280
to the American consumer at the lowest price they can afford ; thus encouraging him to use, in preference, the merchandise of this country.
It is not necessary that this exchange should be favored by any loss of revenue to the King. I do not mean to urge any thing which shall injure either his Majesty or his people. On the con trary, the measure I have the honor of proposing, will increase his revenue, while it places both the seller and buyer on a better foot ing. It is not for me to say, what system of collection may be best adapted to the organization of this government ; nor, whether any useful hints may be taken from the practice of that country, which has heretofore been the principal entrepot for this commodity. Their system is simple and little expensive. The importer, there, pays the whole duty to the King : and as this would be inconve nient for him to do, before he has sold his tobacco, he is permitted, on arrival, to deposite it in the King s warehouse, under the locks of the King s officer. As soon as he has sold it, he goes with the purchaser to the warehouse, the money is there divided between the King and him, to each his proportion, and the purchaser takes out the tobacco. The payment of the King s duty is thus ensured in ready money. What is the expense of its collection, I cannot say ; but it certainly need not exceed six livres a hogshead of one thousand pounds. That government levies a higher duty on to bacco than is levied here. Yet so tempting and so valuable is the perfect liberty of sale, that the merchant, carries it there, and finds his account in doing so.
If, by a simplification of the collection of the King s duty on to bacco, the cost of that collection can be reduced even to five per cent., or a million and a half, instead of twenty-five millions ; the price to the consumer will be reduced from three to two livres the pound. For thus I calculate. The cost, manufacture and revenue, on twenty- four million pounds of tobacco being (as be fore stated) 46,800,000 livres.
Five per cent, on thirty millions of livres, expen ses of collection 1,500,000
Give what the consumers would pay, being
about two livres a pound 48,300,000
But they pay at present three livres a pound 72,000,000
The difference is 23,700,000
The price being thus reduced one third, would be brought with in the reach of a new and numerous circle of the people, who can not, at present, afford themselves this luxury. The consumption,
