The Sun. — London, England, 1829-05-02 00:00:00

France without an equivalent."—ln his opinion the principle of free trade ought to be acted upon by our neighbours as well as ourselves; that there ought, in fact, to be a complete reciprocity before we established it as the rule for the foreign corn merce in this country. Even the most speculative wri tern on political economy had not said that we ought to take from other countries without their taking our manufactures in turn ; and yet Ministers said now that they would allow free importation, though they acknowledged the market to be over stocked. Our manufactories would stand still. Disguise the matter as they would, " to that com plexion it would come at last." Adam Smith had said, " The silk, perhaps, is the only manufacture which would suffer the most by this freedom of trade. Humanity may require that the freedom of trade should be restored only by slow gradations, and with a good deal of reserve and circumspection. Were those high duties and prohibitions taken away all at once, cheaper foreign goods might be poured so fast into the home market as to deprive all at once many thousands of our people of their ordinary employment and means of subsistence. Changes should be made slowly, gradually, and after a very long warn ing." Another remark here presented itself, and that was the view taken by foreigners of our free trade system, and to shew what that view was, he would quote the words used by the Director of the French Cu-toms to the British Minister,on his appli cation for a reduction of duties, pari passu, with that of Great Britain ; the French Director of the Cus toms, Monsieur de St. Criq, sagaciously replied, " the system adopted by England is admirable, be cause it endangers none of her manufactures; and we, when we are as forward as England, will be as liberal; but until then we must stand fast by our prohibitory system." He would now beg the atten tion of the House to a few observations made by Mr. Pitt, who seemed to him (Mr. Alderman Waldman) to have taken a very correct view of the subject He conceived they were empowered to preserve all the prohibitions which they might think it wise to continue; he knew not of any possi bility of sending the wool, the fuller's earth, or the tools of the manufacturers, out of the kingdom. It was ridiculous to imagine France would consent to yield advantages without an idea of return. She gained for her wines and other produce an opulent market : we did the same to a greater degree. France gained a market for her proc.uce, which em ployed in preparation but few hands, gave little en couragement to its navigation, and produced but little so the State; we gained a market for our ma n'tfaCturee, which employed many hundreds of thou sands in collecting materials from every corner of the ►sorld, advanced our maritime strength, and which, in all its combinations, and every article and stage of its progress, contributed largely to the State. The high price of labour in England arose chiefly from the Excise, and three-fifths of the price of labour were said to come into the Exchequer.' It was the nature and essence of an argument be tween a manufacturing country, and a country bleasied with peculiar productions, that the advan tage must terminate in favour of the former ; but it was peeuliarly fitted for both countries. France was, by the peculiar dispensation of Providence, gifted, perhaps, more than any other country upon earth— in what made life desirable in point of soil, climate, and natural productions, It had most fertile vine yards, and the richest harvests, The greatest luxu ries of man ►were produced at little cost, and at moderate labour. Britain was not togs blest by nature; but on the contrary, it possessed, through the happy freedom of its Constitution, and equal energy of its laws, an energy in its enterprise, snd a stabiiity in its exertions, which had gradually raised it to a state of commercial grandeur; and not being so bountifully gifted by Heaven, it had traenrse to labour and art, by which it had acquired the ability of supplying its neighbour with all the necessary embellishments of life, in exchange for her natural lusuries." He grounded himself upon the authority of Mr. Pitt, when he described the majority of the excise as coming from the lower class of the people. Had he said so of his own authority, he might have been accused of being a Jacobin or a Radical; but, of course, upon such authority he should pass un eon-Indicted. He urged the House to pause before they determined on adhering to a system that would go to destroy the home trade—a trade which was or much more importance than the foreign trade to this country. He had no personal motive in his present opposition to the Government, but he trusted that, lining they were convinced, beyond tbg possibility of doubt, of the necessity of this measure, they would not obstinately go through with it. He did not wish to see any thing done by the present Ministry that would provoke opposition to them; but he must say that he thought the course they were now pursuing was e►ot one calculated to benefit the country. Six 11, PARNELL expressed his satisfaction at t b e , determination of his Majesty's Ministers to puts sue the .lined ,commercial policy adopted by them in 1824.. treat portion of the present distress g was robe founts in the eonduct of the manufacturers themselves, who ham been engaged in a system of . in the and, of pros evertrading that could n: t "'th w"' that In the during most evil effects. The t. f Parliament present case it was out of the power . 