§ Mr. Ewartpresented a petition from the merchants and shipowners of Liverpool, praying for the removal of all restrictions upon the importation of sugar for the purposes of refining. The petitioners stated, that they carried on an extensive commerce with Brazil, St. Domingo, Cuba, India, Batavia, and the Indian Archipelago, which countries were mainly supplied with British manufactures, but that owing to the high and prohibitory duties levied on the chief productions of those countries (sugar and coffee) imported into this 910 country, they suffered great inconvenience and loss in carrying on their trade with those countries. The difficulty of obtaining return freights for their ships and remittances for their merchandise was very great; and the consequence of this state of the law was, to encourage foreign commerce, to the great injury and depression of that of this kingdom. The petitioners said they were prompted humbly to represent the difficulties under which their commerce and shipping laboured at this late period of the Session, that their interest might be fully considered in the settlement of the important colonial measures now before Parliament; and that the exclusive monopoly of the home market hitherto enjoyed by the colonies, and the large bounty granted on the re-exportation of their sugars and molasses in a manufactured state, might be especially considered. They also stated, that the colonies did not contribute anything to the revenue of this kingdom, but that their Government and protection was a heavy charge upon it, whilst there was annually paid out of the Treasury on the exportation of refined sugar and bastards nearly 500,000l.; that the high price of sugar and coffee, owing to this bounty and monopoly, operated as a direct tax upon the consumers of this kingdom of nearly 2,000,000l.; and that it tended so materially to restrain the consumption of these important articles as further to injure the revenue to the probable extent of 1,500,000l. That the exports of British manufactures and produce to the aforenamed countries exceeded by fivefold those to our West-India colonies, with a field for unlimited extension; whilst our imports admitted to consumption from those countries did not amount to one-fourth the value of our exports. The petitioners estimated the loss to the revenue and commerce of the country by the present restrictive system, by bounties actually paid out of the Treasury, by indirect taxation, by the restraint upon the consumption, and upon the extension of commerce and manufactures, at fully 5,000,000l. annually. They expressed a hope, that whilst the House was legislating for the benefit of the slaves in our distant colonies, it would also consider the present condition and future welfare of the labouring population at home, especially the mariners, and those of the manufacturing districts who were mainly dependent for 911 their daily bread on the maintenance and extension of our foreign commerce; and prayed that the House would take their petition into consideration, and, whatever compensation might be granted to the colonists for the manumission of their slaves, or for any other of their rights and privileges which they now possessed, might be a direct, full, and final one.
Colonel Williams, in supporting the prayer of the petition, observed that the petitioners had stood forward to complain of a great national grievance; they had too long truckled to the colonies, and he thought it high time that such a system should be put an end to, and a new one begun. He had voted, it was true, for the grant of twenty millions, but not for the purpose of compensation, thinking the parties entitled to none, but in order, if possible, to settle the question amicably.
Mr. Stricklandwas of opinion, that all monopolies ought to be removed, as destructive to the progress of commerce. Though it might be good policy to grant the twenty millions, he thought it would be much more than would be wanted.
§ Mr. Buckinghamwas convinced that one of the causes of the depression of the shipping and commercial interests of this country arose from the excessive imposts on every species of raw produce brought from every part of the world.
§ Mr. Claywished to ask the noble Lord the Chancellor of the Exchequer a question relative to the declaration he had made on a former occasion with regard to the admission of foreign sugars for the purpose of being refined and exported. He was anxious to know whether Government was prepared to carry that beneficial operation, of which notice had been given, into immediate execution, or whether the sugar-refining trade of this country was to be ruined by further delay? From important facts which had come to his knowledge, he could state that orders had been received in town for the machinery constructed upon new principles, for ten refining manufactories upon the continent; and if the refining trade were transferred to the continent, the sugar refiners here would have an additional difficulty to contend with, and he much feared it would be impossible to retrieve the evils which might result.
§ Lord Althorp, in answering the question, could only state what in effect he had said on a former occasion. It cer- 912 tainly was his opinion that the restriction for preventing foreign sugar being refined for exportation was a great evil, while it offered no advantage to the West-Indian interest. At the same time, while the question of the Abolition of Slavery was under the consideration of the House, it would not be desirable to open the matter. He was quite aware of the disadvantages of delay, and he considered that the refining trade—he would say not only in its present depressed, but oppressed state—could not much longer remain, at all events not beyond the conclusion of the present Session without relief. He thought that in the early part of next Session, the whole subject ought to be brought before the House.
§ Petition laid upon the Table.