MR. H. J. BAILLIEasked whether the Government had now any intention of prohibiting distillation from grain in consequence of the high price of provisions?
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERentertained very great doubt whe- 953 ther any considerable advantage would arise from adopting such a measure; and the hon. Member must see that, unless very great advantages would arise, much inconvenience could not but result from putting a violent stop at once to a large branch of commerce. Nothing gave so great a stimulus to illicit distillation as putting an end to the legal traffic. In Ireland, at this moment, illicit distillation prevailed, where it certainly might have been supposed that the wants of the people would have prevented it. The measure alluded to by the hon. Member could produce very little good effect just now. About 1,300,000 quarters were used in distillation in the year, but 1,000,000 of them had been already used; only about 300,000 more would be used before the harvest, and 100,000 of these had been already prepared; and, therefore, the utmost advantage that would be derived from stopping distillation from grain would only involve about 200,000 quarters, which had probably been already bought by distillers, and which they would be compelled by such a course to sell. Distillation from sugar was already carried on in Glasgow and other parts of the country; and notice had been given by some large distillers in the metropolis, that they were about to commence it on a large scale. Any obstacles that stood in the way of distillation from sugar would be removed, and he believed it would be carried on to a very great extent, and would have a very considerable advantage in price. Some further reports had been laid before the Board of Excise upon the subject, fully corroborating the report laid on the Table early in the Session, and showing the very great advantage which would arise from the use of sugar.