The Sun. — London, England, 1848-01-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY - A 10, lB4B, THE ZOLLVEREIN PROTEC TION VERSUS FREE TRADE. (Continued from The Sun of Thursday.) Ire treating of the subject which we now have I,efore us—namely, the removal of the difficulties with which the laws of foreign countries impede the development of our shipping trade and the sale of our naanufhctures, we must of course, and even more than in the preceding sections, deal in conjectures and pee -nabilities only. Nothing is more difficult to predict han the resolutions that will be c me to by foreign 4ovornments relative to future measures. If, how ever, differential duties are to be used as the means of obtaining for ourselves the same rights as are enjoyed oy the natives of different countries, we must be sure beforehand of the result, or we shall only call forth a system of petty retaliatory custom-house warfare, which embitters without effecting much good. Hitherto, having had to consider the differential system merely as a means for promoting our ship ping trade and commerce, we have dwelt exclu sively upon those measures appertaining to it which would be likely to affect those two interests ; now, however, that we have to deal with it in its character of a retaliatory measure, we have further to take into account the third point, which we have not yet had under consideration —namely, the addi tional duty to be imposed upon goods, accordiag to the country in which they are produced. That diffe rential duties of this latter description, by impeding importation, and by necessitating a most burdensome system of control, must exercise an injurious influ ence upon commerce and trade, and, at all events, cannot exercise a beneficial influence on them, is self evident, and even the advocates of the system cannot look upon this part of it in any other light than that of a necessary evil to which they submit in the hope of forcing foreign powers into concessions which will ultimately outweigh its evil effects. But it is exactly' this kind of differential duty which is especially di rected against particu:ar countries, that is most likely to excite to retaliation ; and nothing could be more dangerous than to have recourse to measures against a country like England, for instance, the consumer of great quantities of German produce, which might lead to the exclusion of th ese pro d uc t s from her ports. Among the countries against which the differential system is to be applied with a view to removing the impediments placed by them in the way . of German navigation, commerce, and industry, Great Britain stands pre-eminent. But here we must make a dis tinction as to that part of England's navigation and customs laws which is connected with her colonial policy. Germany will certainly not pretened to force her into making any change herein. Germany, which posseses no colonies herself, will not certainly enter into so unequal a conflict with a country whose colonial possessions are the most extensive in the world. Besides, it is not all contrary to the princi ples from which the different projects for a German Navigation Act emanate, that the mother country and its colonies should be considered as one and the same country, that the trade carried on between the two should be placed on the same footing as the coasting trade of each particular country, and that the produce of each should be treated in the ports of the other the same as home produce; the English cannot, therefore, be denied the right of reserving the trade between Great Britain and her colonies for British ships alone, or from treating British produce more favourably than foreign produce in their colonial ports. We have further to consider with regard to this point, that by the prolongation of the charter of the East India Company until 1854, the regulation of the customs and navigation laws of British India, which act very unfavourably as regards the a'lmis sion of foreign ships and foreign produce, are with drawn from the immediate influence of the home Government, at least in as far as relates to changes to be introduced in the existing state of things. In the British West india colonies, also, the legislative assembly possesses an authority with regard to cus totns regulations, which would probably be exercised in opposition to the central Government, should the latter be inclined to make concessions in favour of German slips and of German produce. According to the draft of a navigation Act which we are here dis cussing, the projected navigation union does not ex pect greater advantages for its own produce in fo reign countries, than that it shall enjoy the same rights as the produce of the most favoured foreign nations, and that its ships shall be placed on the same foot ing as the home shipping of the foreign states, se far as regards trade between the ports of these states and foreign ports. The object to be attained by retaliatory measures on our side is therefore the removal of restrictions placed uposi the importation into England of non-European produce from German ports, as also of the hinderances opposed to the im portation of goods in other ships and from other ports than those of the producing country. The abolition of the first mentioned restrictions would indeed, under existing circumstances, be of little advantage to German commerce, but the removal of the last mentioned hinderances would, on the other hand, cer tadoly he of the greatest importance to German navigation ; the German flag would, under these circumstances, no longer he excluded from the carry ing trade between Eegland and other non-German ccuntries. That German shipowners would be able to avail themselves of this advantage has been proved by the experience of the present year, during which the Navigation Act has been suspended as far as re lates to the importation of articles of food. But the events of the current year have also laid hare the true nature of the navigation-laws. Bad and de structive in their nature, they originated in jealousy of other commercial countries ; were first reduced to a connected system to serve as a hostile measure against the Netherlands ; afterwards extended with a view to purposes of colonial policy; then con solidated through the influence of an all-powerful monied aristocracy; and they are now perhaps only maintained out of regard for certain individual inte rests called into existence by them, hut which will ultimately be thrown into the background by the pressure of public distress ; and the art of the legisla tor will be made to yield to the force of circumstances. From the earliest period, indeed, it has always been owing to the force of circumstances, and not to the retaliatory measures of foreign states, that modifica tions and relaxations of the English navigation laws have been conceded. If we look through the long series of such modifications, from Cronawell's Navi gation Act (1651) down to the latest in 1845, the Act of Parliament of 18'23, empowering the Government t o abolish all the still existing differential shipping charges (imposed by the Navigation Act of Charles It. in 1661), in every case where reciprocity could he secured, is almost the only example of such modifica tion being brought about directly by foreign influ ence. This change was at the time attributed to the retaliatory steps taken by Prussia; but these steps did perhaps only afford a welcome pretext to the enlightened statesmen of the day. At that time matters stood very differently from what they do now. The retaliatory means resorted to by Prussia, and which m ght have been imitated by other coun tries, were then really dangerous to English shipping interests, while to Prussia, who could view them as a temporary evil only they were less so. But the mea sures now proposed, particularly if they are to be limited to restricting indirect imports from England, are not such as could force Great Britain into such modifications of her Navigation Act as would almost ate tantamount to their repeal. With regard to our selves, however, the consequence would be, that we should fi n d ourselves permanent l y entang l e d i n a system of differential duties, which in other conti nental states has proved itself inadequate to promote their ow n commerce, or to induce England to make concessions. Besides, England has repeatedly made exceptions in favour of German states—namely, in 1824 in faveueoft in Hanse Towns,* in 1838, and at a later date also favour of Austria, Prussia, and other German states , y tand finally again in favour of et i the Hanse Towns,t none of these cases had re prisals been resorted to to force her into the treaties nor is the present susp ens i on of her 'Navigation Act ' in any way connected with m easures determined upon by foreign states. Now it may be predicted with some counueuee, that the effect s of some tie hind them, but that , on the contrary, Will not pass away without leavin g 3e the exp er i enc e of a year wi ll prove so irrefragably the tadvanta ges v 0 0 - f free trade over the p rohibitive s y ste m , h cates of the forme r will