§ Sir R. Peelwished to ask the right hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board of Trade, what was the course he intended to take with respect to the duties proposed to be levied upon coffee? There were at present three descriptions of duties levied on that article. First, there was a duty of 1s. 3d. per pound on coffee, the produce of foreign countries, and coining direct from those countries; next, there was a duty of 6d. per pound on coffee, the produce of British possessions; and thirdly, there was a duty of 9d. per pound on coffee, the produce of countries within the limits of the East India Company's charter. Now, he understood that it was the intention of the right hon. Gentleman to reduce the duty on coffee, the growth of British possessions, from 6d. to 3d. per pound, and the duty on coffee, the produce of, and coming direct from foreign countries, to 9d.
§ Mr. Laboucheresaid, that when his attention had been called to this subject, on a former evening, he had stated the causes of the delay of this measure to so 1074 late a period of the Session. One cause was, his waiting in the expectation that the commercial treaty with France would be concluded. In this he had been disappointed, and he now found that there were other difficulties attending the question, and that if he introduced it, one Member would be claiming some exemption for Mysore coffee, and others would be claiming other exemptions, and all this would create discussions and delays, so that there would be no chance of getting the measure through in the present Session. In justice, therefore, to all parties, to the trade, to the House, and to the public, he had come to the determination not to press the measure this year.
§ Conversation dropped.