4u „ to provide a remedy for the evils that affec silk trade, and for this reason—that those evils not originate with Parliament. There was, no doubt, much temporary distress ; but it was also undeniable that the country was, on the whole, richer than it was, and had become so within the period marked out by this change in our commercial policy. The opinion of the country now was, that the distress was not occasioned by the alteration in the law, and that it was caused by the over-trading. — He thought, that if from the beginning of the Silk Trade in this country it had been left to itself, it would now have been in a flourishing condition, and that nothing but the interference of Government, in pretending to protect it, had first injured it. He said this, because he did not believe that every other eountry, not even France, possessed such advantages as we enjoyed. Even in the instance of labour itself, England was on an equality with France. He was convinced that the course at present pur sued by his Majesty's Government met with the general approbation of the country and of that Mouse ; and he therefore trusted that when the Right Hon. Gentleman found himself so supported, be would be induced not only to persevere in a .:nurse which would finally lead to the prosperity of she country, but continue to act, with still more con fidence, up to the views which the present Ministers appeared to entertain on the subject. Mr. ATTWOOD had listened with a great deal o Attention to the elaborate statement put forth by the eight Hon. Gentleman, in order to justify the cotuse which Government was pursuing, and he was compelled to say, that Government did not appear to him to give any distinct and tangible explanation of that knowledge which it professed to possess so accurately. What were the measures that the Go vernment proposed to adopt ? Why, after it was admitted on all hands that the silk trade was la bouring under very great difficulties—(Cries of " No," and " Yes," from the opposite sides of the House)—the measure, in the first place, went to destroy at least one portion of the silk trade for the sake of benefiting the others; so that even that des perate attempt on one body of manufacturers could not be made without a corresponding disad vantage. The Hon. Baronet bad said that this measure was not founded on the principles of free trade; but if he had understood the Right Hon. Gent. aright, he had asserted that this measure was grounded on those principles. He (Mr. Attwood) cer tainly coincided :n that feeling, and he would ask the Government whether it was its intention to sacrifice, under the name of free trade, the commercial, mantis facturing, and agricultural interests orthe country ? If he understood the term " free trade," it signified a free and unrestrained exchange of all commodities between one nation and another. No doubt, if such an in terchange could be effected, it would redound greatly to , the advantage of many of the nations of Europe, _o44igti fie svotlid take the liberty of stating that it would not be equally advantageous to all; but till such a commercial code should be embraced by the whole of Europe, it would be dangerous for any in - 1 dividual country to act upon them.—(Hear, hear.) —What had been the result of the approaCh Eng land had already made towards the system ? Had any one duty, with respect to this country, in other nations been taken off, or even mitigated ? Nothing of the sort had taken place. Let Hon. Gentlemen look to America. None of the new light with which thisAountry teemed, had reached that nation, and he ho doubt that if any diplomatist front England should go there to ask them to reduce the import duty on goods of our manufacture, the an swer would be—" No ; we consider restriction on your industry of advantage to our produce." The fact was, that no importation could thrive without a corresponding exportation, and that could not be hoped for in this country, unless all the trading nations of the world were to coincide in one sys tem.—(Hear, hear.) —They had been told that the great obstruction to the Lancashire manufacturers had been our refusal to admit the grain of Russia and Poland. But last year the grain of these countries.were received, and the result was still the same. The ready answer for this was, that we had not waited long enough : he would, however, venture to say, that let us wait as long as we would, such a result would never ensue ; and that, if the coming harvest should be such as to require a further importation of grain, the consequence would be detri mental, instead of advantageous, to the manufacturer. —(Hear, hear.)—lt was an error to suppose that capital could be removed from one employment to another without injury, and this error was one into which Adam Smith had fallen. Experience had proved that the most serious evils arose from at tempting to remove capital from one occupation to another. In 1818, the land of England had been abandoned for other objects, according to the plans of the political economists. They had parcelled out the country, and divided its soil into pastures, N% hich they called numbers 1,2, 3,4, and 5 ; and they ' had stated, that numbers 5 and 4 must be abandoned, and the capital of the farmer removed from it. What was the consequence ? Why 175 adver tisements appeared in a provincial newspaper of farming stock to be sold, which explained what were the:effects of removing capital from land. The suffer ings and ruin of the farmer explained them. The poverty and distress of the agricultural labourer told the same story. But though the theorists might talk of removing capital as an easy matter, the people, the labourers, could not be removed, and they were likely to perish by the change. What constitutes the capital of the manufacturer ? Machinery and dwellings adapted to his trade, and to the localities of his situation, and stock of different kinds in the various stages of production. Only a part, and a small part, of this capital was susceptible of being removed. Another and most important part of capital consists of the knowledge, skill, and experience of the labourer. That skill, experience, and knowledge could not be removed ; for they could not be applied to another trade. The disadvantages of removal were so great, the confidence that a man had in his own skill was so great, and he had so little confidence in other em ployments, that he never did remove unless he was compelled. Men would not change their employ.. merits whatever ruin might be brought on them by a restless Legislation. They clung to the remnants of their ruined fortune.