The Earl of Stair has also, in this method, calculated the surplus of the Revenue; and makes the total, for eleven years, to be no more than 2.557,378l. even with the assistance of lotteries, and the land-tax at 4s. in the pound for five years; from whence it follows, that without these assistances, there would have been a deficiency of near 60,000l. per ann.—The reason is, that his Lordship has taken the whole debt paid since 1763, at no more than 7.053,855l. or three millions and a half less than I have made it; and he has taken it so much less, chiefly in consequence of including in the amount of the public debt in 1775, the excess of the expences of that year above the common peace expences. This excess is to be charged to the present war; and, in determining the ordinary peace surplus, which is my object, it was proper to exclude it, and to terminate the account at the commencement of the war.—I will only add, that Lord Stair has also included more in the extraordinary receipts than I have; and, particularly, 700,000l. which he supposes the public gained by the TEA INDEMNITY.—But this was only a compensation made by the East-India Company for the loss which the public sustained by taking off, in 1766, a part (or 1s. per pound) of the duty on tea. In 1772 it was restored; and the excise upon tea has since, if I am rightly informed, produced as much as ever. Before 1766, it produced annually 474,091l. Immediately[134] after 1766, it produced 341,284l.—But in 1775, it produced near half a million.
Sketch of an Account of the Money drawn from the Public by the Taxes, before the Year 1776.
| £. | |
|---|---|
| Customs in England, being the medium of the payments into the Exchequer, for 3 years ending in 1773[135] | 2.528,275 |
| Amount of the Excises in England, including the malt tax, being the medium of 3 years ending in 1773 | 4.649,892 |
| Land Tax at 3s. | 1.300,000 |
| Land Tax at 1s. in the pound | 450,000 |
| Salt Duties, being the medium of the years 1765 and 1766 | 218,739 |
| Duties on Stamps, Cards, Dice, Advertisements, Bonds, Leases, Indentures, News-papers, Almanacks, &c. | 280,788 |
| Duties on houses and windows, being the medium of 3 years ending in 1771 | 385,369 |
| Post Office, Seizures, Wine Licences, Hackney Coaches, Tenths of the Clergy, &c. | 250,000 |
| Excises in Scotland, being the medium of 3 years ending in 1773 | 95,229 |
| Customs in Scotland, being the medium of 3 years ending in 1773 | 68,369 |
| Annual profit from Lotteries | 150,000 |
| Inland taxes in Scotland, coinage duties, casual revenues, such as the duties on Gum-Senega, American revenue, &c. | 150,000 |
| Expence of collecting the Excises in England, being the average of the years 1767 and 1768, when their produce was 4.531,075l. per ann.—6 per cent. of the gross produce | 297,887 |
| Expence of collecting the Excises in Scotland, being the medium of the years 1772 and 1773, and the difference between the gross and nett produce—31 per cent. of the gross produce | 43,254 |
| Expence of collecting the Customs in England, being the average of 1771 and 1772, bounties included, and 15 per cent. of the gross produce, exclusive of drawbacks and over-entries | 468,703 |
| N. B. The bounties for 1771 were 202,840l.—for 1772, 172,468l. | |
| The charges of management for 1771, were 276,434l. | |
| For 1772, 285,764l. or 10 per cent. nearly. | |
| Interest of loans on the land tax at 4s. expences of collection, militia, &c. | 250,000 |
| Perquisites, &c. to Custom-house officers, &c. supposed | 250,000 |
| Expence of collecting the Salt-duties in England, 10½ per cent. | 27,000 |
| Bounties on fish exported | 18,000 |
| Expence of collecting the duties on Stamps, Cards, Advertisements, &c. 5¼ per cent. | 18,000 |
| Total £. | 11.900,505 |
It must be seen, that this account is imperfect and defective. It is, however, sufficient to prove, that the whole money raised DIRECTLY by the taxes, (exclusive of tithes, county rates, and the taxes which support the poor,) cannot be much less than Twelve Millions. The Earl of Stair has in his papers made it to be above 400,000l. more, by including in his estimate several articles which I have omitted; particularly, the interest and management on the equivalent to Scotland, the Scotch crown Revenues, Dutchy of Cornwall and Lancaster Fines, &c. He has also given an estimate of the fees and perquisites of office of every kind, and reckoned them at half a million; whereas, I have only reckoned the perquisites of office at the Custom-house.
I should be inexcusable were I to quit this subject, without taking notice of the particular gratitude due from the public to Lord Stair, for publishing his papers; and for stepping forth at this time to draw attention, by the weight of his name and character, to calculations, which, as he justly says, “it becomes every man of property among us to understand; to awaken the nation from the lethargy into which the mockery of paper wealth has plunged it; and to bear his testimony against the present unnatural war.”
POSTSCRIPT.
The following Postscript has been published only in a few of the last Editions of the Observations on Civil Liberty. It has been often referred to in the preceding work; and, therefore, it is necessary to give it a place here.