1178
THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZET TE.
We take next another branch of national pro- gress-the increase in the trade, commerce, and manufactures of the kingdom. The results pre- sented to us under those heads will show the ear prising progress made in recent years by every branch of industrial enterprise. The imports and exports furnish a fair standard of the progress of
amount at present realized is almost equal in value to the harvest of wheat gathered in the United Kingdom for one entire year. It secures the great body of the depositors from the casualties of sick ness and temporary loss of employment, and it is a pledge, the most certain and satisfactory that could be desired, of their industrious and temperate habits, and of their rise above a state of abject and pain-foreign trade :— ful existence.
When we come to those articles that, in a grea ter or less degree, are indicative of luxurious habits. we find that their use has not advanced so rapidly as might have been anticipated from the growing wealth of the country. Wine is now so generally favoured by the middle classes that its increased consumption can scarcely be advanced as an argu- ment in favour of the accumulation of capital. But it does not appear, nevertheless, that the quantity of this luxury of the middle classes imported for home use has exceeded the rate of increase that has taken place in the population. For the last twenty-four years the imports have not risen mich more then twenty five per cent, and, therefore, cannot be compared with the increase that has taken place in the kixuries of the poor, as tea, to bacco, spirits, and coffee-
WINE OF ALL KINDS CLEARED FOR HOME
CONSUMPTION. SE
1820 1821
1920
EXPORTS (OFFICIAL VALUE),
£
48,951,000 1843 131,850,000 51.461,000 1844 145,960,000 IMPORTS (OFFICIAL VALUE).
£
ing population, except moral and spiritual provi- sion. Care was taken to place excisable and cus- toms commodities within reach of the people, but not to afford them the elements of education and an opportunity of Christian worship. Our statesmen were satisfied that the nation was going on well while they saw a yearly increase in spirits and tobacco, without at all inquiring in what way this spirit-drinking population was growing up. The result that has occurred was perfectly natural. Crowded townships grew up in a state of heathen- ism, and indusands, on the Best temptation that prosented itself, cemmenced a career of desperate crime.
A wide held still is, and always will be, open for the labours of well-directed beneficence. The con dition of the people is susceptible of vast improve. ment. The future is full of promise and hope. But, looking to what has been accomplished in the last quarter of a century, we should be extremely cau. tious how we rudely disturb that system, which has proved so beneficial to the country, and been pro- ductive of so many advantage to the general com- munity.
LEGISLATION AND FINANCE.
The Parliamentary Session of 1845 was the most laborious of any on record. In the six months that the Legislature continued its sitting there were passed no fewer than 160 public and 246 private acts. Of the private acts 106 concerned the for-
Parliament met on the 4th of February. The recommendations of the speech were chiefly dis rected to the policy of extending the opportunities of academical education in Ireland, and the pro- priety of continuing the income tax, so that reduc- tions in other taxation might be effected.
Our Governments since the peace, uniformly at- 32.438,000 || 1943 • 70 800,000
fentive to the well-being of the country, have been 1821 30,702.000 1844 75,150,000
uniformly neglectful of its higher interests. They The increase in the declared or real value of the hago repealed millions of taxation (often with themation of railways. exports is much less than in the official value, from best effects) to increase the consumption of parti- the decline in the prices of most Kinds of manu- cular commodities, but they have rarely given grants factures, but the returns of the real value still show to promote the cause of scriptural education Plac a rise in the same period of from 60 to 70 por cented at the head of a Christian state, they have yet
Our shipping, notwithstanding occasional times
never dared to act on Christian principles. They of dulness and stagnation, displays an augmented have faltered and refused whenever asked to extend activity, equally indicative of the general progress their aid to morals and religion. They have con- of the kingdous ----
sidered that those subjects lay out of their sphere of action. They have passed acts, and voted millions to multiply beer-shops, but they could never make up their mind to propose estimates for scriptural
Vessels employed in the foreign and colonial trade of the United Kingdom, including their several cog.
in the year. T
ages
BRITISH VESSELS ENTERED INWARDS.
