690 JAMAICA. 



hoed frequently, and kept very clean about the yoyng plants, until 

 they rife to moderate height ; otherwile, they are apt to be deftroyed 



by 



government would receive, on each perfon's annual confumption, upon the footing that has been 

 propok'd. 



The Confumption of aYear-, 

 /. i. d. 

 On 3 lb. of tea, valued at 3 J. 9 (/./tr pound, which is - - - - o 11 3 



The duty and excife, at 2 J. \o\d. amount to - - - " ° 8 7-|- 



On 1551b. ot unroafted coftce, which, when tit for ufe, would be reduced to 12 lb. 



the prime-coll, at 6^. /(■/• pound, is - - - - ' ^ 1 ik. 



Suppoied duty on the 15-Tlb., at 6|^/.j#fr pound, is - - - - o 8 6|-j- 



On 29^ lb. of chocolate-nu'-s, which wouKl make 24.1b. of chocolate, the prime-coll 



of the 29jlb., at 6 i/. /«■ pound, is - - - - - o 14 7^ 



Suppofcd duty thereon, at 3i (V. /)«• pound, - - - . -086 



T..e duties, payable at piel'eut on the fame quantities of the two lalT: articles, ftand thus : 



/. 5. d. 



On 1 5f lb. of unroafted coffee, equal to 1 2 lb. when fit for ufe, at i /. 1 3 j. 6-Jj d^pcr cent. 



wliicn is about 4 d. per pound, - - -- - -0^1 



Excife on the lame, at z .c. 6 </. /"i-v- pound, - - - - -12 io|- 



On 2951b. ',f cacao-nuts, at 1 1 i. n \,h fcr hundred weight, i.e. .it i\d.fer pound, 3 



lixdfe on that (]aantity made into chocolate, producing 241b. atzi. ^d. ^£v pound, 2 14 



2 17 oi 



To prevent all objeftions to thi* propijfil for lowering the duties and excife on coffee to b\d., and 

 on cacao to 3^ d. per pound, the following plan is fubmitted, for compenfiting to government any 

 diifcreiice whicli may, be fappofed to arife from this diminution of the duties, and likewife for, 

 puttinj-; an entip; ftop to the fuiuggling ot coffee, and chocolate, or cacao. 



I.- I'o let the cidloui-houfe du'ies on plantation coffee remain as they ate.. 



. 2. To Ci:nvert the excife, now paid upon foreign coffee, into a duty, not to be drawn back upoa 

 exportation ; lor that v.ould certainly give occafion to great frauds. This will make no difference 

 to government on Mocha coffee. 



3., To take off the i^hole ej.xl/'c on coffee and chocolate; and make up an)' fuppofed deficiency on 

 the p'.anta'ion coffee and cho.olate, by a projiortionable t;ix on licences loi keeping a coffee-houfe, 

 or any houfcs wIktc cotfse and chocolate may be fold ready-made. Perfons, who keep fuch houles, 

 will h~ve no realon to complain ot the tax, as they will be able to purchafe thefe articles, of Britijh 

 gro-x'th, at a very, low rate.. Nor will it be any hardflilp uj>on, their cuftomers, becaufe there will be 

 no occaliou to raifc the price to them. Another conlideration, in, tavour ot this plan, is, that the 

 payment ot the tax cannot bs. evaded, and will be eafily levied.. The reduction of the duties would 

 bring all, that, is fhipped Irom. our colonies, to a regular entry ; at leall, this is very probable, as 

 there- wxjiild, then be no temptation left tor fmu;,'gling it. It remains only to conlider, what difference 

 ♦he inctealed confumption ot coffee and i-hocolate, in litu of tea, would make with refpei5t to navi- 

 gation. The Eaii-liidia company has lately agreed to pay 26/. \os. per ton tor trtight fron\ 

 vhina. Que ton ajifwers the lame purpoies as four tons ot cofiee; and the freight on that quan- 

 tity, at the ufual rale ot ^ /. loj. /irton, would be 2,2/., which is fomething lefs thati on the 

 ■priiponional <)ii,mtity of tea. But the difference is very confiderable in tavour of chocolate: and l 

 there arc molt material advantages attending ihe Weft-India navigation,, in prelcrence to tlie Eall ;.T 

 particularly, that our brave failors are lefs liable to fatal dillcmpers in Inch, a voyage, having no oc- 

 cafion to remain tor fo long a, couti nuance abo:iid a ffiip ; and, what is ot great imporauce, fliould 

 their king and couiury, on a fudden emergency, need thpii alliilance,, it may foon be commanded. 

 On ihe coninuy, when. once a fliip.lrom China has left ourports,, we can cxpcCt no fervite of that , 

 kind from the crew tot eigh.eeii months, however much they may be waute<i. j 



Tiie fealbnable intcipoliiion ot government may jet not only fave tlie colfee plantations in our ' 

 ijlanils tioin ruin, but put tlicm upon a more flourilhing tootir.g than e\er. Nothing moie fcems 

 accfiiury than to regulate the duties upon an e]uitable looting ; and, if coffee and thocolaie ll,ou'd- 



p.ijr 



