THE SUGAR DUTIES.

Evening Star, Issue 3556, 16 July 1874, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE SUGAR DUTIES.

An English paper of the Bbh of April last commented as follows on the sugar duties, which, we learned by telegraph, have been entirely repealed:—

The total repeal of all taxation on sugar is now to he expected in the forthcoming Budget. That taxation has now been gradually reduced to a point which harasses and annoys the whole trade without being largely produetive to the revenue. A deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer has irresis* tibly pointed out the advantages of trade in, sugar free from taxation. The ‘ Times ’ has thrown its great influence into the recommendation ; and in an article on the subject the ‘ Economist ’ has summarised all the arguments in its favor.

By its repeal England would become the great sugar market of the world, distributing at a profit sugar to other consuming countries cheaply and efficiently ; our refining business would be lowered in cost and greatly increased ; the use of sugar in various ways would be extended ; and the better tropical sugar would be better able to meet the competition of the inferior beet-root sugar. And all this would be gained at a sacrifice of renow happily of no great importance to th© Treasury* The repeal would be especially welcome to Brazil sugar and to British commerce with Brazil; our imports thence would be increased to the augmentation of British exports to the Empire ; the effect on the revenue of Brazil would be considerable, and a great stimulus to its industry would be given. These, we know, are not considerations to prevail in a decision of the English Government; but they are not to be omitted in a general consideration of the subject. The English duty on coffee is, too, not very productive to the revenue ; and, in the presence of the great fluctuation in the produes of coffee, its abolition would also be equally important to English Colonies and the Brazilian Empire, to English consumers and Brazilian producers, to extended trade and extended consumption. In the language ef the ‘ Economist,’ “It is an industry of great magnitude which ia interfered with—the raw material of it amounting in value to one-third of the value of the raw material of the large-t single manufacture of the country, viz., the cotton manufacture. The imports of refining sugar and raw cotton in the last two years have been valued at—- „ 1872. 1873. Sugar LI 7,898,000 L 17,220,000 Cotton 63,617,000 54,887,000 So that in 1872 the sugar imported was more than one-third the value of the cotton imported in the same year, and in 1873 it was rather leas than one-third. Sugar refining has thus grown to be one of the staple Industries of the country, which must be let alone if possible, interference with it tending to cause more distortion in proportion than interference with most manufactures. The so-called raw material is an article of almost infinite variety and value, as it may be transported at all degrees of advancement in the refining process, and duties must accordmgly be levied and drawbacks given according to a troublesome scale if they are to be applied with the minimum of distortion from the natural course of trade.”