Subtopic 1: Sugar Duties Acts 1846
– Sugar Duties Acts 1846 were statutes of the United Kingdom.
– The Acts equalized import duties for sugar from British colonies.
– Passed in 1846 along with the repeal of the Corn laws by the Importation Act 1846.
– Devastating effect on the profits of the Caribbean plantocracy.
– The Sugar Duties Act 1846 (c. 63) replaced the Sugar Duties Act 1846 (c. 41).
Subtopic 2: Impact on Plantation Owners
– Plantation owners in the British West Indies struggled to compete with Cuba and Brazil.
– Absence of cheap labor and preferential tariff protection worsened their position.
– Rise of European sugar beet as a cheap alternative further affected them.
– Felt betrayed as they expected tariff protection in exchange for agreeing to the abolition of slavery.
– The legislation had a significant negative impact on their profits.
Subtopic 3: Repeal and Replacement
– The Sugar Duties Acts 1846 were repealed by the Sugar Duties (No. 3) Act 1846.
– The Sugar Duties Act 1846 (c. 63) replaced the Sugar Duties Act 1846 (c. 41).
– Repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1861.
– The Acts were part of the United Kingdom legislation.
– The Acts granted certain duties on sugar and molasses.
Subtopic 4: Historical Context
– Passed in 1846 at the same time as the repeal of the Corn laws.
– Combined with the recent abolition of slavery, the Acts had a profound impact.
– Caribbean plantocracy faced challenges due to the Acts.
– Plantation owners in the West Indies struggled due to lack of tariff protection.
– The rise of sugar beet as an alternative added to their difficulties.
Subtopic 5: External Links
– Article related to the passing of the Sugar Duties Act is available.
– Law of the United Kingdom and pre-parliamentary legislation are relevant.
– List of English statutes and the Charter of Liberties are connected.
– Magna Carta and Acts of parliaments preceding the Kingdom of Great Britain are significant.
– Legislation.gov.uk provides additional information on the Acts.
The Sugar Duties Acts 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. cc. 41 & 63) were statutes of the United Kingdom which equalized import duties for sugar from British colonies. They were passed in 1846 at the same time as the repeal of the Corn laws by the Importation Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. 22). The acts, combined with the recent abolition of slavery, had a devastating effect on the profits of the Caribbean plantocracy, which had previously enjoyed reduced import duties. The Sugar Duties Act 1846 (c. 63) was a replacement for the Sugar Duties Act 1846 (c. 41).
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for granting to Her Majesty, until the Fifth Day of September One thousand eight hundred and forty-six, certain Duties on Sugar imported into the United Kingdom. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 9 & 10 Vict. c. 41 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 3 August 1846 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Sugar Duties (No. 3) Act 1846 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act for granting certain Duties on Sugar and Molasses. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 9 & 10 Vict. c. 63 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 18 August 1846 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repeals/revokes | Sugar Duties (No. 2) Act 1846 |
| Repealed by | Statute Law Revision Act 1861 |
Status: Repealed | |
With no cheap labour force and no preferential tariff protection, the plantation-owners in the British West Indies could not compete with Cuba and Brazil, where sugar was still produced using slave labour. The rise of European sugar beet as a cheap alternative to sugarcane further worsened their position. Plantation owners in the West Indies felt betrayed by the legislation,[citation needed] as they had understood that the tariff protection would remain in place as a quid pro quo for their agreement to the abolition of slavery eight years earlier.