The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-01 00:00:00

APOLLONICON„

This Day, SATURDAY, May I, at Two &Cloak,
TS! f4Llowing SELECTION will be performed by blr. PCRICIS,
on the APOLLONICON, a Grand Musical Instrument,
Invented and CoustEuel?d 14. Me,wrs jeLIBMT and ROBSON, Organ

----13Ziders., -----
CNDIS TUC IMYCuIAs PATIt4)/11AUS or HIS MAJESTY.
PA RT I.

Overture. Donna del Lego (lico7ail):-.llr, "Forest me not" (Mozart)
—Ulm. "Stake the harp In praise of Wavle (Stevens)--Air, " Shep-
herd% 1 hare kat my love"—Selortlone from Chigoes Cosseerto.

PART 11.

Fantasia, with Selections from Mozart tPurkiiii—Air, Should he
upbraid" " Trie Loot! stare "BY the
simpilelty of Venus' cloves" ibishopi—Finale tHaydnl.
Admittance, One Shilling.
Mat —Mr. Purkies Performanees will be continued every Saturday
daring the Season.
The mechanical powers of the A POLLONICON are exhibited daily,
item One till sins except during the Mut of Mr. Purities attendance.,
exentsng Chemblnrs celebrated Overture to Anacreon, and Mozart's
Wafture to 66 Clemenza di Tito," in the execution of which It is
allowed to p 1,4,. 4. a ivandeur and variety of abet, with a preelsimi
and a de:Wary of expression. superior to any other instrument to
damps. The Music arranged for and set on the CyUnders by Mr.
FUght,Juii.

TUN D.Y IS THE !AST BUT ONE—TWO PRIZFS OF TWENTY
THOUSAND POUNDS, AND THIRTEEN OTHER cAvrraLs,
TO BC DRAWN.
TYa BRITISU PRESS

ommenced pubh
at five o'ciock.

yesterday morals*

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY I, 1824.

We have received, by a packet just arrived from Rio de
Janeiro, letters from the Cambridge of SO guns, the vessel
appointed to take out the South American Consuls to their
respective destination,. The crew of the Cambridge were
all in excellent health, but the ship sustained considerable
damage by the voyage; ad much so indeed that it lost its
4mi:en-mast, and was obliged to undergo the operation of
caulking. The vessel seems to have been altogether very
unsoundly built, and we regret to say, doer but little cre-
dit to the present state of our naval arehiteeture. At Rio
de Janeiro the Cambridge met with Lord Cochrane, and a
mutual salute was interchanged between the English man-
of-war and the Imperial flag of Brazil. This is, in fact, a
virtual recognition of South American independence, and
was probably adopted, on the pert of the Cambridge, in
accordance with the instructions which she received on sail-
ing from England. Lord Cochrane is much altered in
personal appearance since his departure from this country.
fie looks fatigued and worn by the toils he has undLrgone,
and expressed himself desirous, if the state of affairs per-
mitted, to retire altogether from the service to which
he has for some years contributed such important and
etsential services. Reciprocal civilities had Faceed be-
tween Captain Maim; and Lord Cochrane, and his Lord-
ship was to have dined on board the Cambridge the day
after the packet, which brought our intelligence, sailed.
The man important news from that interesting quarter
was the very serious apprehension that was entertained at
Rio de Janeiro, of the intention of France to aid Portugal
in the recovery of Brasil, and the Spanish Royalists in
their contests for Chili and Peru. The greatest confidence
prevails as to the futility of such interference; but the
(Abet, if made, although unsuccessful, must under any

Liniment. nets be attended with manifold mischiefs. The
iiSTIIOUr of Rio dr Janeiro was crowded with French fri-
gates and ships of war ; and at the moment the English
paid got under weigh, two more French frigates and a
Garrett@ were entering the harbour. This unlooked-for
hese was natundly rtgardtd with great scspieon and dii-