find themselve s considerably advanced towar ds the Aconsplishment of th e i r Wishes The appointment of a p arliamentary already com mittee has been already attained, an d there are published three folio volumes of evidence upon the su bj ect, gathered from the lip s of thosecannot, who are well ca ,of course, ac quainted with the matte r. judge of the ultimate result of an inquiry which enters into the most minute details, before we shall be in pos session of the conclusion of the evidence and the report of the committee ; but in reading the circumstantial minutes of evidence already published we certain l y per ceive th e impression, that belief in the utili t y of the navigation l aws has been shaken in almost all classes and in all directions, and that the flourishing state of the shipping interests and of the transatlantic trade of those states which act upon principles of free trade will furnish the chief argument in favour of the ab rogation of the prohibitive system. Should, however, the inquiry which h as b een commenced not , lead at once to an essential change in the system, this will be solely owing to th e protestation of the ship owners, that without thi s protection the shipping interests and the shipbuilders of England must suc- * By the articles stattvg ,that a Lubeck ship, built in .Bremen, coming from litimburgh, and manned with , lermans not nativei of Lubeck, shall, notwithstanding, oe o,nsidered as a Lubeck ship, and as if corning from Pt _ is own cot* .., f By thoAr tating that ships belonging to one of -Ihese countriei, oming from ourpors not belonging to ;:he same stii 4 o 4 .4 :.hall n,verth,less be considered ai . t.tt,ining from t.e.l own country. : By allowing' the import of German non-Hanseatic products froikthe game towns into her colonies. cumb to the competition of Germany and the states on the Baltic. These protestations ought, therefore, to be a solemn warning to others, as to how dan gerous it is to foster. by artificial means one particular branch of trade, which being once accustomed to such protection sees in the withdrawal thereof its ruin, because it feels that without its accustomed Drop it is not a match for a rival, grown strong by the free development of its powers. With regard to the Dutch navigation laws, matters stand some what differently. An essential modifica tion or the total abrogation of these cannot be ex pected to take place within a short period; nor can it be expected that the projected German measures will exercise any influence over them, in as far as they are connected with the colonial policy of the Nether lands. Whatever part of the laws is not directly connected herewith is but of little importance. The equalisation of the duties on goods im ported direct in German ships from German ports has already been obtained by Prussia, in virtue of the treaty of the 3d June, 1837, and the other North German states would, if it were de sirable, probably be able to obtain the same conces sion, without being obliged to have recourse to a navigation union ; but this concession would in re ality only be of importance to Hanover and Olden burgh, whose smaller vessels might in that case carry on a more active coasting trade with the neighbour ing Dutch ports than they do at present. With regard to the general commerce of Germany, and particularly as a means of redress for the many grievances occasioned by the colonial policy of Holland, such a concession would be without advan tage. Here we must repeat what we observed when speaking of the colonial trade of England—namely, that the trade and navigation betweeen the mother country and her colonies cannot properly be placed on the same footing as foreign commerce, and that particularly according to the principles of the draft of the treaty which we are discussing, it cannot be expected that a state should give up all advantages enjoyed by her flag and produce in her own colonies. But supposing even that we should venture to put forward such pretensions, the Netherlands would certainly meet them with the most strenuous opposition, and would indeed be obliged to do so, as it is well known that the credit, and consequently the political importance of that country, is mainly dependent upon the possession of her colonies, and on her present mode of rendering them profitable. The very extraordinary development of the productiveness of Java is well known, as also the preponderating share which the Government has in the profits of the island. In 1845 the productions of the island in coffee, sugar, and indigo, were divided thus:-- Government Property. Coffee ... ... .. 109,000,000110. Sugar .. ... ... 110,000,000 Indigo .. 1,539,867 Private Property. Coffee .. .. .. 18,000,0001b5. Sugar .. .. .. 33,000,000 Indigo 5,186 and cochineal, cinnamon, tobacco, and tea are almost exclusively Government property. The sale of this valuable amount of goods is entrusted by the Govern ment to the Handelsmaatchappy, established in the year 1823, and which last year realised thereby 44;340,000 florins, and in the previous year 51,625,000 florins. The clear profits accruing to the Govern ment, in 1845, amounted to 33,000,000 florins. Pre vious to the establishment of the Maatschappy, the Government obtained scarcely a sixth part of this sum. During the past year the company paid in re turn freights from the colonies to Holland 10,722,000 florins (in freights to Java only 175,300 florins) and in premiums to insuratice offices more than 1,000,000 florins. The freights paid to the Dutch shipowners by the Alaatschappy, from its first establishment till the beginning of the last year amounted to 125,000,000, and the premiums paid to Dutch insurers to 15,000,000 florins. The whole of Holland's commerce is founded upon the condition that this company shall take upon itself to land, store, and sell, in the mother'country itself, all the colonial produce con signed to it. The Government's right of property in the soil in Java, the monopoly of the Handelsmaats chappy, the employment of Dutch vessels for the transport of their goods, and of Dutch markets for the sale of the same, are so intimately connected with each other, that it is difficult to conceive that any concession could be made to German demands, with out endangering the whole system. The propriety of allowing at least a part of the productions of Java in possession of the Government to be shipped direct to the countries of consumption has repeatedly been dicussed, but the Government and the Maatschappy, who alone can decide the matter, have not been able to master their fears lest the home markets ni;ght be injured thereby ; this also explains why several other projects of theirs have not been put into execution, such for instance as the erection of depots, and the introduction of regular sales of Java coffee in Ham burgh, with a view to forming connexions with the northern customers of this market, or for the direct importation of Java produce into America, to help to satisfy the enormous consumption of the United States. But it is not alone the interests of the commercial cities of Holland that oppose every alteration in the system, considerations connected with the finances of the country also interfere to prevent them. It is only the produce of Java, and the manner in which it is converted into money, which render it possible 'for the country to bear its enormous pu'r.lic debt ; besides, the Handelsmaatschappy, in its relation to the state, assumes the character of moneylender. At the annual meeting of the company, in December last, in which an increase of its capital from 23,000,000 to 33,500,000, by the creation of new shares, And the prolongation of the existing state of affairs was de termined upon, the president explained the latter as follows (according to the report in Allgemein Han debthlad of 11th December 1846) :—" Of the com pany's capital, 10,000,000, which had been advanced to the Government at the rate of 4 per cent. interest, would remain in its hands until 1874 ; all the coffee, sugar, and indigo belonging to the Government is to serve as security for this loan, and is to continue as heretofore, to be exclusively consigned to the Meats chappy : all other colonial products, in as far as they are sent to the mother country for account of tilt- Government, are also to be consigned to the company; the contract to this effect having already been pro longed until 1854, is, in case the 1a,000,000 are not paid by that time, to he further prolonged for twenty years." That this prospect of a prolongation of their contract until 1874 is likely to be realised must be evident to all those who are acquainted with the posi tion of the Maatschappy with regard to the private relations of the Monarch, as well as to the state, and with the extensive power of the King relative to the revenues of the colonies. Under such circumstances, it must he granted that it could only be reasons of a very powerful nature that would be likely to effect any essential change in such a system. Mention is sometimes made of the monetary affairs of Java, which are supposed to be in so unfavourable