User:Jnestorius/Alnager of Ireland

Great alnager of Ireland

Quotes
Information derived from "An Account of Ireland, in 1773.": "Alnage Duties were established by the 17 & 18 Charles 2, for regulating and maintaining the trade and mystery of making woollen cloth, and for the better ascertaining the length, breadth, and weight of all cloths to be made in Ireland.

An Alnage office was created, the principal officer of which was called the King's Alnager, and was appointed from time to time by Letters Patent under the Great Seal for years or for life, as the King thought fit.

The Alnager, by himself or deputy, was to measure, weigh, and search all woollen cloths, both old and new drapery, made in Ireland, before they were offered for sale, or embarked, to see whether they were of the breadth, length, and weight prescribed by the Act.

If the Alnager found the cloth to be merchantable goods, and lawfully made, he was to seal them with a seal or mark, to be allowed by the treasurer, or Chancellor of the Exchequer. And he was to take and receive to His Majesty's use, 4 d. for every broad cloth by way of subsidy, and $1/2$ d. for his own fee for sealing, and so rateablv for all old drapery.

For every piece of, say, serge, stuff, knit stockings, and all new drapery, he was to receive for every 4lbs. weight, for the subsidy of the same, one farthing, and for his own fee one farthing.

For measuring or weighing any broad cloth, and other drapery, containing in length 23, and from 23 to 25 yards, the Alnager's fee was 2 s., and so rateably, according to the number of yards which it might contain.

These duties of Alnage had been introduced in Ireland in the reign of King James I., but were little attended to till after the Restoration, when they were re-established by the above-mentioned Act. Very soon after it was passed, the Crown alienated the whole revenue arising from the Alnage for 61 years, at a rent of 10 l. per annum; and by successive alienations it was since continued in private hands, without even the small reserved rent of 10 l. being accounted for, either to the Crown or to Parliament.

Two circumstances are worthy of notice relative to the Alnage. One is, that it is the only part of the Hereditary Revenue, where the whole duty came to the Crown without deduction, the officer's fee being always paid by the subject. The other is, that the alienation (undisputed for above 100 years), proved incontestably the authority of the Crown over all parts of the Hereditary Revenue, which were not specially guarded against alienation by positive Act of Parliament.

The amount of the Alnage duties being known only to the parties who carefully kept the secret, cannot be given."

George Augustine Thomas O'Brien: "To encourage the woollen manufacture was one of Ormond's great ambitions, and, with this end in view, he succeeded in getting passed an Act, which, after reciting that the credit of Irish woollen cloth was impaired abroad by the false and uncertain making thereof, provided that all old and new drapery should be made of specified dimensions, and that an alnage office and alnager should be appointed to regulate the inspection and sealing of the cloth.[2) 17&18 Car.2 c.15] This Act was not a success. In 1666 Sir George Rawdon referred to "the alnage business which has made such a disturbance in this and other markets by seizing every piece of cloth and woollen stuff, by the corruption and knavery of those that form it. ... These projects are not the way to increase but to hinder our little trade."[3) CSPIre 1666-9 p.5] It does not even seem to have succeeded in reforming the abuse at which it was originally aimed; in 1682 there were still complaints of "the abuses in our worsted manufacture by which their value and credit are impaired."[4) Lawrence, The Interest of Ireland in its Trade and Wealth Stated, Dublin, 1682] In 1695 a petition was presented to the House of Commons from the corporation of weavers of Dublin, on behalf of all the weavers in Ireland, complaining that the Act was in many respects destructive of the woollen manufacture, that it was not carried out properly, and that the alnager's deputies were incompetent and accustomed to demand excessive fees.[5) ICJ v.2 p.62] In the same year the Committee of Trade reported that the alnage Act was impracticable and prejudicial, and advised that it should be repealed.[6) ICJ v.2 p.95] The Act, however, was not repealed until 1779.[7) 19&20 Geo.3 c.20]"

Notes and Queries 1873:
 * From the reign of Richard I to the last year of William III, there existed an officer called the Great Alnager, or Aulnager. He took the duty or tax on cloth measured by the aulne or ell. The post, abolished in England, survived in Ireland till the Georgian Era had nearly run its course. The last holder in Ireland was a Lord de Blaquiere; but after the office was suppressed, the salary (£1,000 a year) was continued to that Lord and to his descendants. Among the titles of the present Lord is "Great Alnager of Ireland," which is as out of place as "King of France" among the titles of the King of Great Britain and Ireland.

Acts

 * 17 & 18 Cha.2 c.15 1665 "On every piece of old drapery exported, containing thirty-six yards, and so for a greater or lesser quantity, 3s. 4d., and of new drapery 9d., for the subsidy of alnage and alnager’s fee. See 17th and 18th Ch. II., ch. 15. Ir. But the English have taken off these and all other duties from their manufactures made or mixed with wool. Eng. Act 11 and 12 W. III., ch. 20."
 * 19 & 20 Geo.3 c.20 1779
 * 21 & 22 Geo.3 c.23 1781
 * 40 Geo.3 c.36 1800

JHC


! Page !! Date !! Content
 * +JHC v.72 1817: Index: Ireland (Alnage Laws)
 * 280 || 19 May || Petitions
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 21 May || Refer petition to committee
 * 297 || 22 May || Petition of Lord Blanquiere referred
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 3 June || Report printed
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 26 June || Report referred to cttee of whole house
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 27 June || Report considered
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 1 July || Resolutions
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 2 July || Bill 1st
 * 445 || 3 July || Bill 2nd
 * 454 || 4 July || Bill cttee
 * 456 || 5 July || Bill rpt
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 7 July || Passed
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 11 July || Lords agree, royal assent
 * }
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 2 July || Bill 1st
 * 445 || 3 July || Bill 2nd
 * 454 || 4 July || Bill cttee
 * 456 || 5 July || Bill rpt
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 7 July || Passed
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 11 July || Lords agree, royal assent
 * }
 * 456 || 5 July || Bill rpt
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 7 July || Passed
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 11 July || Lords agree, royal assent
 * }
 * [zzzurl zzzppp] || 11 July || Lords agree, royal assent
 * }