MR

R. Fox rofe to make a motion on the fate of the public revenue, and to call the attention of the Houfe to the calculations and fuppofitions which were made by the right hon. Mr. Pitt.

He prefaced his motion with faying, that whatever differences there might be in that Houfe upon questions of a political nature, and in fpeculative opinions, there was no dif ference with respect to the propriety and neceflity of fupporting the public credit. The Houte had in all administrations been uniform in maintaining the credit which had been fo ufeful to us in our dithculties, and in countcmancing every measure which tended to the advancement of our revenue, or the fecurity of the national creditor. It would not, there fore, be imputed to him, that he rofe this day to agitate the Houfe on the fubject from motives of faction, or for the purpose of exciting alarms in the country. In what he should fay, he would give occafion to no fuch charge. It was his first and most earnest defire to fee the revenues of this country rendered fo in dubitably equal to our neceffities, that neither cavil nor ingenuity should be able to excite terrors in the breafts of those who had lent their money on the faith of Government; and he did not believe there was an individual in the Houfe of different fentiments.

There had been, he faid, a good deal of converfation at different times on the Sinking Fund, and on the propriety of applying it to the neceffities of the state-Without entering at all into the question, whether it was wife in all poffible cafes fo to apply it; or whether the public might not be more benefited by its appropriation occafionally to other purposes, he would not fay-This was certain, that though it had been applied occasionally to make up for the year the difficiencies of any tax which might have failed of producing what it was calculated to produce, or to anfwer any fudden and unforeseen emergency, it never was yet taken and applied to the permanent payment of the annuity of any fum which we have had occafion to borrow; to this length we never yet had gone; the wifdom of the Houfe had always provided by taxes a permanent fund for the payment of the national creditor; and the produce of the finking fund was only held out as an additional fecurity to them, that in cafe thofe taxes fhould fail, their annuities would fill be regularly paid. The right hon. gentleman at the head of the finances, had faid fome days ago, that by the late production of the taxes he had confidence that the revenues of this country would annually produce the fum of fifteen millions and

a half, which conftantly would leave a furplus of one million to be applied to the extinction of the national debt. He would not be confident in the precife words which the right hon. gentleman made ute of in fating this fact; but forely this was the refult, and which his friends had adopted, with the most fanguine difpofition.

He was by no means pleafed that the fiate which he thould give of the accounts did not warrant the conclufion which the right hon. gentleman had drawn from them. He by no means wished that his ftate of the public res venue fhould turn out to be the true state, in contradiction to that of the right honourable gentleman; but the Houfe muft not argue, that becaufe he went into thefe difcuffions for the purpofe of fhewing them that the conclufions which had been drawn from them were not well founded, that therefore he was anxious to affect the public credit, and to lower the fate of the funds. He was actuated by no fuch motive. It was his opinion, that the true and only foundation on which the credit of this country could be maintained, awas in the publicity and clearness of our accounts; it was in the evident determination of Parliament at all times to look their fit uas tion in the face, and neither to deceive themfelves, nor to deceive others with fallacious statements, which could only ferve interested purpofes for a moment, while they might produce lafting and dreadful confequences to the country. Perfectly to defpond was as injurious as to be too fanguine. Defpondency would deprefs the genius, enterprife, and energy of the country and again, to be too fanguine in our expectations, would prevent us from taking those measures which might be neceffary to our deliverance. Apprehending that the flate of our finances was very different from that which the right hon. gentle man had held out, it was his opinion, that though our circumstances were bad, they gave no reafon for defpondency; they were yet to be retrieved; but they were only to be retriev ed by our chearfully fubmitting to new and to heavy burdens. This, in the present fitua tion of the country, was undoubtedly a mes lancholly profpect; but he had too much confidence in the good fense of the people, and in the wisdom of Parliament, to believe, that when the neceffity was made apparent for new burdens, the one would either hesitate to impofe, or the other to bear them.