—(Hear, hear.) —Despair, and nothing but despair, could make them give up their trade. The labourer, therefore, and his skill, were lost by any change. Much had been said about speculation ; but of all speculation that was the most desperate which legislated on the supposi tion that tire labourer could give up the line of his pursuits, and capital be withdrawn from any occu pation at the command of the legislator without loss. The silk weaver, who had besieged the doors of that Uopse with his prayers, and who was then waiting in patience and with confidence for the decisions of that House, which they did not deserve—the silk weaver was an efficient, a skilful, and he would say an eminently valuable member of the eßmmu:- ;I.ity, deserving that his qualities and his pursuits should he respected by all ; but he mow found him self thrown out of his line, inefficient, helpless, and an incumbrance to himseif end the community. The six months' suffering to which lie imd. ppvv been ex posed had already taken 20 years from his life, added them to his age. He was the victim of disease and familie; and his family, whom he had carefully trained up in habits of industry, were found naked in the streets, and were doomed to starvation, or to swell the large list of juvethie offenders. By this process, the weavers were as certainly doomed to extermination as if they were condemned to civil or military execution ; but they were not so quickly dispatched. To remove them from one occupation to another, was to doom them to sufferings and destruction. Was their value so small, their character so bad, that they were thus to hp silently and certainly doomed ? Were they merely the producers of bad silk at a high price ? No : they were coNerners of our own produce to a great extent. The first duty, he thought, of the Government of a commercial country, .was tp foe : - .cure a market for the surplus produce of its soil.— If there were oo soh market, that produce would be ralueless, and the industry which preated it would be laid asicifi, If a market were found for thap pro 'lace, the industry of the country was d,eyeloped, and capital of the co4Nry would he increased. He knewt:::!t this was oppos'ed tp the doctrine of the political economists; but be would contend that we ought to provide a maiitot for our surplus pro duce, and leave our imports to take care of them selves. No market for this was equal to the home market ; anti this market consisted of our own ma nufacturers. The few hundred thousand men who were engaged in the silk trade were a better market for our own agricultural produce than fifteen million foreigners. The silk manufacturers also consumed our woollens and our linens, and encouraged the productions of all classes. But now they could buy nothing; ail their property was carried to the pawn brokers; their decencies had first been sacrificed, and now they had given up whet was necesssry to their existence. Their property fell into the heed of the general dealer, and was rolled back on the pro : ducer, stopping up all the outlets for his productions, This population, who had once been so useful to all their fellow-citizens, were now spreading distress on every side, and corrupting by stagnation every branch of industry. He could not consider the silk manu facturers as useless and inetliciept members of so ciety—they were rather some of its essential and vital parts. They constituted portions of the strength and wealth of the empire ; they were the elements of our nation:lj greatness and prosperity, and their prosperity could not be ihminislied without injuring the whole. Nature had lavished on this .ernpirp all the sources of abundance. They were all sarrifiece4 x 9 the re morseless precepts of a false theory. The mea sures which had destroyed our prosperity were not founded on experience, but on doubtful theories, and could not .be carried into execution without bringing famine on tb,c. country. He did not think the measure recommended by f,ii;estv's Govern ment would lessen the evils of the sific manufac ; Curer-, or give them any relief. These evils, he be lieved, originated in general causes, which affected the whole industry of the country, and they called on Parliament to institute ap infjeiry into the whole condition of the country. (Hear, hear.) 31r, SADLER contended that the itnpolicy of acting on the principles of flee trade was shewn by the distress of our capitalists, and by our labourers steeped to the lips in poverty and misery. Tka principles of free trade had paralysed every interest it had touched. The plough and the shuttle had been sacrificed to jobbers and speculators. This country was weighed down by taxation and could not dispense with restrictions: To admit the silks of France wab giving a bounty and a premium to the looms of that country. If the House were to go into A committee, it 'Would be prpved that the English labourer was subjected to a heavier toll than the French labourer,. Under such circumstances, it was necessary that the trade of England should'be guarded and protected. We are now acting on con trary principles. The Hon. Mfmber then obsefved, that the diminution of the consumption of malt, and the increase of the number of bankruptcies, were sufficient evidences of the tendencies of free trade to deteriorate the condition of the people. In the three years before 1826, when the free trade system was established, the average number of bankruptcies amounted to 1,3.55; while, in the three years slime the system was called into operation, the number amounted to 2,609, being an increase of nearly 100 ?er cent. Without adverting to the alarming in. crease of the poor rates, which had been increasing from the termination of the war up to 1826, and the equally alarming increase of crime—it might be at once declared, that the theories of the political eco nomists were rapidly