a state that the Government will at last be obliged to deviate from the course hitherto pur sued. If such internal causes of change really do exist, they may be left to work out their effects ; but an influence from without, exercised with a view to the advantage of a particular country, cannot be ex pected to effect much, least of all would there be any thing to hope from a measure like the differential duties here in question, which,whether directed against the Dutch colonial produce as such, or against the in direct importation of such produce from Dutch ports, cannot, as has above been stated, affect cotton, indigo, cochineal, &c., without injuring Germany herself. Were the action of differential duties on the other hand to be limited to Java coffee, which as to quantity and quality has become so indispensable to us, no further harm would thereby accrue to the Dutch, than that in case the consumption in Germany should really be reduced in consequence of the duties, they would have to look out for new outlets for their produce in the northern countries of Europe and in America. As to Java sugar, of which from 40,000,000 to 50,000,0001b5. are annually consumed in Germany, it would probably be the German sugar-boilers and not the Netherlands who would suffer most from differential duties imposed upon it. The Nether lands need not, on the one hand, fear that so vast a quantity of one article could be entirely driven out of the German markets; and, on the other hand, they have reason to hope, that, in accordance with the first article of the Treaty of 1837 with Great Bri tain, and in consequence of the interpretation now given to the navigation laws, as well as of the treaty with Russia, concluded in September, 1845, new and important markets will be opened for their refined t this sugars in E ng la n d and Russia, / which will make amend s for an y even tf u l l osses i n G erman y. Here our reasoning very treaty might so in lately dee dbe eo m a e c t lud w e i d th w t i h th e remark, that Russia, and Still more the one concluded with Belgium, serve to prove that the Netherlands may be forced by retaliatory measuresinto making exceptions in their system. The Russo-Dutch treaty of Septem ber, 1846, does indeed contain in Article VII. the peculiar concession, that Russian ships shall be allowed to participate in the coasting trade of Hol land ; that these ships, when coming direct from Russia, s h a ll p a y less pilotage, and when laden with corn direct from Russian ports, s h a ll not only be placed on an q e ual footing with the • national ships, but even be favoured by a remission of 10 per cent. on the duty on goods paid by all other nations; but even independent of the circumstance that Holland has been induced to make these concessions by very important advantages, conceded in return, with regard to Dutch refined sugar, and to the indirect carrying trade with Dutch ships, this treaty would prove nothing relative to the measures which we are here diacussin g , becauge as regards the two points which Would he of the greatest importance to Germany— ; namely, the indirect navivation and the trade with the coloni es , t h e Itus sians'are only placed on an equal footing with the most favoured nations. The concession contained in Article XV. of the treaty concluded between the Netherlands and Bel gium on the 20th of July, 1846, seems at first sight more important than the one above mentioned; but it is only apparently so. This article states that the Belgians shall be allowed to import an amount of 8,000 tons (16,000,0001bs.) of the produce of the Dutch possessions in India, direct thence into Bel gium, upon payment of the same export duties as are imposed upon exports made in the ships of the mother country, but with an addition of eleven per cent. on the duty But as the Netherlands Government, on the other hand, does not bind itself to offer for sale in the colony a corresponding amount of its produce, the concession is practically almost reduced to nothing, for the Government does not allow any of its coffee and indigo to be sold in Java; and with regard to rice and sugar, the difference in the export duty is not so great as to prevent other nation, whose freights are more moderate than the Dutch freights, from competing with these and exporting to other coun tries than Holland. This is proved by the already existing direct importations from Java to the Hanse Towns, and by the active part which the latter, and particularly Hamburgh, take in that part of the trade of Java to which private individuals are admitted. According to what has just been stated, should Germany even succeed in obtaining from the Nether lands the same concessions as have been granted to Belgium by article 15 of the Belgian treaty (though not in consequence of her system of differential duties, but owing to circumstances which do not exist in the same degree in Germany), we should not be more benefitted thereby than is Belgium, unless it were at the same time stipulated that the Maatsehappy should be obliged to avail itself of German ships, as well as Dutch ships for the transport of its goods, and that the Government should be bound to sell Java coffee and in Ego to the Germans. But even, irrespective of the facts, that the Government could not impose any such obligation as the first-mentioned on the Maattschappy, and that by the contract with this company, which is binding until 1854, it is pre vented from subscribing to any such condition as the last-mentioned, such an arrangement would hardly be practicable; for Government could not of course exclude from its sales in Java all other pur chasers than Germans ; the whole amount offered might, therefore, possibly be bought up before the latter came into the market and there would be no other method of remedying this than by reserving a certain quantity of the pro duce from German purchasers, at prices fixed several years in advance ; a thing which would be utterly unfeasible. Even the admission of German manu factures into Java on equal terms with Dutch pro duce, would be of little benefit to German industry, because, as has already been mentioned, the con , sumption of such goods in that country is very trifling, and will probably remain so for a long time to come, owing to the poverty of the natives, who, reduced to almost slave-like toil, have no higher wants than their own home-spun stuffs can supply. The importation of manufactured goods into Java employs a very inconsiderable amount of capital, and is of no importance to the shipowner. As has already been shown, the out-freights paid by the Maatschappy last year did not amount to more than 175,300 florins (while the return-freights amounted to more than 10,000,000), the value of the goods sent to the colonies by the company, amounted, including their shipments of money, to no more than 8,500,000 florins ; white and raw cotton stuffs they sent to the amount of 4,000,000 florins ; dyed cot- , tons to the amount of 500,000, and printed cottons to an amount of 89,000 florins only; all other goods were transmitted in still smaller quantities. Another circumstance which renders it still less pro bable that any increase can be effected in the sale of our manufactures in this quarter is, that with regard to the white and dyed cotton stuffs which are there exclusively used, Germany would have to compete with England and Switzerland. The superlative ad vantages possessed by England in this branch of industry and trade have enabled her to compete so successfully with the cotton manufactures of Holland, though these are protected by premiums and high duties, that the manufacturing establishments founded in the mother country under the powerful protection of the Maatschappy, solely with a view of supplying the colonies, have not been able to keep their ground, but have mostly been abandoned after a few years' unsuccessful trial. In the year 1845 tbere was, ac cording to the official reports of the Dutch custom house authorities, imported altogether, into Java and Madura, Florins. _ . From the Netherlands, goods to the amount „ England „ Germany .. ... .. 9 825,702 .. ... ... 5,851,388 .. .. ... 