Star. — London, England, 1821-09-21 00:00:00

in a premature disclosure of information was this: the Directors would be unnecessarily, and perhaps injuriously, bound by their first communication, and obliged perhaps to come to the Court of Proprietors at a future time to revoke or alter that which they had previously declared. He rather hoped the Pro - prietors would, in the management of their affairs, suffer them to use their owa discretion in an unfet- tered manner. BANK PORGERIES.--METALLIC CURRENCY. • A PROPRIETOR wished to know from the Gover ner w:hat steps had been taken by those who had the subject in hand, to complete the newly p ro j ected p lan Of Bank-note, which was to oppose so great an obsta •• de to forgers? He was sorry to see that, notwith standing the great issue of specie, and consequent re ciction of the circulation of small Bank-notes of El and £2, there were, still heavy capital prosecutions carrying on for forgery, and a punishment inflicted,' which perhaps he was one of those who thought too great for the offence. Mr. Guarrax here interposed, and said that a new subject was now starting, , while his proposition (the ballot we presume) remained undecided. He com plained that such conduct was disorderly. . The GOVERNOR decided the point of order ag ainst Mr. Gundry. The PROPRIETOR then repeated his question for in formation respecting the projected plan uf a new Bank note, and asked whether the plan in progress had succeeded, and if not, whether any other was in contemplation? The Gov eneortsaid, that with respect to the penalty for the offence alluded to by the lion. Proprietor, it was quite clear that that was a subject entirely in the hands of a higher power—the Legislature, and not in the controul of the Directors. The latter had only to pursue a course a hich they thought conducive to the general interests of the Public, and the Legisla ture was alone competent to ailix the penalty. fOr the infraction of the law. The times were certainly a little altered respecting the question of forgery, since the subject had been formerly started in that Court. The late issue of specie, in exchange for Bank-notes, had necessarily caused that alteration. l'reviously the Bank had not, as the law stood, the power of issuing the metallic currency of the realm in exchange for their notes: they had, however, by a special Act of Parliament, since the 7th of May last obtained that power ; and they had, as largely as the demands upon them admitted, availed themselves of the law to call in a large portion of their notes from general circulation. It was a mistake to suppose that the issue of specie was intended merely for the exchange of their one pound and two-pound notes: they had extended the privilege to all their notes, small and large alike, and were still anxious to do so. A Bank note now in the hands of a holder stood, therefore, in quite a different situation from that in which it previously stood re latively to the Bank. Before, it was compulsory upon the holder to retain it: now, that was not the case; for he had only to bring his note, of whatever amount. and to obtain cash for it at the Bank. That altered state of things necessarily restricted the Bank from extending, in the form of prosecutions, that species of protection to the Public which had previously been afforded. Bat the Honourable Proprietor had hinted, that the decrease of for : ...eries had not yet bceo as great as there was Lea .on to expect from the resumption of cash pay mums. He (the Governor) would, how ever, venture to say in reply, that there had hardly yet elapsed sufficient time for the alteration to ope rate. Time had not yet in a manner been given for the termination of the iniquitous traffic in frgeries. There was, as it were, a stock of old forgeries to be got rid of at the breaking up of the old iniquitous trade, and that might, per.haps, account for those ap pearances to which the llonourable Proprietor had alluded. The Directors, however, knew well that the crime had diminished. With respect to the new plan of Bank-note, upon the result of which so many sanguine expectations had been liaised, he was very sorry to state that the practical operations did rot bear out the anticipations formed of them. lie trusted that the Court would give the Directors credit for having adopted the beA • recommended plans, and a peactically worked them wilt the greatest anxiety, labour, and expense. They bad, indeed, worked - them to an extent far beyond the original idea formed of the plans themselves; but it was • with the utmost regret that he had now to say, the result had not borne out the previous expecta tion (he always begged to be understood as speak ing the opinions of the Directors, and of them alone). The Directors entertaining such an opinion, it was impossible they could hold out to public confidence with their sanction, a new •,.) in which they did not think possessed the stability attributed to it. At the same time the Directors assured the Court that they had never ceased, not alone during the last one, two, or three years, but throughout the last thirty years, to direct their whole experience (considerable as it Inuit be supposed to be) to the attainment of such a plan as that to which the public attention had been drawn. At present, however, though many great improvements had been undoubtedly suggested, there had not been one to which they could affix that cha racter of permanent stability which was so generally sought. They would still pursue the same anxious inquiry ; but he could not help remarking, that it were better to let the matter rest in the bends of the Direc tors a he feared that going diffusely into the subject before the Public bad led to more evil than good.