i On the fifth of March, 1770, while the motion of Lord North for "leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the Tax Act, as far as related to the "tax on Paper, Glass, and Painters' Colours," was under consideration, before the House of Commons, Governor Pownall, than whom no one was, then, better informed on every subject connected with America and the Americans, replied to the Minister, and moved an amendment, to include Tea, also, in the proposed Bill.
In the course of his exceedingly important Speech, on introducing bis motion to amend, the Governor said, " The drawback upon those " Teas, exported to America, of twenty-five per cent, does not amount, "as this argument supposes, to one shilling per pound-- it amounts to " only sevenpence half-penny, or thereabouts -- 60 that, did it operate as " a bounty, at all, it would amount to only fourpence half-penny. But "this is not material to the point ; for it does not operate as a bounty, "at all, because whatever duty the East India Company pays, originally, "at the Custom-house, on the importing of Teas from Asia, that sum is " added to the price of their Tea, in their sales ; so that, although the "exporter to America may be allowed a drawback, yet he draws back " that sum only which he hath already paid in the price of his purchase, " by which means, as this article of supply nrw stands, there isanadvantage * * in favour of the Dutch Teas imported into the Colonies, against the British " Teas, of twenty -five per cent, difference." -- (Debrett's History, Debates, and Proceedings of both Houses of Parliament, 1743 to 1774, v., 264).