Ships. Tons.
Ships. Tons. 1820 11.285 1,668,000 1843 18,087 3,294.725 1921 10,810 L599,374 1844 19,500 3,545,346
BRITISH VESSELS CLEARED OUTWARDS.
Ships Tons.
Ships. Toos.
schools and now churches.
.A
•
In-.
Sir Robert Peel made his financial statement ten- The Pre- days after the opening of the session. mier had to deal with a prosperous revenue. stead of a gross amount for the year ending 5th Jany, 1846, of £51,790,000, as estimated in the previous 1820 - - - 4,586,485 | 1843 - 6,068,987
years by the Chacellor of the Exchequer, the real 1821 --- 4,680,885 | 1944 - - - 6,538,684
amount was £54,003.000; leaving a surplus over During the closing years of the Whig Govern If we esanine other official returns which test
ment the country was aroused to a sense of its the amount of expenditure of €3,357,000. By more decisively the, increased means of the rich,
danger, and a great movement commenced for the making the account up to the approaching 5th of we shall find no countenance given to the notion
establishment of schools in connection with the April the Premier estimated that the actual surplus that great fortunes have been rapidly advancing of
Church of England, and for supplying the spiritual revenue would be five millions, the great increase destitution of crowded neighbourhoods. Sir Robert having taken place on customs, excise, and stamps. late years. The best standards we can find are,
1820 10,102 1,549 508 1849 18,725 3,376,270 Peel attributes the diminution of crime to his tariff How was the surplus revenue, then, to be appro the duties paid on carriages, horses, servants and dogs for the last twenty years. Under those heads 1821 9,797 1,488,544 | 2844 18,500 4,635,833 alterations. In the absence of any positive know- preated? It would suffice for the repeal of the we find a general increase, but not sufficent to war- Thus, our commerce, as shown by the employledge on the subject, we are rather inclined to refer income-tax, or it would be sufficient to make large rant the belief that the fortunes of the highest classesment afforded to our shipping, has somewhat more it to the exertions made some years previously on remissions in general taxation The Minister de
The increase in our com- of the community have risen with anything like than doubled since 1820.
behalf of our neglected population. The experience cided on the latter course. He proposed that the merce carried on by foreign bottoms has been even the same rapidity as those of the middle and lower
of the last twenty-five years has decisively proved duties on British plantation sugar should be reduced classes. If it were true that in this country the greater:-
that an increase in the mere comforts of existence from 254 3d per cwt to 149 per cut, and the foreign rich were becoming more rich, and the poor more.
may be accompanied by a great and alarming ad-free-grown sugar from 35s 20 to 23% 41. He pro.. poor, we should undoubtedly find the use of luxu-
dition to the number of criminal offences. If this posed also the total repeal of the duty on cotton- ries advancing in a higher ratio than the use of 1820
country should ever possess a Government with wool, amounting to five sixteenths of a penny per comforts, yet the following returns of duties includ-1821
principle to recognise its duty as the bead of a b, and yielding a revenue of £080.000; the repeal ed in the assessed taxes will show, if compared
Christian state, and with courage, to act on its con-
of the auction duty, #250,000; of the duty on glass, with the extracts given from excise and customs
victions, it would make an effort to raise the moral 640,000; of the export duty on coal, #183,000: returns, that the evidence leads to an exactly op-
as well as the physical state of the people, and and of reductions on duty on minor articles in the would watch the progress of criminal returns as tariff to the extent of £320,000; which, together. posite conclusion.
arrowly as the accounts of exports and the revenue-
with an estimated loss on the sugar duties of £1, from customs and excise.
300,000, would amount to £3,388.000. To make this great experiment in remissions and reductions of duties he proposed the income tax should be con- tinued for three years longer.
In 1823, the assessed taxes ou carriages, servants, horses, and dogs, were reduced to their present amount, so that the comparison is made ou perfect *ly equal grounds :-
PRODUCE OF THE TAX ON MALE SERVANTS.