— They had gone on with the late plan until they found the ground breaking under them ; yet they had still kept the subject under their constant practical consi deration, although he could not flatter the Court with a hope of the speedy consummation of their wishes. With respect to the public security against forgeries, as matters stood, the Bank were ready to Bite every facility in their power for enlarging the metallic currency of the country ; they were anxious to see more specie in circulation. They .believed there was gold and silver enough for general pur poses in the metropolis; but it was supposed that was not the case in the country. The Bank was most anxious, he repeated, that the Public should have the fullest possible protection against forgeries, by having the utmost facility in exchanging notes, large as well as small, for metallic currency. After some matters of form were arranged, the di vidend of 5 per Cent. for the half year ending the 10th of October was agreed to, and warrants ordered to be made out accordingly. The Court then adjourned. OUR COLONIAL SYSTEM. The following article appears in the Quebec Gazette of the 9th of August : " TRADE AND THE CORN LAWS. de We understand that it is intended by the inhabi tants of different parts of this province to petition his Majesty and both Houses of Parliament on the sub ject of the existing Regulations affecting the Trade of this country. " It is well known that it is trade that enables one individual to apply himself exclusively to any one branch of industry, and yet by the means of an ex change of that part of its produce which he does not require for his own use, to supply himself with all that is necessary, useful, or comfortable in life. " It is thus that trade or exchange of commodities between individuals of the same country is indispen sable to individual enjoyment and general prosperity. Trade, between different countries, operates among communities in the same way as among individuals of the same country—vivifies the industry, and in creases the wealth and comfort of the individuals of which each is composed. The power of regulating the trade of the Colo nies, which belongs to the British Parliament, is, in fact a power over the fortunes, the industry, and the prosperity of every individual in the Colonies. It is a magic wand, at whose motions our limbs may be dried up, and our prosperity. vanish like a shadow. " This power belongs to Great Britain, and we would be the last to question anything that is esta blished by law. Neither have we heretofore had any reason to complain of its exercise or its effects. " Peace, after twenty-five years war, public debts, taxes, and paper systems, have occasioned great changes in the state of trade all over the world, and particularly in every past of the British domi nion.. There has been an universal derangement in the money prices of everything. creating innumer able loses and difficulties in effecting the exchange of the commodities of one country against those of another, and consequent inconveniences and distresses in all. Changes of existing laws have been effected to meet this state of things in Great •Britain and Ire land. The Colonies have, however, been lost sight.of altogether; or, if any Legislative Acts have been made, nominally affecting them, the change has been to their disadvantage. " Lumber made up about one half of their exports, or, in other words, they were supplied with one half of the foreign goods which they required in exchange for their lumber. An alteration has been made by the Act of the 28th May last,which must greatly diminish this trade, if not destroy it altogether. ‘Vheat,orother agricultural produce, made up a great proportion of the remainder of our exports, or articles to be given in exchange for European goods. The state of trade to which see have alluded, and which has produced such a fall in the price of grain, has, in consequence of the regulations of the lla itish Pai liament, excluded our agricultural produce altogether from a market. The granaries of our far mers, and the stores of our mer chants, are now loaded with wheat, and no price what ever can be obtained forthis article,which is of a perish able nature, and diminishing in intrinsic value daily : while a great number of the farmers, having been so imprudent as to get into debt, calculating on the usual price for their grain, are in danger of seeing their lands, their houses, their cattle, implements, and fur niture, altogether devoured in the Courts of Law, or sold for not one half their usual value. If this state of things were solely the result of natural causes, or of our own acts, it would be silly and useless to petition ; but, partially at least, it is owing to the operation of British Statutes. " These Statutes restrain us from trying to obtain a market, and making our purchases all over the world ; they restrain foreigners from coming here to purchase or sell, should they be so inclined ; they oblige us to have our goods carried solely. in British ships. In short, they establish a monopoly of our trade in favour of Great Britain : they oblige us to buy and sell there ; and then, by the operation of the Corn Laws, they enact, in effect, that we shall not buy or sell at all. It is not the monopoly to which we object; we adhere to the doctrine and language of the Act of Parliament, which declares that " the power of regulating the trade of the Colonies is essen tial to the general welfare of the British Empire." It is the partial interdiction of all trade, by the opera tion of the Corn Laws, of which we complain. Fo reigners have no right to complain, because Great Britain exercises no general controul over their trade; and every nation of right makes such regulations as it thinks proper with respect to the admission of fo reign goods and foreign produce within its own ter ritory. This right, common to all, leaves them upon a parity, with means of retaliation and defence. But we have no such right, we are British subjects, and must submit to the regulations of the British Parlia ment. We have no defence, no means of protection, but in the wisdom and equity of the British Govern-. ment, to which we have a right to appeal, as British subjects obedient and true. While our surplus wheat, beyond what is re quires' for our own consumption, is lying, as we have stated, in our granaries and stores, without the possi bility of obtaining any price, the same article is sell ing at New York at a dollar a bushel. In countries chiefly agricultural, it is the export price that fixes the home price. Were the same markets open to our merchants as to those of New York, wheat at Quebec ought to bring as much as at New York. " The British Parliament, in the existing Corn Law, made a distinction between the British colonies and foreign countries, by admitting our wheat for consumption at 675. sterling per quarter, while fo reign is excluded at /30s. This distinction, by the late fall of price, which is likely to be permanent, is now of no avail; so that, in point of fact, we are excluded with foreigners, without the advantages which they enjoy from the absence of the commercial restrictions imposed on us by the British Statutes. In the present state of the agriculturists in Great Britain, we should be loth to ask anything which would increase their burthens or diminish their profits. We have reason to believe that the average of our surplus grain, and our exports of the last twenty years, even if the whole were to go to Great Britain, will be found not to amount to two days' consumption of the people of that country, a quantity which, even if it were admitted on the same tooting as the produce of our fellow-subjects at home, while it would be im portant to us, would scarcely be felt in the market there. " Quebec, Anna 7, 1521.7 • LONDON. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, IS2I. MeTrultw.--lieliday at the Bask. At a Court of the Proprietors of the Bank of Eng land, held yesterday, the proceedings of which will be found in another part of our Paper, the subject of the forgery of Bank notes was brought under dis cussion; when the CHAIRMAN announced, that the result of all their boasted labours for the last two years is an Entire Failure. If the object aimed at has been to discover how an inimitable Bank note may be made, nobody can be surprised at this want of success; but it would be casting an unmerited re proach on the state to which the Arts have arrived in this country, to suppose for a moment that there could possibly be a failure in discovering a form of note a hundred times more difficult to imitate than the present. The want is not absolutely of a perfect note, or one that should present no temptation to forgery, but what other nations enjoy, and our own provincial towns have long possessed—a better note than that of the Bank of England ; one that shall not seduce so many to the crime of forgery. Such a note the Bank Directors have it easily in their power to pro cure; and they incur a serious culpability by every hour's delay in lessening that extreme temptation to crime which makes the forgery of Bank Notes more prolific of victims than any other crime inthe calendar. Another subject of interest brought into discussion at this Meeting was, the Metallic Currency. It will yield satisfaction to see an assurance from the high authority of the Chairman, that the issue of specie is not confined to the payment of £1 and £2 notes, but that a holder of notes of any magnitude has only to take them to the Bank, and to get the full amount of them in the current coin of the realm. This is, undoubtedly, a subject of rejoicing. Yesterday both Houses of Parliament met, pur suant to prorogation from the 12th of July, when they were further prorogued to Thursday, the 29th of November. It is understood that another proro gation will take place. Parliament is, therefore, not `expected to meet for the dispatch of business, in the PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDING& HOUSE OF LORDS. SEPTEMBER O. At two o'clock the Earls of Haaaowar, Warrxisara.mus, and SEATTESIMOST, took their seats as his MAJESTY'S COMEASsiEIfrES for further proroguing Parliament. The Deputy 'Ara of the Black Rod was sent to require the attendance of the Commons. Shortly afterwards Mr. RICEMAN, and some of the Officers of the House, came to the Bar. The ('omoussion was then read for further proroguing Parliament, and the Earl of Haaitoway declared the Parliament to be further prorogued accordingly to Thursday, the 29th day of November. RETRENCHMENT. EXTRACT OF