The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-06-04 00:00:00

THE NEW FRENCH TARIFF.

A return was published on Saturday morning showing in a
comparative tabular form the alterations proposed under the
new general French tariff. The return is preceded by the
following official desciption of the effect of the proposed
alterations :

The changes made in the new French general tariff,
as compared with the present conventional tariff, are,
broadly speaking, of two kinds, namely : 1. Increase
of about 24 per cent. in the duties now levied specifically
on many important articles of British produce and
manufacture; and 2. Conversion into specific duties
of the ad valorellt rates hitherto charged, also with
an increase in many articles of 24 per cent.
With regard to the increased duty, it will be noticed
that 24 per cent. equals the gmount of the two addi-
tional tenths (decimes de gee-ire) which have been
levied under the general tariff, plus the 4 per cent.
additional imposed in 1873 ; and it was stated in the
Government "Expose des Motifs," in the introductidn..
of the new Tariff Bill in 1878, that this increase was
chiefly intended to give a margin for reduction in
negotiating treatieg,

Besides these two distinct changes there have been
a few decreases of specific duties, which are, however,
more than balanced by increases larger than the pre-
scribed 24 per cent., and several new duties have been
imposed. The conversion of the ad valorem rates has
necessarily led to many more separate classes of goods
being enumerated, and even with these elaborations
the incidence of the new duties must be very unequal
on the cheapest and dearest articles which come into
the same category for duty.

As regards particular articles which are imported
into France from the United Kingdom in any
quantity, an increase in the duty on bed feathers and
down may be noticed, and a duty on lobsters. Sponges
unprepared are to pay less, and prepared more than
formerly. Rice has been freed from duty. On stone
and slate we find new or increased rates on most
descriptions. In metals, on the other hand, there are
several deductions under steel rails and plates, brown
hot-rolled, but the duties on iron and steel-2f. per
100 kilos, on pig-iron and 6f. on iron and steel rails-
-still represent a very heavy ad valorem tax on these
articles.

The duties on minor chemicals have been mostly
converted from ad valorem to specific rates, apparently
raising them in several instances ; and in the various
sodas, the rates, which were before specific, have
been increased by about 21 per cent. As regards
some colours, specific duties have been substituted
for ad valorem, and there are a few new duties. Scented
soap is now taxed double the former rate, and the
duties on other perfumery are also increased. Starch
pays four times as much as the old duty.
_

Turning to beverages, the duty 'on- all spirits has
been doubled, and that on beer has been increased
as compensation foF hops being more heavily taxed.
As regards earthenware and China the ad valorem
duties have been converted into specific rates, with a
greater number of subdivisions, and the same thing
has been done in glass and glasswares, where the in-
crease is apparent in the few cases in which the former
duties were specific.
Coming next to yarns and textiles, a new classifica-
tion in linen yarns renders comparison difficult, but
the additional duty is less than 24 per cent, in the
lowest numbers, and as much as 50 to 100 per cent, in
the highest numbers. Jute yarns show nearly the
exact 24 per cent, increase, and cotton yarns also, ex-
cept those dyed with Turkey red, the extra tax xi
which has been much raised. The change ia the
classification of cotton thread has further increased
the duties in some cases considerably. In woollen
yarns a distinction has been made between combed
and carded yarns, which makes the changes work un-
equally. Thus in combed yarns the increase in almost
all cases is about 24 per cent., but carded yarns show
a few decreases, and, on the other hand, the increases
in many cases amount to nearly 90 per cent.
Similarly the duties on flax and hemp tissues ex-
hibit irregular alterations ; the increased duty in linens,
unbleached, being from 24 per cent. to 50 per cent.
Table linens, &c., are now taxed specifically instead of
ad valorem, and it is the same with linen lace, hosiery,
&c., and with mixed jute tissues. A further change
has been introduced as to linen tissues by counting
the weft as well as the warp in the classifioation, and
dividing the total by two.
The duties on cotton tissues have been doubled as
regards the lighter fabrics, and a new classification is
introduced. Cotton velvets and cords show large
increases, while specific duties have replaced the ad
valorem rates of 15 per cent, in printed cottons, &c.
The same change is made in pure and mixed woollen
tissues, the 10 per cent. ad valorem duty being con-
verted in all cases. Lastly in regard to tissues, those
of silk and waste silk show the prescribed increase of
24 per cent,