£ 189,478 204,321 203.816
✰
1823
158,630 1840
1824
164,167 1811
1825
16,2294
1842
18:26
167,167 | 1843
4: 104,263
ON CARRIAGES.
£
1823
113,322 1340
1621
121,577 1841
1825
131.918 1842
1825
147,637 1843
£ 163.030 176,108 174,671 173,061
OF RIDING AND CARRIAGE HORSES.
£
€
1820
FOREIGN VESSELS ENTERED INWARDS.
Tous.
Ships. Tons. 447,611 1843 8,054 1,205,303 396,250 | 1844 8,541 1,301,950
Ships.
3,172 3,261
POREIGN VESSELS CLEARED OUTWARDS.
Ships. Tons.
2.919
Ships. Tons. 433.528 1943 8.375 1252,176 1821 2,626 383,786 | 1844 8,700 1,341,433 Here the increase has been about 300 per cent. If the principles of free trade are to prevail, if the vast protection at present afforded to British shipping by the navigation laws is to be withdrawn, our iner chants may perhaps find themselves beaten in the race of competition with foreign shipping, and the compelled at last. to withdraw from the unequal
contest.
In the year 1845 the progressive improvement in our trade and manufactures during the previous three years has been fully maintained. Every branch of industry has been prosperous, and em- ployment more plentiful than at any period since the late war. During the harvest it was not un- -common for the crier to be heard in the streets of The cotton manufacture is declared by the Pre-agricultural towns offering labourers employment mier to be the great national manufacture of the
One country. The increase of late years one would at liberal wages on neighbouring farms.
cause of this prosperity we shall have to notice suppose had been sufficient to satisfy even the Lan-hereafter in speaking of railway enterprise; but the cashure manufacturers. The following figures principal cause is undoubtedly to be sought in the show the amount of exports in yards of plain and average harvest of the last three years, which have and printed calicoes, and in value of the total quan rendered us to a great extent independent of foreign tity of cotton manufactures :--
supplies.
£
1823
298,014
1840
283 931
1820
1524
305,620 1841-
301,666
1821
1825
309,178 | 1812
304,989.
1826
315,895 1843
254,500
ON DOGS.
£
1820 1821
1823
178,082; 1840
1824
179,742 | 1841
156,085 167,440.
1825
178,620 1842
168,878
1826
182,574 | 1843.
158,038
ON GAME CERTIFICATES,
1820 1821
£
1823
140.427
1824
1840 129,111 †1841 151,645
1842 158,955 1843
PLAIN COTTONS EXPONTED,
Yards.
Yards. 113,682,486 1913- 520,941,625 122,921,692 | 1815 - 560,697,792
Yards. 257,787.304 319,111,455
TRINTED COTTONS EXPORTED.
Yards. -134,688,144 1843 146,412.002 1844
·
DECLARED VALUE OF ALL COTTON MANUFACTURES
EXPORTED. £
£ 10,510.748 1843 23 317,971 16 €99,787 1844 25,805,318
The prices of cotton goods, which had been fall- ing for a number of years past, took a turn in 1813, and have since continued on the advance, so that] now the manufacturers are doing an immensely in- creased trade, and at rising prices.
1820
7.330,256 | 1843 1821 - 6,958,219 | 1844
5,219,027 4,076,003
Declared Vains of British Exports. 1942 - £17,000,000 1943 - 52,000,000 1941 - 59.00-1,001 1945 - 58,300,030-
Foreign and Colonial- Wheat euterol for
Consumption.
P32 -2,781,000 1300. $17,000 1914- 79100 1812. 200,000)
This plan was well received by the House, as it relieved some great branches of national industry from duties which, if they did not fetter them, yet acted as a resimint on the full development of their energies. As regarded sugar, the reduction was felt to be only an act of hare justice, as it had bang been felt extremely hard that so necessary a com- modity should have had to bear a tax of 34 per 1b, By proposing the income-tax for a limited period lenger, the alternative was obviated of having either to justify its inequality and injustico in rai- all incomes alike, or of entirely reconstructing it, so adapt it to different kinds of incomes.
ing
The scheme, however, met with some opposition,. principally from the Whig side of the House. My Rockuck demanded that real property in Ireland should be assessed to the tax, and other members moved that distinctions should be made between the incomes arising from trades and professions, and those that resulted from real property. Thesd amendments were uniformly negatived by larg majorities, and eventually the whole financial scheme received the sanction of Legislature.
