Deduct Value of Foreign Merchandize exported £14,400,000 Value of the same Merchandize included 1 year of Peace and 1 year of War. England............ £34,306,703 CONSUMPTION OF IRELAND. Eccles Street, Friday, four o'clock. Sir-Enclosed is a hasty sketch of the account you wished for; it is drawn out in such a manner, as to show those values upon which the original Account furnished by Lord Castlereagh was grounded. I have the honour, &c., SAMUEL WALKER. PS. The enclosed Account might perhaps be useful to the Inspector-General in making out that Account, which is to be laid before Parliament. An Account of the Quantities and Value (according to the Market Price) of the following Articles, consumed in Ireland annually, on an average of three years, ending March 25, 1799. N.B. Wines and spirits sold by private sales are not included in the above account. Note, also, The above values are calculated according to the rates affixed to each article by Mr. Geale, upon the principle of the money paid in the market by the consumer, and on an average of the three years ending March, 1799. This tax not existing in Ireland, the next best expedient must be resorted to Commerce and Consumption. If these two principles, which afford no imperfect measure of relative wealth, coincide nearly with each other, it is an additional proof that the result cannot be very wide of the truth. Upon a comparison of the average value of the Imports and Exports of Great Britain for three years, ending January, 1799, with those of Ireland for a like period, ending the 25th March preceding, they are in the proportion of 7 to 1. Upon a similar comparison of the value of the following articles, Malt, Beer, Spirits, Wine, Tea, Tobacco, Sugar, consumed in the respective countries, the proportion is 7 to 1. The medium, 71, is taken as the fair proportion; that is, that Great Britain is to contribute fifteen parts and Ireland two. Assuming the proportion of 7 to 1, it is necessary to state the provisions of the article which constitute 10 sections. 1. The charge of past debt to be borne by the respective kingdoms. This, coupled with the ninth section, which gives Ireland a participation in the territorial revenues of Great Britain, proves the liberality of the terms; she gives you the advantages of her Empire, without the smallest participation in the burdens which have been incurred to procure them. Ireland will thus acquire a participation in the £500,000, annually paid by the East India Company, which will give her £58,000 a-year, without laying any burden on her people. 2. For twenty years the contribution to be in the proportion of 15 to 2. 3. To be revised at the expiration thereof, by the same principles as originally settled. 4. Irish revenue to constitute a consolidated fund. 5. Taxes to be imposed by the United Parliament towards raising the proportion of contribution which Ireland is to furnish, but so that no article shall be taxed higher than in England, which does not now pay a higher duty. 6. Surplus of Irish revenue how to be applied. 7. Future loans to constitute a joint debt, with the exception stated. 8. That when the separate debt is either extinguished or proportionate, the general expense may be borne by common taxes, in lieu of any proportion. The importance of an assimilation of taxes has been before explained; the obstacle to its adoption at present has been stated to be the disparity of burdens to which the respective countries are subject; this time may remove, and the same reasons which would now induce the adoption of common taxes, did the objection alluded to not exist, would recommend it, were the objection removed. It is necessary to obviate an impression which may be made, that common taxes with Great Britain will impose on Ireland heavier burdens than she would otherwise be called on to pay. This cannot happen, as common taxes can alone be substituted in lieu of proportional contributions when separate charge has been got rid of, either by liquidation or becoming proportionate, and thus incorporated with the general expenditure. If both countries, by the continuance of peace, discharge their separate debts, the scale of taxation will be reduced in both. If Great Britain should continue her present system of liquidation in time of peace, namely, if she should apply her income tax to the general reduction of debt, after it has dis |