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penditure would be 56,001,8427., including 5,486,6541., for the sinking fund, which would leave a clear surplus of 443,5287. Such was the general result, at which he arrived from the following details. The Customs for 1825, he took at 11,350,000l.; which was an excess above the actual nett produce of the former year; for to that year's receipt, taken as the basis of the present estimate, there were to be added 50,000l., which would be saved by the progressive diminution of bounties upon fish and linen; and 460,000l. being the amount of the repayment on the stock in hand of silk, which was merely a casual loss. These sums stood as follows:

Receipts of 1825 .... £11,327,000 Diminution of bounties 50,000 Stock of silk in hand .. 460,000

£11,837,000

Deducting from this, 410,000l. for the full operation of the reduction of duties last year, there would remain 11,427,000l.; so that in fixing the estimate for this branch at 11,350,000l., elbowroom was left to the amount of 77,000Z.

The estimate for the Excise was stated at 26,400,000l.; the produce of last year was 26,768,000l. from which was to be deducted 200,000l., on account of the entire cessation of the salt duty, and 37,000l. on account of the further effect of last year's diminution of the duty on rum, so that the probable produce of 1825 would be 26,531,000l.; but it would be prudent to take it at 26,400,000l. The stamps, would, in all probability, produce 7,100,000l., after allowing for a diminution of 150,000l. on account of the further effect of the repeal of the

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* The increase of the sinking fund beyond last year arose, in a great meaing the dissentient holders of 4 per sure, from the course adopted respectcents. The stock standing in their names amounted to about 6,000,0007.; and as they were to be paid off by an issue of Exchequer bills, which were to be subsequently discharged out of the sinking fund, the amount of their stock was transferred, at an interest of 34 per cent, from their names to those of the commissioners for the reduction of the stock so transferred became an addition national debt, and the interest of the to the sinking fund,

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thought it desirable to fix the duty permanently at 27s.; and modify5,983,126 ing the drawback accordingly, this 1,376,641 change of system would save to 2,300,000 the revenue 3s. per cwt. in the drawback, and might be taken in 1827 (the first year in which the modification would be in operation) as a total saving of about 300,000l.

£56,001,842

A portion of the increased charge of the army arose from the expense to be incurred by training the English and Scotch militia: and the miscellaneous charge was augmented by the necessity of paying no less than 250,000l. to the United States of America for certain Negroes who left their masters and attached themselves to our forces during the late war. By the treaty of Ghent we were bound to pay for such Negroes; and the award of the emperor of Russia, under the provisions of that treaty, had fixed the price at that sum.

Deducting then the total charge of 56,001,8421. from the total revenue of 56,445,370l., the nett surplus would be, as before stated, 443,5281.; and, upon this basis, a surplus of 864,6761. might be expected for 1826, and of 1,254,6761. for 1827. The increase of the latter surplus beyond that of the year immediately preceding it, was to be expected from a proposed diminution in the bounty upon the exportation of refined sugar. By the existing law, the duty upon raw sugar varies according to its price; when the average price is below 47s., the duty is 27s. per cwt., and the duty is liable to a graduated scale of increase, according as the average price may reach certain specified amounts: but the draw back upon the exportation of refined sugar is calculated upon the supposition, that the duty upon the muscovado is invariably paid at the higher rate. Mr. Robinson

It thus appeared that the surplus of the years ending with 1827 would be as follows:

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In applying this surplus to the diminution of the public burthens, Mr. Robinson stated that he had three main objects in view :-1st, Increased facility of consumption at home, in conjunction with increased extension of commerce abroad; 2nd, The restriction of smuggling; and 3rd, Some alleviation of the pressure of direct taxation.

To accomplish these objects, after alluding to Mr. Huskisson's plans for reducing the prohibitory duties, and recommending the duty on iron to be lowered from 6l. 10s. to 17. 10s. per ton, he proceeded to specify the reduction which he meant to propose upon various articles of foreign produce, the duties upon which, although not avowedly or really prohibitory, were nevertheless so high as to impede the consumption, and to press with considerable severity upont hose who used them. The first of these articles was hemp, from which he recommended a reduction of half the present duty, at a loss to the revenue of about 100,000l.

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He proposed to grant a reduction of 6d. in the lb. on the duty upon West Indian coffee to extend the reduction to cocoa. Taking both articles together, the revenue would probably be diminished to the amount of 150,000l.

But the most important of all the topics introduced by Mr. Robinson, was the reduction of the duties on wine. To explain the grounds on which he proceeded, he went back to the years 1801, 1802, and 1803, when the duty on wine was as follows, viz.

