The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-31 00:00:00

Elte Orprems.

•
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Tar DO —141111.1. PM I; Ansew•.l4 PAL Pot le
frallssas•—lteraimill am. pea 10; Allospes. 21 ggs. pria 11.

LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY3I.
TEE official correspondence of the Resident at
Lahore, and that of his officers in the north and south
of the Punisub, cannot but lead, whoever reads it im-
partially, to the conclusion that the Sikhs were pro-
voked Into their last insurrection. With regard to
CRITETUR SINGH, this is evidently the opinion
of Sir FREDERIC CLIME himself. The
next consideration, then, under such circum-
stance', is, the justice of dethroning the young
Maharajah, Dunizr &Noir, dissolving. the Durbtr,,
or council of native chiefs, and transferring all Witt-
amend all the powers of government to the hands of
the officials of the East India Company.
Nothing can be more manifest, than that the
chiefs or mrdars cf the Sikhs, in their agreement with
the British government of Dec., 1846, meditated giving
up, indeed, to an English Resident the supreme
control or politleal direction of the prime affairs of
state; but that, at the same time, this control or
direction being given, the entire execution and details
of administration should be entrusted to native officers,
and that the orders of the Ik-eldest should be confined
to this durbar or native council, and peas through it.
No memo read articles 3 and 4 of the agreement
without being convinced that such was the tense of
the Sikh stipulation. Them are as follows:
Art. 3. Every attention shall be paid, in conducting the
adesnistratios, to the helings of the people, to preserving
the national institutions and customs, and is maintain the
jest rights of all classes.
Art. 4. Changes in the mode and details of administration
shall not be made, except when found necessary for effecting
the objects set forth in the foregoing clause, and for securing
the just dues of the Lahore Government. These details
shall be conducted by native officers, as at present, who shall
be appointed and superintended by a council of regency,
composed of leading chiefs end Sirdars,setkg under the con•
trot and guidance of the British resident.
_ _

that this conclusion is materially shaken by the fact
of a rapid increase of produce so conspicuous on the
face of the return. Between 1840 and 1847 there
has been a great and gratifying augmentation in the
quantity of all desonmions of grain. But
there bas been no depreciation in the mar-
ket value of these commodities, apparently
become so soddenly abundant. The principal came
at once of the steadiness of the price and the full-
ness of the supply must of course be found in the in-
ternal demand of the country itself, and it is net un-
likely that some inaccuracies or omissions in the
earlier years of these statistics may render the figures
repos which we argue in some degree an nnfa.thful
repreneritation of the precise truth. In the three last
rams of the return, however, there are charges we
me well able to explain without having recourse to
any doubtful corrections. The extension which ap-
pears to have taken phew in the cultivation of wheat
and Indian corn between 1845 and 1847 may be at-
tributed in a material degree to the condition of the
western countries of Europe during those years, and
ef none of these countries in a more important mea-
sure than cur own islands. For the first time
in the experience of the agriculturists of
Ohio and Tennessee, there was an European demand
upon an imposing scale for their Indian corn. A com-
modity they had been scout med to hold very cheap
saddest, became an important article of commerce
and leader the indue.ment of a highly profitable price
these who had reaped the advantage of these events
only obeyed a natural law when they at once in-
creased their cultivation of a species of produce
already so fortunately distioguishe&
The European demand of 1847 probably indicates
the true nature of the circumstances which w'll intro-
duce any important quantity of American agricul-
tural produce into England. The male of English
prices rose to a point which permitted the importation
of supplies into New Yolk and the other Atlantic
cities from a very extensive circle, and for a period
removed the most formidable impediment to the ex-
port of food from America, namely, the expense of the
inland transit. But, considerable as were the induce-
or ute to enter into grain speculations in 1847, the ar-
rivals of Indian corn into the United Kingdom, between
July, 1836, and Nov., 1837, were not more than two
and a half millions of quarters, or one-twentieth part
of the crop of this grain in the previous year. The
quantity of wheat received during the same interval
was more considerable, and bores larger proportion to
the entire crop. The importation was two and a
quarter millions of quarters, out of a gross proince
stated at fourteen and a half millions of quarters.
The inference from these facts is this—that, under
the encouragement of a certain scale of prices, we may
always depend upon the United States for an exten-
sive supply of grain. And we may add, that the
article of Indian corn has proved to be so useful an ad-
dition to our stock of agricultural articles of import,
that, in all likelihood, a permanent trade of some im-
portance in that commodity has been already created.
We very much question however whether there is
any speedy likelihood of America sending wheat or
wheat flour to this country when the English price is
lees than 535. or 555. If we take the present price of
average wheat at 465., we shall be able to see some
foundation for this conclusion. The value of flour at
New York is about 41 dole., per barrel, and the freight
to Liverpcol is quoted at 2e—both these elements
of cost are favourable to a merchant contemplating
a consignment to the English market—that is to my,
the records of price at New York would not famish
him with money quotations more in his favour. The
circulars however it the face of these figures
attribute the entire absence of any export demand
obviously to insufficient value at Liverpool. It
is quite possible that increased facilities of
inland transit, or soma great extension of the
cultivation might bring down the price of flour
in New York to much lees than 41 dole. a barrel, and
by that meats permit a profitable exportation to Eng-
land, when the averages of our "Gazette" were below
50s. We confers., however, that this is a change we
are not prepared to expect at present.
There is one class of facts, however, to which we
beg to direct the attention of those alarmists among
our own farmers who are in the habit of describing
the prices of corn in fcreign couttries as if they al-
ways stood at the same awful point of debasement in
spite of every kind of influence. The effect of a
foreign demand upon the prices of corn is a distant
market has been seldom Must' ated better than at
New York in the spring and summer of 1847. We
have already said that the present quotations for flour
arc 4 Idols. per barrel, and that the freight to Liverpool
is 2s. In May 1847 the same quantity of the same
commodity sold for 81 dols., and could not be shipped
for less than 35., and Indian corn, which at this mo-
ment sells very slowly at 58 cents. per bushel, was
then obtained with difficulty at three times the price,
and could not be conveyed to an English port for leas
than twice the cost required far the same length of
voyage under ordinary circumstances.
The facts we have pointed out will sufficiently ex-
plain how it has happened that of the large importa-
tion of grain into this colintry since September last so
comparatively small a quantity has come from the
United States. To the end of April from the month
in question the importations of wheat have been
from

