the use of this article among the lower orders is decreasing. The progress of the demand for it may, however, be estimated with sufficient precision from the following circumstance. The quantity of sugar retained in Great Britain for annual consumption, on an average of five years ending 1775, was 1,533,421 cwt. The quantity retained on an average of five years ending 1800, was 1,716,737 cwt. The like average of five years ending 1805, indeed, is 2,167,435; but then the average price for those years is 46s. 7d. instead of 65s. 4d., the average price during the preceding five years; a clear proof that the quantity retained is not that required for the consumption of the country, but a glut of the market. If, then, in twenty-five years, during which this country made the greatest progrefs in opulence and luxury that any nation ever made during an equal period, the effective demand for fugar only increased about 180,000 cwt., we may easily imagine how inadequate the progrefs of the demand has been in other countries, under all their difadvantages, during the laft twenty years, while their fupply was augmented above 1,800,000 cwt. These confiderations may convince us, that there is a real glut in the European market; that a great deal too much fugar is now made; and that until fome diminution takes place in the fupply, the planter muft continue to be ruined by low prices, and, indeed, by an utter inability to get rid of his whole produce at any price. The French government, no doubt, may increafe this evil by fuch rigorous measures as fhall further contract the demand, and load the carriage with rifk and expenfe; but the root of the evil is ftruck far deeper than this; and no change in either the French or English councils could materially remedy it. The planters, however, propofe various means of relief, which we shall shortly run over. The Americans,' fay they, ' carry the enemy's fugars much cheaper than we can carry our own; a bounty, therefore, is requifite to put us on equal terms.' The difference is faid to be about 9s. per cwt. in the north, and 12s. 6d. in the fouth of Europe. Suppofe this were granted, and that, at the yearly expenfe to the country of a million Sterling, 140,000 hogfheads were forced into the foreign market,—we say, this would furnish no relief whatever; for though we at present do not export half that quantity, the foreign market is glutted. This, indeed, the Weft India Committee have given us no proofs of, nor have they made a fingle remark on the fubject; but it is' perfectly true, and quite decifive of the queftion. From examining an account of fales of fugar exported, laft Auguft, from London to Amfterdam, it appears that the lofs upon the tranfaction was exactly 8 per cent. The extravagant bounty of 9s. per cwt. would have converted this into a profit of about 16 per cent.; but if the prices at Amfterdam were fo low that we could not export above 70,000 hogfheads without a lofs, what would they have funk to, had we fuddenly exported as much more? We may fafely affert, that if the quantity could be fold at all, there would be ftill a clear lofs upon the tranfaction, in fpite of the bounty. The prices of fugar have fallen on the Continent as well as here. By comparing the Amfterdam price currents for different years, it appears that, in August 1805, English sugars were at 14 to 174 groots per lib. in the Dutch market; and, in August 1807, they were at 9 to 12; a fall from 15 to 10, and about the fame that has taken place in our own market. In fuch circumstances, to talk of a bounty is nonsense; it can serve no end but to make the public pay a part of the necessary losses of the planter,, and prevent the only remedy from being administered, from which permanent relief can be expected,-the conversion of the inferior sugar lands into provision grounds, and the employment of a number of slaves in the culture of other staples; a measure ruinous certainly to many individuals, but a necessary consequence of the excessive cultivation of the cane which has been carried on of late years. A similar objection applies to the next expedient suggested by the West India body,-the purchase of rum for government service at higher prices than are now paid for brandies. Indeed, this is only one method of forcing the consumption of rum by a premium; and is a much less effectual relief than another, which might be proposed without any greater absurdity, viz. a general agreement among all ranks of the community to drink an additional quantity of sugar in their tea. The introduction of sugar in the distilleries is liable to the same general criticism, and to another still more specific objection. In whatever way this is effected, it must ultimately diminish, by a large amount, the whole grain in the market of the world. According to the Sixth Report of the Committee on the scarcity, 1800, there are used in the distilleries 500,000 quarters of barley, equal to about 360,000 quarters of wheat. If sugar is substituted in the operation, an annual diminution will be produced in the amount of the grain raised in this country, equal to the subsistence of 360,000 persons. In the event of a scarcity, therefore, we shall be deprived of a very important resource: we can no longer change our spirits into food. Then, say the West Indians, allow as much grain to be exported to the islands as they can take, instead of restricting the supplies. But, in that case, the evil is only removed one step; the American grower, on whom the islands now depend, will no longer raise so much grain; and a scarcity will leave this country in the dilemma, either of starving its colonies, or itself. In whatever way sugar is forced into the distilleries, the planter can only be relieved from the natural VOL. XI. No. 21. consequences only consequences of his excessive cultivation, by forcing out of the world five bushels of grain for every cwt. of sugar, and, in the brewery, eight bushels. The practice of using grain for other purposes beside the support of life, furnishes the greatest resource to the country in a season of scarcity. It enables us to provide for our necessities out of our luxuries; and it is this resource that the West Indians desire us now to cut off, in order to relieve them from the effects of their overtrading. It is further proposed to alter the duties upon sugar; but, on this point, the West India body are not agreed. The majority of them are for taking off a part of the duty, which, they conclude, will extend the home market, and at any rate will put so much clear gain into the planter's pocket. Others are for increasing the present duty, and making the conditional 3s. per cwt., laid on last year, absolute on all sugars consumed at home, in order to raise fund for giving bounties on exportation. Upon the former proposition, it is obvious to remark, that a diminution of price will not now increase the consumption any further, when there is such a glut that prices have fallen much lower than they ever were before. But it is manifest, also, that the planter will not benefit by the scheme. The glut will continue as formerly; and sugars, instead of selling at 60s. duty included, as they do at present, will sell at 