bust. The utrilfost cordiality subsisted betwecn-the Eng-
lish and American naval force, and every disposition of
apparent friendliness bas been manifested on the part of
the Emperor Don Pedro. The King and Queen of the
Sandwich Islands were at Rio de Janeiro, on their way to
visit this country. The object of their visit, it is under-
stood, is to pray the interference of our Monarch in ame-
liorating the condition of the islands and their inhabitants,
under their present jurisdiction. The King of the Sandwich
Islands is said to be a very intelligent person, and to have,
niore extensive and liberal notions of government than
might be expected. As soon as the Cambridge under-
went the necessary refairs, Captain Miffing was to proceed
with the Consuls to the destinations respectively assigned
for their residence. During their passage outwards the
officers and crew of the Cambridge passed their time in an
uninterrupted round of gaieties. Dinner parties were fre-
quently given, and there was a ball on board twice a week.
The North American Envoys bad already been able to
reach their several destinations before our Consuls had ar-
rived. This will deprive our representatives of that im-
portant advantage of the first impression, which, in poli-
tical as in all other affairs, seldom fails in producing a de-
cisive effect to the advantage of the party in whose favour
it is made.

If the writer of an article in the Chronicle of Thursday were
not 4,0 very very angry, one might suspect (from the power
and profit which he anticipates for the West India Company),
that he was to be a great Shareholder, and that his article
was the riff collusive; but, supposing him to be sincere, and
that he wishes to inspire the dread and indignation which
he expresses, it is unfortunate for him that his whole ar-
gument falls to the ground, unless we admit that it is
the policy and purpose of this country to adopt, in re-
spect to her Colonies, some unjust proceeding from wAieh
this Company might possi!dy peeled them. Let him point
out, if he can, that wise and truly humane measure,
which Government either do or might consider as expedient,
respecting our West hielia possessions, and which they
might not just as easily effect after the Campany should be
established, as at the present moment. No one, that ever
pretended to reason on the subject of slavery, has advanced
that freedom ought to be conferred on our slaves otherwise
than by cautious and gradual steps, after much preparation
and instruction; and how is this judicious proceeding to be
thwarted by the circumstance that " many individuals, who
. _

Irfeel properly on Me question of slavery," have lent a portion
of their capital upon securities possessing every sanction
which the Legislature can give them ? The writer, no
doubt, is one of those who charge the present comparatively
limited number of " West India Adventurers" with in-
veterate prejudices, and obstinate adherence to a system
which is ruinous to themselves ; he ought therefore to hail
with welcome any project for "mad:Vying Me number" of
those who take an interest and can have a voice in
colonial concerns, so as to include those from whose minds
he may expect more enlarged and liberal views. It cannot be
denied, that, so long as slavery exists, the welfare of the
slave must depend upon the easy circumstances of his master;
and while the merchants and others, to whom the colonial
properties are pledged, are experiencing inconvenience
from the amount of capital which the times have compelled
them to embark in this commerce, where is the impolicy of
applying towards their relief a part of the superabounding
capital of the nation, which, prudently applied, will yet'
afford, as it has heretofore done, a reasonable return of
profit? The latter part of the article respecting the Colo-
nial monopoly, and the eccouragement of the growth of
sugar from free fal;oar, savours too much of a particular
school to be misunderstood by the public. Where
and when is the 160,000 tons of sugar now consumed
by Great Britain to be obtained from free labour? Sugar,
we know, is made by slaves, in Cuba, in Brazil,—
' nay, also in the East Indies ; and the labourers in the Bri-
:ish Colonies may, for aught we know, be free, before the
quantity we consume could be elsewhere raised by British
carl.:al, at the expense of a sacrifice of those Settlements
to which our protection is pledged, and to which we chiefly
owe our naval pre-eminence.

