think 1t is important TO
consider the RAPID increase in the quantity of coal ex.
ported. In 1881, the quantity of ceal exroitsd amounted
to 35s 00otons, and the duty received was toO,oo0. In
1888, the quantity exported was 44s 900 tons the duty
f64,7 l0. In 1889, the quantity exported was no less than
I,l92, 900 tons, and in is40 I,SO7, 900 tons; but instead of
the large income Of k64 0O0, as in 1888, the total amount
propose to Increase the duty on the export OF coal, but |
do propose that the duty which it was Intended to levy
on coal exported in foreign ships should be really levied
that a duty OF As. per ton, the original amount OF duty,
should be levied on the export, whether in British ships,
by imposing the duty on British ships, and thus depriv.
ing foreign ships under the reciprocity system flom eva
ding the duty. Hear, hesr.l If q duty of As. per ton
shoald continue to be paid on the same number Of tons, !
should secure an income from this perfectly legitimate
source OF 200, 600, not an inconsiderable increase of reve.
nue.. and, operating as very few taxes do, to the encour-
agement Of native industry. [Cheers Now, sir, hav.
perhaps it may be convenient that | should shortly re-.
view the total amount. or course | am speaking for III 4,
year ss e sSnmIs o S,,. API irom lsi 49, as as propose 9Th that the new
only enc exception Unjust make, which IS on spirits, for
If the house agree to my proposition with respect
tax I must propose to you to impose t at
the earliest possible period l calculate to re.
ceive from the income tax of I'd in the pound, or 60
Is, Al per cent, I'm round numbers). the sum of Is 700.
900; from the stamp duty in II eland / calculate to receive
fl6o,0oo; from spirits f25o,oO0 from the export OF csal
2yO,OO0-makiDga total amount of revenue receivable
from new inpOsts of ] $50 600. III lear, hear.) Then if
! deduc' from this sum the estimated deficiency for
there will be left a surplus Of L. $4,000. Butthe house
must remember that deficiency arises on the votes for
the year, and that have to add to it the excess of ex.
%psnditure on the Chinese expedition-which ! cannot
estimate at less than lS00, COO; but shall not have to
provide for that. Whatever measures the provision for
lndia may require us to adopt during the present year
will also operate as a reduction from that estimate, but
for the present, with these reserves and executions. |
compute ON excess Of IL 800 900. after deducting the ex.
cess Of expenditure. ion account Of actual votes. The
surplus, Sir Robert said, he proposed to apply in re-.
lsxing the commercial tariff. He had considered,
proportion b tween the price and the duty. His main
principles had been removal of prohibition and re.
duction IN the duties upon raw materials. He would
also considerably diminish the duties upon articles par
tally manufactured; and even upon complete manufac.
lures he contemplated that the maximum should not in
general exceed 20 per cent. He would forthwith lay
upon the table this amended scale Of duties, which had
been distributed into 20 different heads, and on Monday
the paper would be ready for distribution. 1t would be
found that in about $50 articles there had been an abate.
ment Of duty commend and that on about $50 the
duty hid been left Untouched. Treaties were now pend.
ihS WNA osASu uttoh III WhiSu d u II
ticles were the subjects Of discussion, and such articles.
OF course, could not be included in the present reduc
tions. The total diminution Of revenue occasioned by
all the reductions would probably not be more than
about La, 600. Sir Robert then said, ] now address nv.
self to the reduction Of duties on great articles of con.
sumption, the chief of which in colonial and foreign pro-
dnce -indt pendently Of brandy and wines-are three,
anely sugar, cofe-, and timber. With respect to sugar,
wish it were in my pc yer to state that it was within
the means of the nation, or consistent with what her Ma.
jesty's government deems the bounds of prudence, for
me to propose any alteration in the duties on foreign
sV2nrg cnnnnt COW fhot IN mo mare -, - 49, -
raised with questions incidental to, and springing direct
ly out 81, that consideration, great ameliorations and 3D.
the right hon. gentleman opposite [Mr. F Bari2g] hid
proposed 10 make in the mode OF levying the duty on su.
gars. as yell as Ia the amount of those duties, but from a
reduction in the duty on sugars the produce ofthe Brit
ish colonial possessions; a reduction, moreover, which
would admit Of those sugars st stsnirg a fair and con-
Q ant competition with sugars the growth of foreign pos.