For the four years ending with 1812, a suceos. sion of bad harvest had rendered large importations of foreign corn accessary, on an average 2,000,000. of quarters yearly. The result was, that trade of every description was depressed, that the revenue fell off, and that our exports declined. In the year 1842 there took place one of the largest imports of foreign corn ever known, 2,761,000 quarters. If the principle of the free traders was correct, that our exports of manufactures would always be in "proportion to our imports of foreign grain, this year, after such hheral importations, should have been a It would be very inconsiderate to attribute to - prosperous one for the mill and the loom. Bat the those alterations hy material share in producing contrary was the case-they stood still, while the the prosperity of the list year. Undoubtedly they vessels that had brought us wheat from foreign were calculated to have a good effect, us aft jadi. 148,844
ports sought return freights in vain. The declancious remissions of taxation must have; but it 155,374
value of British esports fell from £53,000,000 in would be irrational in the highest degres to sup- 1825
134,748
1830 to £47,001,000 in 1842, and this notwith-pose that they have had any material influence 1826
135.820
standing that £25,000,000 sterling had been ex- [ vither in stimulating tradə, affording employment, Porhaps the best test that can be taken of the ad-
One other evidence of the general prosperity of pended for foreign grain in that and the previous or augmenting the revenue The Premier in speak- ing of the national revenue, boasts that his remis- vance or decline of wealth in the highest ranks of the country may be found in the decline of suns four years. life is that afforded by the number of horses kept expended for the relic of the poor. The new law With the fair harvest of 1843 trade again ressions of daty do not greatly reduce its griss amount, for pleasure, whether used for carriages or riding has effected some change in this respect, but willvived, and the people were employed The figures Notwithstanding his reductions to the amount of Now, during the last twenty years, we find the not account for the decline of pauperism which has that follow will show the connection between the an. I nearly three millions and a half, the revenue for tho number has declined to a considerable extent. Certaken place in the last few years. If we allow for tivity of our export trade and the growth of mo year 1815 is only £11,000 less than for 1841. But it can hardly be contended that the rise in 1815 in tainly that would not have been the se, consider the increased population of the last twenty-three derale abundance at home.
the revenue froma tarup of £5 10,081 can have con- ing the enormions increase in the property of the years, the following return will show a decrease in
nation with a remission of the duties on sugar ank, country-nd increase estimated at £65,000,000 sums expeated for the poor to the extent of at least yearly--if wealth has not become more equally tilty per cent.:-
#ghet. Had those duties rousiard untouched, the increase work! sull, there can be no doubt, havu diffosed.
been shown in stamps, So with £0 000 arising Judging from all the means of information open
from repayments of advances, and göt9,000 "from" to us, and especially from the financial reports of
We have hitherto considered only the physical
China and other sources, The repeal of the aue- Government, it would appear that the number of
tion duty could not mave hastened over the Chinese large fortunes have not increased within the last state of the people, and judged of their social in
The last year is certainly a remarkable one. silver. If we deduet from the total revenue of 18 Lâ twenty years, notwithstanding the great increaseprovement as shown by their augmented means. in the property of the country while it is quite. But if we turn to their moral state, as evidenced Prizes of all descriptions of produce have been well ita acci-lental iteins, of miscellaneous £560,011 certain that the use of the luxuries of life has not by the number of crimes committed, we shall find maintained. The country has been comparatively more that in 1944, and its repayments, doc, advanced at all in the same propanion as the use of much less cause für congratulation. Under a truly independent of supplies, of foreign grain, and yet £333,330, also in excess over 1811, togmber with its nccessaries and comforts. A reference to the wise Government, the moral and physical ameliors | traile has never been more active, or the people mcrease in stamps, plainly owing to greater spoon- lation, amounting to £500,721, and add to thong number of horses and dogs kept at intervals of her of the community would be made to adrades i better employed..
