COAL TRADE

COAL TRADE. It is estimated that not less than forty million tons of coals are raised annually from the various mines in the United Kingdom. Of these the greater part is either used in the immediate neighbourhood of the mines, or sent by inland navigation or land carriage to different parts of the kingdom. In 1852, 12,709,771 tons of coals, cinders, and culm were shipped from ports in the United Kingdom; of these, 9,069,577 tons were sent coastwise to other ports of the kingdom, being, coals 8,805,934 tons, cinders 43,376 tons, culm 220,267 tons. The quantities of coals, cinders, and culm shipped coastwise from the different ports of the United Kingdom in 1851 and 1852, were—

In 1852 the exports from the United Kingdom to foreign countries including British settlements, were as follows:—coals 3,479,282 tons, of the value of L.1,287,626; cinders 159,040 tons, of the value of L.83,832; culm 1872 tons, of the value of L.656; total, 3,640,194 tons, of the declared value of L.1,372,114.

The principal foreign countries to which coals, cinders, and culm were exported from the United Kingdom in 1851 and 1852, were the following—

The quantities of coal brought coastwise and by inland navigation into the port of London were—

During the six months ending 30th June 1852, 179,386 tons of coal were imported into London by railway, and 19,637 tons by canal: for the corresponding period of 1853 the imports by railway were 296,361 tons, and by canal 10,322; showing a decrease by canal, but a very considerable increase by railway.

The coal trade was long subjected to very heavy and oppressive duties. A duty of 17s. per chaldron on large, and 4s. 6d. per chaldron on small coals, was levied on all coal exported to foreign countries. In 1831 these duties were considerably modified, and in 1835 they were repealed, with the exception of an ad valorem duty of 10s. per cent. on coal exported in British vessels, or in those of foreign countries entitled to the privileges conferred by treaties of reciprocity, while in other foreign vessels it was subject to a duty of 4s. a ton. These duties were, in 1840, altered to 10s. 6d. per cent., and 4s. 2½d. per ton respectively. In 1842, duties of 2s. per ton on large, and 1s. per ton on small coal and culm were imposed, and on all coal exported in foreign vessels not entitled to the privileges conferred by treaties of reciprocity a duty of 4s. per ton. The two former were abolished on 12th March 1845, but the last continued in force till 14th August 1850.

In the reign of William III., a duty of 5s. per chaldron was laid upon coal carried coastwise from one part of the kingdom to another. During the last war this was raised to 9s. 4d., but in 1824 it was reduced to 6s., and in 1831 was wholly repealed. This tax pressed very unequally on different parts of the empire, for while it amounted to 6s. a chaldron, or 4s. a ton in the metropolis, and all the south of England, it was only 1s. 7½d. a ton on coal carried by sea to Ireland, and 1s. 8d. on that to Wales; while Scotland was for many years entirely exempted from this duty.

Though these duties are now abolished, the coal trade is still in some places burdened with heavy local duties. Thus a duty of 1s. 1d. per ton is chargeable upon all coal brought into the port of London. By act 1st and 2d William IV., cap. 76, several oppressive acts were repealed, and the duties payable to the corporation of the city of London were commuted for a duty of 1s. 1d. per ton; and by 8th and 9th Vict., cap. 101, a like duty was imposed on coal brought into London by railway, canal, or other inland carriage. Of this duty 8d. per ton is carried to the London Bridge Approaches Fund, for effecting street improvements in the metropolis; 4d. per ton is the property of the corporation of the city of London, and after defraying certain charges is carried to the general account of the corporation; and 1d. per ton is payable to her Majesty's commissioners of works, to be applied by them in effecting public improvements in the metropolis, authorized by several acts of parliament. The produce of these duties, with the drawbacks allowed upon coal exported, was in 1852,

In 1851 the gross amount of duty was, on sea-borne coal L.175,840, on coal brought landwise L.12,151. The 4d. per ton duty, in 1851, amounted to L.54,104, of which L.215 were salaries in relation to collection; L.3009 drawback allowed upon coal exported; L.7607 retiring allowances paid to deputy sea-coal meters and others, upon the abolition of their offices in consequence of Act 1st and 2d Will. IV., cap. 76, and which had gradually decreased from L.16,820 in 1836; and L.20,000 an annual charge for making a new street in the line of Canon Street, and other improvements. The attention of government is at present directed to these unjust local imposts, by which our home trade is unnecessarily burdened, and the merchant and ship-owner made to pay for improvements which ought properly to be charged against the landlords or inhabitants; and it is expected that they will speedily be abolished.