The trade between this country and France for the last
thirty years has been nearly annihilated, by the proscrip-
tive enactments and duties that have been heaped upon it,
and any intercourse that existed between the two countries
has rested almost wholly in the hands of smugglers; they
have been the principal importers of British goods into
France, or of Fiencl► goods into Great Britain. The re-
straints early imposed by high duties and by prohibitions
against the importation of French manufactures into this
country, produced measures of retaliation of the same de-
scription against British manufactures on the part of France,
and thus gradually destroyed any trade that survived be-
tween both countries. The laying extraordinary restraints
on the importation of goods of almost all kinds, from those
particular countries with which the balance of trade was
supposed to be disadvantageous, was one of those measures
iby which, as our past commercial system was conducted,
1
protection was supposed to be given to our own manufac-
tures, and the quantity of gold and silver in home
circulation increased. Thus, by one of our early statutes
on this subject, Silesia lawns might be imported for
home consumption upon paying certain duties, but French
cambries and laws were prohibited, and could not be im-
ported except into the port of London, there to b, ware-
housed for exportation. Higher duties were imposed upon
the wines of France than upon those of Portugal or of
any other country. By an early impost, so far back as
1692, a duty of five and twenty per cent. ad ralaretes, was
laid upon all French goods, while thole of other nations
were for the greater part subject to much lighter duties,
seldom exceeding five per cent. In 1696, a second sweeping
duty of twenty-five per cent., the first not having been con-
sidered a sufficient discouragement, was imposed on all
French goods except brandy, together with a new duty of
231. per ton on French wine, and another of 131. per ton on
French vinegar. French goods were never omitted in any
of the general subsidies or duties of five per cent. imposed
upon all or the greater part, of the goods mentioned in the
book of past rates. In tact, duties of from 751. to 1001.
per cent. were, before the war of 1791, assessed on almost
every thing of the growth, produce, or maufacture of
France. A paper has just been printed, by order of the
House of Commons, containing an account of the several
quantities or values of cotton manufactured goods, woollen
goods, hardware, cutlery, manufactures of brass, or
copper, sadlery, gauze, and millinery, imported into Great
Britain from France, and exported to France from this
country, in each of the years, from the sth of January, 1780,
to the sth of January, 1793, together with the amount oil
duties received, and the rate of duty charged under each
several head. From this paper it appears, that from 1780
to 1787 these were no importations into this country from
France, of any of the quick.s before mentioned. In 1787,
the woollen goods imported amounted to 6,3001. and up-
wards, sod the gauzes to about the same sum. The duty
'lpaid on the woollen's was something about 7611., and on the
' gauzes, 6301. 19s. In 1768, the importation of woollens
ficni France had diminished more than oue-half. The value

of hardware and cutlery imported amounted to about 1,001.
In gauzes the amount diminished one-half, while the Im-
portation of French millinery did ,wt exceed aboutl,4ool. In
1792, three years after the memorable French revolution had
broken out, and just before the war between both coun-
tries, the importation of woollen goods from France bad
swelled to more than 9,9001. In cotton manufactured
goods our imports were near 1,0001. In the article of
hardware and cutlery we actually imported to the value of
7,8001. and upwards; in gauzes about 2,8001.; and in
millinery more than 2,0001. Thus in 1792 our imports
in cottons, in woollens, in hardware and cutlery, in gauzes
and millinery, amounted to about 27,0001. No returns
have been given of one imports of wine, or fruit, or silk,
or brandies, or the many other articles which, in despite
of restrictive duties, still reached this countrylfrom France.
In the same years, commencing with 1787, our exports in
the articles already detailed, vastly exceeded any amount
we imported. We exported cotton goods to France in
1787, to the amount of near 100,0001.; woollens to the I
value of nearly 150,0001.; hardware and cutlery more than
40,0001. ; in manufactured brass and copper articles near
53,0001.; in gauzes more than 10,0001.; and even in millinery
more than 2,0001. In 1792, the exports of our manufac-
tured cottons had decreased from more than 100,0001. ; in
the year 1790, down to about 45,0001. The exports of
our woollens, which, in 1798, exceeded 180,0001.42nd, in
1789, were near 180,0801., had fallen also to about
153,0001. In hardware and cutlery we exported about
42,0001. • and in manufactured brass and copper, near
30,0001. Thus, in 1792, our exports in these articles of
cottons, woollens, hardwares iqd cutlery,—manufactured
brass and copper, with the *Ming ones in gauzes and mi-
Emery, not worth mentioning, amounted to about 300,0001.
Tate foregoing articles had been generally prohibited before,
the treaty of commeree with France, and no rates of duty
existed until the 10th of May, 1787, when, under the 27th
Geo. 111. cap. 13, to the year 1792, the following duties
were levied :

On cotton and woollen manufactures, 12 pea cent. a :alarm.
On hardware and cutlery, 10 per cent.
On manufactures of brass and copper, 10 per own.
Onfaaddlcry, 13 per cent.
On gauzes, le per est.
Oa millinery, 12 per cent.