He was afraid, that in what he should have to flate to the House, he thould make the neceffity for new burdens too apparent. The right hon. gentleman had laid before the

Houfe

House a paper to fhew the comparative pro duce of the taxes of the quarter eading the 5th of April, 1784, and of the quarter ending the 5th of April, 1785. From the amount of the latter he had argued, that the produce of all the taxes for the year would leave a furplus of one million above the payment of all the annuities and establishments of the year. It had already been stated to the Houfe; that to draw this conclufion from this particular quarter would be fallacious, for that the quarter confifted of eleven days more than any of the other three. The quarter in general was ninety one days and a fraction; but this quarter was one hundred and two days in length. The amount of the taxes for this long quarter was, by the account produced, 3,066,000l. which multiplied by four, un doubtedly made the produce of the taxes for the whole year 12,260,000l. He avoided fractions to make the matter more readily in telligible. The eleven days, however, which were to be taken from this quarter made the amount very different. On an average the amount of the taxes was about 30,000l. per day, which for the eleven days amounted to 330,000l.and this multiplied by four, made the fum of 1,300,000l. which was to be taken from the calculation of the right hon. gentleman. This therefore, reduced the annual produce of the permanent revenues to 11,000,000l. Add to this 2,500,0ool. for the amount of the laud and malt, and the whole was only thirteen millions and a half, which was two millions fhort of the calculation of the right hon. gentleman.

It was not a fair nor a true way of ftating the taxes, by taking the amount of a quarter as a fourth of the year. The quarters fome times varied exceedingly; and arguing in this way, from this particular quarter, was liable to much fallacy. He had it not in his power to argue by comparrisons of all the quarters for any given number of years; but having an account in his hand of the amount of the customs for eleven years, he did not think it would be unfair to argue by analogy from them, and to fee how treacherous it would be to decide on the amount of the customs for a year by any one quarter. In comparing the feveral years, he would naturally pals over the last year, as by the poftponement of the cufioms due by the Eaft-India Company, that year could not be fet in comparison fo as to give any fair cftimate of the public revenue. The total of the customs for the quarter endIng the 4th of Apri laff; was 770,000l. To argue that this was a proof that the other three quarters would be equally productive, he was afraid would be very fallacious, and would not be borne out by the experience of former years. It was a fact, that whenever the ring quarter was high, the fummer quarter fell off, and whenever it was low the fummer quarters made up for the deficiencies. The years 1778 and 1779 prefented inftances like the prefent year of high fpring quarters: POE. MAO. VOL. X. JAN. 1786.

in the one, the customs amounted to 708,000l. and in the other to 715,000l. and yet it fo happened that these two years were the lowest of all the eleven years, for whith the account on the table was made up. Was it therefore reafonable to infer, from the high amount of the cations in this quarter, that the amount of the year would be equally or proportionably. high?

But in this particular quarter on which the right hon. gentleman had calculated in fo fanguine a manner, there were several articles which ftruck him in a very forcible manner as being charged too high-East India goods, for instance, were ftated in this quarter to have produced 86,000l. a fum so much above what they had ever produced in a former quarter, that he knew not how to take that as a fourth of the produce of this article for the year. The average produce of this article for the last eleven years was about i20,cool. a year; and the quarter ending the 5th of April 1784, had produced but 10,000l. On fuch experience, it was impoffible that he could fet down this article at 340,000l. for the year. There must have been in the payments made this quarter, fome arrearages paid up, or fome extraordinary circumftances which would not enter into the other quarters, and which therefore it would be unfair to calculate upon in this fiatement.

Another article ftruck him as curious the duty of eighteen and half per cent. on mullins was ftated to produce 86,oool. in this quarter; this was as much as the duty had produced for the whole of the last year. The excife duties which were paid into the Exchequer at the rate of 650,000l. per week made another very material inaccuracy in this account; for, by the addition of the eleven days in this quarter, the excile duties were paid for fifteen weeks. So that if this was to be taken as a fourth of the year, the year must confift of fixty weeks inftead of fiftytwo.