That Colonel LAWRENCE so understood this, is evi-
dent from his letter, which will be found at the head
of our extracts from the Parjaub papers in another
column. It is equally manifest that the Governor-
General of India entertained a completely different
opinion (see second paper), that he considered the
Resident to have a right to interfere '° as much or
as little as he chooses," and that his duty was not
merely to act through the Durbar, but to appoint
even British officers " to manage the revenue, police,
and judicial administration," Just es wes done at
Nagpor_ ,e or in the dominions of the Nizsm. In fact
it will be seen, that the GOVERNOR-GENERAL com-
pletely destroyed by a stroke of the pen the stipu-
lations which the Sikh chiefs bad made on behalf of
their independence. Instead of acting through the
Herber, the Resident at Lahore was compelled
to act quite independent of it. For example, the
negotiations with MOOLRAJ, for his resignation and
his being succeeded by a British officer, were carried
on without even the cognisance of the Dunbar. Well
might SLIME Stem in his simple language complain
that—
Notwithstanding the British eovernment has nothing to
do with the management of affairs in the Punjaub, not a
kin& ordtr is issued except with the Resident's signature.
This is contrary to the spirit of the treaty made by the British
government with the Lahore state.
Having thus violated the terms and spirit of the
treaty with the Sikhs, how can the Indian
government tarn rouLd and accuse not merely
the Birders, whom they had provoked to open hosti-
lity, but even those councillors, who remained true to
the last? Who could be more faithful than ENIAN-
00D-DEEN or Tv SlNGH—more obedient than little
DIIULEEP ? But because the native Durbar is found
inefficient to put down native revolt, it is declared to
have forfeited its position and influence. Nothing
can be more certain, than that if the eative
administration had been left to the Dur-
bar, and had the management of Mooltan,
and of the Hazareh been entrusted to native chiefs,
no insurrection would have taken place. But how
could the Durbar, which was not allowed to prevent
disaffection, be able to put it down ? The fact is,
that the moment MOOLRAJ was driven to his
rash act, all the Sirdars were treated as
suspected persons, and when Cntrrrua broke
out, the others were forced by the treat-
ment they received to join the rebellion. Major
EDWARDES term dSnrMentllll SINGH Oat of his camp.
The Governor-General writes, on October 3, 1848, to
forbid any more trust to be placed inany one Sikb,
and to forbid any guarantee being thereafter given
to any one of them either as to life or property. Lord
DALUOVeIII had already determined on the con-
&cation and destruction of every Sikh. And even
his threats to deprive the Maharajah GOOLAB of his
territory make us, at this moment fear that the ra-
pacity of the Governor-General will not even respect
Cashmere and lummoo.
We have sought in vain throughout the 600 or
700 pages of this volume one single pretext for de-
. ,
pnving either of tat liaithraiaU of their rights.
Nothing whatever is laid to littfe DIRTLEEP'd charge,
except his boyish refusal to sign a saffron cross on the
forehead of 7Er SIN°, for which it would appear that
Tv SING WU to to as much punished as he.
Besides the Birders that were driven into
armed resistance, there is a list of 34 who, far
from joining the insurrecCon, some of them most
valiantly opposed it. Amongst these are four oat of
the eight names composing the council of Regency.
And yet these four are condemned on account of the
defection of the remainder. Of the Sirdars who
signed the treaty in the name of the Khalsn, not one
half was implicated in the insurrection.
If all the Sikhs bad joined in the resistance ander
provocation as fatuitous and great as that which was
given to MOOLRAJ, we should not even then say that
the Sikhs had forfeited the rights acquired by the
treaties of 1846. But when no accusation can be
brought against so large a body of Sirdan and of the
Durbar itself, and when not a breath of reproach can
be uttered against the infant Maharajah, to
sweep him from his throne, and the Der-
bar from that political power which was allotted
them, merely on the grounds of incapacity to sup-
press an insurrection which Lord Gowan himself,
with all his guns and European troops, took re-
peated efforts to do—in this decision, we must own,
we can behold neither justice, nor magnanimity, nor
skill.
The policy of the annexation we shall consider
ereafier.

