The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-15 00:00:00

the mercantile and fiscal system, however, that has
long prevailed in this country, the interests of the
community, who arc the consumers, have been sacrificed ;
and production and not consumption seems to have been
considered as the great end and object a all industry and
commerce. In the numerous restraints on the importation
of all foreign commodities, which might interfere with
those of our own growth and manufacture, the interests of
the consumers at home are sacrificed to those of the pro-
ducer. The community arc heavily amused and saddled
with that enhancement of price, which an unjust monopoly
of this sort must always occasion. The manufacturer
alone is benefited also by the bounties granted on the ex-
portation of his produce. The home consumer has to pay
both the tax necessary to meet the bounty, and a higher
price for the same commodity in the home market. When
any country oppresses, by high duties or prohibitions, the
free trade of other nations, it injures at the same time its
own interests most deeply ; by raising the cost of foreign
goods, and of all manufactures, it sinks the real value of
the surplus produce of its own land, with which, or the
price of which, it purchases those very foreign goods and
manufactures ; next, by giving, in a great degree, a mono-
poly of the home market to its own merclian'.! and manu-
facturers, it raises the rate of profit in both instances, and
draws from agriculture a part of the capital, which would
otherwise have been devoted to it. Agriculture is thus dis-
couraged by the rate of profit being raised in other ernp'.oy-
ments and lowered in that; and men are thus tempted by
their own interests to turn their capital and industry from
agriculture to manufactures, as more profitable. Every
trade and manufacture has barn goaded with legislative
enactments ; the woollen manufacture, the great staple of
the country in particular, has been fenced round with pro-
hibitions against all foreign competition. The importation
of woollen cloths from any foreign country is absolutely
interdicted by law. The sheep fanners and growers of
wool are also prohibited from Cr porting either. The im-
portation of French canibrics and lawns, except into the
port of London, to be warehoused for exportation, has been
long forbidden. higher duties also are imposed on the
wines of France, than 011 those of Portugal or any
other country, by one Act : called the Impost, so early
as 169'4 a sweeping duty of five-arid-twenty per cent.
was laid on all French goods ; in four years after,
1696, a second assessment of 35 per cent. further, the first
not having been thought a sufficient prohibition, was im-
posed oil all French goods, except brandy, with an added
duty of twenty-five pounds on every tun of French wines,
and fifteen pounds on every tun of vinegar; scarce a
session has since passed, with the exception of these last
few years, in which sonic additional prohibiting duty
was not laid on. The French, in their turn, adopted the
same system towards this country and others. Such a
system constituted a great part of the policy of the cele-
brated Colbert. That Minister, by the tariff of 1667, in
particular, imposed very high duties upon a number of'
foreign manufactures. The Dutch, in consequence of his
refusing to moderate them, pi ohibi tod altogether the impor-
tation of the wines, brandies, and manufactures of France.
The war of 1672, between the two countries, was in part
occasioned by this commercial dispute. The peace Of
Nimeguen closed it in 167 S ; and several of the duties were
moderated in favour of the Hutch, who, in consequence,
took off their prohibition. It was about this period France
and this country began the war of mutual prohibition,
which has been since kept up, until the restraints on both
sides have extinguished almost all fair commerce between
the two countries; and smugglers are now almost the sole
importers of French goods into this country, or British
goods into France. This ungenerous and impolitic system
it, we trust, broken in upon, and we hope to see a did', rent
policy prevail. It is for the mutual benefit and character
of both nations that it should be so. The proscriptive
tariffs that destroy their mutual commerce are equally in-
jurious both to France and Great Britain. We shall pro-
bably return to this most important subject again.

Yesterday morning the Duke of York attended Divine
Service at the Chapel Royal, and heard a sermon by the
Bishop of Peterborough. The anthem was composed by
Dr. Bovee--" Where is Wisdom to he Found?" which was
sung by Master Wesley, Messrs. Sahnon, Vaughan, and
Clarke.
The Duchess of Kent attended Divine Service yesterday
morning at the King's Royal German Chapel, and heard a
sermon by the Rev. Dr. Kuper.
Saturday night tle! Duke and Duchess of Gloucester ho-
noured the Italian Opera with their presence.
Yesterday, at three o'clock, a Cabinet Council was held
at the Foreign Office, Downing-street, which sat in deli-
beration till about half-past four.—The Lord Chancellor,
the Earl of llarrowby, the Earl of Liverpool, the Earl
of Westmorland, Lord Bexley, Viscount Sidmouth, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, 111 r. Secretary Canning, Mr.
Wynn, and most of the Cabinet Ministers, were present.l
This was the first time of Mr. Canning appearing in public
business since the decease of his nephew, the Marquis of
N'iscount Melville principally resides at Coombe IVood,
the residence of the Earl of Liverpool, for the recovery of
his health.

On Saturday afternoon, about forr o'clock, Mr. Adam.
bergrr, a Foreign Messenger, arrived in a post-chaive at
the Foreign Office, Downing-strect, with thnatelics from
our Ambassidor at Vicuna.