large quantities were exported; and it is only since the absolute prohibition has taken place, that the cotton manufactures of the continent have greatly increased. i.e. Between two and three years ago : stances. and this is likely to continue with increased effect. Though the prices of labour and of the raw materials are mnch lower in the East-Indies than in this country, yet these advantages are more than counterbalanced by the following circumThe invention of ingenious machinery by British subjects has very much lessened and assisted human labour; and, what is perhaps of more importance, the manufacture is established in the seat of consumption, and the home trader is enabled with facility to supply the demand, and to accommodate himself to the changes that so frequently take place in fancy articles. The British cotton goods must likewise have very much interfered with the sale of East-India cotton goods on the continent of Europe, from the causes above stated, and lately these markets have been lost by the hostility of France; in consequence of the cotton manufactures on the continent of Europe being established on British improvements, return of peace may not restore to the East-India Comapany their accustomed demand in that part of the globe for cotton goods. "DISTILLATION FROM SUGAR AND MOLASSES. creased consumption of rum could be created, material relief would be afforded to the plant er, enabling him to diminish the quantity of the inferior sugars now imported, by converting a portion of them into that spirit, their first attention was directed to the most eligible means of accompli hing this object. Understanding that an extensive trade in foreign spirits is carried on under the protec tion of licences from the privy council, and of neutral flags, and that thereby a great encou ragement is given to a staple commodity of the enemy, while a proportionate discouragement is thrown in the way of the consumption of West India rum, your committee called be. fore them several persons concerned in the continental trade, with a view to ascertain the fact, and to learn the manner in which the traffic is carried on; and also two gentlemen connected with the boards of customs and excise, fully capable of informing them, whe ther any loss would accrue to the revenue by prohibiting or discouraging the importation of foreign spirits in future; and how that loss might be compensated, should any such be expected to arise. It appears, that foreign brandy and geneva, are among the enumerated articles, the import ation of which is permitted by the general Second Report of the Committee on the Dis-war-order of the king in council. The expen tillation from Sugar and Molasses. With continuation of Information derived from the Evidence furnished to the Committee of the Hon. House of Commons, on the Sub ject of relieving the West India Planters, by substituting the Distillery of Spirits from Sugar and Molasses instead of from Corn. [For a former Report, Vide PANORAMA, ses of freight and insurance however are too heavy, and the risk of seizure by our cruizers, and condemnation in our prize courts, is too great to allow the trade to be carried on with any prospect of advantage under the authority this country therefore apply to the privy coun of such a general order. The merchants of cil for particular licences; which being grant ed, neutral vessels are chartered, by which under these licences a trade is securely carried on, which otherwise would not exist. The ships proceed in ballast for the hostile port, taking Vol. IV. pp. 374, 385, 417, 442.] with them neither British manufactures nor The committee appointed to inquire, and liable to confiscation. They bring back focolonial produce, which would render them report, how far, and under what circumstan-reign spirits, wine, and fruit, but neither raw ces, it may be practicable and expedient to confine the distilleries of the United Kingdom to the use of sugar and molasses only; and also what other provision can be made for the relief of the growers of sugar in the British West India colonies; and to report the same, with their observations and opinion thereupon, from time to time, to the house-and who were empowered to report the minutes of the evidence taken before them; have, pursuant to the order of the house, further examined the matters to them referred; and have come to the following report. Your committee after having presented their first report, lost no time in prosecnung the inquiries pointed out to them, in the or der by which they were constituted; co.ceiv ing, that if by legislative encouragement an in manufacturer. Those cargoes are chiefly paid silk, nor any other article useful to the British for by bill of exchange. As this trade af fords great encouragement to one of the chief staples of the enemy, without promoting in the smallest degree the welfare of the shipthis country, it is evidently the policy, as we ping, manufacturing, or colonial interests of are led to believe it is the practice, of the French government, to connive at its contiof this country would seem to require the nuance, and to protect it. The sound policy prohibition or discouragement of a trade, in which the advantage is reaped by the enemy; parucularly as by so doing the produce of our own colonies, and spirits the manufacture of our own country, would replace, those so withdrawn from the market. It appears that the quantity of foreign spirits for which duty was paid in the last year, was 2,101,187 gallons, and that the gross amount of the duty was £1,336,973. The duty of customs and excise per gallon, on foreign spirits, is 16s. 1d. on rum, 11s. 2 d. and the excise duty on British spirits, exclusive of the malt duty, is 7s. 2 d. It would seem that a bare substitution of a consumption of the same quantity of spirits at a lower duty, would occasion a certain loss to the revenue. Mr. Jackson calculates that loss at £786,000 per annum; and presuming only on a bare substitution of quantity, thinks, that in order to prevent any deficit, and at the same time to preserve the present difference between the duties on rum and British spirits, an addition | of 2s. 8d. per gallon on each of these articles would be required. But such additional du ty, in the opinion of your committee, could not be imposed without considerable danger of permanently diminishing the consumption of those articles. 