198 EEPORT— 1875. 



market in the empire. The imports of Messrs. Wait and James amoimted, in 1874, 

 to between 400,000 and 500,000 quarters of corn ; and in one j'ear (1874-75) 

 8,496,000 bushels of gi-ain were lauded in Bristol from foreign ports. The portion 

 of England which may be supplied with grain from Bristol as a centre, extends in 

 some directions for 100 miles. 



Sugar-refining forms one of the ancient branches of industry both in Bristol and 

 elsewhere ; its extent may be appreciated from the establishment of Messrs. Finzel 

 iu this city, where 1200 tons of refined sugar can be turned out in a week, 



French fiscal arrangements, however, are not favourable at the present time to 

 the augmentation of British sugar-refineries; and the subject merits tiie attention of 

 Members of the Economic Section. 



Part of the French revenue is derived from taxes on spirits, salt, and sugar con- 

 sumed in France. The duty levied in France on sugar, according to the 'Times' of 

 the 28th July, 1875, when the sugar is sold for home consumption, equals in amount 

 the value of the sugar. 



A sugar is prepared by the French beet-root sugar-makers, looking as if it only 

 contained 80 per cent, of saccharine matter in a given bulk or weight, whilst the 

 sugar really contains 90 per cent, of saccharine matter. The raw sugar is assessed 

 at a quality 10 per cent, below the real standard ; and the French sugar-refiner is 

 debited with a duty according to that assessment, and which is not paid. 



When the sugar is exported, the actual quality of the sugar is taken, the draw- 

 back is set against the duty, and the refiner is paid the duty thus shown to be due 

 to him. 



A memorial issued by London sugar refiners shows that in 1873 the quantity of 



French refined sugar really produced was at least kilos. 174,859JO0O 



and the " legal " equivaleut of the refined sugar exported was. . „ 153,185,000 



giving an excess over the " legal " quantity of „ 21,674,000 



or about_ cwts. 41.3,000 



In 1874 the excess over the "legal" equivalent of the refined sugar rose to 

 25,413,000 kilos., or about 498,000 cwts. 



In 1873 the duty on that excess was francs 15,891,000 



and ill 1874 ,, 18,636,000 



showing an increase of „ 2,745,000 



or about £110,000 sterling. 



If to this duty on excess, or bounty, amounting in 1874 to 18,800,000 francs per 

 annum, be added the bounty derived from other sources, such as the '-detaxe " on 

 "poudres blanches," the total amount of bounty will be easily raised beyond 

 20,000,000 francs for sugar. 



In English money 18,000,000 francs are equal to £720,000, paid by the French 

 tax-payer to the French sugar-refiner, and with this result: the I'rench sugar- 

 refiner can sell refined sugar in a foreign market, such as England, below cost 

 price. 



From the ' Statistical Abstract ' it appears that the import of foreign refined 



sugar and .sugar-candy into Great Britain in 1871 was cwt. 1,460,102 



and that it had increased, in 1874, to „ 2,717,406 



The cheapness of refined sugar in Great Britain has augmented the average of 

 consumption from 1 lb. a head in 1860 to 8| lbs. a head iu 1874. 



Great Britain possesses commercial friends iu France among the vine-growers of 

 Bordeaux and Champagne, and the silk-manufacturers of Lyons. These great 

 industries derive no profit either from a heavy tax on sugar consumed in Fi-ance, 

 or from a bounty enabling a French sugar-refiner to sell sugar in England below 

 cost price. The occasion seems favourable for a remonstrance with the Frencli 

 Government, and for a conference with leading French statesmen connected with 

 interests independent of beet-root sugar. 



Beet-root gi'ows admirably in England ; and the British sugar-refiner may con- 

 sider the question of extending in this countrj^ a valuable product of home agri- 

 culture. 



To conduct a negotiation with France, a knowledge of the French language 

 will be requisite for the Commissioners, whether appointed by private individuals 

 or by the British Goyernment, 



