The Press.
London, England, 1854-11-18 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

that of Lord Aberdeen. It was then that the Czar
of all the Russias deemed the time ripe fur the
realisation of Muscovite ambition.
But now comes, in its due time and place, the
error of circumstance. The Republic of France, in-
augurated after the flight of Louis Philippe, was but
a disjointed state of national incompetency. The
revolutions of Germany had utterly failed in con
structing the Utopian Federation of the Fatherland
after a republican shape, and the assassinations at
Frankfort and elsewhere had disgusted the more
honest and prudent of its partisans. Kossuth bad
ruined the cause of constitutional Hungary by the
declaration of stern republicanism ; and the fact of
his having been accessory, by harangue, to the mur-
der of General Latour alienated from him still more
the confidence of the Magyars. At that moment the ,
Emperor Nicholas came forth as the protector I
of European monarchy, prostrated Austria by his
fatal aid, and fomented with the full weight of his
influence the insincere conduct of the King of
Prussia against the Germanic interests of the house
of Hapsburg. In the meantime the President of the
French Republic ascended the imperial throne of his
uncle. The English Ambassador at Paris, the Mar-
quis of Normanby, in an official note found in the
Foreign-office at Paris, treated and spoke of the Em-
peror of the French as " a paltry scamp," and " a
hungry adventurer, not worthy of notice." Two
Whig Ministers of the Crown, also, at public assem-
blies convened for especial purposes, reviled the
Emperor of the French as "a rogue and vagabond,"
a "traitor," "perjurer," and " butcher " and ex-
hausted every epithet of contumely familiar to the
denizen of the gin palace. Relying upon the
faith and the sincerity of the English Minister, and
upon the supposed insecurity of the imperial throne
of France, and the inability of its occupant, the Em
peror Nicholas broke ground. This was the fatal
mistake.
The "scamp" of the Marquis of Normanby, and
the " Vaurien " of the " Arcades Ambo," has proved
himself to be as superior in rectitude of conduct to
the Russian autocrat and the English Minister as
he has outgeneralled them in the higher branches
of state policy. He has cemented betwixt the two
countries a union which the Minister, through his
colleagues, together with the insulting note of Lord
Normanby, had striven to vitiate by personal abuse ;
and he has unmasked the Czar by a straightforward
determination of purpose, in strong contrast to the
insincerity and " timides avis " elsewhere displayed.
The present disturbed state of Europe, and the Rus-
sian war, are the emanations from the prejudices
entertained by the English Minister against France
from a blind obedience to Muscovite interests,
according to the spirit of the congress of Vienna;
and further, be it said, that they proceed from a men-
tal infirmity which does not permit a just discrimi-
nation betwixt the earnest appeal of an alien friend-
ship and the sterner demand of patriotic virtue.
Jebel Taif. C. A. H.

BOARD OF TRADE TYRANNY OVER CUSTOM-
HOUSE OFFICERS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS.
Sir,—l am anxious to obtain the advocacy of the
PRESS on behalf of one much wronged branch of
the civil service. I speak according to the good old
fashion of common honesty, and not as a political
economist; for in the opinion of such a philosopher
nothing seems wrong that effects a saving, and re-
trenches anything—but his own emoluments.
The wrongs of which I have to complain are those
done of late to some of the principal officers of cus-
toms at the outports. To the office of collector of
customs at an outport a certain salary has been at-
tached, the amount of which has been strictly limited
to what has been considered only a fair remu-
neration for his labours as collector of customs exclu-
sively. Of late years the Board of Trade has come
" into the market" as a candidate for all sorts of
offices, and has managed to draw within its grasp
various branches of public business, which were not
made " a trade " of before, but were managed by
corporate bodies, or by trustees elected by the parties
concerned. I allude principally to the Merchant
Seamens' Fund, and the pensions payable out of it ;
to the light duties, and to the " Droits of Admiralty."
It is surely a very high compliment to the collectors
of customs that., from the first, attention became
fixed upon them as the most efficient and trustworthy
body that could be found to collect the funds of these
various establishments. They cannot live, however,
on compliments. To induce them to give their
assistance, a fair per centage or allowance was offered
to them, and, as the circumstances of most of them
were far from affluent, they eagerly accepted the
trust, the duties, and the remuneration. It must
not be supposed that their new duties fell easily into
their " day's work " as collectors of customs. They
were compelled to give extra securities, to employ
private clerks, and to give extra attendance at their
o ces. For a long series of years matters went, on
(and went on very well) in the mode described; but
at last it was found out that nothing was sound that
wax not based upon "centralisation." Then is

