The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-23 00:00:00

HARDWARE.

I BIRMINGHAM, APRIL 21.—There is still a good deal of
languor about the trade of this town, although a little more
1 activitAms manifested itself in the course of the week ; this
has been chiefly on account of the home trade, the foreign
orders being still scanty. The manufactories have been
going not much less than full time this week ; but orders
are very closely worked up. The French treaty continues
to occupy a good deal of attention. It is now quite apparent
that unless a classification of hardware goods can be made,
and a suitable' scale of duties fixed, little advantage will
arise from the treaty. With the view to such "dud.
Bestial," the council of the Chamber of Commerce have
invited the co-operation of manufacturers, and a meeting
took place yesterday afternoon. The deputation which
attended at the Board of Trade a few days ago detailed
the result of the interview. It appeared that from
what Mr. Cobden said, it was evident that he considered tt
impossible to obtain a tariff of ad ra/orem duties ; the Em-
peror was strongly in favour of specific duties, and the case
was seemingly not one of what English manufacturers would
like, but what they could get. If there were particular
cases in which tel solemn duties were absolutely necessary,
from specific duties being impracthable, then Birmingham
manufacturers must go over to Paris and support the can-
Mill/1011011 in fighting the battle. One point, however, was
worth mention. Mr. Cobden distinctly told them that the
thirty per cent. alluded to in the treaty would only be
levied in exceptional cam*, and that the French government
had no wish to tax hardware so high, the probability being
that they would go as low as ten per cent. in many cases.
Mr. Wagner, as one of the deputation, mid that Mr.
Cobden mentioned several facts which might not be gene-
rally known. The French government were about to take
eighty or a hundred millions of francs off their colonial
produce—coffee, auger, and other articles—and not having
too much money they were anxious that our goods should
COMO into France in order that the revenue may be kept
up. Looking at the recent appointment to office of free
traders, and other things which had occurred since the
treaty was published, Mr. Cobden also firmly believed that
ere long free trade would b • carried out by France. To
show the difficulties attending the clemification of Bir-
mingham goods for specific duties, Mr. Wagner mentioned
that when at the Board of Trade, on Monday, he produced
German silver spoons ranging from 2s. to 14.. per dozen, and
asked Mr. Ogilvy (one of the commissioners who would visit
Birmingham) to classify them according to their value. Though
that gentleman was one of the most experienced officials
connected with theCustorn-house be failed in the attempt
at classification. He (Mr. Wagner) also showed them a
sample of steel pens selling at 11. 12s. lid. the 100Ibs., and
another sample which sold at 461. 10e. the 100 the. Mr.
Ogilvy cautioned them against trying to get too many
articles exempted from specific duties, and pointed out that
there was no tariff exclusively ad tvaorem except the Ame-
rican—England itself charging the same duty on tea
ranging from 7d. to 3s. a pound, and on tobacco ranging
from 3e. to 12s. Mr. Cobden had given the deputation to
understand that where the duties were at present under 30
per cent. they world in no case be raised. The result of
this meeting was, that an effort is to be made to classify
the various articles of manufacture, and if possible,
to adjust a rate of duty suitable to price and such classi-
fication-

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

CASUALTY.

Mystery ehnoner', of this port, Captain Wend, from Swansea to
Smyrna, with coals, 10 trying to come In here to repair. having
been In mlllelon In Inning the former port, went ashore at the
back of the pier, and le likely to become a wreck, as It Is blow-
ing a strong gale from the north.—ln. Ives, April YO.