plunging the country into the extremities of misery and distress. He did not blame the present head of the Board of Trade for this result. He believed that the Right Hon. Gen tleman was compelled to follow the course marked out by his predecessors; but lie implored him, to pause before it was too late, and consider well the consequences likely to result from his measures. Mr.COURTENAY said, that two remedies were suggested for the evils which prevailed in that trade: one to prohibit this importation altogether, and the other to give a duty sufficient for the•protection of the British manufacture. Prohibition, it was cer tain, could not prove an effectual support, because its object would would be defeated by smuggling; and, indeed, it was by no means certain that the distress of the silk weavers could be fairly attributed to the importation of foreign silk, for it was well known that great distress existed in some other trades where no importation was allowed. In France, for instance, where the restrictive system prevails to the greatest extent, there was quite as much dis- 1 tress in various branches of manufactures. After all the consideration which the Government were en abled to apply to the subject, they had come to.ehe conclusion that the distress was mainly owing to over-trading, or what was more generally denomi nated over production. The Hon. Member for Callington (Mr. Baring) had ridiculed this as'ime possible, and declared that the merchants and manufacturers of this country knew their interests too well to be guilty of such folly. This would be very well, and was no doubt true, where the manu facturers had an opportunity of consulting together; but the fact was, that a competition took place be. tween the manufacturers, which gave rise to this over production ; and it therefore became not a competition between English and French manufac turers, but between English and English. This ac counted for that consumption of the raw material to which the Hon. Member for Newark alluded, and to which Government had not referred as a proof of prosperity, but of a great extension of trade. He then read an extract from the petition of the silk manufacturers of London, which ascribed the evils of that trade to the want of prohibitory or protect ing duties. It was alleged on the part of the peti tioners, that the cause of their distress was the great importation of foreign goods. Now, the legal im portation was extremely small, and did not ep roach to the one-twentieth part of the whole ma nufacture of the kingdom. But, on the other hand, it was said there was a great importation of foreign goods, by smuggling; and the petitioners stated that the amount of this illegal importation was three times as much as the legal importation. In con quence of this statement, his Right Hon, Friend (Mr. V. Fitzgerald) had set about to ascertain the expense at which foreign goods could be imported; and the result to which he came, on the best infor mation he could obtain, was, to propose the reduc tion of the duties on foreign silk, to the utmost point at which there was any probability of collect ing the duty. He maintained that Government ,were giving to the silk manufacturer the utmost protection which the case would permit. There was no disposition on the part of Governinerit to depart from the system adopted in 1824 and 1825. With regard to a point which had been frequently adverted to in the debate—the importation of raw silk- he would beg to state, that on comparing the three years * before the resti:ictioos were taken off, and the two last years since the system had come into complete operation, that importation had actually doubled. The increase which had taken place was much too great to be accounted for on any of the ground;, stated by the petitioners. The fact was, that the importatfonef raw silk had actually increiteed from 2,000,0001b5. to 4,000,0001b5. a year. He de nied what had been stated by the Hon. Member for Callington (Mr. Attweod), that the present measure was parrying still further the system to which he objected, by a greater reduction of the duty on foreign silk goads. That system was ori givally adopted in 1824, and established in 1826, when the duty was fixed at 30 per cent. as the ?na : fiinue or highest duty to be collected, and to that duty Goverpmept pow adhered. .1- 11 F 1 ' ! l a4 been said as to the concomitant' importation and e- 4 - portation that had taken place in the foreign trade of this country, in consequence of the measures adopted for giving it greater freedom. It was perfectly true that these measures had produced, or had certainly been rc lpwed by a very considerable importation of foreign merchandise, and theincreeee pf the e*pprta a tion of British goods. During the three years before the restrictions were removed, as compared with the two yeprs since, there was an increase of the im portetionpf foreign geode of no than l 2,000,000;, according to the . official value, namely, from tp 44,000,0001. During the same period, the increase Pr the. e*pprtetion of British manufacture was from 42 to 52 millions, fie wiihpa also to cap the attpn r tion of the House to the fact that the exports were chiefly of those articles which were either of our own manufacture, or in which there was ne r.'oi:opp4ition with this country. These were glass, molasses, raw silk, spger, t e a, cotton, wool, and the only article or a doubtful tia.