352,489 Besides England and the Netherlands, it is princi pally Spain that we desire to influence ; and it would indeed be of great importance to us, on account of Cuba, could the Spanish Government be induced to treat the German flag somewhat more favourably ; but the projected retaliatory measures are, in this case as in all others that we have mentioned, and particu lat ly with regard to Cuba, more likely to injure Ger many herself than her opponent. On the one hand the geographical position as well as the produce of Ctsba are of such a nature that the Government need entertain no fears as to the disposal of the latter ; while for Germany and the German transit trade with the eastern countries, the supplies drawn from Cuba are of the utmost importance, particularly if indirect imports of colonial goods should be prevented from coming into our markets. On the other hand, it is not so much the advantage enjoyed by the Spanish flag in the trade from Cuba to Germany, which is here in question, as it is the privilege which this flag enjoys with regard to exportations from Germany to Cuba. The additional duty imposed on im ports into Cuba under foreign flags, is the principal measure which works to the advantage of the Spanish fisig ; and this we cannot therefore (as long as the system of protection exists) dispense with, for our exports to Cuba. Should we, by the intro duction of differential duties, succeed in increasing the number of German ships which bring us our sup plies from Havannah, we should, at the same time and in an equal measure, drive away the Spanish ships from our ports, and thus diminish our opportunities of transmitting German manufacture to Cuba; for to do this under the German flag, which would subject the goods to a differential duty of 7,8, and 9 per cent. of their value, would be almost impossible. The exclusion of the Spanish flag from our trade with Cuba, would be the same as raising the price of Ger man produce in the Spanish colony, or, in other words, would act as a premium in favour of English manufactures, which the Spanish ships from Cuba may fetch from England without being molested by differential duties. With reference hereto, we must also take into consideration, that not all Spanish ships which go from Gera-Any to Cuba have first come from Cuba to Germany. Among the 48 ships dis patched from Cuba to Germany in 1845, there were only seven Spanish ; yet twelve Spanish vessels left Hamburgh for Cuba that year—another proof against the assertion which we have above re futed, that the exports of the produce of a country are generally made in its own ships, and that measures operating in favour of the latter would be sure to benefit the former. In addition to what has already been adduced, the absence of the Spanish flag from our ports would be attended by the loss of many other advantages connected with their presence there. The fact that there are always some Spanish vessels in Hamburgh, taking in cargoes, draws much business to this port. Thus, Russian sailcloths, as well as the produce of other countries, are introduced into Cuba by way of Hamburgh. But though these and other collateral circumstances may be of minor importance, surely the danger which we have pointed out, that the exclusion of the Spanish flag from Ger many may act in favour of British industry, is of sufficient consequence to induce us to advise against the introduction of differential duties, which threaten to realise this danger. But should the differential duties not be rendered so burdensome as to cause the entire withdrawal of Spanish ship from our ports, the Spanish Government would probably, as Cuba is at no loss to dispose of her produce, not consider the in creased expenses of transport caused by our differen tial duties, for which, in the end, the German con sumer alone would suffer, sufficiently dangerous to be induced thereby to make any changes in its own cus toms regulations, particularly as it has never yet made such changes in compliance with the navigation laws of other countries. German ships at the Ha. vannah are not placed in a more unfavourable position than English, French, Belgian, &c., ships. As regards the transatlantic trade, the same may be said of France as we have just said of Spain. Dif ficulties placed in the way of the importation of transatlantic produce into our ports, under the French flag, would be of very little importance to the latter, because, even under existing circumstances, as we have above shown, it takes little or no part in this trade (among the 411 ships that came to Hamburgh in 1845, from counties out of Europe, there were only two French vessels) ; and the comparatively small amount of produce raised in the French colonies can be readily disposed of in France. As regards the trade between the European ports of France and Germany, the French Government must however look narrowly to the interests of its shipowners, for this trade is mostly carried on under the Freneh flag, and differential duties affecting French ships or French produce might therefore pro duce some effect; and indeed the French Government has already been induced by several other states (England, North America, Denmark, Russia, Meck lenburg) to make numerous exceptions in her protec tive system in favour of the flags of those countries. Here it m i g ht, t h ere f ore , b e poss ible to effect some thing for the other German states also; some concessions might likewise be obtained from Belgium and Portugal, not indeed with regard to trade with countries out of Europe, in which their ships take little or no part, but with regard to our trade with these countries themselves,whereby it must not be over looked that, in a certain measure (the payment of higher shipping dues), their slips even now labour under disadvantages in the ports of all the German states (Hamburgh excepted) with which they have no reciprocity treaties. Thus even when viewing the projected Navigation Act which vt e are discussing, from the point of view whence its originators started, we cannot consider it otherwise than as a very unad visable measure. _ _ . But there is another important point that must be taken into consideration. In proposing to place the ships of certain foreign nations under certain disad vantages in our ports, with a view to forcing these nations into treating German trade and German shipping more favourably than hitherto, so favourably indeed as Germany is inclined to treat theirs in re turn ; the projected law marks out a system of retali ation which will be of long or short duration, accord. ing to the more or less liberal commercial policy, the greater or less obstinacy of the foreign states, and which will gradually die out as one restriction after another shall be blotted out of the commercial codes of other nations. This is not, however, the sense in which the differential system is understood by the great majority of Germans who declare themselves warm adherents of such a gystem. In their eyes it is solely the first of the two principal objects named in the commencement of our inquiry, which is of importance. They seek in differential duties not the means of retaliation, but the means of pro moting the national welfare, and they therefore do not regard the restrictions to be imposed as tempo rary evils, which are to be obviated as speedily as possible, but as protective measures which ought to be considered permanent. 'lf the system is to be understood in this manner, then we must renounce all hope of seeing our trade and our shipping placed in a more favourable position than hitherto, in the countries where they are now suffering under disad vantages. On the other hand, it is much to be feared that this perpetuation of the restrictive system should it even not be desired, would nevertheless force itself upon us. It would be a great mistake to suppose that home interests, artificially fostered and protected by such a system, might at any time and at will again be exposed to a contest with free competition ; it is , on the contrary in the nature of such systems that one protection necessitates another. We have already pointed out how the higher duties levied on the direct importation of transatlantic pro duce from certain European countries would, in order to prevent evasion, necessitate the levying of similar imposts on the indirect imports of such goods from all European countries, and on crossing the land frontiers, or the introduction of still more burdensome measures, such as certificates of origin, entrepots, &c. Supposing that one of the more important commercial countries against whose customs laws complaints had been made, should be induced to modify the ,same, according to our wishes, we should nevertheless he obliged to continue• our prejudicial treatment of this one state, as long as we maintained our system against other countries in general. Should England, for in stance, in future admit transatlantic produce from Germany, it would nevertheless he necessary to ex clude from Germany imports of such articles from England, because it might be imports from the Netherlands which were introduced by the circuitous route through England ; and should Austria not accede to the union, Trieste would, when supplying the south of Germany with colonial goods, be obliged to submit to the higher duties. It will not be pos sible for us to take off the burdens we have imposed upon the trade of other nations, merely because they remove the restrictions they have placed on ours ; it will even be necessary, in our intercourse with nations which have hitherto acted upon princi ples of commercial freedom, to introduce restrictive measures, which will call forth counter-measures of a still more burdensome character, and the ultimate object, universal free trade, will be removed further and further from our grasp. As regards the furtherance of a more liberal spirit in the commercial intercourse of nations, the result of the projected system thus seems as doubtful as the adoption of it seems reprehensible, in every other point of view