666 Reduction of Taxes [JUNE, 



necessary for checking that enormous and increasing consumption of 

 gin and corn spirits, which is gradually undermining the health and 

 destroying the morals of the working classes has, as was no doubt antici- 

 pated, called forth the strenuous opposition of the distillers, especially 

 those of Scotland and Ireland, who, with their usual industry, have suc- 

 ceeded in raising an outcry that " the agricultural interest is in danger, 

 and will by this trifling addition of duty be ruined !" We have often 

 heard of the plausibility and perseverance of the Haigs, the Steins, and 

 the Dunlops of Scotland, We believe it was a remark of the late Mr. 

 Pitt that nothing puzzled him more than how to devise effectual mea- 

 sures for the regulation of the Scotch distilleries, and we were for some 

 time at a loss to know what great interest the latter had in this question, 

 seeing that in Scotland and Ireland the duty is at present only one third 

 of that which is paid by the people of England. We could not see how 

 two-pence the imperial gallon was to have any serious effect on their 

 trade. On referring lately to official documents, however, the mystery 

 is solved ! By these it appears that the Scotch and Irish distillers have 

 not only a monopoly in the supply of their own markets, but that they 

 furnish also the greater part of the spirit which is consumed in England ; 

 and, consequently, have an interest with our distillers in opposing the 

 proposed additional English duty of l.v. the gallon. By official docu- 

 ments, it appears that Ike whole, quantity of British spirits furnished for 

 home consumption, during the year ending on the 5th January, 1830, 



was 22,718,150 galls. 



Of which the English distillers 



supplied only 3,860,542 ) 



The Scotch distillers 9,649,070 \ 22,718,150 



The Irish distillers 9,208,538 ) 



It appears that while the quantity of corn spirit consumed in 

 England, last year, was 7*700,766 gallons; the English distiller only 

 supplied 3,860,542 gallons ! We must express our surprise that the 

 English agriculturists, distillers, and people, who pay a triple duty, do 

 not, instead of aiding these interlopers in their interested outcry, rather 

 join in repelling their encroachments, and in keeping them on the north 

 side of the Tweed. 



The altered condition of the landed proprietors since the peace, has, 

 without doubt, rendered that class very sore on every point likely to 

 create further depression ; and to this feeling, artfully aggravated by the 

 distillers, who are generally in close connexion with a few of the leading 

 agriculturists, may be attributed the present clamour, rather than to any 

 general feeling of danger on their part. For it must be evident that the 

 great benefit which the agriculturist must shortly derive, from the ad- 

 ditional consumption of beer, will far outweigh any trifling diminution 

 of demand for barley in the use of the distilleries, that may arise from the 

 proposed addition to the present duty on British gin and whisky. 



The West Indians have for many years complained of the unfair man- 

 ner in which rum has been excluded from general consumption by an extra 

 and very onerous duty. There has been no want of urgency in their repre- 

 sentations to government on this subject ; but as they have not, like the 

 British distillers, been backed by a host of clamorous agriculturists, the 

 justice of their claims has, hitherto, been borne down by the ponderous 

 weight and artful opposition of their rivals. 



The manner in which this extra duty on rum operates, may be seen at 

 one glance by a reference to the following official statement of the re- 