• tpre was sheep's wool. During the same time there had bee; i also a very Considerable increase indeed of the importation of 'cotton goods, Cotton yarn, wine, and steel, wrought and unwrought, and linen manu factures. For every importation of foreign goods there was a corresponding export of British produce end manufactures in iron, copper, brass, hardware, and lead pee. 4a tp the argument that we ought not to take foreign gooilifrpm those cquatriee which refused in return to receive others, he would "billy answer by reading the passage from the London" Petition of 1820. These principles of commercial intercourse were generally admitted; for no country but Russia persevered in a severe and obstinate system pr prohibition. In France there was a strong dispotion towards an 4pproAiin4tioil to free trade, and in Germany there were similar mil). toms. Prussia, indeed, had a freer system of trade 'than even this country. The Hon. Gentleman, in concluding, disclaimed any intention of giving alec ter; on political economy, though convinced that the only Bound principle for the commercial iptpr e course of nations was that of absolute freedom ; for who could say that any nation should be prohi bited from buying or selling according to its interest with other nations 1 Mr, BARING thought the debate had gone too much on general priP6Pies. CAlleutip (Mr. Attwood) had ably advocated the doctrines of political economy, and nobody had attempted to an swer him. When he beard the advocates of the silk trade declaiming against theories, he could not help being reminded of the Ourgeokg9tithonune of Mo liere, who found that he Irad been talking Ppetry all his life without being aware of it; so Hon. Mem bars complained of theories , and yet were full of psen th r e e mt t Bill, herns because, eives.7-( if ‘ A laug Ve h7)i7etle4 supported the to teject it, we should go back in other branches of trade which had now been reduced to a system. He, for one, was r 4 -41 41:nosed to go back to the old system, because in o h worked benefi c i a ll y tp th e countryth e ; e and silk trade Was an odor : c r i p o e e althought l t tunate branch of trade in this country, arising from a combinatiOn of circumstances, yet he was not sure that it Would he better off if other principles than anise in which the present Bill was founded were acted upon. He concluded by expressing his sup port of the measure propounded b e Righe-Hon. Gentleman. ; Mr. MABERLY supported the , against the theories of the Member for Callington (Mr. Att wood), and the declamations of the Member for Newark (Mr. Sadler.) He did not stadd up as the supporter of free trade, but he aimed at an approxi mation towards it, as far as was consistent with the interests and peculiar situation of the country. He thought the duty at 30 per cent. well adapted to this country in reference to the duties on other arti cles. The Hon. Member concluded by expressing his support of the Bill, and his disposition to can vass fairly and attentively the clauses of the Bill in Committee. Mr. MONCK opposed the Bill. The cries of " Question l" were renewed on the close of the Hon. Member's speech. The gallery was then cleared for a division. The House then divided— _ For the Amendment Against it 9O Majority 6B The House then resolved itself into the Committee. After a short discussion, in which Mr. Baring, Mr. Ward, Mr. Fyler, Mr. V. Fitzgerald, Mr. P. Thom son, Mr. Courtenay, Mr. G. Phillips, Mr. Hume, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Alderman Waithmaa, Mr. Wells, &c., participated, the various clauses of the Bill were agreed to. The House having resumed, the Report was brought up, and ordered to be received on Monday neat. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Two o'clock. LIS' WHO VOTED POE THE ;T OF THE MINORITY AMENDMENT THAT THE 81,LE BILL EE cq TIM THAT D4V atz wznoli2, E, , tcouxt, I'. G. B. Sibthorpe, C. I). Heathcote, Sir W. Smith, Abel Heathcote, Sir G. Vyvyan, Sir R. Monet, J. B. Waithman, Ald. Palmer, R. Wells, J. Rickford, W. Sadler, M. T. TELLERS. Seymour, Henry Fyler, T. B. 4 0 144 13 P. Ge4:4fe Attwood, M. Banked, H. Bastard, E. P. Bright, H. Davenport, D. Dickinson, W. Dui combs, Hon. W. Egerton, W. Encorni4e, Lora NO LOATHSOMNESSE IN LOVE. What I fancy I approve— No dislike there is in love ; Be my mistresse short or tall, And distorted therewithall ; Be she likewise one of those That an acre hath of nose ; Be her forehead and her eyes Full of incongruities ; Be her cheeks so shallow too, As to show her tongue wag through ; Be her lips ill hung or set, And her grinders black as Jet; Has she thinne haire, bath she non 44 She's to me a paragon. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, in Paris' has granted leave of absence to J. B. GRTE, a French sailor, who, at the imminent risk of his own life, saved two English ladies from drowning, whilst battling in the s pa at Boulogne, to permit him to attend the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Humane Society, on Monday next, to receive the honorary medallion from the hands of Adwirdi Sir EDWARD CODR4NGTONI This may be justly called the Age of Novels. Never was such there such an abundance of works of Sction suited to every class—fashionable novels, satirical novels, sentimental novels, historical novels, travelling novels, military novels, naval novels, religious novels, and even anti-religious novels. Drawn into the irresistible current of the ruling taste, the philosopher who formerly would have written an essay, the humourist who would have penned a estire, the traveller who would have published his i.urnal, the soldier who would have narrated his cam paigns,—each now works up his materials into the ap proved form of a novel in three volumes. Another variety of the religious class has just appeared. The great success the Qt thodox min Calvinistic novels has, we presume, led to this novelty on the CATHOLIC side, under the title of FLORENCE, which, besides some very interesting cha racters, contains a full allowance of the subtle argument and eloquent dialogue which form the great attraction for the readers of this species of books. So:ne surprise is expressed in the city that the office of chief cashier at the Bank has been suffered to re main vacant, and has been the case for more than three or four weeks, as such delay, when good things are to be given away, is far from being usual. The emoluments or the office, if the current notion of its value. may ho ylopted, life not much less than 5,0004 annually. The rumour put forth to-day, to account for the long inter regnum, is that the office is intended by the Directors for one of their own body, who will vacate hit teat for *4 purpose of taking it, TWs r epp. O , h s weyer, is difficult to beliwte, and of course requires confirmation.