The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-10 00:00:00

At the present time, in the competition to which
we aro subjected, there arc few branches of enter-
prise which have been temporarily more affected than
the flour trade, the importation of French flour being
valued by eminent French authorities at 3,000,0001.
for the last yeer. Every suggestion for meeting
this isompetition receives attention, but interest has
more particularly been excited by the plan of the
Conical Flour Mill Company. The inventor is
a practical miller, the flour has been worked by
an eminent house in the trade, and the testimonials
of the London bakers arc in the strongest terms.
is claimed that the new mill saves half the expense
of grinding, and producing flour of better quality,
enables three or four loaves more to be worked from
every sack. While there appears no objection to
these claims, the prospectus seems to admit of several
modifications in its tone and in its details. How-
ever desirable it may be to introduce such machinery,
if proved to be beneficial, and however legitimate a
joint-stock company may be for such purpose, yet,
when it is proposed to set up flour mills and work
the patent in competition with existing mills, the
plan becomes very questionable. Although there is
a long description of the millwork, there is no en-
graving of it to enable it to be understood, and there
Is no estimate of the working. Although enormous
profits are talked of as arising from grinding flour,
there aro no calculations to show how this is to be
effected, perhaps because grinding is generally met
by the offal produced. The plan for selling licenses
seems much more legitimate, fbr capital and a staff
are required to bring a new invention into activity.
We make these remarks, because we should be sorry
if any effort for a laudable purpose should fail from
the project assuming too great extension, or being
put forward in a manner too pretentious.
Henceforth we are to have, it appears,a Mercantile
Navy List, to be published by authority every half-
year, and to contain the names of the masters and
mates engaged in our merchant service, the number
of the certificate of each, the class in which they were
examined, the name of the ship in which each one
is employed, the port to which she belongs, and her
destined voyage. In the number of this new publi-
cation now 'before us wo have in the first place the
names arranged in the order of their respective cer-
tificates; and following this classification there is
another, in which all the names aro placed
alphabetically. If anything was wanted to afford
an idea of the magnitude of the English mercantile
marine this publication would give it, for upwards
of 70 pages of closely-printed small type are occupied
with the mere list of the names of the masters and
mates who have passed their examination of profi-
ciency ! Besides this list—equally gratifying to our
national pride and useful to the mercantile classes—
this official volume contains a number of documents
useful for reference, including statements of the
names of the principal officers of tho Board of Trade;
names of members of local boards, examiners, and
shipping masters ; instructions to shipping masters ;
table of fees to be received by shipping masters; re-
gulations respecting examination of masters and
mates; cancelled certificates of competency ; names of
masters and mates who have received honorary rewards;
obituary of certificated masters ; list of persons
licensed to engage seamen for merchant ships; can-
celled mariners register tickets; British consuls
abroad; Channel pilots, licensed by the Corporation
of Trinity House; scales of medicines; surveyors of
steam-vessels; regulations respecting steam-vessels;
a list of steam-vessels that have obtained certificates
of registry from the Board of Trade; table for cake-
lating seamen's wages ; receivers of droits of the
Admiralty ; and official notices respecting lights for
steamers, consular fees, merchant seamen's fund, and
the Trinity House. Such a book supplies an evident
want, and will therefore assuredly enjoy the patro-
nage of all merchants, seamen, and others interested
in our mercantile marine.

X NOLIOII IUNDB.—Tu is Div.
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