Lord Temple rose pursuant to notice, to move that a committee be appointed to consider of the possibility, and, if possible, of the propriety of permitting Sugar and Molasses to be used in Distilleries and Breweries. In making this motion, it was not his intention to pledge either himself or the house to the measure. He wished at present only that a committee should be appointed to enquire into the subject, leaving it open to the house to take such proceeding hereafter as the circumstances of the case should be found to require. In the present situation of affairs, the circumstances of the continental nations must necessarily bear hard on many branches of commerce, but on none more heavily than upon our West-India trade. It was ascertained that there were at present in the port of London alone, between 80 and 239 90,000 hogsheads of Sugar upon hand. The quantity in the same situation in the out-ports was proportionably great: so that the Sugars on hand in the whole of England amounted to 150 or 160,000 hogsheads. This statement alone would be sufficient to convince the house of the propriety of taking some measures for the relief of so important a branch of the national commerce. It might not be amiss here to state, that it was not in contemplation to submit any proposition for the introduction of sugar and molasses into breweries and distilleries, to the exclusion of grain. The object was to allow the use of them upon principles of fair competition, not of exclusion. All the parties too, whose interests might be concerned, whether brewers, distillers, or others, would have an opportunity of making out their cases before the committee. Having premised thus much, the noble lord concluded by moving, "That a committee be appointed to consider of the expediency of permitting the use of Sugar and Molasses in the Distillery and Brewery, for a time to be limited, under the circumstances now affecting the trade of the British colonies in the West Indies; and to report the same, with their observations and opinions thereon, to the house."
§ Mr. Dentexpressed an earnest wish, that this important subject should not be hastily decided upon, but that sufficient time should be afforded for a mature consideration of all the great interests connected with it.
Lord Templewas disposed to afford all the parties whose interests might be concerned, a full opportunity of being heard, and it was with that view that he had adopted the mode he had just proposed, of appointing a committee before which all such parties might be heard. But from the circumstances he had stated, it would be obvious that some immediate relief was necessary, and that his object would he defeated by any considerable delay.
Mr. Bakerhoped that those gentlemen who proposed to bring forward this measure, would consider well what effect it might have on the value of lands and the interests of agriculture in this country. He was aware that there might be many circumstances which would require of the legislature to attend particularly to particular branches of the property and trade of the country; but he did hope that, in the 240 measure to be brought forward, no predilection would be shewn for any one class of landed proprietors. The committee which had sat last session, had thrown much light upon the subject, and he trusted, therefore, that the whole of the case would be attended to in the present instance. He had thought it necessary to say thus much, in order that the house should not be considered as pledged to the measure, from the circumstance of this early stage of the business passing without any observation upon it.—The committee was appointed accordingly.