We conclude here our remarks on the Progress of itama the actual deficimusy on the year, we shall twenty years, and of the quantities of tea and spirits together and certainly it would be only reason- consumed at the like intervals, must establish that able to expect that the temptation to crime would the Nation. Theßgeren we have given are full of, had the revenue of 1945 bass by 31,832 4ff th position beyond all possibility of doubl
be diminished as the means of comfortable rebel | signicance, if rightly considered. They prove the fevetud of 1941, which, as the reduction al the duties hat only eight or mine mouths to operati There is but one other duty which might further ace etre augmenud. But this does not apportal, notwithstanding the complúnta heard at in illustrate the subject, and that is, the amount paid on to base been the case; for, until the last three years tervals ince 1907, the predictions of ring within, is about this result that might beve begu anti- which the centry has been threatened, sad pcca. į cipitel, without being obliged to appose that the gold and silver plate. Mr Huskieson, about twenty the number of criminals bare been costinmally on years back, was of opinion thut the increase of the increase. The following table is entisfactory. sorally see criances of mitchiezone ne, as beast, finament scheme of last year han best peculuṛtivis * gespeare lagustation, as the Currency kill of 1 of any marvellous consopooners in taitng the res dog showed a dangeroas accumulation of wealth (only as i cbows that the life of crime, which for in the hands of the higher claws. Experiene, 1 camber of years bad fani cunuptedly, te. 1819 the country we made unprsenkonsol pro- vrang
'The general prolactiveness of the national ins however has not supported his coacharon. The erived a clack in 126), sad had continued in the coma taring the last twenty five years, amt has in- Goromment duties on grid and sðver plato, et al
¿sed in every material elementiafnabomat great teeme for some reare past, tugsther with prudent kloda, bare produced the folowing sumanta
era and metal property. Wharter jo mit res (edomny in expenditure, har trait an excellent effort garding the mascul dugrazdy of a pordon of the on the fences of the country. for July the Gazette POTIES ON GOLD AND BLVER PLATE,
people carut ber mediuni wady attention. Our thus facte | autogel that the ekor surplus for the grave to prove it are bebes our epox mar fins to minus ( apunted to the large was of a Sabab00; and e of meinen when i le azed that their phty sent i popustian at times sure was, in tungligen witle the soon be deputatul, that they are when of mutate, ortured to be lovested un siel. for the re- got they were e quarter of a comer bare, I snation of die mattonit dah, Che Governmout thai katory duezhebna while beleže) dep, and 1 boskar has recordingly made maderas purchases the a da fares, phase of frica dentalacre ( z intervals, and the operation are boom beneficial
• da må se oma puk, sunt din pour man ganes In dibeding my tukady us grant, desilus la the er w, ONE ON SOONa i zoom rimtunk sien | ping docela vilket Fury is for pruna of cut drony,
(Toby Contauseet j
1080
siucz that
KISANIMALS COMENTUES FOR FALL..
This incitare le rather apparent that rest Th Hlubokke eary greatly with es pot m for esacqte, the duly pro pool 5112,402, a
And thus en karate 1926, 4101,191, higher amount this have know i fe med room, ban the reversal cris burley rowd to any tubargaret Perry The mange elve the datame terms a the actual meet off empun ca toady be end en fare prefeito de estar of genothera pereuré et les pary, protjad ; at all ereby, tos me dice per cent for flax bau de parcür of arsen the lam twenty means would be the ugli artigen way to meet cats to ban giyen quite of t thur old by side, and thad, Bucarest,
of action in stare sa fie te plus de
prand from the pond adonante toten to the restul | agus dry the same she wanted form
esported the red shi nat * The Y et des vuit la red E
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