The ftamp duties which had been impofed by his noble friend (Lord John Cavendish) were flated to have produced in this quarter 96,000l. a fum which very much astonished, and which, if it were true, would very much please him. He was afraid, however, there was no truth in this statement. The whole produce of thefe duties, which undoubtedly had fallen ihort of their calculation, had never yet amounted to much above 100,000l. a year. To ftate, therefore, that they had produced 96,000l. in one quarter, was a thing for which he could not account, however he might with that the fact were fo. The additional ftamps which had been laid fince that time, were stated alfo at 96,0001. This would give on each of thefe articles an annual produce of 380,000l.; and he called upon gentlemen to lay, whether they expected fuch a fum, or any thing like it, from thefe duties Befides this, there was to be mentoned other charges, which were evidently

H

ina cu

inaccurate the deduction from falaries, the compofition of the Bank for the whole of the ftamp duties on notes was 12,000l. a year, and yet in this quarter 6cool. of that fum was taken, and which therefore could not be multiplied by four.

It was impoffible that he could fpeak on thefe points with the authority of the right hon. gentleman, because he had not the information. He conceived thefe things to be curious and unaccountable, and he trusted that the right hon. gentleman would explain them to the Houfe, in fupport of the reasoning and conclufions which he had drawn from this quarter. Thefe articles, which he had enumerated, would amount, in the calculation for the whole of the year, to upwards of 150,000l. but he understood the right hon. gentleman had faid, in his statement of this quarter, that there was one fum of 125,000l. to be deducted, and that there was 100,000l. to arife in another quarter, which was not in this. Not knowing precifely in the prefent ftage what were the articles on which the right hon. gentleman had faid, that thefe deductions were to be made, he would not infift fo particularly on the particular objections as on the great objection to the eleven days in this quarter which were not in the others; and upon this he fill contended, there was a deduction to be made of 1,300,000l. from the calculation for the year.

He

Another way had been taken in ftating this bufinefsinftead of multiplying this quarter by four, the two winter quarters were taken together and multiplied by two. conceived this alfo to be fallacious, though not perhaps fo fallacious as the other. He muft reafon on this alfo from the account of the customs on the table. In that account he found that the average of ten years was about 74,0col. in favour of the fummer quarters; and here it was to be obferved, that taking it in this way, there was a difference of five days in the calculation. The winter quarters included from the roth of October to the 5th of April; but one thing particularly deferved the notice of the House, and that was, that by the account of the customs on the table, it appeared, that whenever the fpring quarter exceeded 700,000l. the fummer quarters were proportionably low. But admitting this mode of ftating the account, and multiplying the two laft quarters by two, to give the probable production of the prefent year, the amount would be but 11,400,000l. which would fill leave a deficiency of 2,650,000l. of the fifteen millions and a half ftated by the right hon. gentleman.

He understood the right hon. gentleman had argued from this account in another way: he had compared this fpring quarter with the fpring quarter of last year; he confidered this as ftill more fallacious; he had compared it with the worst fpring quarter for the last ten years. The quarter of last year was bad for the reafons he had frated, namely, the poftpone

ment of the Eaft-India duties: but he beg ged gentlemen again to look at the account in their hands of the customs; they would find, that though the fpring quarter of 1784, was the worst of the whole ten years, yet the year 1784 was the best but one of all that period. Nothing could be more erroneous than to argue, that from the goodnels of the spring quarter the whole year was to be estimated. It fo happened, that whenever the fpring quarter was higheft, the whole year was low. -For instance,

715,000

The fpring quarter of 1779 was The fpring quarter of 1784 was 385,000 Yet the whole of the year 1779 pro. duced but

While 1784 produced

2,200,000

2,600,000

It was in vain therefore to argue from this mode of ftatement: but he faid, that in giving the right hon. gentleman every thing be demanded, in flating the account with all the poßible advantages which could be enumerated, and omitting all the objections which he had made, by laying the two winter quarters together, and even permitting him to say that the fummer quarter would be better, granting that they would be better as fix is to five, yet in this way, the whole amount of the permanent revenues, and of the land and malt, would be but 14,233,000l. which would be a fum 300,000l. fhort of what he had annually to pay, and 1,300,col. fhort of the statement of the right hon. gentleman, by which there was to be a furplus of 1,000,000l. a year of a finking fund.

