Trade of the Country, that the " North American timber is more soft, less durable, and every description of it more liable, though in different degrees, to the dry rot, than timber of the north of Europe. The red pine, however, which bears a small proportion to the other descriptions of timber, and the greater part of which, though imported from Canada, is the produce of the United States, is distinguished from the white pine by its greater durability. On the whole, it is stated by one of the commissioners of his Majesty's navy, most distinguished for practical knowledge, experience, and skill, that the timber of Canada, both oak and fir, does not possess, for the purpose of ship building, more than half the durability of wood of the same description, the produce of the north of Europe. The result of its application to other purposes of building is described by timber merchants and carpenters to be nearly similar.”—(p. 4.) We subjoin the following extracts from the evidence of Sir Robert Seppings, the commissioner alluded to by the committee, whose great intelligence and experience render his opinion of the highest authority : : "Can you state to the committee the result of any observations that you or others in his Majesty's service have made, on the durability of timber, the produce of the North American colonies, or timber imported from the north of Europe, applied to the same purposes ?"-" About the year 1796, there were a certain number of frigates built of the fir of the Baltic, and their average durability was about EIGHT years. About the year 1812, there were a considerable number of frigates built also, of fir of the growth of North America, and their average durability was not HALF that time." "You have stated that Canada timber is peculiarly subject to the dry rot, and the dry rot is known to have prevailed lately to a great degree in the navy; has that prevailed principaily since the introduction of Canada timber to the uses of the navy ?"-"I believe the navy has suffered very considerably from the introduction of Canada timber, or timber of the growth of North America; and in consequence, from experience, we have entirely discontinued the use of it, except for deals and masts."-(p. 56.) Mr. Copland, an extensive builder and timber merchant, being asked by the committee what was his opinion with respect to the comparative qualities of American and Baltic timber, answered,--"The timber of the Baltic in general, speaking of Norway, Russian, Prussian, and Swedish timber, is of very superior quality to that imported from America; the bulk of the latter is very inferior in quality, much softer in its nature, not so durable, and very liable to dry rot; indeed, it is not allowed by any professional man under government to be used, nor is it ever used in the best buildings in London; it is only speculators that are induced to use it, from the price of it being much lower (in consequence of its exemption from duty) than the Baltic timber; if you were to lay two planks of American timber upon each other, in the course of a twelvemonth they would have the dry rot, almost invariably, to a certain extent."-(p. 56.) And many passages to the same effect might be produced, from the evidence of persons of the greatest experience in building. Now, we would beg leave to ask whether any thing can be more absolutely monstrous, than to force, by means of a system of discriminating duties, a large proportion of the public to use that very timber in the construction of their ships and houses, which government will not use for either of these purposes, and which the most experienced engineers and builders pronounce to be utterly unfit for them? This is not to impose duties on a fair and equal principle for the sake of revenue, but for the sake of securing a preference to a worthless article: it is not imposing them in the way in which they may be least, but in that in which they are certain to be most injurious to those who have to pay them. It appears from the official account subjoined to this article, that, at an average of the years 1828 and 1829, the revenue would have gained considerably more than 1,500,000!. a year, had the same duty been laid on Canada timber that is laid on timber from the north of Europe; and this, therefore, may be considered as the amount of the pecuniary sacrifice we consent to make, in order that our ships and houses may be inoculated with dry rot! 4. Apologies for the discriminating Duty.—If any thing ought, more than another, to make legislators pause before enacting a restrictive regulation, it is the difficulty of receding from it. After it has been enforced for a while, a variety of interests usually grow up under its protection, which may be materially injured by its repeal. All, however, that the persons so interested can justly claim, is, that sufficient time, and every possible facility, should be afforded them to prepare for a change of system. Because the interests of a comparatively small portion of the community may be injuriously affected by the abolition of a regulation ascertained to be in the last degree inimical to the public, is it, therefore, to be contended that we ought, at all hazards, to continue to enforce the regulation we have so unwisely enacted? To maintain the affirmative, would be to give perpetuity to the worst errors and absurdities, and would be an effectual bar to every sort of improvement. No change, even from a bad to a good system, ought to be rashly set about: but when once the expediency of an altera tion has been clearly established, it ought to be resolutely carried into effect. It is objected to the abolition of the discriminating duties on timber, that it would be injurious to Canada and the shipping interest. We believe, however, that the injury would not be nearly so great as has been represented; that it would, in fact, be quite inconsiderable. So far from the lumber trade—or the trade of felling wood, squaring it, and floating it down the rivers to the shipping ports-being advantageous to a colony, it is distinctly and com pletely the reverse. The habits which it generates are quite subversive of that sober, steady spirit of industry, so essential to a settler in a rude country; to such a degree, indeed, is this the case, that lumberers have been described as the pests of a colony, "made and kept vicious by the very trade by which they live."