Staiistks'^ 
267 
il might be a gi'eat relief both to those persons who were so kindly 
f’eady to furnish the chancellor of the exchequer with the ways and 
means of the year, and to that individual himself to state that he 
did not consider it expedient to tax articles of dress. This notice 
Would not appear superfluous to the committee, if they were aware 
how many letters he was constantly receiving, in which not only 
every habiliment which could be named, but even the bolts, han- 
dles, latches, and other appendages of doors and windows, were re- 
commended by well intentioned persons as fit objects of taxation. 
He came now to that part of his duty which Was always consi- 
dered as the most irksome and unpleasant; but on the present oc- 
casion he had the highest satisfaction in stating to the committee", 
that they had already in the course of the session voted taxes to an 
amount greater than that which was requisite to meet the burdens 
of the year ; and therefore that he should not propose to lay on a 
single new tax. The fact, indeed, was, that the sum voted was 
much, larger than was wanted. Of these new duties which had 
been imposed, the principal was that on spirits ; the nature of 
which had already been sufficiently explained, which had received 
the sanction of the committee, and the bill to impose which was in 
k state of great forwardness. The probable amount on British spi- 
rits from the most accurate estimate that he could obtain would be 
700,000/. The produce of tlie duty on British spirits in the year 
ending 5th April, 1811, was 2,505,448/. to which, if the committee, 
added the amount of duty due from the customs in Scotland, and 
unpaid for the same year, viz. 360,000/. itv/ould make 2,865,448/. 
Upon tliis the additional duty of 19/. 45. 7d. per cent, would amount 
to 551,000/. The additional duty of 12} percent upon the present 
excise duties on foreign spirits (exclusive of rum) which produded 
1,580,000/. in the last year, he would state at 200,000/. although 
he did not expect that it would produce so much. There were other 
'taxes, which, although imposed last year, did not begin to operate 
till the present. Double the amount of the present duty on tiinber, 
on the average of the two last years, v/ould be 622,000/, An ad- 
ditional lA per lb. had been voted by the committee on all cotton 
wool brought from the American states, and other parts (inclusive 
of British and Portuguese colonies), Iming, on an average of the 
lust six years, 35,304,000 lbs. and amounting to 174,100/. On 
pearl and pot ashes imported, except from the British colonies, a 
duty had been imposed of 45. Hd. per cwt. On the average of the 
last six years, the quantity imported annually vea.s 111,000 cv/t. 
making the sum of 25,900/. The ditty on foreign Ihien, in yrc 