1801.. 8s. 9d. per gallon. French 1802 8 10

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At present, the duty on French wine was 11s. 5d per gallon: on wines not French, 7s. 7d: and the consumption of 1824, after the lapse of more than twenty years, notwithstanding the great increase of our population and of our general opulence, had been so far from keeping pace with that increase, that it did not exceed 254,268 gallons of French wine, and 4,847,976 gallons of other wine. His intention was, to reduce the duty on French wines to 6s. per gallon, and on wines not French, to 4s. The loss to the revenue from this change he estimated at 230,000l. In order to diminish the temptations to smuggling, he proposed to allow whiskey to be

imported into England. The present duty of 10s. 6d. per gallon on all British spirits, he would reduce to 5s. per gallon on all spirits distilled from malt, and to 6s. on those distilled from grain. On the same principle, he would reduce the duty on rum, which was at present 10s. 6d. per gallon, at proof, to 8s.; and permit whiskey to be made from grain in our colonial possessions, and to be sent here either for the purpose of being rectified, or of being sold as whiskey. The loss to the revenue from these sources would be 750,000l. The duty on cider, which was at present 30s. per hogshead, he would reduce to 10s., by which the revenue would lose 20,000l.

As to the direct taxes, Mr. Robinson proposed to remove the duty from four-wheeled carriages drawn by ponies, amounting to 8571.; the tax upon occasional waiters, amounting to 1,3431.; on coachmakers' licenses, 354l.; on carriages sold by commission 3,3911.; on mules employed in carrying ore, 1371.; on houses, which were vacated after the beginning of the year, 5,000l.; on untenanted houses, 4,000l.; on an additional window in dairies, 1,000l.; on farm-houses, occupied by labourers, 1,000l.; on husbandry servants, occasionally employed as grooms, 2,000l.; on husbandry horses, let to hire, 4,000l.; on taxed carts, 18,9137.; on houses under 10l. rent the whole of the inhabited house duty; and the whole window duty on houses not having more than seven, 235,000l. The total amount of these items would cost the revenue only about 276,995l., but they were items of which, as they were exceedingly vexatious in the collection, it was particularly advisable to get rid.

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ed. On the whole, however, the exposition of the chancellor of the Exchequer was highly pleasing to all parties. They were satisfied that he had granted as great an alleviation of the public burthens as was consistent with public credit, and that he had chosen, with a comprehensive prudence, the mode of applying the relief.

On the 3rd of March, Mr. Maberly moved for the repeal of the assessed taxes: but, out of 175 members who were present, he was supported by only 47. On the 5th of May, a resolution, proposed by the same member respecting the duties on beer, was negatived by a majority of 88 to 23. Mr. Hobhouse on the 7th of May, moved a resolution, by which the House pledged itself to repeal the window tax from April 1826: The Ayes were 77, the Noes, 114. A motion for the repeal of the duties on soap and candles was negatived without a division,

CHAP. VIII.

Private Bills-Close of the Session of Parliament-King's SpeechProclamation enforcing the Foreign Enlistment Act-Commercial Embarrassments-Failures - Panic in the Money-Market - EAST INDIES-Operations of Sir Archibald Campbell-His advance towards Prome-Repulse of General Cotton at Donabew-Return of Sir A. Campbell to Donaben-Capture of Donaben-Occupation of Prome-Subjugation of Assam and Arracan-Sir A. Campbell remains in Quarters at Prome Negotiations.

MORE than ordinary share

A of the time of the members

of the legislature was occupied during the present session, in the consideration of private bills. So great was the passion for Jointstock companies, and so abundant the capital which was ready to seek employment in schemes of local improvement, and in forming new channels of internal communication by means of rivers, canals, and rail-roads, that four hundred and thirty-eight petitions for private bills were presented, and two hundred and eighty-six private acts were passed. The conduct of the committees, to whom some of these private bills was referred, was the subject of loud and well merited complaint. Many members of the House of Commons seemed, in the exercise of this part of their functions, frequently to forget that they had any public trust or duty to discharge, and gave their votes for or against a scheme, entirely as it coincided, or was inconsistent with, any private interest of their own, or of their friends.

On the 6th of July, the session was terminated by commission. On that occasion, the lord chancellor as one of the commissioners, delivered the following Speech:

· Armistice with the Burmese

"My Lords and Gentlemen, "The business of the Session being now brought to a conclusion, we are commanded by, his Majesty to express the great satisfaction which he feels in releasing you from your laborious attendance in Parliament.

"His Majesty returns you his warmest acknowledgments for the zeal and assiduity with which you have prosecuted the inquiries into the state of Ireland, which he re commended to you at the opening of the Session.

"It is a particular gratification to his Majesty, that the tranquillity and improved condition of that part of the United Kingdom have rendered the extraordinary powers with which you had invested his Majesty no longer necessary for the public safety.

"His Majesty is happy to be able to announce to you, that he receives from all Foreign Powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this country, and of their desire to maintain the general peace.

"While his Majesty regrets the continuance of the war in the East Indies with the Burmese government, he trusts that the gallant exertions of the British and

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