270 
Statistics c 
r?iark of our disposition to lend every possible aid to Ireland uridel* 
the embarrassing circumstances in which she was placed, and as 
tending to inforce the necessity and policy of either country step- 
ping to the support of the other, when the one was able to giv^, 
and the other so situated as to require assistance. 
He believed that he had now stated, as fully and distinctly as he 
had it in his power to do, all the considerations immediately con- 
nected with the subject before the committee. He trusted that 
he had not omitted any necessary explanation; but before he sat 
clown, he wished to mention a few circumstances, in order to show 
the general increase of the revenues, and the aihuence of the cotmtry. 
For this purpose be begged the attention of the committee to the 
increasing produce of the customs and excise, during the last five 
years. In the year ending the 5th of April 1807, the produce of 
the customs was 9,612,000/.; in 1808, 9,123,612/.; in 1809, 
8,508,258/.; in 1810, 10,536,775/., and in 181 1, 10,523,169/. being 
an increase of near a million since the year 1807.^ The produce 
of the excise in the year ending 5th April, 1807, was 23,740,518/. ; 
in 1811, 24,646,022/. In the intermediate years the advance was 
gradual, mth the exception of 1809, in which year there was a 
considerable falling off, the produce being only 22,837,856/. In 
the two succeeding years, however, this depression was complete- 
ly recovered. An inquiry into other articles of general consump- 
tion, would contribute to show the increasing opulence of the na- 
tion. The produce of the duties on cottonwool imported into the 
country ih 1807, was 5 13,526/. ; the produce in the year 1811, was 
1,034,142/. The duties on deals and fir-timber imported in 1807 
were 566,247/. In 1811 they amounted to 642,104/. The excise 
duties on tea in 1807 were 2,844,395/. In 1811 they amounted to 
3,236,027/. This last was a more extraordinary increase, as the 
article was under most heavy taxation, and as the increase took 
place after the operation, from W'hich so much mischief was anti- 
cipated, of the reduced duty on coffee. All this could be account- 
ed for only by the general augmentation of wealth in the country. 
Of this increasing wealth a most striking instance was afforded in 
the consumption of wine. In 1785 the quantity of wine consumed 
WT.S 14,550 tons;. in 1786, 15,087 tons; in 1787, 14,780 tons; mak- 
ing the average of the tliree years an annual consumption of 14,800 
tons. At that period the average price of port wine was 70/. 1 l.s. 
lOcl. per pipe. In 1807, the quantity of wine consumed was 24,090 
tons; in 1808, 24,757 tons; in 1809, 22,331 tons; the average of 
these three years being an annual consumption of 23',726 tons. 