Fancy paper is now taxed treble the former amount.
In skins and leather the usual conversions have been
made, except in a few articles already subject to
specific' duties, where the 24 per cent, increase has
been effected. In gold and silver wares the 5 per
cent duties have been converted. In iron wares and
machinery the rates are almost identical, except two
reductions in steel springs and pieces of steel, and in-
creases in sewing needles. Breech-loading fowling-
pieces are separated from muzzle-loaders, and pay 50
per cent, more, and rough gun barrels are charged 200
per cent, more than under the Treaty tariff.
The duties of 10 per cent, ad valorem on furniture
have been converted into specific, and the same
change has been effected with basket wares, musical
instruments, and carriages; and these alterations have
necessitated a larger number of subdivisions being
introduced to cover the specific rates.
Large increases have been made in the duties of
straw plaits, and on straw hats, the change in the
latter being from 10 francs to 250 francs per 100 kilos.
Conversions of the ad valorem duties of 10 per cent.
have been made in felt hats, corks,' fans, combs,
brushes, and umbrellas, &c.

The Times has a leader commenting upon the above, and
concludes by remarking :

"The broad conclusion from this review is not
unfavourable to the conclusion of a new *treaty even
more favourable to our trade than the last, if we can
only suppose that the decisions of the French Govern-
ment will be guided by an enlightened view of the
self-interest of their country. Whatever view may be
taken of the influence of the treaties on Anglo-French
tra le—and there is at least a presumption that the
treaties have contributed materially to its develop-
ment —there can be no doubt of the excessive importance
of English trade to the French nation. The great facts
are that a fifth of the foreign business of France is
with us, and a fourth of what France exports comes
to us, Without the. English market, French pro-
ducers and manufacturers would be N ery badly off.
It is clearly, therefore, the interest of France to en-
courage trade with England by lowering its tariff.
It would be a serious matter, from a French point of
view, to offend England and leave us at liberty, how-
ever unlikely we are to make use of that liberty,
to prohibit the export of coal and levy high
duties on French wines, silks, and other
articles. Our interest in the question is very
great, but if we have any confider.ce in free trade
principles at all, we should be quite content to let the
action of France be guided by its own interests with-
out a treaty. Sooner or later these interests will be
sure to tell on the commercial policy of France. We
have no need to ask of her Government the concession
of a low tariff on the articles we export as if we were
asking something which France might be unwilling
to grant, and which we must, therefore, coerce or
coax her into giving."

The following notice was issued on Tuesday night
from the Foreign Office :---
" A Royal Commission, consisting of Sir Charles W. Dilke,
M.P. ; the Right Hon. W. E. Baxter, M.P. ; Sir Charles
Rivers Wilson, K C.M.G., C.B. ;Mr. C. M. Kennedy, C.B. ;
and Mr. J. A. Crowe, Commercial Attachd to her Majesty's
Embassies at Berlin and Vienna, having been appointed to
confer with the High Commissioners of the French Republic
with a View to the negotiation of a new commercial treaty
with France, associations and persons who may wish to
snake representations to the Commission with respect to
trade between the United Kingdom and France are re-
quested to communicate with the Secretaries to the Royal
Commission at this office."

The London Gazette- of Tuesday night contains the an-
nouncement of the appointment of the persons whose names
are given above as Royal Commissioners "for the purpose of
conferring, in a friendly spirit, II ith delegates to be appointed
on the part of our good friend, the President of the French
Republic, and of discussing with them certain matters re-
lating to commerce and navigation." Mr Henry Austin Lee
and Mr. Alfred Edmund Bateman, barrister-at-law, are ap-
pointed joint secretaries of the Commission. •