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1921 IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 385 We have other evidence that the import charge was paid by the planters. In 1788 the anxiety caused by the attack on the slave-trade resulted in great activity on the part of the West India interest in London. It was found that the income resulting from the normal charge was not sufficient, and it was decided in 1789 to increase the rate from Id. to Qd. and later to Is. 1 From 1792 to 1796 there were annual meetings to determine the amount of the charge ; these annual meetings were of planters only, the merchants who paid but did not bear the brunt of the levy were not consulted. Further evidence still is .afforded by negotiations carried on at this time with the out-ports. It was decided by the London organization 2 that application should be made to the societies at Liverpool, Lan- caster, Glasgow, and Bristol for contributions to the expense of opposing interference with the slave-trade, and the contribu- tions were to be obtained by a charge on imports. The merchants and planters of Glasgow objected ; of Liverpool the most that can be said is that they were lukewarm, and, apparently, the attempt was dropped. 3 In 1799 it was directed that a request should be made to the planters whose goods were sent to the out-ports to pay the charge due to Mr. Long. 4 There can be no doubt that the only function of the merchants in connexion with the import charge was its payment to the treasurer. As to the charge on shipping nothing very definite can be said. There is no reference of any increase in the charge until 1797, when it is raised to twopence. 5 The increase on this occasion was voted at a meeting of merchants, and not at the annual meetings of planters at which alterations in the rate of the charge on imports were made, and it may probably be inferred that the charge on shipping was paid by the merchants. 6 It must be noted in connexion with the charge, that there 1 Standing Committee's Minutes, vol. i, meetings of 24 April 1789 and 16 May 1792. 2 Ibid., meeting of 16 May 1792, and ibid., vol. ii, meeting of 1 June 1793. 3 In Bristol the charge was levied for a time. It was decided at a meeting held at the Merchants' Hall on 3 June 1789 that a charge of 6d. per hogshead should be collected. This appears from a minute book now in the possession of the Society of Merchant Venturers, Merchants' Hall, Bristol. No evidence has been found as to the length of time for which the charge continued to be levied. The ordinary expenses of the Bristol West India Club (as re-established in 1782) were paid from an annual sub- scription of 5 guineas from each member. 4 Standing Committee's Minutes, vol. ii, meeting of 20 May 1794. 5 Merchants' Minutes, vol. iv, meeting of 23 May 1797. 6 The only other class by which this charge could have been paid is the owners of vessels. There is the less likelihood of this, however, since there was a ' Society of Owners and Masters of Ships belonging to the Port of London, Associated for the Protection of Shipping of the said Port ', consisting in 1785 of ' upwards of One hundred and Seventy Members ' {Journals of the House of Commons, 25 Geo. Ill, 30 May 1785, xl. 1033). VOL. XXXVI. — NO. CXLIII. C C