The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-20 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 20, 1855.]

I one of' the paradoxes to which Free Trade has given
u -se. Something
cll may be oingthe improved cir-
mstances of the farmers,w who tae no longer driven
by necessity to sell, and can better afford to keep
wheat in ricks than speculators can afford to pay
warehouse rent. Something also may be owing to
the large mote of Greek capital invested in this
e°llllllodity, by which the holders are enabled to make
a Profit out of the demand created by necessity. Itis
one of the unforeseen consequences of Free Trade,
and perhaps it is but a fitting retribution that, as the
emanufacturers sought to benefit themselves at the
thexpense of the agriciilturists, the latter should derive
e Profit, and the former experience the loss from
e change.
The ordinary effect of war has been to restrict our
t,t commerce, and, by imposing on it heavy charges for pro-
tection against the enemy, to enhance prices ; but the
exports
War has had almost a contrary effect, for our
as., instead of diminishing have rather increased ;
oir so far from the war having lessened our supplies
thie'ven the produce of Russia, they are brought into
moesietountry 1.
Lreugh Prussia, in open defiance of the
ade of the Russian ports in the Baltic, which the
k misterscase
told Parliathent was rigorously maintained.
niagise occurred but last week before a London police
tqlovstratle, in which a man was charged with stealing
regala';:t.en the wharfinger declared that tallow was
Paid for bought in Petersburg on English account,
P itii
russia ; so English gold, and forwarded through
Put ,a sten that+ all the expense of the Baltic fleets to
because pc,:o P‘nssian commerce is literally wasted,
11,entraiii, -'BBia is allowed to preserve a convenient
English '' and the extra cost has to be borne by
consumers.
, We lia,
° ' the eee tl ,witnessed a monetary
Y Which ,n ,) also
doubled ;been nearly
ordinary rate of discount has .
previous '• and though such a circumstance has in
kets,_, instances been accompanied by a fall in mar-
eernill uearness of money causing cheapness of other
nlOte:dii, ties—we have here another paradox, for as
com-
modity has advanced in value almost every other
tatie has risen in price in an equal if not greater
Con: 8° as to bid defiance to ordinary calculations.
the 'lllners may well complain, as well as wonder, at
qtrtitaPid rise which has lately taken place in the price
altd gar, with advances also in the value of tea, coffee,
tall Other articles ; but, we believe, that the extreme
),,thatbeen Passed, and it is not at all improbable but
i , the descent may be as rapid as the rise, and that
c'e Who have been counting on large profits from
ttaealised stock may soon discover their anticipated
8 only represented upon paper. Sugar is noht. soh
ptiell a necessary of life as to be indispensable ;t. high
tate% will not only diminish consumption buthi shimhas
air° lraportations, so that the reaction,
which
bute not
rz eadY commenced, may not only be rapid,
r distant.
thWhen, about twenty ye
since, the alteration in
A ast India Company'sars
the
threw open charter
trail
ha-el
with China, the English merchants rushed into
~1 —arket, and, competing with one another for sup-
zeds of tea, actually bought in the dearest market ;
following up the same spirit of competition at
thehome,vausnotldain the cheapest market ; thus reversing
that p . e Policy of Sir ROBERT PEEL, and proving
iee-trade is not
late • .
rise in the sugar
always productive of profit. The
result, i
, unless our gar market may produce a similar
which the high merchants operate with caution, to
ment. We have rate of interest may act as an induce-
ore On P unfortu t 1 been too much depend-
- foreign „._ na e y
own colonies • PP
'
°,l lies to the neglect and ruin of our
labour is lowed
' and so long as the produce of slave-
ef free.,_, towed to enter into competition with that.
ce_
were accomplish which such heavy sun-
were Tr,
4il sudden made_ canntot expect to be exempt from
ar,..fluctuations as that lately experienced.