from which we have examined it. To resume : the results come to by us in the course of our inquiry are as follows : The proposed syetem of differential duties, whether considered as the means of promoting the national welfare, or as the means of retaliation against foreign states, is likely to fail in the attainment of its object. As regards the shipping interests, the principal, and indeed the only branch of industry which can be brought into consideration here, they are not likely to be benefited by this system, in a measure at all com parable to the great development which they have already attained through the unaided exertions of-our shipowners, and if we are to judge by the experience of other nations, they are not likely to be benefited at all. The increase occasioned in the direct imports of non-European produce would be of very little im portance. • The import trade in general would be injured— the transit trade endangered. The German emporiums, instead of growing in im portance, WOldil, on the contrary, decline. This decline Would threaten the German export trade, or, in other words, German industry, with dangers which could in no way be compensated for by the distant prospects of an increased sale in non- European countries. Finally, as regards the obtaining more favourable conditions in other countries for German ships, or for importation from Germany, or the attainment of greater commercial freedom, it seems the more dan gerous to enter into a contest of this kind, because in the case of the more important commercial countries the weapons would be unequal, and the result very doubtful ; were she to grasp the double•edged sword of retaliation, Germany would be mare likely to wound herself than her opponent. (To be continued.) IRISH SPECIAL COMMISSION. LIMERICK. JAN. 7. At the opening of the court this morning, James Sheakan, a wild-looking Tipperary " bov, about twenty. five years of age, was arraigned for the murder of a man named Ralph Hill, at Rathure, within a mile and a half of Limerick, in the month of November last; and Daniel Quaine and James Quaine were at the same time arraigned for aiding and assisting him in the murder. The prisoners having been arraigned, and pleaded Not Guilty, were immediately removed. Andrew Dee was then placed in the dock to be tried for killing one Edmund Murphy, and the Court was occupied during the early part of the day in heating the sickening details of this most cold blooded murder. The prisoner is about nineteen years of age, but looks considerably younger. He is of small stature, with fine features and an intelligent and pleasing countenance. He stood in the front of the dock, and throughout the trial evinced not the slightest emotion. He was defended by Mr. O'Hea. From the statement of the ATTORNIZY-GENERAL, who opened the case, it appeared that the prisoner's father held some land in the county under the Court of Chancery, but in the latter part of May, or early. in June last, he was put out of possession for non payment of rent. A man named Nornan became the teriant of the land, and immediately there sprang up, as usual in such, cases, a feeling of extreme hostility on the part of the Dees towards Nornan and his family. On the 9th of June, within ten days from the time of Nornan's becoming tenant of the land, he and the man who was murdered were walking to gether towards Galinlly, and when within a mile of that town, in the open day, it being then three o'clock in the afternoon, they were waylaid by the prisoner and his brother, Patrick Dee. Until Nornan and Murphy approached they had concealed themselves in a ditch. On Nornan and Murphy coming within six yards of them, they stood up from their hiding pla c e and presented a pistol at each. The pistol of Patrick Dee, which was aimed at Nornan, hung fire; he snap ped it again, and again it missed, but the pistol of the prisoner was sure and fatal in its aim. A ball from it struck Murphy in the head; he fell and was dead in a few moments. The two brothers instantly fled. Patrick was captured in a few days, and was tried at the last assizes and found guilty ; but as it was proved that he had bot fired the pistol by which Murphy was killed, his sentence was commuted from death to transportation for- life. The prisoner was pursued, but it was not until the month of November the police could meet mith him. In that month he was arrested at Liverpool, under an assumed name, on board a vessel bound for America. Nornan proved the principal facts of the case , an d said, the prisoner,had a pistol in each hand, whilst his brother had but one. On his cross-exami na ti o n he was asked how he could see who fired the pistol when he had to take oare of the man who was shot ? " Oh, indeed," was his expressive answer, " that man's case was over." A smith proved that a few days before the murder the prisoner had taken to him a pistol to be re paired. A little boy, who was examined, saw the prisoner running from the scene of the murder. He was told by the prisoner's friends directly after it occurred, that he would be examined on the inquest, but that he was not to say one word about what he had seen. Mr. (MBA made a most able address on the pri soner's behalf; but, The CHIEF BARON having summed up, The jury, without the least hesitation, returned a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner heard the fearful announcement with out moving a muscle or the slightest change of coun tenance. He was ordered to be removed from the dock, and to be brought up again to• morrow morning to hear the sentence of the Court. In a case of robbery of arms, and in another, where the. party was indicted for assaulting a man, and aiding a person unknown in shooting at him, with intent to do him bodily harm, the prisoners pleaded Guilty as they were arraigned. In the latter case a bill had been found against the prisoner for a capital offence, but on his pleading guilty to the former charge the Attorney-General declined proceeding any further with it. The cir cumstances of it, however, exhibit such evidence of the daring audacity with which offences have been committed in this country that we state them in de tail as they are given by the Chief Justice in passing sentence upon the prisoner. The CHIEF JUSTICE, addressing him, said, you have pleaded "guilty" to two indictments, and the Crown is satisfied to receive that plea, and not to put you on your trial for the capital offence, for which, if found guilty, your life would be forfeited. But when we look at the facts as they are deposed to in the informations of the charge of which you have con feised yourself guilty, they exhibit one of the most flagrant and sanguinary outrages that could occur in any country. It is remarkable, even in this country, for its audacity, and I would call to it the attention of those to whose consideration these trials are entitled. The case against you is this :—you and an armed party attacked the house of John Nornan, a person in a humble class of life, from whom you expected to extort by threats and compulsion a sum of money to aid you, by way of subscription, in your unlawful purposes. There is one remarkable feature in your case. The man had constantly paid his rent. A 1 /. note was the sum first demanded, then los., and hav ing said that he had neither the one or the other to give, you warned him to be ready with his contribu tion en the following Monday to aid the most nefa rious and flagitious system of crime that can disgrace any country. What was the result ? This man, as he was bound to do—and I am glad to have the op portunity of remarking here on the fortitude and determination of a person in his class of life—resolved that he, would not submit to be plundered by robbers and assassins. He gave information to the police, and upon the Monday night following a party of them being admitted into the house for its protection, you and your wicked associates, armed, came to the house and demanded the money you made him promise to pay that night. Such a degree of audacity is so re markable that it stands peculiarly worthy of public observation. You had not the least suspicion that the man would have dared to violate your order. You went there with the perfect conviction that the house was unurotected, and that he hxd not availed himself of the right of every man—recourse to the police officers for the protection of his life and pro perty. You went there with an armed body, and the Entice in the discharge of their duty detected you in the very fact of assaulting this man and levying your contribution. But mark the remainder of this transaction. You are indicted and have pleaded guilty to the charge of having with an armed party feloniously discharged a gunshot upon that occasion, and by that gunshot one of the police was actually wounded, and for that offence your life would have been forfeited if the Crown had not in its clemency declined to put you on your trial for that offence. But mark what follows : the police in their duty, and even for their own defence against this armed ban ditti, were obliged to fire, and one of the gang was wounded