his expression of countenance seemed to me to say, he wished an Englishman had not been present on such an occasion. I felt for the priest. An old custom it is sometimes difficult to lay aside, and a man of sense is mortified in being obliged to bear a part in a scene which he himself knows to be unwise. I leave this matter for the private consideration of those whom it may concern, and shall ever continue to be, My dear Sir, Yours, &c. &c. . ( 112 )· LETTER VIII. MY DEAR SIR, As Antwerp is the principal commercial town in Belgium, the present is perhaps as proper a place as any, to give an account of the duties of import and export for the provinces of Belgium. You will keep in mind. that the present government has not been long established, and that after farther experience, some of the regulations now enforced may be expected to be altered or amended. In Holland the tarif is not the same. The principles of political economy which the Belgic government had in view, in forming their tarif of duties, will appear on reading over the list of articles, and the duties imposed, to be as follow: 1st. To find employment for Belgic industry, by admitting without duty, or for a very low duty, raw unmanufactured mate ARTICLES DUTY FREE. 113 rial: as wool, flax, hemp, cotton, hides, metals, &c. 2d. For the same reason to prohibit the exportation of these articles, if there were any risk of not having an abundant supply. 3d. To protect Belgic manufactures by a total prohibition, or by imposing a very heavy duty, on such manufactured goods as their own country can produce. 4th. To encourage the erection of new manufactures, and to raise a revenue on such manufactured goods as Belgium cannot supply within itself at present. 5th. To raise a revenue simply, by a duty on colonial produce, &c. Under the first head, on reading over the tarif, we find the following articles: Alum, bones, bee-hives, cattle, charcoal, copper, calamine, cotton, flax, hair, hemp, hides, manure, mercury, nets, oil, oak bark, old ropes, potass, saltpetre, seeds of all sorts, silk, steel, tools for mechanics, for manufacturers and fishermen, wool, zinc. Under the second head we find the exportation of the same articles prohibited, with the exception of alum, cattle, cotton, I 114 ARTICLES PROHIBITED. potass, silk, steel. Flax and hemp may be exported on paying a small duty, as may also salt-petre, on paying 10 per cent. Fish oil may be exported duty free, but the oil made from poppies, whether native produce or not, may not be exported. It is used in the manufacture of cloth. As to the precious metals, they may be imported and exported free of duty. The ignorant dread of being drained of a circulating medium guides no part of the system of political economy in Belgium. Under the third head, we may select in the list a considerable number of articles. Beer is charged a duty of twenty francs for a hectolitre*, (about 2 d. an English pint), whilst wine pays only eight francs for nine hectolitres, or about three farthings a gallon of English wine measure. The country of Belgium produces abundance of barley, and the beer is good. That of Brussels, and particularly of Louvaine, is justly cele The hectolitre, or 100 litres, make 6102 cubic inches. The litre, the usual liquid measure in Belgium and France, contains 61 cubic inches. The English quart of beer contains 70 cubic inches. 梯 ARTICLES PROHIBITED. 115 brated. It is exported in stone bottles, and sells in Holland at about 8d. a bottle. The bottles hold more than our quart bottles. Casks are prohibited. Coals are charged a duty of 10 centimes, for 120 kilogrammes. The intention of this is to exclude English coals, which are much better, and to secure the sale of those from Mons, Liege, and the neighbouring country. Corks are charged 20 per cent. Cloves are prohibited in toto to be brought from foreign countries. Carpets and tapestry are charged 20 per cent. Carpets are very little used in Belgium. In Holland the poor people have mats, and the rich not unfrequently have both mats and carpets. Woollen cloth is charged a duty of 15 per cent. Cotton thread is prohibited in toto. Cotton goods, not exceeding a franc and a half in value for seven decimetres *, are also prohibited in toto. Cotton printed goods, not exceeding two francs in value for seven decimetres, are prohibited in * The decimetre is very nearly four inches, and therefore seven decimetres are about twenty-eight inches English. |