The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 14
[introduction]
Like other of our national fiscal errors, these date back to the ill-omened reign of William III.—the period that launched the National Debt, invented the sanguinary chimæra called the "Balance of Power in Europe," and loaded the trade of the country with every conceivable burden. The first Stamp duties of 1694 varied from 40s. to 1d. upon each sheet or skin of vellum, parchment, &c., used for certain legal processes, while simultaneously every London hackney-coach was charged with a 50s. licence, to be good for 21 years, on payment of £4 per annum in addition. Three years later, the Exchequer attacked the poor class of Pedlars and Hawkers, charging each of these £4 a year, and an additional £1 for every ass or other beast they might employ in the earning of their living. In 1778, it appeared that this duty on Pedlars, &c., realizing £8,000 a year, cost £2,800 (or 35 per cent.) to collect, whereupon the tax was handed over to the Hackney Coach Commission, and in 1831 this office was further amalgamated with the Board of Stamps, which body in 1856 became a Commission of Inland Revenue. But though offices are consolidated and expenses of collection reduced to a minimum, the main grievances imposed by such class taxes and imposts remain substantially unredressed, if indeed they are not yearly augmenting. For instance, take the following table showing the gross amount collected from what are called "Stamps," and the details of each head of revenue included in that term :—
Years ended 31st March. | Deeds and other Instruments. | Probates of Wills. | Legacies and Successions. | Insurances, Fire. | Insurances Marine. | Bills of Exchange, Bankers' Notes, and Composition. | Receipts and Drafts. | Other Receipts. | Total. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
£ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
1868 | 1,602,193 | 1,635,835 | 2,882,748 | 971,019 | 162,974* | 820,796 | 562,548 | 834,064 | 9,475,177 |
1869 | 1,572,571 | 1,591,729 | 2,769,711 | 1,018,654 | 79,637 | 827,152 | 567,455 | 814,541 | 9,241,450 |
1870 | 1,686,942 | 1,769,130 | 2,953,591 | 442,861† | 83,923 | 853,201 | 583,569 | 915,336 | 9,288,553 |
1871 | 1,665,110 | 1,856,250 | 2,949,047 | 99,300 | 900,080 | 603,275 | 906,667 | 8,979,729 | |
1872 | 1,842,422 | 1,852,560 | 3,360,489 | 283 | 109,772 | 987,100 | 648,843 | 938,079 | 9,739,548 |
1873 | 1,955,287 | 1,943,306 | 3,177,710 | 119,159 | 1,102,111 | 694,604 | 1,005,856 | 9,998,033 | |
1874 | 1,991,006 | 2,065,210 | 3,413,712 | 127,398 | 1,127,945 | 733,158 | 1,039,478 | 10,497,607 | |
1875 | 1,995,792 | 2,153,797 | 3,400,375 | 124,734 | 1,044,496 | 747,301 | 1,081,234 | 10,547,729 | |
1876 | 2,204,251 | 2,253,842 | 3,531,142 | 49 | 119,259 | 993,591 | 781,907 | 1,139,333 | 11,023,374 |
1877 | 2,091,551 | 2,184,979 | 3,675,802 | 118,975 | 910,162 | 789,130 | 1,106,464 | 10,877,063 | |
1878 | 2,090,157 | 2,236,173 | 3,722,161 | 120,379 | 915,068 | 814,668 | 1,132,508 | 11,031,114 | |
1879 | 2,040,787 | 2,284,760 | 3,304,965 | 112,601 | 859,506 | 825,560 | 1,193,342 | 10,621,521 | |
1880 | 2,076,196 | 2,532,492 | 3,700,606 | 120,560 | 839,109 | 812,792 | 1,225,159 | 11,306,914 | |
1881 | 2,175,475 | 3,064,616 | 3,592,777 | 130,383 | 867,854 | 877,300 | 1,224,709 | 11,933,114 | |
1882 | 2,120,761 | 3,515,409 | 3,540,585 | 141,693 | 884,487 | 889,520 | 1,255,720 | 12,348,175 | |
1883 | 2,048,271 | 3,759,391 | 3,536,538 | 153,690 | 889,334 | 910,485 | 393,316‡ | 11,691,025 | |
1884 | 1,912,514 | 4,063,011 | 3,335,816 | 158,434 | 875,578 | 934,046 | 402,032 | 11,681,431 | |
1885 | 1,811,945 | 3,978,586 | 3,741,609 | 145,554 | 827,241 | 934,381 | 446,869 | 11,886,185 | |
1886 | 1,800,681 | 4,103,644 | 3,332,963 | 136,381 | 777,461 | 963,260 | 447,696 | 11,600,614 |
* Duties reduced.
† Stamp Duty upon Fire Insurances repealed from 25th of June, 1869.
‡ Receipts from Fee and Patent Stamps carried to "Miscellaneous Revenue" from 1st April, 1882.