America

Other countries 2 341,534

2,888,447
The arrivals of Indian corn have amounted to
1,141,944 qrs., of which nearly the whole his been of
transatlantic origin.
It is no secret that of the remeinicg 2,888,447 qrs.
of wheat of which we have been the recipients, a
large part has been attracted to our shores less with
a view of deriving profit ont of our prices, than of
escaping confiscation and damsga at home. In 1848,
the average price of wheat throughout the whole of
Belgium was 18f. 14c. per hectolitre, or equal to &boat
465. per quarter; and for 1845 in France, one of the
latest average years for which the accounts are com-
plete for the entire kingdom, the average price was
18'. 93e. per hectolitre, or equal to more than 465.
per quarter. After making every possible allowance
for variations of quality, depreciations of price, and
cheapness of freight, we may still easily czarvince
ourselves that the causes which have brought so con-
siderable a supply of grain into our ports, have a far
wider range and a far deeper influence than the abo-
lition of our own corn laws.
The most formidable rival of the Americans in our
markets for all the inferior kinds of grain will not be
the cultivators of the Vistula, but the producers of
rye and the kindred seeds, who export their produce
from the ports of northern Russia. In 1847, Mr. BATES,
of the firm of BARING Brothers, told a committee
of the House of Commons that be looked rather to
Russia than America as a source of supply. Mr. BATES,
however, hu been hitherto wrong in his estimate of the
scale of prices at New York that would justify an ex-
portation of flour to Liverpool. He thought that 4}
dollars per barrel would be quite low enough to
render such an operation profitable, yet we see the
present price is exactly at this point, and an export is
found to be impossible.
Our agriculturists, therefore, are not yet to be ex-
tinguished by an avalanche of American supplies,
and it would be a gross scandal to our husbandry if
those who live by it cannot undersell in our own
markets the produce of men who live on the out-
skirts of civilisation, who have neither accumulated
capital, accustomed roads, nor a certain outlet for their
produce, and between whom and their Euglish
car-
tomera there intervene two thousand miles of wilder-
' ness and the breadth of the Atlantic Ocean.