If therefore it was the determination of that Houfe to meet the fituation of the country fairly; if they intended, with the honefly and determination that became them, to put the finances of the country beyond the reach of cavil, give fecurity to the creditor, and manifeft to the whole world their difpofition to be frictly honeft; they must lay additional burdens on the people to the amount of 1,300,000l. a year. The alternative was ondoubtedly unpleafant; but no man could befitate one moment in making his choice. The alternative was, that in the prefent moment, when the people of this country were labouring under taxes that were almost infupportable, they should impofe new and heavy burdens on them to the amount of 1,300,000l. a year; or that the immenfe load of this country fhould be fuffered to continue for ever; by which, when fome new ftruggle might occafion extraordinary calls, we must be brought to that dreadful ftate which no confiderate man could look at without horror-a bankruptcy. Surely in this view of the matter, no man would hesitate one moment in his choice: he who could cherish for one moment the idea of embracing the one fide of the alternative, muft have a head incapable of judging: a national bankruptcy would be national ruin; and his head must be strangely dull, or his heart inhuman, who could harbour fuch a notion. It' was not to be thought of; and yet he knew

that

chat frange, mad, and atrocious schemes had been engendered in the brains of fome men to this end; but no practical statesman had ever thought of them, no wife man had ever countenanced them, and no good man, he trafted, would ever adopt them. The right hon. gentleman had properly stated to the Houfe, that it was only by the gradual diminution of the debt that we could retrieve our affairs. This was his opinion; and he fincerely was of opinion, that by chearfully fubmitting now to an increase of burdens, our affairs might not only be retrieved, but we might be brought to a more profperous condition than we had ever enjoyed.

It might be faid, let us wait another year before we lay any more taxes on the people. Let us fee what the refult of our withes are: this, he faid, was truly impolitic; the lofs of a year of peace was a material lofs. If the fum was actually not wanted; if there should at this time be a finking fund, the increase of that fund would be a bleffing, and the year of peace ought not to be loft, though he knew it was the opinion of fome men, that war was the proper time for the diminution of the national debt. Perhaps it might be faid, that he puthed Minifters to do this, in order to make them unpopular because it must be an unpopular meafure to lay additional burdens to fo large an amount. If fuch fhould be the imputation thrown on gentlemen who rofe in that houfe to deliver their opinions on fubjects of revenue, it would be wife for them to abfent themselves whenever subjects of finance were mentioned; but no fuch impu

He concluded with faying, it was his intention to have moved, from the grounds which he had fated, that it appeared to the Houfe, that the permanent revenues of the country amounted only to between eleven and twelve millions; but not being able to flate the precife amount, he did not think that fuch a motion would have the accuracy which the Houfe fhould require; and therefore he propofed to move, "That a Committee be ap"pointed to inquire into, and ftate to the "Houfe, the annual net produce, from the "5th of April 1785, of the feveral taxes now fubfifting, which were granted previous "to the 5th day of January 1776; diftin"guishing each year, together with the totals,

and ftating alfo the average of the produce, "of each tax, and of the totals.

"And alfo the produce of the feveral taxes "granted fince the fifth day of January 1776; "for the year ending the 5th day of April "1785.

66

"And alfo the amount of the public debts, as they food at the receipt of His Majesty's "Exchequer on the 5th day of April 1785, "with the annual interest, and other charges "payable thereon.

"And alfo the amount of the Exchequer "bills, Navy bills, Ordnance bills, and other "unfunded debts.