TREASURY MINUTE, DATED AU0.10,1821. REDUCTION AND ALTERATION IN THE ESTABLISHMENT. My Lords, in calling upon the Heads of the other Departments of his Majesty's Civil Government to enter upon a revision of their respective Establish ments, with a view to such economical reductions as may fulfil the intentions of his Majesty, expressed in his Answers to the Addresses of both Houses of Parliament, think it right to state the principles upon which they have proceeded, and the course they have followed in the revision of the Establishment of the Treasury under their immediate direction. They have thought that they should best carry into execution the intentions expressed in the Ad dresses of Parliament, by keeping in view the follow ing general rules : Ist. That every office was to be restored to the situation, in respect to the number of persons employed, and of their respec• tive emoluments, in which it stood in 1797, unless same ade quate cause continued to exist which rendered some alteration necessary. 2d. That where increase of business, or the more correct and efficient execution of the public service rendered it necessary to preserve establishments either created or enlarged since 1797, the emoluments of the officers composing those establishments should be assimilated, as nearly as the change of circumstanc, s would admit, to those received by persons in similar situations in 1797. • 3d. That if any office existing in 1797 was found to be no longer necessary to the public service, or that its emoluments might be properly reduced, such office should be abolished or reduced in value, as the case might admit. Proceeding upon the foregoing rules, my Lords began by a careful comparison of the establishment of the Treasury in 1797 and as it now exists; and finding that a very large increase had taken place both in respect of the number of persons employed, and the amount of their emoluments in some parts of the office, they directed a plan to be prepared of a new establishment, in which no greater number of officers should be retained than was necessary for the execution of the business of the Treasury in its present state, enlarged as it has been by the incorpo ration of the whole business of the Irish Treasury, as well as greatly increased in other respects, and in which the emoluments of each class of officers should be as nearly assimilated to those of corresponding situations in 1797, as the alteration of the circum stances of the office would fairly admit. Such a plan having been prepared accordingly, and approved by their Lordships, they have directed that the new establishment shall be considered as taking effect from the sth of January next, and that every new appointment or proniotion which may, take place from that day shall be considered subject to the new regulations. In order to introduce this new system as early as may be practicable, yet with as little inconvenience as possible to the individual.; whose interests may be affected, they have directed that every person whose situation is not to be abolished shall retain his pre sent emoluments (subject to such payment to the superannuated fund as may be due therefrom) until by promotion, or allowance for length of service, he shall be entitled, under the new regulations, to a sa lary at least equal to that which he now possesses.. THE EVENING STAR. ordinary course of eventr, Cll aboit the middle of next January. A further extract from the Treasury Nlinute of the 10th of August, will be found thi s d ay in the p re . • ceding column. The extract w hid• h as a l ready appeared in this Paper related ex c l us i ve l y to a rev. lation adopted for deducting a cert a i n rate from the salaries of clerks in office, from uhi c h a S uperannua. I don Fund was to be established for the be ne fi t of the 1 contributors. The extract which we now publish declares that the Lords of the Treasury have actually • compared the establishment of the Treasury in it s present state with its condition in 1797, and hate ditected a plan to be prepared for the purpose of te , ducing the department, as nearly as the incorporation of the Irish Treasury and other matters will allow,b the state in which it stood in 1797, and that the eel plan is to commence on the sth of Janitary next. N 3 greater number of Officers is to he retained than sh a d appear to be absolutely necessary, and this principle is to extend even to offices which may have been i s existence in the year 1797 ; but it is provided tha: every person whose situation is not to be abolished, shall retain his present emolument (subject only to a ' payment to the Superannuation Fold), until by pre. motion or length of service be shall be entitled, under the new regulation, to a salary at least equal to th A t '. which he ii .w possesses. The Paris Papers of Monday and Tuesday atrirtsi at a late hour this forenoon. They contain a copy, taken from the Austrian Pi.' server, , of a Manifesto issued by the GRAND SEIGNIOI, addressed to all the Public Functionaries through. out the Ottoman Empire, on the subject of d e Greek Insurrection. It possesses the usual feature s of Tuikith state-writing—vigour and simpliril s . " Although the Greeks," it is said, " have succeedel in some places, yet, thanks to the All Powerful : my puissant Empire is still the Empire of Mahomer, l 4 our people the people of Amed." Every Gieek Wei in arms is ordered to be treated as a rebel ; and te penitent and submissive are promised amnesty.