sessions. Bu, l cannot consent; nor can those who arc
associated with me In the conduct Of the government, to
permit Of any access being afforded to the sugars of the
Brszils and oil Cuba, as we'll as OF other countries, with.
cut making some effort for the purpose Of putting an end
to the pructice of slavery in those countries. [Hear,
to me to consider whether it is polite in usto advise the
House to assent to a reduction Of duty on the produce of
reduction be made ia the sugars which
come from foreign, possessions, and I doubt very much
whether it would besadvisible to take such a step,
II, indeed, there were a free competition in the market
then l have no hesitation in say ing that l believe such a
course would be greatly to the advantage of the West
India proprietor, who would be encouraged in tho
production Of his sugars by a reduction Of the duty !;
but SO long as there exists what cannot but be regarded
as q monopoly ofthe sugar grown by the West India aud
the British possessions, within the limits Of the compa.
ry's charter-l mefn the Mauritius and British fndia-so
long | am afraid that no remission of duty which Icould
propose in favor of British colonial sugars would even if
agreed to, prove beneficial to the consumer, whilst it
would greatly ipjurc the West India proprietors. There
fore whilst l admit that ! am not prepared, ncircumstan.
CTS were favorable, to assert that a remission Of a portion
OF the duty on foreign or on British grown sugars would
not be advantageous to the country and to the British
planters, l must at the same time say that do not differ in
the slig 1test degree from the opinions which I stated last
year with reference TO this subject. There are, however,
some Consultations to be observe ed with respect to the sugar
trade which lead roe to hope for an amelioration in the fu-
ture. In the year 1910 a material increase will be obser vel
to have taken place in the consumption ofBritish colonial
sugars. The supply has proved to be larg thar had been
pr. " ousiy calculated upon; and according TO the figures
which l have been able to procure OF its amount,
/ Can state in round numbers the quantity CONSUMED in
$40, that is to say, in the year ending the 5th of April,
ls4l, it was, 4 1895 600 cwt, while in the year ending the
1883, 900 cwt, and this increase is still greater if carry
my statement into the year preceding for l find that the
quantity OF sugar consumed in the year 1899 ives only
1894 ,0O0 cwt. The duty also which has been paid upon
sugar in the same period has shown a corresponding in.
crease for the gross amount levied in the year 1910,
ending the sh April, 1871, was 4 465 ,OO0l, stating it in
round numbers whilst in the year ending the 9th April
1912, the estimated amout OF duty was 5,l2a, 00sl. (Hear,
hear) SO that. even without having had recourse to the
admission Of foreign sugars, there has been an increase
in the amount Of duty derived from the consumption of
British produce almost equal to that which was calcula.
ted upon in the estimates ofthe right hon. gentleman op.
posite, from the increased consumption OF sugars, aris-
ing from the lowering ofthe duty. There has, am hap.
Ply TO SAFE, been O very great increase in the sugars
produced in the East Indies and the Mauritus =
so that the total amount Of imports of this ne.
cessary Of life during the last year exceeds that
of any preceding year on record. Hear, hear The
estimates OF the probable supply which has been calcu-
lated upon for the next gear are alss, as far as I can learn
Of the most favorable nature SO that altogether the
prospects Of 4 suiicient supply for the consumption Of
Great Britain being afforded by our own possessions are
most satisfactory. As far as can see, also, the stock Of
country against any sudden dearth of this article for on
the 9Th OF March, the quantity Of British plantation,
Mauriuus and East India ssgnrs IN the storehouses in
London, was 40 900 cwt and at the ou,ports the sock
ives 10000 Query s0,000) making together a total of
500 ,00) (query 500 000) cwt. In lSI3 the amount of
the crop vas estimated at > 400, 900 cwt. in the West In.
da colonies, at 800 900 cwt. in the Mauritius, and at L.
100000 cwt. in the Fast indies, making together, with
the stock Of $4,000 cwt. already in hand in London, and
the outports, the total amount Of S 400 900 cwt, which,
when compared with the consumption Of the last year,
Of 4 GA, geo cwt will leave a surplus in hand above the
probable consumption of some where about l zoe. 900
cwt. do not wish to be understood as saying that
this is a conclusive argument against the admission
Ct foreig. sugar for consumption into this country.