Mr. ALLISON. I expecttobe limited toten minutes, and the Gentfrom Maine [Mr. Lrxcn] is to have the remaining ten minutes. A proposition affectingonr commerce to the amount of $08,000,000 should be carefully con: aidered before action is taken. I do not know that I shall support the bill as it is reported from the committee. There are many objections to it which I will not take time now to point out, hoing that amendments will be made to obviate t 0se objections. But, sir, I have been surprise at the opposition that has been made to this bill, especially at the arguments made by the Gentfrom Pennsylvania, [Mr. KsI.I.nY.] Ile informs us that when this bill was 1st under consideration he intended to support it with the amendment offered by the Gentfrom Maryland, [Mr. F. TBOMAS] having reference to the bitu mine us coal, but after a nights examination of the bill became to the conclusion that it was false in principle and false in detail and that it had no merit in it whatever. An after this general statement he informs the committee of the several imperfections in the bill by sayin that if a certaln proposition is adopted it will prostrate and destroy several material interests of this country: and then he goes on to specify them, namely, the fisheries, the salt works, the lumber trade, and the bitumine us coal interest east of the Alle hany mountains. Now, sir, int O 1st place let me say that there is nothing whatever in this bill in reference to any salt interest. I am not aware that there is an salt produced in the British colo nies; on the contra, the Canadian Provinces take salt from us. here is no restriction in it having reference to tariff on salt and in regard to the several other interests of which he has spoken, I desire to examine the statis tics for a moment. The Gentfrom Pennsylvania [Mr. KELLEY] informs us thatif this bill oes into operation it will affect materially e bitumine us coal interest of this country. Now, it is the fact, as appears from the statistics, that in the fiscal year 1864 65there were only 317,000 tons of bitumine us coal imported into this country from the British PIOVIDEGS: The present tariff imposes a.duty of $1 25 perton on cool of this character, while this bill imposes a duty of 50 cents; so that the difference is only 75 cents. 0w this difference of $200,000, the cutle man tells us, will be placed in the pockets of the men of the Britis Provinces, and will to that extent interfere with the production of bitumine us coal in this country. Now, what are the statistics of the production of bitumi nous coal in this. country? There have been produced durin" the last ear 17,000,000 tons of coal, and I think it is ardly possible that the introduction of 317,000 tons would mate riall affect the price of 17 millions prouced in this count from our own mines.