and shot dead on the spot. No one who has heard the facts of this case can doubt that it is our duty to pronounce upon you the severest penalty the law allows, and that penalty is, that you be transported for the term of your natural life. The prisoner with the greatest coolness walked from the dock. The next case was the trial of two men, named Patrick and 2ohn Farrell, for attacking a house and demanding a gun. Another was arraigned with them, but as he was one of the parties engaged in the assault of Malony's house, mentioned in our report.of yesterday, and of which he was found guilty, he was not put on his trial with the others. One of the jurors who had tried the preceding case objected to sit upon this, as he came from the neigh bourhood where the outrage was committed; and the prisoner's counsel not objecting, he was allowed to withdraw and was replaced by another. The trial then proceeded ; and on the conclusion, the jury not agreeing to their verdict retired from the box, and had not returned when our dispatch was obliged to be closed. The rest of the day was occupied with a compara tively unimportant case of a man named Hinchey, for "appearing in arms to the terror of her Majesty's subjects." In the case of the six men who were yesterday tried for an attack on the house of a man named Molony, and carrying away his daughter, the jury found them all Guilty ; but sentence has not yet been passed. , POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. On Saturday James Tytler, under warehouseman to Messrs. Wilcoxon and Co., of Monument-yard, wholesale lo acing-glass manufacturers, was brought up tor final examination, charged with having plun dered his employers to a considerable extent. Mr. W. H. Cooper, principal warehouseman to Messrs. Wilcoxon and Co., said, it was the duty of The prisoner to enter all goods sent out in the day book, and in witness's absence to attend to the cus tomers, make out invoices of goods which he might have sold, and see that they were properly packed and set out by the porters. Witness, by the direction of the firm, went to the prisoner's lodgings, and saw there certain articles which had not been entered and which had been in fact stolen from the premises. Thomas Glennie, ironmonger, of 44, Farringdon street, of the firm of Nash and Glennie, said, " I have known the prisoner for about ten years past. I bought a chimney glass and four chairs of Messrs. Wilcoxon and Co., at their house in Monument yard, in July last. I was served by the prisoner and a air King. The amount was 71. ss. I had a regu lar invoice, and a Mr. Fisher called upon me for the money at my warehouse. The invoice I received was in the name of Wilcoxon and Co. I knew the prisoner as under warehouseman to that firm. I bought goods to the amount of 191. 9s. 6d., and also of 81. ls., from the prisoner, but for the latter sum he had had goods from our firm. I also bought a chimney-glass of the prisoner, for which I paid him in cash 61. All these transactions took place at an interview I. had with the prisoner at Messrs. Wilcoxon's premises. The prisoner said that as I was an old schoolfellow he wished to serve me, and he would get the goods from his employers at the wholesale price, as he had that privilege. I have paid him the 191. 9s. 6d. in cash at different times, and also the 6/. I did not inquire of Messrs. Wit - coxon whether that was the fact, but part of the goods were sent to me by Messrs. Wilcoxon 's van. All the goods I bought were articles of furniture and were delivered at my private house. For one of the articles I bargained at the prisoner's lodgings in Stamford-street. He said he was going to leave his situation, and that he should be in want of money, and that he had a chest of drawers and a table for which he had no use. I asked him why he was going to leave his situation, and he replied that it was in consequence of a quarrel with one of the clerks. I was told at the house such was the fact. Subsequently to this I bought part of the other goods of the prisoner, but I did not go to the warehouse to select the goods, but gave the prisoner the order for the articles, and he was paid 101. on account of them by my partner. I bought the glass of the prisoner in September last, and paid him a day or two afterwards. A. G. Fain, carman in the employment of Messrs. Wilcoxon and Co., proved that he took to Mr. Glen nie's house several articles from the prisoner's lodgings by the prisoner's directions. These articles were proved to have been stolen from the premises of the prosecutor. The prisoner said he had nothing to say but that he was guilty. He was fully committed for trial., BOW-S7'REET. The reporter was requested to acknowledge a do nation of 51. from the " Rev. S. Burgess," and ano• ther of the same amount from " Mr. Curteis," of Devonshire-street, for the poor-box of the court. MAR YL EBONE. On Saturday Mr. BROUGHTON requested that our reporter would, in compliance with the wish of the kind donor, acknowledge the receipt of 51. from "Mrs. Joseph Hambleton," 8, Northwick-terrace, for the poor-box of the court. WORSHIP-STREET. Two cab-drivers, named William Watson and Daniel Driscoll, th e first in the service of Mr. Lowe, cab proprietor, in the Downham-road, Kingsland, and the other in that of Mr. Edward Nann, cab pro prietor, in the Curtain-road, were charged at the in stance of Mr. Thomas; the secretary to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with the following shocking biaitality to horses belonging to their respective employers. David Watson, one of the society's constables, stated, that in consequence of an information being laid at the office of the association by Mr. Lowe, who complained that one of his horses, which had been perfectly sound and in good working condition pre viously, had been brought home in a most scandalous state of ill usage, he went to his stable on the follow ing morning, and after examining the animal's flanks and the tender part of the thighs, found that it had been so'cruelly whipped that the skin had been cut completely through in several places, and was hang ing down in little rihands, and small pieces of flesh taken out. The defendant came in at the moment, and upon asking him if it was he who had beaten the horse in that terrible manner, he replied, " Yes, that it was of no use denying it, but that it was not alto gether his fault, as he had had a load of three persons inside, had to go through Shrubland-road, Dalston, which was a very heavy one, and that, finding the animal was not able to drag the cab through it, lie was obliged to lash it es he had." Understanding that the whip used upon the occasion bore evidence of the shameful treatment to which the horse had been subjected, he inquired for that, and found it to be quite stiff with the coagu!ated blood upon it. This defendant simply said that his whip was too short, and that he could nut whip ti.e animal where he wished. In the second case it appeared that Driscoll went out with the horse, which was then perfectly sound, about ten o'clock in the morning, and did nut return with it until between one and two the next morning, when upon being let in at the gates the poor brute was observed to be in great agony and trembling all over, and this leading to an examination into the cause of it, it was found to be bleeding very much under the flank from a great number of cuts, and the whole of the tender part of the belly was beaten into a com plete jelly, that although it had been continually fomented since and great care taken of the animal, it had not perfectly recovered even yet, although mere than a week had elapsed. Tis defendant said, that he should not have been able to get the horse along if he had not beaten it where and as much as he had done. Mr. HAMMILL in both cases condemned the con duct of the defendants in terms of the severest repre hension, and after regretting extremely that his powers as a magistrate had been so restricted, sen tenced each of the defendants to pay the full penalty of 40s. and costs, or in default, to he imprisoned for fourteen day's in the House of Correction, with hard labour. Neither of the penalties was paid, and the defen dants were removed in the van. CLERKENWELL. Our reporter is requested to state that a cheque for 51. h:as been received from the " Rev. W. Sheep shanks Burgess" for the poor.box of this court, with a request that it might be acknowledged. HAMMERSMITH. A large number of Irish, of both sexes, making in all forty-two families and seventy- two individuals, appeared before Mr. W. P. Beadon, with M r . T . Madden, the relieving-officer of the parish of Ken sington, who complained that they had all applied to him for relief, which he had granted them, but on his questioning them as to the places of their settle ment they either equivoCated or refused to state from what part of Ireland they came, and one and all re fused to go back to Ireland. Some of them had not left their native country above two months, and not one of them had obtained any settlement in this country. In answer to questions put by the Magistrate, a part of