'As the flavour of foreign geneva is well imitated in this country, and as brandy can be made strongly resembling the foreign spirit, it is impossible to believe that rum alone would be substituted in the room of any quantity of those spirits, which the recommendation of this report might withdraw from the market. Should the consumption of rum however be increased by the amount of onethird of the foreign spirits which paid duty last year, that increase would rise to 700,000 gallons. The advantage gained by the West Indian interest would not stop here; as a demand for an additional quantity of British brandy would create a market for a proportionate quantity of sugar and molasses, those being the materials from which the best imitation of foreign brandy can be produced. It is proper to mention, that the present embargo in the ports of the United States will throw a large quantity of rum on the marke of the mother country, which affords an additional inducement to your committee to recommend any measure likely to increase the home consumption of that spirit. The re-exportation from this country of the brandy brought in on licence, is not considerable; the North of Europe being chiefly sup. plied by the prize spirits. No duty is retained on the re-export to Europe except the war duty of 12 and 4 per cent. on the customs, or about 1 per gallon; to which the act enforcing the late orders in council has added a duty of 8d. per gallon. In some instances it may be exported duty free. This trade has enjoyed these advantages only since the introduction of the warehousing system; as, before that period, rum alone could be exported without duty; the consequence is, that rum must have lost what the other spirit gained in the export trade. The most obvious mode of preventing the importation and use of foreign spirits, would be by a law of direct prohibition. Mr. Frewin states, that the difficulty of preventing smuggling would not be rendered greater than at present, even by a total prohibition of the trade; and Mr. Jackson thinks that the contraband trade might be more effectually checked under a change of system, than by adhering to the present mode of granting licences and imposing high duties. But in case it should be deemed more expedient to adopt the mode of laying on a high additional duty, the revenue might receive its compensation for the diminished consumption of foreign spirits, in part by the increased consumption of British-made or colonial spirits, which at a lower price would more than replace the quantity of that diminished importation, and in part by the increased amount of the duty on that reduced quantity of foreign spirits, which would even under these circumstances continue to be consumed. Actuated by these considerations, your committee recommend, either that the importation and use of foreign spirits should be prohibited during the war, or that the duties of customs and excise on all such spirits imported should be greatly increased, and in the latter case, they also submit that it would be highly expedient to lay a heavy duty on their re-exportation to any part of the world. Your committee conceiving that the greatest. encouragement which could be given to the consumption of rum, would be to equalize the duties on that article and British spirits, examined several witnesses with a view to ascertain the probable cffects of such a measure. The evidence shews, that very great relief would thus be afforded to the planter; but it is objected, on the part of the distillers, that they could not stand the competition, and that material injury, if not entire ruin to their trade, would be the consequence. If so, permanent injury would also be done to the market for grain, which is now afforded by the distilleries. Your committee therefore refrain from recommending the equalization of the duties on rum and British spirits, to the consi deration of the house. Your committee are proceeding in the exa mination of other matters, which they conceive to be included in the order of the house, and hope to be enabled shortly to lay a third report on your table. They are induced to present this report separately, not only be cause it relates to a separate and distinct object, but also, that no time may be lost in acting upon the recommendation contained in it. In addition to the information contained in the foregoing report, we shall add sundry particulars abstracted from the evidence on which it is founded, as derived from parties most intimately acquainted with the trade. TRADE IN BRANDY. forded at a reasonable price, the public might be induced to consume much more of it than they have hitherto done; but foreign geneva, but British geneva would be substituted, esshould be prohibited; there can be little doubt pecially as it can be manufactured so to rescm Brandy is chiefly procured from the ports of Charente and Bourdeaux and Cette, and from Barcelona and other Spanish ports. Fo-ble foreign geneva as to deceive even judges. reign brandies are occasionally re-exported; but that market is chiefly supplied by the prize spirits, so many captures have been made by the ships of war as to have furnished a large supply for the export market. If the supply of French brandy to the north of Europe was cut off, the exportation of British rum would, in all probability, be increased to a certain extent. British brandies are also exported to the north of Europe. Cargoes of foreign brandy, exported from Britain to the north of Europe, have been uniformly admitted without molestation, while at the same time and in the