The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-26 00:00:00

PORTCGAL.

The Portuguese deserters collected at Villanueva de la Sierra,
where their depot has been famed, have there proclaimed Don
Miguel King of Portugal, vociferating imprecations against the
Emperor Don Pedro, the Constitution, and the Regency. On the
receipt of this news, the Portuguese Ambassador made a remon.
stream to the Spanish Government, requiring that the depot should
be removed from the frontiers —/redirrt. or de Bow Jcaux.

The advocates of an alteration in the Corn Laws have
no need to deny that the price of labour is regulated by
the price of corn ; and if they did wish to do so, they
would not adopt the arguments or facts furnished them by
some of their contemporaries. The basis of all our argu-
ments, on the contrary, is, that the price of corn does
regulate the wages of the labourer, as well as the price of
Lontmodities. Most mistakes in political reasonings arise
from an anxiety to simplify, and an unwillingness to take
:into consideration more than one cause of any event. The
Jistovery of machinery has rer.dered the mere wages of
manual labour a less important part of the price of com-
modities than it was formerly ; but it must be remembered
that the decrease of the inferior labourers has been followed
by an increase of the superior labourers, who are employed
in the duties of superintendence. These superior labourers
consume a greater quantity cf the produce of other iaferior
iabearers than could have been consumed under thrfortwer

circumstances of the country ; and constquently the tate
of their wages wi►l be as much regulated by the price of
cora as that of mere manual labourers. We cannot pre-
tend to-develop completely, in an article of this sort, the
opinions we have formed on so extenbive a subject ; end
all our general assertions are to be understood as liable to
ceetain limitations and exceptions, which cannot be dwelt
upon in our limited space. The Act 51 Henry 111. stat. 6,
establishes a scale for the price of al.", proportioned to that
of barley ; the result of which is, that the quart of ale bore,
at the time of passing this Act, about the same proportion
as at present to the price of a quarter of barley. This
proportion was nearly as one to nimay-six. 'f he quarter of
barley was then 25., and the quart of ale was consequently
one farthing, which is neatly the same proportion as the
price of a quarter of barley bears to that of a quart of
ale at present. It has been argued from this, that the
wages paid for brewing ought, if wages dept ml on the price
of con, to bear the same proportion to the price of barley
'now as it did. at that period. It seems to us that they do
bear almost precisely the same proportion ; and we think
we can prove that' they 4o so, w:thout refining to the dif-
ference hi the value of money, which bas been mentioned
to us as a circumstance which rendered these calculations
inaccurate. The question here is one in which there arc
fru propor►ional., and (to speak mathematically on a

subject essentially mathematical), if we take any mul-
tiples of the first two terms, and any other multiples of the
best two terms, the four terms will still be proportional..
The 23th Edward 111. sec. 1, expressly enacts that a
prnny shall be a day's wages for a hay-maker; now a
penny a day is the twenty-fourth part of two shillings,
the price of a quarter of wheat ; and eighteen-pence, or the
twenty-fourth part of thirty-six shillings, the price of a
quarter of barley, is not very far from the present wages of
hay-maker.
If it is a fact that barley, manufactured into ale, at the
present moment, bears the same proportion in point of
priee to the raw material (corn), as it did before the in-
vention of the improved processes which have since been
introduced into the manufacture (and there is no art in
whieh more improvements have been introduced than that
of brewing), it seems to us to become at least a question
deserving of investigation—whether improvements in ma-
nufactures can ever ultimately produce an effect on the price
of labour? It is obvious, from our calculation, that the manu-
facturer of ale in the reign of the 3d HINZY could afford
to sell it just as cheaply in proportion to the price of food
as he can at present; for a farthing per quart, the price in
the reign of HINAT, bears almost the same proportion to
91., the price of a quarter'of barley at that time, as M. a
,quart does to the present price of barley, and, consequently,
io food in general. By these facts, therefore, it appears
thin the conclusions of theory are correct, and that prices,
ha spite of tbe • improvements in machinery, must always
depend'upen labour, while the page of labour mut in-
fallibly depend upon that of necessaries.

CITY, WZDNESDAN EVENING.

