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try, to which they are so deeply in- 
debted.  - 
Tota! of present receipts. 
Amount of duties on 204 oh hg aie 
millions lbs. of British 
cotton wool - - 172;524.11 8 
On 474 millions lbs. of 
American do. in British 
shipping - - 595,833 6 48 
On 23 millions of Brazil 
ditto, in ditto ditto. = 
Total of present duties 
191,666 15 4 
£760,024 11 41 
Simunt of proposed duties on the same 
Guantiticse 
fee 
791,666 13 4 
383,353 6 4. 
1,174,999 19 8 
Deduct total of present 
duties - - > ~ 760,024 11 4 
On American cotton” = 
On Brazil ditto - = 
Balance in favour of the 
proposed plan - £414,975 8 32 
But this estimate has been framed on 
the supposition that all American cot- 
ton-wool is imported into this country 
in British vessels: this, however,’ is not 
the fact; and we may safely assume that 
the whole is conveyed in their Own ships. 
Not that this is the case; but as it occurs 
in a greater degree with the Brazil cot- 
ton, this assumption may be granted, as 
the original estimate of the Brazil pro. 
cuce will he retained, 
‘The crease on Importations made in 
foreign vessels, should certainly be pro- 
portional to the duty on British shipping ; 
and if that be the case, the revenue 
would be augmented by at least one- 
third. 
Aud there can be no doubt respecting 
the preference which the Americans will 
continue to give to their own ships, in 
despite of the increased duty; for the 
navigation charges would be so much 
less as to render them the most econo- 
miical mode of conveyance, 
It caunot be urged in cpposition to 
this scheme, that foreigners thus taxed, 
may lay countervailing duties on British 
-manufactures, and thus give a vital stab 
to the manufacturing interests. The truth 
is, that this may be done, though at the 
expense of the consumer. The price of 
produce being the same im this country, 
the manufacturer can fabricaie his cotton- 
wools as cheap as before. No country 
ean vie with us in them; and the people 
of the country, imposing countervailing 
duties, must ultimately repay the British 
merchant. This statement extends more 
forcibly to our woollen wmanutactures, 
On the present State of the Cotton Colonies. 
[Nov. !, 
which physical causes preclude on the 
great continent of America. ; 
We have too recently witnessed the 
entire dependence of North America on 
this country for manufactured goods, to 
entertain a doubt upon the question; for 
at this moment, the government of that 
country is fulminating decrees against 
Britain, and at the same time covering 
the seas with her coasters, freighted for 
Britain: an artful policy, which requires 
to be encountered with firmness and re- 
solution, | 
I have hitherto reasoned on the sup- 
position, that no fiscal regulations with re- 
gard to foreign cotton of the nature al- 
ready described, could enhance the price 
to the British manufacturer. But were 
the utmost increase that can be con- 
ceived to take place, the alteration in the 
price of the goods for sale, could scarcely 
be perceptible. For illustration, let us 
suppose that one pound of cotton-wool 
can be so manufactured as to fetch the 
sum of twenty shillings, which is below 
the average. The present selling price 
is about two shillings: were any enhance- 
ment of price to occur, for instance, were 
the Americans and Portuguese to retain 
their produce by universal consent, unless 
they could get half a crown per pound, 
the additional six-pence would not be 
perceived, when distributed over the 
various articles manufactured from the 
pound of the wool. 
T have however been informed by a 
manufacturer, that this loss (if any) does 
not devolve on the manufacturer, but on 
the workmen; for in proportion to the 
low price of the material do the wages 
of the latter approach a certain standard ; 
or in proportion to its high price, do 
they recede from it. This is certainly 
the fact in some parts of the kingdom, 
The complaints therefore of the nianu- 
facturing interest is unjust, ungenerous, 
and illiberal. 
If, after all, the foregoing proposition 
should be deemed inadmissible, there is 
another to which I candidly confess there 
are many objections on the score of re= 
venne, and yet the cotton-planter’s situa- 
tion calls so loudly for alleviation, that, 
bad as the alternative, it would have 
been so far preferable, as it would tend 
to alleviate his distresses. . 
This might be effected by taking off the 
duties on cotton-wool of British growth, 
(that is to say, produced in British co- 
lonies) and continuing those on foreign 
produce. By this means, the Bntish 
colonist 