same ports British manufactures and colonial produce have uniformly been condemned, insomuch that cargoes of brandy underwritten of late have, it is supposed from a conviction of their safety, been warranted free of capture in the port of their destination. The same policy which leads our enemies to prohibit all trade in the manufactures and produce of Great Britain, will naturally induce them to facilitate or to give every facility to the trade of their own produce and manufactures. It is understood from some of the parties for whom policies were effected last year, that orders had been given from the French government to admit wines and brandies into the ports in the north of Europe, even though they were shipped from Great Britain; and from the circumstance of none of them hav The present rate of duty on foreign brandy. and geneva is 15s. 1 d. per gallon at the import strength; besides which there is a duty of customs of about 1s. per gallon. The rate of excise duty upon plantation rum is 10s. 41d. per gallon; besides which there is a custoins duty of about 10d. per gallon. The duty paid on a gallon of British spirits, at the strength of one to ten over hydrometer proof, is 7s. 24d. per gallon. The quantity of bran dy and geneva for which duty was paid in the year ending the 5th of July 1807 in England, was 2,101,187 gallons, the gross duty of which was £1,336,973 and a fraction. To bring the rate of duty on British spirits to equalize that on foreign brandy and geneva, including the customs duty, would require an addition of 8s. 101d. per gallon, which is more than double the present rate of duty; but it would not require near so much to com pensate the revenue, when the additional rate should be imposed upon the whole quantity consumed. To bring the rate of duty upon rum up to the rate of duty on foreign brandy and geneva, would require an addition of about 4s. 9d. per gallon; but, as in the case of British spirits, nothing like so large a sum would be requisite to compensate the revenue. The quantity of rum that will be thrown upon the market in addition to the importation into Great Britain and Ireland, in the ing been seized there, while at the same time other articles of every description coming From this country were seized, the fact is becoming year, in consequence of the embargo lieved. The admiralty orders his majesty's ships of war, to give British vessels laden with brandy, convoy to the mouth of the enemy's port to which they were destined. Cargoes of the same description have gone from this country to Holland. TRADE IN RUM. If brandy were prohibited to be imported, it is probable, though by no means certain, that rum would in some degree be substituted; but as brandy can be made from British or other materials so to resemble foreign brandy, as perhaps to deceive, under particular circumstances, persons not conversant with the article; and as a great deal of British brandy either mixed or unmixed is known to be sold as foreign; it may be supposed that in the event of foreign brandy being prohibited, the consumers would have recourse to British brandy rather than rum. in America, will be from Jamaica, on au is taken to be equal to one-half of the whole average, about 20,000 puncheons; and Jamaica (old) West India colonies. An increased sale, or an increased price for rum would operate to the relief of the sugar planter, because those canes which make vegood rum. ry bad sugar, might be converted into very Charges on a Gallon of Rum, exclusive of Commission; 193 Puncheons per Trusty, from Jamaica; invoiced 23,102, delivered 21,165 Gallons. N. B. No charge is made in this statement for account of the charge of commission of 24 per cent. paid to the merchant upon the sales of the above quantity of rum, nor does the computation include any charge for interest on the value thereof from the time at If a supply of rum was constantly kept by which the commodity was manufactured until the dealers in the maritimé counties, and afthe receipt of the proceeds. Currency £862 9 10 Sterling £ S. d. 616 1 4 Freight 1s. per gallon....... 1,058 5 8 9 97 16 per puncheon.. Dock dues 1d. per gal. and ......... Is. per puncheon fire £67..... 0 0 9 174 0 10 10 1 5 2 6 17 0 great degree. In converting sugar into rum, in most cases the planter would carry on the process of distillation from the juice of those canes that are incapable of producing good sugar, and in other instances, when his sugar proved of the lowest quality, he would con vert it into rum., RETAIL TRADE IN SPIRITS. There is at present a considerable consump tion of British spirits, for the purpose of mixing with rum and foreign brandy by the retailers; such mixtures are contrary to law, but cannot be prevented. Rum at 6d. per quartern, of the strength of 1 in 6 under proof is equal, at the strength of 1 to 10 over proof, to 20s. 8d. per gallon. The retailer can at this moment purchas such rum at the rate of 17s. 6d. per gallon, i to 10 over proof, leaving him a profit of 3s. 2d. exclusive of any benefit he may have by means of a greater reduction by water or by British spirits. He purchases 20 14 0 gin at the strength of 1 in 5 under proof from the rectifier, at 10s. per gallon, equal, at 1 to 10 over proof, to 13s. 4d., and he sells this gin in retail at 4d. per quartern, equal, at 1 to 10 over proof, to 14s. 4d. per gallon, being the highest price ever known in this country, which leaves him a profit of no more than Is. per gallon, besides the opportunity he may good sugar, and in others very bad; and it is have, in certain cases, of adding water; and the same case with the Bourbon cane; the pro-ing British spirits in part with foreign, the were it not for the opportunity he has of mixduce from the old cane was of a more compact nature than that from the Bourbon cane; and a hogshead of sugar from it would weigh more than a hogshead of sugar prodinced from the other of the same size; but the Bourbon cane will produce sugar upon new rich land