"And to report the facts to the House with "their obfervations thereon."

B

OMBAY is an inland feated in 18° 41'

N. latitude, on the coat of Decan, the high mountains of which are full in view, and is fo fituated as, with the winding of other inlands along the continent, to form one of the most commodious bays in the world, on which account it received its name of Rombay, by a corruption of the Portuguese word Buon-Bayhia, or Good Bay; for the harbour is fo fpacious as to contain any number of ships, has excellent anchoring ground, and from its circular form can afford them a landlocked thelter against any winds to which its mouth is expofed.

This ifland, which is feven miles in length, and twenty in circumference, is admirably fituated for the centre of the commerce between the Malabar coaft, the gulph of Perfia, the Red Sea, and all the trade on that fide of the great Indian peninfula, and the northern parts adjoining to it; which are therefore properly fubordinate to the government of the prefident who refides there.

Though this ifland is within the tropics, its climate is far from being intolerable with refpect to heat, and is never fo cold as to be difagreeable to an European conftitution. In the hottest season, which is that which immediately precedes the periodical returns of the rains, the inhabitants feldom want the alternate refreshment of land and fea breezes, and there are but few days in the year when the heat is exceffive; and even thefe may be. rendered fupportable by avoiding violent exercife, keeping out of the unabated heat of the fun, and by a light diet. The night dews are very fatal. Bombay had long the character of being the burying-ground of the English; but experience, purchased at the expence of a multitude of lives, has now rendered the causes of this mortality more known and confequently enabled people to guard against them; and the island is better fupplied with able phyficians and furgeons. On thefe accounts the climate is no longer fo fatal to the English inhabitants; it is even incomparably more healthy than many other of our fettlements in India; and this place, the name of which ufed to carry terror with it, is no longer to be dreaded, provided that common meatures of temperance be obferved, without which the tenure of health muft in any climate be very hazardous.

The feafons may properly be divided, as in the other places near the tropics, into the wet

which continues about four months, and int the dry, which lafts about eight months in the year. The fetting in of the rain is generally. ushered in by a violent thunder-ftorm, ufually called the elephanta, a name it probably received in the Afiatic tile from the comparifon of its force to that of the elephant. Thefe rains begin about the twenty-eighth of May, and ceafe about the beginning of September; after which there is no more than few transient showers. Though this rainy feafon is very hot, yet in any dry intervals, when the fun thines out for a few hours, it is accounted the pleafantcft; and the end of it, and fome days after, is effeemed the ficklient time of the year.

The trading veffels of the country are laid up during this featon, especially thofe belonging to the black merchants, who fend none to fea till after a festival at the breaking up of the rains, when they confecrate a cocoa-nut, which they gild and ornament, and throw it, by way of oblation, into the fea.

The king of Portugal, in the year 1663, transferred the property of this ifland to king Charles II. on his marriage with the Infanta of Portugal, as part of her fortune; and fome time after his Majefty made a prefent of it to the English East India Company. The island was then, and fill continues to be, divided into three Roman catholic parishes, which are thofe of Bombay, Mahim, and Salvacam; the churches of which are governed by popish priefs of any nation but the Portuguefe, againft whom the Englith wifely objected, from the danger of their carrying on too close. a correfpondence with the priests of their own nation in the neighbour ng Portuguefe fettlements. Hence moft of the proprietors of the land are popifh Meftixos, and Canarians: the firft are a mixed breed of the natives and Portuguese, and the other are aborigines of the country converted to the Portuguese faith. The other land-owners are Moors, Gentoos, and Parfees. All thofe enjoy the perfect fecurity of their property, and the right of inheritance is regulated according to the respective laws and cufioms of the people of each religion. The land is chiefly planted with groves of cocoas, or laid out in rice fields and onion grounds.

The company have alfo acquired a con fiderable eftate in land by purchases, confifcations for crimes, and feizures for debt. They have also two pleasant gardens, cultivated af

ter