— Times. We understand the engagement between N. LAPORTE and Mademoiselle SONTAG has been entirely broken off, on the following grounds :—The name of Mademoiselle SONTAG has been advertised to appear e.II Tuesday next, not only without htiving con9ltide4 the one ditiois of the engab.et4ot, but we believe against her own request. The lady wished to sing at Concerts as well as at the King's Theatre, but M. LAroezx would not con sent ; offers having been made to Mademoiselle SONTAG to sing at six Concerts at the Argyll Rooms, in which Signor Viatuti and Alademoiselle ELAM are to sing, Mademoiselle SONTAG accepted the terms proriosed t it sfqins, hqs tryle q subsequent or of con,. orderable amount if the lady would forego the promise she had previously made, but nothing could induce her to crifice her word. Many carriages at the late Levee and Draw ing-reom had additional foot-boards attached to the hind standards, so as to prevent those which followed them pe. netrating the panels, 13ISTUltBAttOE MACCLESFIELD.---On . Thursday a meeting was held for the purpose of petition ing Parliament against the measures proposed by Mr. FITZGERALD, and for an indemnity for the losses the wea vers have sustained. At this meeting one of the speakers made use of some very violent and inflammatory language, and there is no doubt that thin, coupled with the determi nation of Messrs. Bnocp,xfatias.rs, the most extensive manufacturers in the town, to make a further reduction in their already low wages, has led to the results we are about to detail. About eight o'clock on Monday evening the first demonstrations of riot were manifested, by the assembly of parties of men and boys in the market-place, drawn together, no doubt, by a preconcerted arrangement. In about half an hour, nearly a thousand individuals had qatTcnbled, and at a g iv er! signal they Proigeded i amidst h i nd cheering , t o commence th e wor k o f demolition at Messrs. BROCXLEHURSTS factory, in Hurdsfield, about half a mile from the town. Meanwhile the Magistrates and some of the principal inhabitants of the town, without having any distinct idea of the object which the rioters had in view, assembled at the Town-hall, and a number of special constables were sworn in. The recruiting partieci oatioiied in tlrpt Wwr, Issve alsn p e t tinder arms, and, in oo mpany with the special constables, followed in the route taken by the mob. On their arrival in Hurdsfield, how ever, they were too late to prevent the completion of the mischief, fom the mob had succeeded in demolishing all the windows in front of Messrs. BROCILEHURSTS' factory, and in breaking and extinguishing 'every gas lamp in ihe;r rc o, What might liave been theieulterior object is not known, for on the app roac h o f t h e c i v i l f orce, the mob speeolivin!y, dispersed, and b e f ore m id n i g h t t h e town was res tored to its wonted tr , inquillity. A meeting of delegates from the several factories was held the same night, when it was resolved that a general strike of all the weavers should take place, meeting ilfestir o s.ofathocex‘LvEenavtlertresT:vaas held g ev6 to pay the prices which are p a id b y other mandacturers. in an empty factory, when the resolution palmed by the de- On legates on the previous evening was u nan i mous ly a d o pt e d ; Tuesday morning until a and between 2,000 and 3,000 weavers paraded the streets during the aftenioon, but without any manifestations of riot pr disordFr. Neyerthe;es, it was deemed udvisahle, ter tile preseryatipn of the public peace, that a military force should be stationed in the town and accordingly a despatch was eent to the officer in command at INlan ehelter, and 41)00 nine o'clatA in the evening the fears of the inhabitants were relieved by the arrival of two troops of the first Dragoon Guards, who were followed soon afterwards by a detachment of the 67th infantry, from Stockport. Yesterday (Wednesday) the turn-outs, several thousands in number again Walked in pracssiori thiaragh t h e st reets, prec*d by a Bated of music playicg the peed Margit," and carrying flags trimmed with black crape, on one of whi c h was i nscr ib e d t h e words cc We only want to work for our living.' Up to one o'clock no further symptoms of riot had been manifested, and it was h ope d that the presence of the military would tend to res tore the town to tranquillity.—m ane h es t er Paper. PRICES DAY AT 01.1 X O'CLOCK. Bank stock - 3 per Cent. Red. ... ..... FI6U %% Old Annuities 86% 3 per Cent. Cons 86% %7 1 New Ditto — 339 per Cent.' — Ex. BiII...RIAD 2d. 51 , 1 57 pm. Ditto Red. 95% % 4 Ditto 500 2d. 58 57 pm. 4 per Cent. ..... ....... 1.02N 3 % % Ditto Small 2d. 57 58 pm. Ditto, 11426 102% % Ditto Commercial Bank L. Ann. I9U 3-16 Bank tbr Account — India Stock 227 226 i India for Account Ditto Bcnds ...... ...... 46 47 pm. ICons. for Acct. 86 7 i 7%1S PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds — Neapolitan — Brazilian Bonds '53 Peruvian Bonds — Buenos Ayres 80nd5......... Portuguese Bonds — Chilian Bonds ... — Prussian, Old — Colombian Bonds — Ditto, New ION Ditto, 1824 15% Russian 05% Danish - 64g, 5 Spanish. 1821 — Greek Bonds 1823 — Ditto, 1825 — French Renter, sp. c. 107 f. —c. Guatimala - Exchange 2st. 50c. Mexican Bonds — 3 per cent. —f. —c. Ditto, 1825 21:N Exchange —f. —c COURSE OF EXCH. Amsterdam C.F 12 4 Ditto, at sight 12 If Rotterdam ~..., 21;1 12 4 Aptioeyp ....„ 19 4 HarPllnvgb ILL 13 141 Altona 13 14f Paris, 3 days' sight 25 60 Ditto 2 U. 25 85 Bordoaux 25 90 Berlin Frankfort on Maine, Ex. M 152 Petersburgh, ruble, 3 Us. 10 0 Vienna, effective fl. 2M. 10 6 Trieste de. 10 6 Madrid , „.„,„ 36% Cacti; ,;,.• Si Eirge,a 36% Barcelona 365 Seville 36% Gibraltar 49% :g, DUBLIN, APRIL `c9. .St. Patrick intur. (per sh.) Royal Irish Ditto — National Ditto 22)4 (Patriotic Ditto — Hibernian Bank l7 Provincial Ditto — Royal Irish Mine — !Imperial Mine — Mining Co. of Ireland — Commercial Buildings .