50s.; for the planter then will be exactly in the situation in which he now is. He is now forced to take 60s. rather than keep his goods on hand, although 27s. of this goes to government; and if 10s. of the duty is taken off, he will be very glad to bring so much more sugar into the market as will lower his price to the present sum; that is to say, he will sell for 50s. rather than not at all, and will gain as much by the sale as he now does. A diminution of duty, then, while the glut continues general, will only diminish the revenue to the country, and lower the price to the consumer. The project of a bounty to force sugars abroad, we have already discussed; and it signifies little how the fund for this bounty is provided. But if the price is raised by this plan, the consumption will in all probability be checked; and as the consumer knows nothing of price exclusive of duty, but pays at present 60s. altogether, in consequence of the glut in the market, it is difficult to perceive how an additional duty should alter this price, fixed as it is in the gross by the competition of sellers, which would remain *Mr Bofanquet cannot comprehend why one cwt. of fugar fhould be equivalent to eight bufhels in the brewery, and five only in the diftillery,- because, if fo, he thinks the brewer's intereft would make him ufe it but it must be remembered, that the Committee ftate that no quantity of fugar will make good beer. main exactly as before: So that a new duty would only consummate the ruin of the grower. The chief reliance of the West Indians, however, is on a blockade of the enemy's colonies. An actual blockade of Cuba is impossible; and a proclamation that it is blockaded, together with all the other French and Spanish islands, is a declaration of war against all neutrals. Accordingly, that is the chief hope of the West Indians. Even this, however, would not bring effectual relief; for the strictest blockade will not be able to prevent a large quantity of sugar from being brought over. We shall ourselves bring an increased quantity of prize-sugars to this country; and a considerable quantity will still be carried underhand by Americans. Provisions, lumber, and all the planter's expenses will rise; freight and insurance will be increased, and the demand will be still further contracted by the violent measures of our enemies in Europe. Unless we can, by our blockade, destroy as many sugar plantations as have been added to the former culture during the last twenty years; that is to say, unless we can lay waste an extent of territory equal to the British West Indies as they stood in 1795, we do nothing by our violence. If the sugar is made and finds its way over, whether by English or by American vessels, it must bear a low price. If it is all brought to this country, and we have the entire command of the market, government may tax the article, at least until the foreign consumer refuses to take it (which, from the state of prices above mentioned would probably very soon happen); but the competition of English sellers will bring down both the home and foreign market, just as much as when different nations had the commodity in their hands: And then, the moment peace is made, all attempts to ruin the foreign colonies are out of the question; the foreign market is more glutted than ever; and though the surrender of the conquered colonies takes about 40,000 hogsheads out of the home market, it will be for that reason proportionably more difficult to export the remaining 100,000. The true remedy for the evil is only to be found in diminishing the growth of sugar. The abolition of the slave trade will gr dually operate this in a great degree; both by forcing the planter to exact less work from his negroes, and by obliging him to provide more provision grounds for their use. The rigorous execu→ tion of this law is the greatest favour which can now be conferred on the West Indian body. In the mean time, however, many of the estates which produce bad sugars must be given up; and many planters will be ruined, whose property is mortgaged. This will be a severe remedy,-but it is a radical one. Unfortunately, too, most of the foreign islands have a much better soil than ours; and the shock will fall less heavily upon them than upon us. They may even continue to cultivate new lands if they revive the slave trade, and may force us into still greater difficulties. Thus, has the abominable commerce in human flesh produced a crisis in our colonial system, which it is equally impossible to contemplate without alarm, and to relieve without disproportionate injury to the rest of the empire. Nor can the enemies of that iniquitous traffic now be accused of enthusiasm and sentimental philanthrophy. No proposition, resting on dry calcula tion, is more plainly and numerically substantiated, than the deduction by which the present calamitous situation of the West Indies is traced from the African slave trade. Happy indeed would it have been for the planters, had they in good time discovered, that a measure prescribed by justice may be also consistent with prudence; that the most calculating policy sometimes coincides with the dictates of humanity; and that there are other risks beside those of taking counsel from speculative statesmen. If, however, any measures can be suggested, consistent with sound policy, and tending to lessen the evil, they must surely meet with a favourable reception from the legislature, which for so many years sanctioned the slave trade, and applauded the sugar colony war,-making itself a party to the two great causes of the present distresses. It seems to be quite consistent with sound policy, to free the West Indians from several of the trammels which the monopoly now imposes on them. If the shipping interest should object to the export of the greater staples in American bottoms, is it not a sufficient answer, that the ruin of the West Indians must contribute far more to injure the carriers of their produce, than any American interference? But what objection: can be made to giving the planter full power to manufacture his sugar in the islands? He is now obliged, by the exorbitant duties on refined sugars, to ship a seventh part of his cargoes with the certainty of its being utterly lost; and to send the rest, in its rudest state, and most bulky form, at a time when the neutral carriers are chiefly underselling him in the articles of freight and insurance. If so silly a regulation must be continued. for the increase of our tonnage, why are not the planters and others obliged to send over rubbish or cane trash, or to freight so many empty ships each year, in proportion to their crops? Some such relaxations of the monopoly seem to be the only general palliative that can now be administered to the disease of the colonial system; and it would not be difficult to point out several branches of manufacture which might furnish employment for the hands of deserted plantations. It is clear, however, that nothing can prevent the ruin of many proprietors, and the injury of almost all West India fortunes. Cases of individual distress may, no doubt,, claim the attention of the country; but, unfortunately, things are brought |