(58.) _Duty imposed on imported Wool._--For three centuries a free importation of foreign wool was permitted by our government, and it was not till 1803 that any one thought of laying a duty upon it. This duty was at first comparatively light, amounting only to a halfpenny a-pound, and it continued under a penny a-pound, till 1819, when Mr Vansittart raised it to six-pence. The impolicy of this measure is evident, when we consider, that we were losing our ascendancy in this manufacture, that our export of woollen goods had been declining for three years previous to 1819, and that the competition was becoming every moment more severe. This tax was much dreaded by our merchants, who, clearly perceiving the state of matters, warned Mr Vansittart, by representing to him, in the strongest terms, the fatal influence it would have upon our trade. Its effects are best exhibited by its disastrous influence on the foreign trade in woollens, which fell off about a fourth in value, almost immediately after the imposition. The following table places this in the clearest point of view:-- _Declared value of woollens exported._ 1816, £9,387,455 1817, 7,847,280 1818, 7,177,335 1819, 8,145,327 1820, (_duty increased_) 5,989,622 1821, (_ditto_) 5,587,758 1822, (_ditto_) 6,465,988 1823, (_ditto_) 6,490,454 1824, (_ditto_) 5,635,776 1825, (_ditto_) 6,045,240