— MAILS. Arrived. Due. Aryivg. Due. O America . ‘,. 2 0 Hamburgh 0 Q Bmiil ,...,:i.. . 0 0 Holland 0 Atfenos Ajres 0 0 Jamaica 1 Dubl.n 0 I Leeward Wanda ... 0 O Flanders 1 0 Lisbon 0 O France 0 0 Malta O Gottenburgh 0 0 Mexico O Guernsey &Jersey- 0 2 Waterford ...... .t.,,, 0 This day were puhlishpd, in a vols. post Om a Is. 6d. TR AITS of TRAVEL; or TALES of AIEN and CITIES. By the Author " High-ways and By-ways." . • f' Mr. Grattan has brought the imagination of the novelist to the materials of the traveller—he has sat down, by the hearth—he knows the home—the habits of the people he describes."—Literary Gazette. Printed for Henry Colburn, New liurlington-street. ,NCE YESTERDAY• Leghorn.,,..,. 47% pepaa 25 65 Venice Malta 48% Naplas . :Ai% Palermo we:. 110 Lisbon Oporto 45 Rio Janeiro Bahia 34 'Buenos Ayres -, Dublin, VI days' eight, l% Cork ....~, 1.16111 oz. s. d. Portugal Gold, coin 0 0 0 Foreign Gold, in bars 3 17 9 New Doubloons 0 0 0 New Dollars Silver, bars, standard 0 4 111 bg vvoe.4--4*lnt. LONDON, SiATURDAY EVENING, MAY 2, 1929. It will he seen by our Parliamentary report that three more Catholic Peers took the oaths and their seats last night—Lord STAFFORD, Lord STOURTON, and Lord PETRE. There are only two more English Catholic Peers to take thei► seats. The Peers who took the oaths last night went over and took their seats on the Opposition Benches, while the Duke of NORFOLK, Lord DORMER, and Lord CLlF *kottb, on Tuesday ,evening, went over to the Ministerial side of the House. This makes an equal division. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, last night, gave notice that he would, on Friday next, bring forward the Budget. At the same time, the House will resolve itself into a Com mittee on the Sinking Funds Acts, when the intentions of Government will be fully explained. Mr. EYLER and Mr. ROBINSON laboured hard last night to defeat the Silk Regulation Bill, but they were defeated most triumphantly. Really if the opponents of the principles of Free Trade can only muster 22 members we think it were modest to withhold their opposition. The Free Trade system was ably supported by Sir H. PARNELL and others, and only requires fair play to convince even those who, though convinced ' 4 Are of the same opinion still." The Bill for the new Auction Duties has been abandoned by the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE QUER last night, as it was ascertained that its operation would be particularly prejudicial to several branches of our commercial interests. The contents of the French Papers are chiefly extracts from the German, and these we know are all about the immediate recommencement of hostilities in the East. The head-quarters of the Russians were to be removed on the 16th to the camp before Silistria, where the Grand Duke MICHAEL would arrive at the same time. The hospitals were still full of sick, and the return of milder temperature had only increased their number. The Turks were assembling considerable forces about Rudschuk and Silistria, anti within a few days from this time important events may be expected. FRENCH FUNDS, APRIL 28. —Rentes Five per Cents. 107 f. 35e. ; Three per Cents. 78f. 65c. 60e. ; Bank Shares, 1860 f. Foastcx FUNDS.—Neapolitan Her tes, Cert. Fal. 86f. 40c. 44c. ; Royal Spanish 1 oan, SO ; Interminable Spanish Annuities, 53i 52i ; Haytian Loan, 4.80 f. Jamaica Papers have been received at the North and South American Coffee-house to the 20th March, being thr e e days later than the last accounts. It appears that in consequence of an insur rection, headed by Col. OBANDO, that BOLIVAR has issued a Proclamation, consisting of seven 4rticles, the most important of which is the fol lowing:— PROCLAMATION OF SINION BOLIVAR. Considering first, that the insurrection headed by Col. Obando has disturbed the public peace in the circuit of Popayan, and the province of Pasto— Art. 1. I grant pardon tq all thaw persons who have been engage 4 the insurrection headed by Cul. Obando, p t qvide4 they come forward in twenty days from this date, and deliver upon oath their faithful adherence to the Go vernment of the Republic, first having deposited their arms in the hands of the Authorities. (From the Jamaica Courqnt, of March 19.) By an express from the 4orth aide of the island we have the following interesting intelligence A serious misunderstanding has taken place between the ICKS THIS PRICES OF IRISH STOCI Bank Stock Consols, 3 per (lent Gov. Stock, 3% per cent O6 Ditto, New 4 per Cent lO2 Gov. Deb. 3% per cent isn Royal Canal Stook 423 Grand Canal Stock City Deb. 4 per cent . Ballast Office Deb. 4 p. c. '~« Magistrates af-tha large and apaleat parish "of Treb" ln t and the acting Attorney-Gener a l, H ugo James, EEO: consequence of his attempting to execute a second ........,4 6°1 7 mission of inquiry upon the conduct of William 3 ";: ' the Custom-house Rotulorum of that parish, and °tiliffne the Magistrates of that parish, his associates. last year a commission from the Colonial 0MC1, ".- rected to Chief Justice Scarlett and the Attoinei-Cle lll. `, was executed, at Falmouth, Trelawny, upon the sa be r '' namely, the complaint made by a p erson o f the Da.nl_ t e Benjamin ag a inst the M ag i s t ra t es f or a ll ege d pa s t and violation of the sl a v e l aw . Th e re p ort o f the Co' sioners was, it is understood, carried to England by the Co` lonial Chief Justice, W. A. Scarlett, being also-on - therf; mission. It appears that the Colonial Office was not iow7 , with the report, and instituted anoth er C o mmission," t rected to the Attorney-General (till his Majesty's 1 11 dea ll `; be known). Hu go J ames a tt emp t e d t o exec ute it .4 ' t Falmouth, Trelawny, when a degree of angry feeling . .." . displayed hitherto un k nown i n th e i s l an d. The O P ' gistracy, to a man, declared, rather than submit to the reiterated insult of having their characters impeached b y * tribunal unknown to the Constitution of the