in 21,165 gals. at 1s. 101d. per gal. is. £1,993 17 6 1,984 14 4 OF SUGAR AND THE SUGAR CANE. The old cane in some instances made very upon 'a shorter time than the old cane: and Formerly, when additional duties were imposed, the revenue was not found to increase in proportion to what was expected; but of Jate years, in every instance, the additional duties have been found as productive as was expected when they were proposed. Of some bad sugar ordered to be distilled in the islands last year, the result was, that 26 hds. of sugar, containing from 18 to 20 cwt. each, produced 2,117 gallons of strong rum. This, however, is attended with so much expense, from the cost of the puncheon being more than double the value of the hogshead, and from the additional labour of the negroes and expense of coals for fuel from England; that it will not be done in future, unless the price of such sugars in Britain should continue to be such as it is latterly, which in many instances does not pay the expense of making them, but brings the plante; in debt. The worst quality of sugar in the market is that which uniformly depresses the price in a very trade in British spirits would be less worth carrying on. In Scotland, all the British spirits consumed is whiskey in an uncom pounded state, and even in that country very large quantities are mixed with rum upon the principle now mentioned. The whole consumption in British spirits in Scotland, formerly yielded to government no more than 8000l. per annum. The consumption of the country was principally rum, foreign brandy, and geneva. Nothing introduced whiskey into general consumption but its cheapness.→ About three or four months ago, when a rumour went abroad that it was intended by government to impose on foreign brandy and geneva an additional duty of 2s. 6d. per gallon, a considerable speculation took place in those articles, and the price advanced. The consumers of spirits upon that occasion very generally declined using brandy, and took to rum; and since that time the preference continues to be given to rum, and the consumption of brandy has fallen off. British spirit made from sugar could be made certainly very much to resemble foreign brandy. From corn is made a very good imitation, but not nearly equal to what might be made from sugar.-Neither from com or su gar can British brandy be made of such a quality as to rival that of France, however good the imitation might be; nor frem sugar a spirit that would in any respect be similar, in quality or flavour, to the rum made in the West-Indies. The smallness of the consumption of rum in this country, is attributable chiefly to the high price occasioned by excessive duty. An Account of the Duties of Customs in Great Britain on Foreign Brandy, Geneva, and British Plantation Rum, in the last Three Years; distinguishing the Rate and Amount of Duty on each Article in each Year.-Inspector General's Office, Custom House, London. Rates of Daty per Gallon. 42,460 5 GENEVA. RUM (of the British plantations.) 4 8 4 1805 0 104 0 I Brandy and Geneva. Rum. ous descriptions of timber used for buildings and packages for produce. By far the greatest portion of these supplies has been hitherto imported in American vessels, and paid for partly in rum and a very small quantity of inolasses (the only articles of their growth which the colonists are allowed to barter), and partly in specie and bills of exchange. The latter mode of payment is greatly preferred by the Americans, who generally insist upon it, and will dispose of their cargoes at a consider ably less price when it can be obtained. The West Indies are as solicitous to barter, and are often obliged to press their rum and molasses on the American merchant at a great disadvantage, in order to get the articles off their hands, and to avoid the necessity of selling the produce in the islands at a losing price It apto raise money for their purchases. pears however in evidence before your coinmittee, that not above one-third of the supplies imported from America are paid for in this manner. The cause of the preference thus shewn by the merchants of the United States to a mode of payment so distressing to the other party, is to be found in the limited demand for rum and molasses, as compared with the value of the articles imported, and in the advantage which money and bills of exchange afford in the unrestrained intercourse which they are allowed to carry on with the enemy's colonies. It has been their practice to sail thither with the money of which they have drained the British West Indies, and to purchase with it 1,156,343 14 54 these molasses, and coffee, to return with 1,244,100 S 43 The accounts in this office being made up under the general head of foreign spirits, the net produce of those articles separately cannot be given. The rate of duty on brandy and geneva being the same, the amount of foreign geneva is not kept distinct from that of brandy. The Third Report was presented by the chairman, (Lord Binning,) June 10th, 1808, and ordered to be printed, and is as follows. In the further consideration of the extensive subject referred to your committee, it has appeared to them, that in the event of a discontinuance of the embargo at present imposed by the United States of America, material relief might be afforded to the West India Colonies, by some relaxation of the restrictions to which their trade with that country is at present subjected. This trade is, undes certain limitations, permitted by law, and appears to be of the greatest importance for securing to the islands, during war, a regular and adequate supply of provisions and lumber, by which latter term is meant, the vari articles to their own country, and then to export the surplus, beyond the demand of the American market, to every part of the continent of Europe. One of the chief causes of the distress of the British colonist is to be traced to this source. His produce. aded It appears by the evidence contained in the |