The French, in retaliation for 'our prohibitions and high
duties, early treated our goods and manufactures in the
same way ; they sought to protect their own manufactures
by restraining the importation of any foreign goods that
could come into competitionwith them. These restrictions
formed a great part of the policy of the celebrated Col-
bert, who was led away by the representations and so-
' phistry of merchants and manufacturers, whose only
object was a home monopoly. That Minister, by the
tariff of 1667, imposed very high duties upon a great
number of foreign manufattures. The Dutch, in conse-
quence of his refusing to moderate them in their favour,
in 1671, prohibited the wines, brandies,/and manufactures
of Fiance. The war in ipme was in part occasioned by
this commercial dispute. The peace of Nimeuguen put
an end to it in 1678, after six years continuance, by
lessening several of the duties of the tariff of 1667, in
favour of the Dutch, who, in consequence, took off their
prohibition. About this period it was that France and
Great Britain commenced the war of duties and prohibi-
tion against the industry of both countries; and conti-
nued hostility prevented their moderation in any way until I
lately ; when the first commencement of a better spirit has at
length shewn itself, and will, we trust, every year increase.
We cannot see the disadsenitagesef a free trade with France,l
or how it could be disadvantageous to this country. If the
wines of France are. bettir and cheaper than those of
Portussl, or its linens tlina those of Germany, it would he
more advantageous for Great Britain to purchase the wine
and foreign linen and silks she had occasion for in France,
than to take the two firstfrom Portugal and Germany. We
cannot expect France to take our woollen and cotton goods,
hardware, and cutlery, while we exclude, by high duties
and prohibitions, their wines, their silks, and others of their
manufactures. We are persuaded, that if the duties on
French wines in particular were reduced, the consumption
would greatly increase the revenue. The duties on brandy,
in the same way, at present act almost as a prohibition.
France would affenl an immense market for many of our
manufactures, if the tradetetween both countries was re-
stored
to a fair and equitable basis. The commercial
policy of Great Britain has, however, of late been greatly
changed for the better. The first opening has been made to
a renewed intercourse with France; and we hope yet to
see the heavy prohibitions that shut out our manufactures
from her shores, and prevent our receiving her produce in
return, altogether modified or repealed; the wines, the
brandies, and the silks of France, will then be fairly ad-
mitted to this country, and our manufactures in woollens,
cottons, hardware, and machinery, find an extensive and
a profitable market in the iich and rising country of
France.

We are much pleased to observe the following highly
creditable clause in the new Beet Bill, as amended by the
Committee:— •

And whereas, by an Act made in the twenty-second and twenty-
third years of the reign of his Majesty King Charles the Second,
intituled, " An Act fur an additional Excise upon Beer, Ale, and
other Liquors," it was amongst other things enacted, that, if any
person or persons inhabiting in any market town, or in any city or
town corporate, or parts adjoining to any city or town corporate,
where there is or shall be a common brew house, having and law-
fully using any private brewing vessels for the brewing ar,d
making of Beer or Ale, to be spent and consumed in his or their
private families, shall lend out any of their brewing vessels to be
made use of by any other person or persons not being of his or
their family, for the brewing of Beer or Ale for the use of any other
person or persons, then such person or persons shall forfeit for every
such offence the sum of fifty pounds: and, whereas, it is ex-
'dint le repeal so much of the yid Act mai, hereinbefure recited:
be it therefore enacted, that froth, and after the pursing of this Act
the tame shall be and is hereby repealed.

That an enactment so untt:and in its principle, and so
unjust in its policy, as that which prohibited Me lending pf'
brewing utensils, should have remained so long upon the
Statute Book is a reproach to our Constitution. It might
well excite the attention of Parliament, ant we are glad
that at length it has so dune. We hope that many other
regulations equally oppressive—for there are still many—
that deform our great body of Statute Law, will gradually
be, in like manner, noticed and exploded.

The King, we are happy to state, is convalescent ; he is
nearly quite recovered from his late indisposition. His
Majesty intends to come to London, and will probably re-1
side at Carlton House for six weeks or two months. The
period of the King's coming to town is determined on as
soon as the workmen enter on the projected improvements
lin Windsor Castle, which we understand will commence 1
immediately.
Yesterday the Duke of Clarence and the Prinms Au-
gusta honoured the Exhibition of the Arts at the Royal i
Academy, Sainerset House, with a private view, previous to
its opening for the public inspection. Their Royal High-
noses were received by Sir Thomas Lawrence, the Presi-
dent of the Royal Academy, and Mr. Howard, the Secre-
tary, who conducted the Royal Duke and the Princess
through the different rooms. Their Royal Highnesses
appeared highly gratified with the diKreut specimens of
the arts.

Yesterday the Duke and Duchess of Clump dined
with the Princess Augusta. In the evening their Royal
Highnesses honoured Worklane theatre with their
presence.