coed . . . they would, one and all, throw up their commissions. result has has been, that the Magistrates have solemotr:i fused to recognise thi s new C omm i ss i on ; an d t h e exc' indignation of all classes of the inhabitants against this'l l tempt is stronger than ever before witnessed here. Papers have been received from Bombay, bi lt they are of old dates. I The Allgemeine Zeitung of the 25th API . ' contains a long article, copied from the Courie r of Smyrna, the main object of which is t° impute bad faith and ambitious designs to the President of Greece, who is accused of reviving and fostering rebellion in Candia. Letters received from Holland bring a Orl i curious account o f th e new an d aw f u l s ystem warfare which the Turks are going to adopt i n the ensuing campaign. Orders have been gi ve " to the Turkish Commanders, that on the sr proach of the Russians to a town they are w dig up the churchyards, an d b r i ng the dea d bodies into the houses ; the inhabitants are in stantly to leave the towns :—should the Ruoil take possession o f th ese pl aces a pestilence o ily immediately assail them. If the Turks can muster no better weapone' °( defence than the dead bones of their ancestor' we apprehend their cause is as hopeless as " The waveless calm—the slumber of the dead," and the dust of their ancestors, in that paiti ol9t region at least, is not endued with the same iv' spiration as that of— " Thoae who at Marathon and Leuctra bled." TIIE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.) CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCIr There does not appear to be much business in Pw English Funds this morning, and the bustle casioned by the report of a funding being about take place in the floating debt of the country to subside, and obtains less belief than in the instance when stated, the consequence has been tb lii the price of Consols has materially improved ; opened at 864 4, and are now 874 the nart. l price, with the market evidently in a better con dition. India Bonds are 46 8 pin. ; Exchequer Bills, 57 8 pm. The Foreign Funds are in a quiescent IttgteZ Brazilian Bonds are 524 31 ; Portuguese, 454 v; Buenos Ayres, 25 6; Danish, 641 4; and Ruftir' 954. In Shares there is very little doing, Bolanos ha ve risen, the discount th ereo n having decreased .toffir" which it. the only alteration. Three per Cent. Consols, 8 1 71; Ditto for Account,' 974; Four per Cent., 1826, 1021 ; India Stock, fili 6 ; 228 ; Bank Stock, 20S 9 ; India Bonds, 46 8 ; Eseheilot Bills, 57 8 pra. 25 . 6 ; Fousicar.—Brazilian, 524 34; Buenos Mr° l4 g a Chiliau, 16 IS ; Colombian, 15 1; Danish , '',4 l . m k, French, 5 per Cent., 107 i; 3 per Cent., 78 I; Six P et " 141 151 ; Mexican, Five per Cent., 161 174 ; R C e uis ni i a , Nn1, 2 5 0 9._ 4 5 A l n; ; giso P p e ma r n t e t i v sxi i ii s c, n a9 , nl lo l7o6. l2 s ; d P is o . rt ; ug ß u r ese a 40 50 pm. ; Bolanos, 30 dis. ; Colombian, 254 2 4 4 L e i " Real Del Monte, 120 130 per share; United Maw" - 301 29/ dis. TWO O'CLOCKn g Consols, 864, buyers, for account, and seller§ I° money. THREE 0' Ci 0 CP. Consols, 86i 7. between O and three o'clock this afternoon, by by The Royal Exchange was honoured, a visit from the ' two other gentlemen ; his presence attracted much att entioll ; and it was highly gratifying to observe the fee li ng ly :, respect which this highly esteemed Nob leol9 created in the citizens present at the time. FOUR O'CLOCK.—CLOSING PRICE S '' Consols 86i 7 Daaisk 65 Greek, 1825 1 5 1 Do. for Ac. 86i 7 venerable Earl Fitzwilliam, atten d ed Brazilian Bonds 531 Mexican, 1825 201 Buenos Ayres 25f Peruvian Chilian Do. I Russian 95i Columbian, 1824 151 iSpanish 9i MALTA, APRIL 13.—The Aria (Adfnir ill Sir P. MALCOLM), Spartiate,Windser Castle, and Isi s i and some smaller ships of war, will sail in a few days , ' ' probably proceed to the Levant. The Sovereign, from Calcutta, which 10 been discharging her cargo the last few days, laVt.af' seized. The officer on duty, in examining 15 package': nankeens, found concealed in one a case of tea ; the, 441 1;;; • quence was, the vessel was seized by him, until it ef '- ascertained whether the tea had been shipped in Liverpool Courier. ILL-TIMED SLIP IN THE MEMORY:"T he j A itfr representative of Gloster, in the tragedy of King at Reading, was on one occasion taken ill at a shor t 1 ,4 Lice, and another gentleman was found who Wag °„--, rough-studied" in the character. He got on, las e ',, r ; famously until he came to the scene where At has his e ' d t put out, and then he begged permission to read the 1.- of the part. VIOLENT STORM.—On Tuesday last, t _ pa h/g.. ; town and neighbourhood was visited by a virdeuttstrae. of wind and rain, which continued several hours. are blown down in every. direction, and many " a ford monarch" that had successfully defied the storms of 0 4 ,. a century, now lies extended on the plain. Several have been unroofed in the surrounding villages, but we P o happy to add no serious accident has occurred.-- 46 Herald. ir A gentleman of the name of SCOTT (a " e- ,0 relative of the great Sir WALTER Score) who is VW I c e the Sydney Hotel in this city, in travelling up fromt west on Friday last, encountered such violent storm/ w hail, rain, snow, and wind, as to render it not difficult but hazardous to proceed, as for nearly siX r a x i te r of road the carriage was obliged to wade through 11 up to the horse's girths.—Bath Journal. May seems to have commenced under 101 genial auspices, the thermometer on Thursday night be'D 15 deg. higher than on the preceding. A short time since a human skeleton Was up in a field, of Mr. Joust WHISLER, in Magdalen. wo , was perfect, arid not far from the surface. The P IP I t coming in contact with it was the occasion of its &seal& No reason ran be given fur these bones being found in •• a situation, as there is no record of its .having ever 'Aye burial place. Many large trees and other substances 7;„, at different times been dug up in the neighbourho sw Norwich Mercury.