The British Funds opened this morning with an appa-
rent disposition to maintain an advancing market. Consols
were done freely at Not the opening, and ere long attained
821 : from this point, however, they gradually declined to
811 1 for money, and 8111 for the Account, at which price
they closed. Varieub reasons were assigned for this retro-
grade movement, the most prominent of which were, first,
an express from Pari3, stating a fall in the French Rentes;
second, the arrival of a vessel from Oporto in seven days,
bringing disastrous news from Portugal; and, third, that
an interview had taken place between a celebrated capitalist
and his Majesty's Ministers of Finance, relative to a change
in the commercial policy of England, as connected with
the treaty said to be on the eve of conclusion between this
country and Paris. The denial of the truth of the two
first points was soon obtained; Mr. ROTH/CHILD had not
received the pretended express, and, although a merchant
vessel had arrived, as stated, from Oporto, it could Dot be
discovered that she brought any letters of a political nature,
or was charged with any communication, or knew any
thing as to any fresh insurrection in that country. As tol
the third report, it was understood that the gentleman in
question had been seen in his carriage southward of Char.
ing-cross, and that was quite sufficient authority for any
report which ingenuity might be pleased to promulgate to
,spot the market. Consols certainly are disposed to go up,
sad It esquires all the energy of the Bears to keep them
dawn ; and therefore, as the Account advances in the absence
it teal much 'artificial information may be expected. The
supply of Exchequer Bills has been rather be'
and to-day, and they have declined a shilling,
It India Bonds are a shade higher, at 40, /*

'The' Foreign Market has hr.' somewhat
di, however, Kan to be overmaing
atitilmet ii newer amAintendettiLallw.
tasted
to 64 I. Colombian have been* wery 1
rio S9l; aid Chili)a catfonly be quoted ate.
*Wm imforstatiob to rectivad sotto the
for the prawns ortoth colombian and Chiffon

it can hardly ►e expected that any great
place in these securitiee. The Buenos
anxiously looked for ; and the arrival of
maid, though not due until the 3ist,will relieve

THE BRITISH MESS.

• • MOVEMENTS.
The Earl and Countess of Jersey left town yesterday, for' their
seat. Middleton Park, Oxfordshire.
The Earl of Alihorn' left the St. James's Hotel, Jermynatreet,
yesterday. on a shooting excursion, in Hants; Robert Leeson,
Esq. for Ireland.
bn.rd and lady Arden have left !bailey Park, Winchester, for
Cadlands. Southampton.
The Honourable Colonel Anson, ALP., has left Newmarket, on
a visit to Lord Kensington, at his seat, Haydon Hall, Norfolk.
Captain Otway Cave has id; .Litner's Hotel, Conduitatreet, for
Paris.
Arrivals at the British Hotel, lamps-street :—J. A. Ballwin,
Esq. from Oxfordshire; the Rev. Dr. Wall, from a tour : Robert
ilaniliton, Esq., from a tour.
Departures from the St. George's Hotel, Albemarle.street :
°forge and Charles Polhill, Esq., for their seat in Kent; Mrs.
Adam and llrs. Osborne, fur their seat, at Richmond. .
Departures from Read's Hotel. Loiter Grosvenor.street :—Sir 1
James and Lady Fitrgerald,lot Paris : W. 11. Ilnein, Esq.. for ,
Lard Grantley's seat, °malty Han, Yorkshire; Captain Mait-
land, for Cheltenham.
A Trivets at Fenton's New Hotel, Bt. Jar:tees. street :—G. Thump-
' ann. Esq., from Gleameter j John Itrinby, Esq.. from Nottingham.
Departures:—Sir W. Cadtbatr, part, for Brighton; Nott
ingham.
Esq. for ditto ; Lee, Faity, on a tour.
Anil. als at the Rogaglittes'a.sereet : —Cole, Esq..
from Oxford; G. T . , for Hants. Departures: Sir
Walter Bummer, for ; C. 31. torbelly, Esq., for
Ireland. ' •
"
Arrivals at Pisan/fa...and Oxford-street:—Rev. T. Drake,
front a tow. Depertiazt:z:ir ridge Gould, for Hens; Lady,
Alr., Mrs., and Miss • a.toort 11. and W. lAitle, Esq.
and Mrs. 14ittle, foe, ales;, ~ MSS., and Mr. Yates, for
Brighton; —South's% Faq.,ani tour. .