Suffice it for me to state, that a very large majority of the Houfe agreed in an addrefs to his Majefty, expreffive of their approbation of the grounds of the prefent war, and their determination to fupport his Majefty in profecuting it with energy and vigour. By this addrefs, Sir, the Houfe was pledged to fupport his Majefly in calling forth the refources of the country, in fupporting the honour of his crown, and maintaining the rights of his people. It is under thefe confiderations that L now propofe to addrefs the Committee at the prefent moment. The Houfe had already declared their approbation of the war, and their conviction of the neceffity of great and extensive facrifices in profecuting it with advantage and with honour. Having made fuch a declaration of the caufe, the objects, and the character of the war in which we are engaged, I have a fair right to fuppofe that a pledge of this nature was not given without due confideration. I have a right to contend, that a pledge of so serious and fo important a defeription was not given on light grounds, or without adequate attention to the confequences which it involved. I have a right to prefume that, in carrying up fuch an addrefs to the foot of the throne as that which was lately prefented by this. House, we pledged ourselves in the moft folemn manner to the fupport of all those measures of preparation, to all those great and extenfive facrifices which the nature of the conteft In which we are engaged neceffarily requires. That great efforts will be neceffary all parties allow. I understood, Sir, that while this was allowed, it was equally implied that these exertions would not be of a tranfient defcription. The pledge which was given by this House was, that we were ready to fubmit to great and extenfive facrifices, not during a conteft the termination of which might be expected to be speedy, but that our minds were made up to extraordinary privations-to privations affording the means not only of vigorous exertions for a fhort period, but of an arduous and protracted struggle. This, Sir, I confider, was a determination not merely what prudence required, but it was a determination in all points of view worthy of the magnanimity, the fortitude, and the wifdom of a great and a powerful people. It is with reference to fuch confiderations and fuch views that I rife to propofe the plan which I fhall have the honour of fubmitting to the Committee. Having explicitly stated the grounds on which I come forward to propofe the plan which appears to me the beft adapted to provide for the wants of the public fervice, at the prefent important crifis. I have only now to request the indulgence of the Committee while I ftate what have been VOL. IV. 1802-3. T the the fums voted for the public fervice, and what are the means by which I propofe that the fums neceffary to cover these votes fhall be raised. The means of providing this fum will confift of three paris. The taxes voted annually-the growing produce of the the confolidated fund, and iffue of exchequer bills; and laftly, an augmentation of the duties of excife and customs, and a feparate tax on property. The laft I with to be condered folely as a refource applicable to the war. The ways and means will then be as follows: WAYS AND MEANS. Land and malt voted annually Exchequer bills-Although authority has been given by Parliament for an iffue of four millions, take only Surplus of the confolidated fund Before Christmas I ventured to calculate upon this fum as the produce of the confolidated fund. That calculation was formed upon the estimate and returns, as far as then afcertained, of the taxes laid in 1802, and it is fully juftified by the accounts now upon the table. This, however, is not the proper time to enter into a difcuffion of the correctness of the estimate, because I do not now afk the Committee for a vote upon the fubject. I merely fubmit the ftatement as part of the means for raifing the refources of the year. When it comes to be voted, it may be inquired how far the amount is likely to accord with the esti mate. It is propofed to liquidate certain advances made by the bank by an iffue of exchequer bilis, which, it is hoped, that the bank, with that fpirit of accommodation to the public fervice which they difplayed laft war, will, from the fame motive, be now inclined to accept. The debt due to the bank on this head would therefore be paid by an iffue of exchequer bills, on aids of 1804, to that extent Money in treasury, refidue of bounties on WAR RESOURCES. 2,750,000 3,000,000 0,500,000 1,500,000 37,782 400,000 I now come to the ways and means by which I propose to raise the amount of the fum which I have ftated to be neceffary for the fervice of the year. The three great objects to which T 2 which I look as the fources of this revenue are the excife and custom duties, on which I intend to fubmit to the Committee a large augmentation; and a tax upon property. If it fhould be the pleasure of the Committee to agree with me as to the propriety, I wish it to be diftin&tly understood that I confider thefe duties as applicable to war only, and I intend to propofe that they fhould ceafe within a certain period, probably fix months after the restoration of peace. In the first place, then, confidering the advantages which the West India merchants and proprietors muft derive from the prefent circumstances of Europe and of this country, by which they will have almost a monopoly of all Weft India produce in every market, I think that the commodities. in which they are interefted prefent a fair object of taxation, My intention, therefore, is to propofe to lay a very confiderable additional duty on what may now be deemed a necessary of life-I mean SUGAR. The increase of duty in contemplation is 4s. per cwt. or 20 per cent. on the duty now paid, I propofe also that twelve and a half per cent. on the exilting duty fhall be paid on all IMPORTS, with the exception of four great articles, tea, coffee, wool, and wine, which I do not reserve in the view of complete exemption, but with the view of fubjecting them to the tax in a different manner. On this branch, combined with the preceding, I eftimate the produce at 1,300,000l. (Mr. A. did not here read the refults, fo that we could not learn how he diftributed the proportion, but we believe it was 1,000,000l. to the former, and 300,000l. to the latter.) The fame advantages which Weft India produce will obtain in every market, our home manufactures will enjoy, notwithstanding every endeavour to oppofe their circulation. While that monopoly continues, it is but juft that they should contribute to the public fervice a part of that advantage. I should therefore hold myfelf without excufe if I did not fubmit to the Committee a propofal for drawing a confiderable fupply from this fource. I therefore propofe that one per cent. ad valorem fhould be impofed on all EXPORTS to any part of Europe, and three per cent. on exports to all other parts. This branch I eftimate at 460,000l. When the import duty was firft impofed, manufactured Cotton was exempted from duty, and it was thought adviseable to lay the burdeg upon the raw material. A duty of one penny per pound was therefore laid upon COTTON WOOL, On the fame grounds I now propofe to exempt manufactured cotton cotton from the tax, while the duty is increa'ed to about one penny per pound on cotton wool exported. From this I expect that there will be received 250,000!. During the war, I propofe likewife that the duty of TONNAGE ON SHIPPING thall be continued, as it is not probable that it will be attended with any inconvenience, Here will arife perhaps about 150,000l. As there will be fome alteration refpecting drawbacks, &c. I rate the net produce on the head of customs at two millions. The next branch is the excife. It is not my intention to propose any alteration on the great mafs of excifeable articles. I intend to confine my felf to fome leading ones on which a war tax fhall, with the approbation of Parliament, be laid. The first object then is TEA, I am ready to confefs that, except during war, when we poffefs the means of intercepting the communications of the fmugglers, and protecting the fair trader, any additional tax might be impolitic. But, convinced that the enterprifes of the illicit dealer may be de-. feated, and fufficient fecurity given to the fair trader, it appears to me that this article is a fair object of taxation in the prefent circumftances. I therefore propofe that an additional, duty of 15 per cent. ad valorem, fhall be laid on coarser teas, and 45 per cent. ad valorem, on teas of a higher quality. The effect of this addition will be, to raife the price of higher teas fomewhat above what they were previous to the commutation act, and to leave the coarfer teas fomewhat lower. This I calculate at 1,3-0,000l. The next article is WINE. In no refpect does it appear to me that any objection will lie against this tax, either as to the feverity of its operation, or its effect upon the general produce of the revenue. In the year 1795, 10l. per pipe was imposed on wine, but it has been found by experience that the confumption has continued to advance, and that both the old and new duties have increafed. I propofe, therefore, that |