IN another page we insert an interesting statistical
statement of the agricultural produce of the United
States during the last six years. With the exception
of converting the original computation of bushels into
the equivalent of imperial quarters, we present the
document as it has been compiled by our correspon-
dent from the records of the commis ioners of patents
at New York.
The salient points of this return may be beet ex-
pressed through the medium of a comparison.
At this moment the population of the Union and
the population of England and Wales are perhaps
equal within a million or a million and a half—thel
maximum number of twenty millions belonging to the,
I United States. The Americans, then, grow about as
mach wheat as we do (14,000,000 qrs.) ; twice as
arch oats and beans (22,000,000 qrs.); one-fifth as
much barley (719,000 qrs.); and Indian corn, which
so greatly exceeds in quantity (it amounts to
67,500,000 qrs.) every other description of cereal pro-
bate is America as to become at once the really im-
portant staple in the agricultural economy of that
MVa population such as that which lives under
Os Were government—a population increasing with
a dime of rapidity, perhaps, never exceeded in the
history of the escies—a population able to command,
sad accustomed by habit to require, a liberal scale of
dist—there is nothing in the first appearance of these
facts calculated to convey any strong impression of
the resources of America as an exporting country,
except under special circumstance*. We are not sure

TQE correepondecos between the Duke of BEbronti
and his protectionist tenant. Mr. Wm. BENNETT, of
Lewsey, which we published the day before yesterday, I
aff ads a complete practical refutation of all the halt-
baloo made about free tradein corn. Mr. BENNETT at
Willis's Rooms came forward and deliberately stated
that he had been robbed of one-fourth of his capital
by free trade ; and his landlord, who had not long
since granted him a lease of his farm, thereupon
came forward and offered to relieve him of that lease
and make such an equitable allowance for the tenant's
improvements as the case admitted o£ It may fairly
be supposed that Mr. BENNETT jumped at his land-
lord's liberal offer; that he at once availed himself of
the opportunity to escape from the ruin he saw im-
pending. Not at all. He asks time for deliberation.
He whines and he whimpers about unknown
enemies seeking to " seriously damage him" with
his landlord, and rides off in vague generali.
ties about taxation, and evades admitting having
' mold his wheat at a price which gives the lie 4o all his
Regent-street declamation. Nearly two months have
rased since the Duke of BEDFORD'S offer was made,

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVE 'TING, MAY 31, 1849.

but Mr. BENNETT has made no sign of accepting it.
We venture to say there is no chance of his doing so.
Now, Mr. BENNETT loons of the foremost of the pro-
tectionist binders about the ruin which it is pretended 1
free trade has brought upon English farmers, and he I
lis a fair specimen of a large section of the men who I
"take the parts" of tenant farmers when the protec-
tionist I oliticians want to give a roar of the British
lion. He is a farmer who farms moderately well,
and unities with his profession of husbandman that of
auctioneer and land-valuer. Like most men who
carry on these combined occupations, he would push
that branch which is capable of the greatest exten-
sion, and to roar out the complaints of the farmers at
the bidding of the landlords is no bad introduction to
a land-valuing business. Such, at least, is the expla-
nation we have often received of the wild vagaries
of the so-called tenant-fanners who obey the Doke of
RICHMOND and Mr. DianaELL This much is cer-
tain, that most of the farmers who declaim so kudly
against free trade are land-valuers also. Now the
value of Mr. BENNETT'S assertions about agricultural
ruin has been tested, and the result is just what we
should have anticipated. Like • mallet man, he
has no notion of parting with his farm; though
with an eye to auctioneering business he sees
shrewdly enough that occasional appearances in Bond-
street and Regent-street as the colleague and mouth-
piece of the Duke of Ittettuo•D is not a bad advertise-
ment. We ask the farmers to regard the declamation of
these men for just what it is worth, and to examine
for themselves the realities of their own position. Let
each farmer just put to himself the question of Mr.
BeNsErra landlord—" Do you really wish to give
up your farm?" If his answer shall be, like Mr.
Bex•Err, in the negative, let him not go about talk-
log all sorts of rhodomontade. which nobody believes,
and which he does not believe himself. Farmers
have real and substantial grievances, which they can
• only get redressed by means of fair, candid, and
business-l.ke expositions, as different as possible from
the random assertions of Mr. BENlrrrr and the rest
of the Bond-street clique.