1095

abundant proof, one would have supposed, that Go-
vernment does many things very ill indeed; but
centralisation " assumes that nothing can be done
well except by Government. Centralisation is in the
ascendant, and all the establishments, therefore, to
which I have alluded have been transferred to the
Board of Trade, as a central machine.
The "Board" has set about its new duties in the
true spirit of political economists ! First it takes
care of itself. It has created quite a new establish-
ment at the Treasury, with very nice pickings and
patronage" attached to it. In the next place, as an
item on the per contra side, as a proof of its strict,
if not very honest "econotuy,",it has deprived the
officers of customs of the emolument hitherto en-
joyed by them, and has required them to take, with-
out any pay, the labour and responsibility, leaving
the Board of Trade to reap all the credit. and the
remuneration ! However, the Board of Trade did
not at once tell the collectors of customs that they
must do the work of the Board of Trade for nothing.
It speciously offered, therefore, at first a price tor
their services, and, having obtained the services under
such an agreement, it now turns round and refuses
any longer to pay the stipulated remuneration. It
knows very well that it has the tyrant's power, " might
against right," and, although such a power is in
general execrated in England, the Board of Trade
does not hesitate to exercise it !
I beg to trespass a little further on your patienoe.
Custom-house officers are governed by a board of
their own, called the "Board of Customs." It may
seem unnecessary to state this, but, seeing such
doings by the Board of Trade, well may it be asked,
" What has become of the Board of Customs ?" Is
it not entitled to be consulted before the regulations
of its own department are thrown into confusion, and
the proper working of it disarranged by imposing
extraneous labour upon one important branch of it
Yet the Board of Trade has so interfered, and the
Board of Customs " makes no sign." What are we
to conclude from this ? The Board of Customs bas
become very unfavourably known to the public of
late years, and I fear it has come to the determine
Lion to escape censure, if possible, by avoiding melee.
The present board is a miscellaneous body., The
majority are " heavy Peelites ;" there is an admiral,
and an infusion of whig-radicalism was added a few
years ago iu the shape of a young and clever scion
of a recently-elevated stock, almost just fresh mom
college. There is not in it at present a single spice
of those good old English principles which, however
they may have been smothered for a time by new-
fangled notions, are still supported by some of the
greatest names in the land, and are every day acquiring
renewed strength and influence. Some jeers ago,
those principles were represented at the Board by the
then chairman, Mr. Dean. In his days the Board
of Customs was something. It possessed the respect
and confidence of the public, and, armed with that
respect and confidence, it maintained its due influ,
euce at the Treasury. The public were satisfied,
and the "service" felt itself protected and secure. The
Board of Customs has now become " Peelite," and,
in the eyes of the public and of the Treasury, "no-
thing." The " Peelite" board, indeed, commenced
with a very high hand, by flying into the faces of the
"merchant-princes" of the City. It set on foot the
notorious " Dock Company Prosecutions," which
destroyed not only such reputation as it possessed, but
endangered its very existence. The storm of public
indignation which then broke round its head suffi-
ciently quenched its pugnacious propensities, and,
" Peelite" like, it fell into the opposite extreme of
submissiveness and ultra-politeness. Few complain
of it now, for the public have become its" very worthy
and approved good masters ;" the Board of Trade
pushes it contemptuously on one side as of no ac-
count, and makes fags of its subordinate officers; and
the officers themselves feel that they have no longer
a board that can offer any defence or security against.
oppression and injustice.
Such is the result of Peelite predominance,
wherever it exists. I have marked these results dis-
passionately. in the words of an old poet, I myself,
From my throne of peace,
Can look [upon these things] with univet eyc,
for I have the satisfaction of being,
A SUPERANNUATED OFFICER.

Nov. 1854.
I'S.—l trust you will excuse my plain and unvar-
nished style, for I am of the old school, and never
passed a Uovernment Board of Examiners.

PARLIAMENT was on Thursday further prorogued
to Thursday the 14th of December next.
A FUNERAL. SERVICE for her late Royal Highness
the Duchess of Wurtemburg, sister of his Highness
Prince Adam Czartoryski, was celebrated on Monday
in the German Catholic Chapel in Bow-lane. The
Rev. Emericus Podoiski officiated, in the presence of
a numerous attendance of Polish refugees. The Poles
have also forwarded to Prince Adam Czartoryski,
their chief and representative abroad, an address
of condolence expressive of their deep sympathy
with the bereavement which his highness has sus-
tained.