-But abstracting altogether from the circumstances now alluded to, Mr. Poulett Thomson showed, in his unanswerable speech on the timber question (March 18, 1831), that the abolition of the lumber trade would materially benefit the real interests of the colonies. It is ludicrous, indeed, seeing that not one tree in a hundred is fit for the purposes of being squared for timber, to suppose that the discontinuance of the trade could be any serious loss. But the fact is, that when trees are cut down by lumberers, for export as timber, instead of being burnt down, so great a growth of brushwood takes place, that it actually costs more to clear the ground where the lumberers have been, than where they have not been. Mr. Richards, who was sent out by government to report on the influence of the lumber trade, represents it as most unfavourable; and observes, that, "when time or chance shall induce or compel the inhabitants to desist from this employ ment, agriculture will begin to raise its head." The statements of Captain Moorsom, in his Letters from Nova Scotia, are exactly similar. He considers the depression of the timber market, although a severe loss to many individuals, a “ decided gain to the colony," from the check it has given to the "lumbering mania.”—(p. 53.) The statements that have been made as to the amount of capital expended on saw mills, and other fixed works for carrying on the lumber trade, have been singularly exaggerated. Mr. Thomson, who had the best means of acquiring accurate information on this point, made the following statement with respect to it in his speech already referred to :—“ From the means I have had of calculating the amount of capital embarked in these saw mills, I believe it is about 300,000l.: I am sure that I may say that if 500,000l. were taken as the amount, it would be a great deal above rather than under the real value; but, after all, this description of property is not to be sacrificed by the arrangements proposed, even if they were carried to the fullest extent. I am ready at once to admit, that the consequence of the proposed alteration may be, that it will diminish the exports of timber from Canada to England, and affect the productiveness of the capital vested in the mills to which I have referred; but the committee ought not to lose sight of the fact, that though in this one branch of industry there will be a great falling off, yet the same amount of labour might be applied to much greater advantage on land in the colonies; and the mills, which will be rendered useless for their original purposes, may be converted to useful auxiliaries to the agricultural and other pursuits of the colonists; so that the enormous losses that have been placed in so frightful a point of view, will, as I have shown, be absolutely next to nothing." So far, therefore, as the interests of the colonies are concerned, it is plain they would not really lose, but gain, by a repeal of the discriminating duties on foreign timber. They would still continue to possess a respectable share of the trade; for their timber, though unfit for more important purposes, is well suited, by its softness and freedom from knots, for the finishing of rooms and cabins, the manufacture of boxes, &c.; and in the mast trade, it is believed, that they would be able to maintain a successful competition with Riga. It might also be expedient to assist in turning the industry of the colonies into the profitable channel of agriculture, by giving their corn and flour a still more decided preference than they now enjoy in our markets. In our opinion, it would be good policy to admit them, at all times, duty free. The ship owners would undoubtedly have more cause to complain of injury from the equalisation of the duties; but even as respects them, it would not be nearly so great as is commonly supposed. The statement usually put forward by those who represent the timber trade to North America as of vital importance to the shipping interest, is, that it employs 1,800 ships, of 470,000 tons, navigated by 20,000 sailors. But Mr. Poulett Thomson showed, in his previously quoted speech, that this statement is utterly erroneous. The entries inwards of British ships from our possessions in North America correspond with the sums now stated; but, at an average, every ship employed in the trade makes 13 voyage a year; so that, in point of fact, only 1,028 ships, of 270,000 tons and 11,427 men, are employed in the trade.