— Violences," it is said, " have indeed been corarnk. ted against persons unarmed, against peaceablea jects who have taken no part in the revolt; a:IJ daring attacks have even been made on their pro, peaks, their families, and their Churches, k is unnecessary to say that such conduct canna defended either by law or reason, that it is dice. trically opposed to the principles of my subliraeli pire, and that in every respect it is not less reins:l to the DIVINE Will than to my imperial orders. The Manifesto is dated in the middle of Augusqls fours morns de la lune de Siskidei 1226.) . _ On the state of the question between Turkey ad Russia, there is no new information. French Five per Cents.—Monday, 861 r. 35c. We have received to-day Madrid Papers to 6th instant. The following are extracts : MADRID, SEPTEMBER 4. This evening the troops of the garrison under arms, and numerous detachments tional Guard have patroled the streets It is supposed that the cause of these connected with the events at Saragossa. Several citizens, it is said, will present Representation to the Municipality, that may request his Majesty to return to this Saturday evening the Minister of State ports to Messrs. Echeverz ia and Reveny ties from Columbia, who came to this with our Government : these Gentlemen on Sunday, and M. Zea will shortly depart It is said that the reasons of the Government step is the breaking of the armistice. MADRID, SEPTEMBER Some persons feared a disturbance the great satisfaction of the Public, their not been realised, and everything has fectly tranquil. An accident this mornin) oxen breaking loose at the Puerto de Sol,, some persons run away, immediately e.cited 'uneasiness, which, fortunately, was soon churl into laughter. It seems decided that General Rodriguez walsi be Minister at War ; yet it is said that the Swot" insist on the resignation which they haves*. It has been said to-day, that the Caostitatieg i Municipality of this city had offered to lay been* mob requested. what the citizens, assembled yesterday b requested. This is not correct. The Muniopekl offered to represent to his Majesty that it would k expedient that he should return to this city, is 64 that the public tranquillity might not be interrap but as to the other part of the petition, asking publication of the reasons which had induced the vernment to send General Riego to Lerida, the ) "' . nicipality decided that this could not be doom* out interfering with the powers vested by the CO tution in the Executive Government. BARCELONA, AUGUST VI. Remaining. New Cases. DO' Aug. 25 - 19 - --S - - • I 26 - - 21 - - • - 5 - - 0 0 7 - - 16 - - 4 - - - • - 20 - - - - 0 - - • ° On the 26th, six patients left the llospita It would appear, from an article in the 1 1. 46 , Gazete, which our Readers will find in anotherP of the Paper, that the inhabitants of Cana& are3b4 swinson r t o petition the li fora tt k men ts on which empt ion from tl i mporta tion pt tc seven s hillings, t concerernpeeda.l l o t f v: barrassment whi tioning at this p our farmers, and say, " are now whatever can be a perishable natu daily." The ad I Made by the it known by those 'sources of the C; The Canadian observe, al Thest obtain a market, the world ; they here to purchase they oblige us tc British ships; in our trade in five to buy and sell tl the Corn Laws, t not buy or sell at Letters were re August '25. 'Ile!, and that no fears re ort of the Esti tircly without fot A Leeward Isl noon, has brough fought, the remit cause of the n transpired. . Every arranges leaving town on Ilanoverian domi The room in B quis CAMDEN, it day night, on hi! called King Chat consequence s s a lon go t p u ied - l o n c b e y n t t u h r a i e t ten' Noblemen a Members of the forming on the pl the intended situat square, would be tance from the E arrangement has I line of Pall-mall, and where a sopa the reception of tl We understand Kistrates which WI INNAIRD, Of the signation of Sir fice, have been fill BALLANTINE and • Dibtri erected ui le the Bishop imodate '2 on th :onsidera ' owes • guim iEPT. 1 ial mill He sail Kent. I £6O for arrive, :ould gi Labor home, for not mei Is take Americ and or rears, o the latt Portsmou relief; 'their old habitatic stance of the futili of a parish. The iirthen, pro temp( Properly laid out family for life. THE LATE FIR sides the two &err Man lost his life a Rams was not knc George Ross, a j No. 40, Parker-st good character. :pears, that he an they went into a turday night weel Went home and 1 Which hour she h that night,' she fe `scrape, and she h.:uses ; hearing *Monday at the c success ; she after sons and hospitals at length, from tl ing since the nigt he might be the An Inquest sat or on Siinday. Tio make the necessa .and some fragrr they were those conjectured t h at 1 and was assisting ison have bat 1 The new I nts of the N the first erec of this capi N ;59th George LEWES, Si or parochia ago by the I dispositions if o i Sandgate, a. to accommoi tent to-night ;come a con. that this b *tly three hi Iris capita. .sells at four state sent pa nga , the DeP hildren. H capital to tr erden, in K, sen will set dvanced Et and honey. epart for Pas, where they The man co, ill, and wat rnment for die '. .them over, a than at horn 5. and could m to-day, bot,a vered, the A heir fears lug . t . em i._, porary 11 s remained pm * ern two over, prising of tail atceded to tl Sol, and ma g land, at Port y excited sat