The Marquis of Londonderrypresented a petition of Peers and Commoners, proprietors and lessees of coal mines near the rivers Tyne and Wear, praying for the renewal of the inquiry on the subject of the Coal Trade, which was read, and ordered to be on the Table. His Lordship then moved that the Committee appointed in the last Session, to take into consideration the state of the Coal Trade in the United Kingdom, together with the duties of all descriptions and charges affecting the same, as well in the port of London as in the several other ports of the United Kingdom, and to report to the House, be revived.—In making this Motion, he said, he should not have taken that opportunity to address their Lordships on the subject, had he not been honoured by 393 being intrusted with the petition he had just presented, embracing one of the largest interests of the country, and an interest they were especially called on to support. He had, as their Lordships would recollect, called their attention to the coal trade last Session—a discussion took place—a Committee was appointed, and a large body of evidence was collected, and laid on their Table. This trade embraced nearly all the wealth of the north of England; and the task of again calling their Lordships attention to it might have fallen into abler hands, but into none more zealous; and he should think it his duty to endeavour to persuade their Lordships to re-appoint the committee of last Session, to continue and prosecute the investigation into every part of the trade. Odium had been thrown on the coal-owners, as if they were the cause of the rise of price, particularly during the late severe season; but the fact was, that the coal-owners of the north received no more when coals were high-priced in the market than when they were low. The best means to prove all these points was to have an examination. Coals were never sold at the pit's mouth for more than 16s. a chaldron, and to the consumers in London they were now charged 50s. All the difference between 16s. and 50s. allowing 10s. or 11s. for freight, was engrossed by the extraordinary charges laid on the coals between the pit's mouth and the consumer, in the shape of duties and imposts levied in the port of London. To rectify these abuses, he would call on their Lordships to institute an inquiry. The coal owners laboured under a grievance—not an imaginary grievance, like that partial distress which was felt at one place and not at another—and into this grievance they wished their Lordships to examine. The noble Duke at the head of the Government had already given his attention to the subject, and had seen the profligate waste which occurred about the mines when he was himself in the north. He had seen immense heaps of coal burning to waste in every part of the country. If their Lordships would only establish that coals should be sold by weight instead of by measure, all that waste he had mentioned would be spared. During the recess he had noticed that some petitions had been presented to the Lord Mayor and Common Council of London, which he did not mean to refer to with any view of 394 refuting their statements, but only to state that the coal owners were so certain of proving their case before their Lordships, that they did not think it necessary to reply to those petitions. Their Lordships would recollect that a bill was before them last Session for forming a railway to bring coal to the Tees—which was thought so improper, that a noble Lord opposite considered it necessary to move certain resolutions in order to prevent similar bills being passed through that House. When the bill for making the Clarence Rail-way was passed, in which the noble Marquis (Cleveland) took a great interest, it could not be carried into execution, and it remained a dead letter. It was proposed to raise three hundred thousand pounds, but not one hundred thousand pounds could be raised; the parties to the bill then went to the Lord Mayor and Common Council, and asked them to subscribe to open up their field of coals. The City of London, however, knew its interest too well to subscribe, because they knew that it was altogether a job. The Clarence Rail-way Bill was in fact a dead letter. He only mentioned this fact to justify the coal-owners for not having noticed the matter at the time. He had also observed that his noble friend had received some communication from the Coal Committee of the City of London, and he hoped that his noble friend would communicate that to the coal-owners, whose wish it was, to have every facility given to inquiry. He should not have addressed to them at such length, had, he not had the honour to be intrusted with the petition that represented as much wealth, respectability, and talents as any petition to which their Lordships' attention had ever been called. The petition was signed by several noble Peers, by several Members of the other House, and by a number of opulent and respectable men. His Lordship concluded with moving the revival of the Coal Trade Committee.
§ The Duke of Wellingtonsaid, he had no objection to the re-appointment of that Committee, and that it should continue its inquiries, and carry them forward to a conclusion. He would give every attention to the subject; but as his noble friend knew that he had another Committee to attend, that on the East-India affairs, he hoped care would be taken to call the Committee together on days when the 395 Members could attend. As for the communication he had received from the City of London, his noble friend could not expect that he was to state that to the House. He could, however, assure their Lordships that there was nothing in that communication inconsistent with the inquiries of the Committee.
§ Motion agreed to.