* From this latter number must, however, be struck off ships employed in other branches of trade; for no one pretends that the only trade we carry on with British North America is the importation of timber. We believe that the number to be so struck off may be safely estimated at 200 ships, of 54,000 tons and 2,200 men, leaving about 800 ships, of 216,000 tons and 9,200 men, to be affected by the change. Inasmuch, however, as about a third part of the timber now brought from Canada would most probably continue to be brought for the purposes already referred to, were the duties equalised, only 534 ships, of 144,000 tons and 6,134 men, would be forced to change their employments. Now of these, a half, at least, would be immediately employed in bringing from the Baltic the same quantity of timber that is brought from America; and as the price of timber would be materially It is singular that Mr. Bouchette should have fallen into the common but palpable error on this point. (See the Preface to his valuable work on British America.) lowered by the reduction of the duty, the demand for it would no doubt materially increase; so that it is abundantly plain that very few, if any, ships would be thrown out of employment by the abolition of the discriminating duties. It is material, too, to observe, that whatever temporary inconvenience the shipping interest might sustain from the change, its future consequences would be singularly advantageous to it. The high price of timber employed in the building of ships is at present the heaviest drawback on the British ship owners; but the equalisation of the duties would materially reduce this price; and we have the authority of the best practical judges for affirming, that were the duty (as it ought to be) entirely repealed, ships might be built decidedly cheaper in England than in any part of the world. It would be desirable, however, to secure the interests of so important a class as that of the ship owners from any chance even of temporary loss or inconvenience from an equalisation of the duties. And it is fortunate that this object may be attained, not only without any loss, but with certain benefit to the public. The expediency of encouraging emigration to the colonies, as a means of relieving parts of England and Ireland from that mass of paupers by which they are burdened, is no longer questioned; and we incline to think that no more effectual means of promoting emigration could be devised, than the giving a bounty to the owners of ships landing emigrants in Canada, the Cape of Good Hope, or New South Wales. We have already seen that the number of emigrants to British North America, in 1832, amounted to about 66,000 (antè, p. 274.); and supposing that a bounty of 30s. or 40s. a head were in future to be paid on the arrival of emigrants at Quebec, it would more than indemnify the ship owners for any inconvenience resulting from a new arrangement of the timber duties; at the same time that the stimulus it would give to emigration would be of the utmost importance to Great Britain and to the colonies. 5. Alteration proposed in the Timber Duties in 1831.—To suppose that the timber trade should be allowed to continue on its present footing, seems to be quite out of the question. We have already seen that the discriminating duties impose a pecuniary sacrifice of 1,500,000l. a year on the British public, besides forcing the use of a comparatively worthless article where none but the very best ought to be employed. We have also seen that this sacrifice produces no real benefit to the colonies; and that the benefit it does produce to the ship owners is but trifling, and may be more than made up to them without loss to the public. The existing government seems to have been early satisfied of the propriety of attempting to introduce a less objectionable system; and on the 18th of March, 1831, Lord Althorp moved that the duties on Baltic timber should be reduced 68. a load on the 1st of January, 1832; 6s. more on the 1st of January, 1833; and 3s. on the 1st of January, 1834; making the total reduction 15s. a load, and leaving a protection in favour of Canada timber of 30s. a load. The only real objection to this scheme was, that it did not go far enough; that "it scotched the snake, without killing it." There is not the shadow of a ground on which to justify the granting of a bounty (for such is the real operation of the duty) to force the use of an inferior and more costly article; and even if a reasonable bounty could be justified, one of 30s. a load is quite excessive. But singular as it may seem, this proposal, moderate as it certainly was, encountered a very keen opposition. Some of those who had previously expresssed their concurrence in the expediency of some measure of the sort, thought proper to vote against it; and, upon a division, it was lost by a majority of 46. Lord Althorp seems to have been much discouraged by the result of this motion; for, during the lengthened period that has since elapsed, he has made no attempt to effect any modification of the duties. But notwithstanding these unfavourable appearances, we do not believe that a system so destructive of the public interests will be upheld much longer. It were much to be wished that the duties could be wholly dispensed with. Timber is about the very worst subject for taxation; but, at all events, an end must be put to the discriminating duties. It is not to be endured, that so essential an article that the prime necessary of manufacturing industry-should be loaded with exorbitant duties, imposed, not for the sake of revenue, but for the sake of those who either reap no advantage from them, or none that is material. I. Account of the Amount of Duties paid in the United Kingdom on Timber and other Articles of Wood, imported from the British Provinces of North America, in each of the Years ending the 5th of January, 1828, the 5th of January, 1829, and the 5th of January, 1830; and of the Amount of Duties which would have been paid on such Timber and other Articles of Wood, if they had been charged with the Rates of Duty payable on similar Articles imported from the Baltic. Masts, II. Account of the Quantities of the different Species of Timber imported into the United Kingdom in 1831; specifying the Countries whence they were brought, and the Quantities brought from each. & BowLathsprits wood. under 12 Inches & Bow. Oak Timber, scot unenume. Logs, 8 Inches Inches meter upwards. Total import 14,596 0 3 54,915 0 7 11,373 13,438 4,703 1 2,525 24 76,431 1 29 23,839 38 562,198 8 2,571 31 III. Account of the Quantities of Timber and Hard Woods imported, exported, and retained for Home Consumption, with the Nett Revenue thereon, in 1831 and 1832.