The sugar trade of 1819 and 1850 exhibited the following results. The importation of sugar amounted to the quantities hero statAlkii 1849 1850 FromWesandies 2,839,912 cwts. 2,681,162 From Mauritius 897,814 „ 1,003,312 From East Indies 1,474,474 „ 1,316,081 Foreign 1,725,149 „ 1,352,476 Refined 304,392 „ 355,387 Molasses 1,311,435 „ 1,249,796 8,553,176 cwts. 7,891,214 The total quantities of all kinds of sugar and molasses re-exported iu the same two years, together with the exports of sugar refined in England, were 1849 Re-exports 761,286 ewts. 466,219 British refined 223,273 „ 200,235 984,559 cwts. 675,451 The gross amount of duty received on the imported sugar was 4,139,9991. in 1849, and 4,130,8191. in 1850.
The duties on the importation of sugar into this country have varied very considerably. Between the years 1661 and 1816 the duty was gradually raised from ls. 6d. to 30s. per cwt. on British plantation sugar. From 1815 to 1844 it varied from 24s. to 30s. East India sugar paid a higher duty than West India until 1836, when the two were assimilated.
Foreign sugar paid a duty of 60s. to 63s. per cwt. until the recent legislative changes.. In 1844 a change was made, whereby sugar from certain foreign countries, under certain defined circumstances, might be admitted at 34s. instead of 63s. duty. In 1845 another act fixed the duty on sugar, from either the East Indies or West Indies, at sums varying from 11s, to 21s., according to the quality. By an act passed in 1846, there was to be a gradual reduction of duties from 1816 to 1851, at the expiration of which period the duty on foreign sugar was to be the same as that on East or West India sugar. By another act passed in 3818 this principle of gradual reduction is to extend until July, 1854, after which time sugars from all countries will be placed on the same footing. They will all pay at that time the following import duties per cwt.; s. d.
Refined sugar 13 4 White clayed 11 8 Brown clayed 10 0 Brown raw 10 0 Molasses 3 9