them said, if they were sent back to Ireland they had no homes to go to ; and others said, all their friends and relatives were either dead or dispersed, and what were they to do when they got there ? Mr. BEADON told them, that if they chose to come over to this country in the hope of getting work, and, finding they could not, applied to the parish officers for relief, they must expect to be sent back again to their own parishes, the same as other paupers in this country are. In all cases of Irish paupers brought before him to be passed, he would sign the ordees and enforce,their execution, and the relieving officer, if they be came chargeable, could arrest them and bring them before him (Mr. Beadon) to be passed. He would advise the officers of parishes not to relieve any of those who refuse to go back, and if they applied to him he would make no order for their being relieved. None of those present expressed any readiness to go, and all left the court, apparently reckless as to the consequences. THE GOLDEN-LANE MURDER.' Harriett Parker, who stands charged with the wilful murder of Robert Henry Blake and Armenia Blake, the two children of Robert H. Birke, with whom she had been two years previously cohabiting, was on Saturday finally examined before Mr. Tyr whitt, the sitting magistrate, at the Clerkenwell police .court. The wretched woman when brought into the court walked boldly into the dock, and having coolly sur veyed the numerous assemblage in the crowded court, seated herself in the seat provided for her. The first witness called was Robert Henry Blake, the father of the murdered children, who repeated the evidence he gave at the opening of the inquest. Mr. TYRWH ITT, at the conclusion of the evidence, asked the prisoner if she wished to ask any questions of the witness. The prisoner firmly said—l want to ask him whether he is sure that it was lead tied up in the corner of my handkerchief, as he has stated, when I was following him about as he has described. Blake—l am not, but I believe that it was. Prisoner—lt was not—it was a square piece of tile. That is all I have to ask. Jane Jones, a venteel-looking young woman, about 20 years of age, was the next witness examined. She repeated the evidence she gave at the adjourned in qu'est on Monday last. The prisoner declined putting any question to that witness. John Hewlett was the third witness. He also re peated the evidence he had given at the inquest on Monday last. The whole of the witnesses who had been examined in the case having signed their depositions, Mr. TYRWHITT addressed the prisoner, and in formed her that she was at liberty to make any state ment she pleased, but it was at the same time his duty to tell her that whatever she might think proper to say would be taken down in writing, and in all probability used against her at her trial. The prisbner then rose from her seat, and in a firm voice said, " I merely wish to state why I followed Blake. He. came home at a quarter before five in the afternoon of the 31st of December, and said to me, ' Make haste and get the tea, and get me some water to wash me, for I'm in a hurry, and have got to meet a girl at the top of Old-street. I'm going to take her to the play.' I then said, If that's the case you may go to her to make yotir tea, for I won't ;' after which he washed himself and went out, anti I followed him to the Duke of Bedford, where he said he had to be at the stump or post at fifteen minutes after five. I SAC, I wouid follow, and I would see his party ; and he said, "fhen come, she will not be ashamed of looking at you ;' and then we went away, mew and him and Hewlett, to the post, where Blake said, ' This stump knows me, and I'll kiss it for the sake of them I'm going to see;' and he did kiss it, and he looked at Hewlett and laughed, and said (pointing to me), ' 11.' hat do you think of her ? She is jealous ? Hew lett laughed and made some remark, and hoped we should be comfortable. We had previously been in a liquor vault, and nad some gin. Well, from the stump we came down Goswell-street, where Blake said, Hewlett (alluding to me), I can get her monkey up at any time; I'm going to meet a little wench.' He went down Fan-street, and back to the Duke of Bed ford, and I lost sight of him up to to-day." The prisoner here raised her voice, and pointing to Blake and Jones, said, " Him and that woman there has been the cause of all our misfortunes, and the death of the children lies at their door. Until he became acquainted with her we had plenty, but during the fortnight he knew her, me and the chil dren had nothing to eat but bread and dripping. That is all." Mr. TYRWHITT then committed her to Newgate for trial. Previous to her departure she said to Waddington, the gaoler, she wished to be hanged, and hoped she would not be transported. Her firmness astonished every one in court. EXECUTION OF PATRICK REID FOR THE MURDERS AT MIRFIELD. YORK, JAN. B.—Long.before daybreak this morn ing the carpenters were busily engaged in erecting the scaffold, and soon after their work was completed the unhappy youth—unhappy as regards his sad fate, and a youth as applied to his age, having only attained the age of 20—was removed, as is customary, from the condemned cell, and conducted to a room set apart for the purpose close to the spot where he was to expiate his offence. During the forenoon he was attended by his spiritual advisers, who administered to him the peculiar rite of the Roman Catholic Church, of which he was a member. Between eleven and twelve o'clock the operation of pinioning was commenced, and shortly before the fatal hour the Under-Sheriff, Mr. W. Gray, arrived at the Castle, and in the usual form, demanded the body for execution. The culprit being brought forth, the mournful procession was formed, and moved forward to the scaffold, in front of which an immense body of persons were assembled. Long indeed before twelve o'clock, the hour of exe cution, crowds of T fisons were wending their way to the fatal spot in order to secure the best positions for seeing the proceedings at the drop. At precisely two minutes past twelve o'cl9ck the unfor unate culprit, attended by the usual ilfficials, came with a firm step upon the scaffold. His first appearance drew forth from the crowd mingled emo tions of sympathy and execration. As soon as he had approached the front of the scaffold, where the fatal rope was suspended, he turned his back upon the spectators and knelt down. Dr. Gil'ett, the Roman Catholic priest, then also knelt, facing the culprit, and read aloud a long form of prayer. When the reverend gentleman had given his parting benediction, both rose, at precisely twelve minutia pest twelve o'clock. Reid apparently regained his feet without any diffi culty. He then turned towards the spectators, seem ingly with the most perfect resignation to his fate, but with a countenance ghastly pale. Howard, the county hangman, then advanced, and having firmly secured the culprit's legs put on the black cap, and with much seeming care adjusted the hope round his neck. But a moment more elapsed, and the profound silence, with which the spectators had viewed these preliminaries, was broken by the drawing of the fatal bolt, which excited some involuntary manifestations of a chilling horror, as the body dropped—dropped, we regret to say, not with the effect of instant deprivation of life, but to strangle rather than hang the unfortu nate man, owing to the looseness of the rope, which considerably bent the neck. Nevertheless, not !nor e than two minutes elapsed before the evidently seve. expiring convulsions were over, and th e wo rld Clot ed upon the murderer for ever. It had generally been rumoured that some reins rks to the people would be made by Reid on the scan' Ad, but this expectation was not realised, and many of the morbidly curious spectators expressed disappoi .nt ment in consequence. He did, hois;ever, just before the fatal bolt was 1 . e. moved, make the following statement to the of ra around him : " Well, gentlemen, I wish to say that I alone am the guilty person, that 1114Cabe is entirely innocent; that no human being in the world had anything to dw with it but myself." There were present at the execution probably not less than between thirty thousand and forty thousand people of both sexes, of all ages and . classes. Probably on no occasion has an executio• a , within our recollection, or that of our readers, dray ri together so vast a concourse of spectators. Besi, Is s bringing together a very large proportion of the in• - habitants of York and its more immediate vicinity , many towns•in the West Riding added their *ion, • sands to swell the general throng. From L eedit, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Mirfield (the locality the murders), Halifax, Bradford, Wakefield, Barns— ley, Pontefract, and indeed from every other place,, great and small, contributions of inhabitants to the. vast multitude took place. Some idea of the propor tion which Leeds bore, may be formed from the fact, that by the 7.20 A.M. train alone there were conveyed to York more than 1,000 extra