-(Papers published by Board of Trade, vol. ii. p. 22. and p. 27.) 282 4 2,058 4 20,907 3 8 40 13 210 12 396 1 27 71 19 253 40 3 35 20 0 4 24 26 23,677 6 100,964 14 708 13 12 45 116 137 18 0 38 735 26 TIN (Ger. Blech, Weissblech, Fr. Fer blanc; It. Latta, Banda stagnata; Sp. Hoja de lata; Rus. Blacha, Shest; Arab. Resas; Sans. Trapu and Ranga), a metal which has a fine white colour like silver; and when fresh, its brilliancy is very great. It has a slightly disagreeable taste, and emits a peculiar smell when rubbed. Its hardness is between that of gold and lead. Its specific gravity is 7.29. It is very malleable; tin-foil, or tin leaf, is about part of an inch thick; and it might be beat out into leaves as thin again, if such were required for the purposes of art. In ductility and tenacity it is very inferior. A tin wire 0.078 inch in diameter is capable of supporting a weight of 34.7 pounds only without breaking. Tin is very flexible, and produces a crackling noise when bent. It may be readily alloyed with copper, zinc, &c., forming very valuable compounds.—(Thomson's Chemistry.) The ores of this metal are found in comparatively few places; the principal, and perhaps the only ones are Cornwall, Galicia, Erzgebirge in Saxony, Bohemia, the Malay countries, China, and Banca in Asia. They are peculiar to primitive rocks, generally in granite, either in veins or beds, and are often associated with copper and iron pyrites. Tin is much used as a covering to several other metals: iron is tinned, to prevent its rapid oxidation when exposed to air and moisture; and the same process is applied to copper, to avoid the injurious effects to which those who are in the habit of employing cooking utensils made of this metal are always liable. The solutions of tin in the nitric, muriatic, nitro-sulphuric, and tartaric acids, are much used in dyeing, as giving a degree of permanency and brilliance to several colours, to be obtained by the use of no other mordants with which we are at present acquainted: tin forms the basis of pewter, in the composition of which it is alloyed with lead; when rolled into thin sheets, it is called tin-foil, and is applied, with the addition of mercury, to cover the surface of glass, thus forming looking-glasses, mirrors, &c.; and in combination with sulphur, it constitutes what is called mosaic gold.-(Joyce's Chem. Min.) tin. TIN PLATES, known in Scotland by the name of white iron, are applicable to a great variety of purposes, and are in very extensive demand. They are formed of thin plates of iron dipped into molten The tin not only covers the surface of the iron, but penetrates it completely, and gives the whole a white colour. It is usual to add about 1-10th of copper to the tin, to prevent it from forming too thick a coat upon the iron.-(Thomson's Chemistry.) Historical Notice of the British Tin Trade.-The tin mines of Cornwall have been worked from a very remote era. The voyages of the Phoenicians to the Cassiterides, or tin islands, are mentioned by Herodotus (lib. iii. c. 115.), Diodorus Siculus (lib. iv. p. 301. ed. 1604), and Strabo (Geog. lib. iii.). Some difference of opinion has, indeed, been entertained as to the particular islands to which the Phoenicians applied the term Cassiterides; but Borlase (Account of the Scilly Islands, p. 72.). Larcher (Herodote, tome iii. p. 384, ed. 1802), and the ablest critics, agree that they are the Scilly Islands, and the western extremity of Cornwall. After the destruction of Carthage, the British tin trade, which was always reckoned of peculiar importance, was carried on by the merchants of Marseilles, and subsequently by the Romans. Besides Britain, Spain furnished the ancients with considerable quantities of tin. We have no very precise information as to the purposes to which they applied this metal. It has been supposed that the Phoenicians, so famous for their purple dyes, were acquainted with the use of the solution of tin in nitro-muriatic acid in fixing that colour. The best of the ancient mirrors, or specula, were also made of a mixture of copper and tin; and tin was used in the coating of copper vessels.—(Watson's Chemical Essays, vol. iv.) In modern times, the tin mines of Cornwall and Devon have been wrought with various degrees of energy and success. Queen Elizabeth brought over some German miners, by whom some of the processes were improved. During the civil wars, the mines were much neglected. At the commencement of last century, however, the business of mining was carried on with renewed vigour; and from 1720 to 1740, the annual produce was about 2,100 tons. The produce went on gradually increasing, till it amounted, in the 10 years from 1790 to 1800, to 3,254 tons a year. During the next 15 years, the produce fell off; and for the 5 years ending with 1815, it was always considerably under 3,000 tons a year. But in the last-mentioned year, a considerable increase took place; and since 1816, the produce has been, with the exception of 1820, always above 3,000 tons a year; and in 1827 and 1828, it was very near 5,000 tons. The present average produce of the mines may be estimated at 4,500 tons a year. We subjoin from the papers published by the Board of Trade and other authorities, an Account of the Quantities of British Tin coined and exported, and of the average Price of the same, in each Year from 1820 to 1832, both inclusive; exhibiting, also, the Imports and Exports of Foreign Tin during the same Period. Account showing the Quantity of British and of Foreign (Banca and Malay) Tin exported to different Countries in 1833, specifying the Quantities shipped for each.-(Parl. Paper, No. 233. Sess. 1834.) Prices, &c.-The prices of tin and tin plates in the London market in March, 1834, were as follows: United States of America 0 3,569 2 17 Mexico Colombia Brazil. 14 2 20 |