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 The principle of ‘free trade’ has been carried into all departments of life. When Sir Robert Peel took office in 1841 there were over twelve hundred articles on which duty had to be paid when they were imported from abroad. There are now only sixteen such articles, and the only ones of any importance are wine, spirits and tobacco (all of which are ‘luxuries’, as opposed to ‘necessaries’ of life). When this policy was first adopted it was expected that all other nations would soon adopt ‘free trade’ also, but they have not done so; and we have even allowed our own colonies to put on Customs’ duties against the importation of British woods to their ports. Proposals are now on foot, and are maintained by a large party in Britain, to go back upon this principle of ‘free trade’, and to impose a moderate ‘tariff’ on the importation of goods from all nations which will not admit British goods to their ports without a duty. It is not my business to express an opinion as to whether this would be wise or not. No doubt ‘free trade all round’ would be the most