passengers. All the available carriages were put into use, and still hun dreds were left behind, at that time, to be conveyed in a subsequent train. This, however, gives but a very imperfect estimate of the number of persons that went from Leeds to York, as it is exclusive of pedestrians, many of whom, even- as early as the previous night, left this town to visit the scene of the execution. It was stated in York that no execution has been attended by so many spectators at any period, except those of Eugene Aram, for the murder of Daniel Clark, at Knaresborough, and Mary Bateman, for poisoning, at Leeds. EXTRAORDINARY CASE. ----- It appears from the Bury Herald that the gossips of that town have had their suspicions greatly excited by the mysterious birth and burial of an illegitimate chili, the offspring of a lady of fortune, named Miss. Moseley, residing at No. 45, Westgate-street, Bury. At length the rumours of foul play, which were rife in every direction, reached theears of the Coroner (H. Wayman, Esq.), and the body being exhumed, an in quest was held on Friday, at the Coach and Horses Inn. Henry Lomax, the gravedigger, deposed that on the night of the Bth of November a woman nareed Clary brought a box, which she said contained a still-. born child, and the fee being ls. 6d., gave 55., in order that nothing might be said about it. Witness's family had held the office of gravedif:ger for upwards of a hundred years, and still-born children had always been buried in that way without inquiry or certifficate. Mrs James Clary confirmed this statement and said: —" My daughter and my son are now living in the service of Miss Moseley—the latter in the capacity of page—my daughter as servant. I was requested by Miss Moseley to get the child buried, who said, Don't spare any expense, but have it laid comfort- - ably." She gave- me a sovereign, and said if the gravedigger required more than ss. give it to him. I was not in the house when the child was born; no one was. On the morning after the birth, about eight o'clock, I went and saw Miss Moseley, who was very bad, and she said she thought she should die. She said that she had been confined three or four hours, and that the child was still -born. In the afternoon she gacie me. directions about the burial. My son, who lives with •Miss Moseley, is dress e d i n livery. He is now' in mourning for Miss Moseley's father, who died from an accident in this town about twelve months since." • Mrs. Josiah -Clary deposed- 7 .1 have' known Miss Moseley ever since--she first eame to Bury. Some time last springTshe removed to her present Tesiclenree in Westgge•street. Before she was confined:l fan cied she was, in the family way and • often joked her about it, and a gentleman who. used, to payr frequent visits to the house. She never either admitted or denied the 'imputation: On the morning of the Bth of November, I went as usual to the house, when Miss Moseley called to me and inquired if I were alone ? I said " Yes." She replied, "It's all over." I said I dare not go up. She said, "That's very silly, and you are very unkind; there's nothing to see, for the baby is dead." She said she was taken before she could send for any one. Mrs. Calfe, a nurse, stated that Miss Moseley had informed her she had had two children before this, and that with one she was confined in a house of ill fame in London ; and had taken enough stuff to kill a horse, which had been given her by the father. The surgical evidence went to show that the child was not burn alive, but " died in transitu, just at the moment of its entering the'world." It was very - much congested, but whether that arose from suffocation or decomposition was uncertain. The Coroner said, ,with this evidence it was need less to attempt to carry the case any further, as it was quite evident the child was still-born. There were so many circumstances of grave suspicion about the case that he felt he should not be discharging his duty had he not held an inquiry into the case. Ad dressing Miss Moseley, he said—" The evidence which has been disclosed to-day is sufficient to convince any one of a most frightful history of crime, debauchery, and immorality committed by yourself. You came to this town with a highly respectable parent, and, as far as I had the means of judging, was respected in both his public and private capacities. It is, therefore, the more painful to me, and I am sure it is to the jury, to see his daughter sunk to the lowest depths of crime; indeed, you are, by the evidence given to day, no better than a murderer. There is every sus picion attaching to you that you have been the mo ther of three illegitimate children. (Miss Moseley— " That I deny.") All of whom have died still-born. This circumstance, combined with what we have heard to-day, leads to the inference that they-were put out of the way. The fact of your partner in this last affair being a married man does not lessen your crime, although it sadly reflects on him. I hope this public exposure before a jury of married and single men may shame you into a better course of life. There is no stain so deep but it may be wiped away, both here and hereafter. `Go and sin no more, lest a worse evil come unto thee. " RAILIVAI SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, Jew. 8. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market to-day has been leas active; a fair amount of business has been transacted. We close at the following quotations :—Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, 311. Shares, dis.—Ditto (late C. and B.), 15 3 4—Chester and Holyhead, Preference, _% die. —Great Western, 171. Shares, I%p.—Lancashire and York shire, Fifths, p.—Leeds and Dewsbury, New Blue Shares, . 1 1 . 4 dis.—Leeds and Thirsk, 16 1 4 dis.— Ditto, Preference, 17 dis.—London and North-Western, 150—Ditto, Quarters (L. and B.), 11 1 / 1 p.—Ditto, 401. Shares (L. and M.), 16 p. _ London, Manchester, and Birmingham, Quarters (A and B), p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Quarters, No. 1,9 s. 10d.—Midland Stock, 111 c.— Ditto, New Halves, 1 5 dis.—North Staf f ordshire, IA die.—Preston and Long ridge, 2 1 / 4 —Preston and Wyre, 34 1 ,x 4 —Seuth-Eastern and Dover, 31 1 —Ditto, No. 2, 5 1 / 13 dia.--Ditto, No. 4, Thirds, 1 is dis.—Whitebaven and Furness, 8% dia.—York, Newcas tle, and Berwick (N. and B. Extensions), No. 2,2% c. p.- -York and North Midland (East and West Riding Ex tensions), 34%. MANCHESTER, JAN. S. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The sales are—Birkenhead, Lanca shire, and Cheshire Junction, 6 1 4 dis—Bolton, Blackburn ' Clitheroe, and West Yorkshire, dis.—Great Northern, 6 1 4 dis.—Lond(m and North-Western (Manchester and Birming ham), Quarters (C), 4 p.—Manchester, Sheffield. and Lin colnshire (Sheffield and Lincolnshire), sc. dis.—North Staf fordshire, % dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 1 9-16 dis.—York, Newcastle, and Berwick, Extensions, No. 2, 2 p.—Ditto, Preference, 1% p. LEEDS, JAN. S. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Eastern Counties, 15 3 / 4 —East Lancashire, New, 3 3 / 4 dis. Lancashire and York shire ( West Riding Union), 595. dis.—Leeds and Tbirsk,: 161. 6s. 3ii. dis.--North British, Thirds, 35. dis. —Ditto, Ex. tension, 2s. dis.—North Staffordshire, 6s. 3d. dis.—Shrop shire Union. 2t,i 2 dis. N E W CASTLE-UPON-TYNE, JAN. 8. STOCK Exci-wKix.—The sales are—Liverpool, Manches ter, and Newcastle Junction, 10s.—Newcastle and Carlisle, New Scrip, 99 BIRTHS._ On the 28th ult., at Frating Lodge, Colchester, prema turely, Mrs. William Caldecott, of a daughter, still-b orn . On the 4th inst., at Bletchingdon Rectory,. Oxfordshire, the w ife of the Rev. Thomas Dan , i, of a daughter. On the sth inst., at Dulwich-common, Mrs. Edward 0x... entord, of a son. On the 6 , h inst , at Sherborne, Warwickshire, the wife of Henry W. Dashwood, Esq., of a daughter. On the 7th inst., in Pelham-place, Brompton, the 'wife of T. Irwin, Esq.. of a son. M Au& I 6D. On the Ist inst., at Harbledown, the Rev. G. Turner, M.A., Curat e o f St. Andrew's, Holborn, to Sarah Elizabeth, eldest, daughter of the late G. Buckley, Esq., of Harbledown, near Canterbury. On the .sth inst., at St. Pancras Church, Mr. James Char tres, of Dalst,n, London, to Rose, third daughter of the late Thomas Bennett, Esq., Wimborne, Dorset. DIED. At her son's residence,lB, Chapel.street, Grosvenor-square, Mary Ann, relict of Major-General Tinling, of the Grenadier Guards. On the 27th ult., at Rotterdam, Frederick Hugh Hampden Dutton, Esq., aged 79. On the 3d inst., at Larkfield, Toxteth-park, Liverpool, W. P. Bushley, Esq , aged 81. On the 4th inst., at Boulogne-sur.Mer, Anne, the wife of Henry Robertson, M.D. On the sth inst., at Deal, James smith, Commander, R.N. Oa the 6th inst., in Park•square, Margaret, the wife of Sir Peter Laurie. On the 6th inst., at Watford, Herts, David Salter, Esq. London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG. at No. 112, Strand, Printer,'at The Sun Office, No. 11k, Strand, in the Precinct •f the Savoy, in the oonnbiq► of Middlesex, Monday, January 10,145. . p I I 1