§ On the motion of the Marquess of Lansdowne, the House went into Committee on the East-India Rum Bill.
Viscount St. Vincenthoped that care would be taken to give effectual protection to those who produced rum within the territories of the East-India Company, for without some system of certificates rum manufactured out of those territories would derive equal benefit from this Act.
Lord Ellenboroughsaid, that it was quite inconsistent with the objects of this bill to require certificates to be obtained from a certain few specified persons. In the valley of the Ganges there were 360,000 square miles capable of producing the sugar, to all of which it was the object of this bill to grant permission to export. It was quite idle, therefore, to apprehend that that object could be materially affected by the small quantity grown out of the company's territories which might be exported. Why, there might be rum enough made in those territories to drown the West Indies.
§ Lord Monteagledid not imagine that the West-India interests would be much damaged by this measure. The practical effect of it was to give to East-India rum the same advantages as now belonged to West-India rum, and he rejoiced at the measure, because it admitted a right principle.
Viscount St. Vincentsaid, that in the island of Jamaica a certificate was required of the particular estate upon which the sugar was produced; and in every part of India there were collectors of taxes, under whose hands similar certificates might easily be obtained.
§ House resumed.
§ Bill, with amendments, reported.