The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-21 00:00:00

10,000,000/. so that the effect of the blockade had only been
that we had paid 9,000,0001. sterling for two-.thirds of the
quantity we generally got for 10,000,030/. (Hear, hear.)
There could be nothing more monstrous. Now, as to the
question of the means of putting a stop to the war, the course
proposed by the hon. member for Plymouth would pretty
nearly answer. To advocate it was contrary to all the princi-
ples of political economy ; but political economy could not be
carried on in thq midst of war. Inconvenience must fall on
all parties. Consider how many thousands of lives had al-
ready been sacrificed. If, by inflicting a slight injury on
certain merchants, the largest possible injury could be done
on our enemy, by all means let that slight injury be inflicted
at once. His hon. friend had stated that from two-thirds to
three-fourths of the trade of Russia came to this country. He
believed we had even a larger proportion of that trade. The
English merchant confided money in October, November, and
December to the Russian dealers, to enable him to make pur-
chases in the interior, and bring them down to port in the
months of June, Jufy, and August. It war a trade that re-
quired large capital and a great knowledge of the character of
individuals on the spot: A striking proof of the value of

English capiral was afforded immediately after the proclama-
.tion of war, on the 28th of March. The price of goods in
Riga immediately fell 15 per coat. On the 15th of April, 18
days after, another proclamation appeared, allowing English
subjects to trade with Russia, and prices at once advanced even
more than the 15 per cent. they had before fallen. But,
assuming the prohibition to trade with Russia to be again re-
pealed, and English subjects to be no longer subject to the
penalties of high treason for having transactions with Russia,
then he followed it up by the next measure of his hon. friend,
certificates of origin; but he was firmly persuaded that the
withdrawal of British capital alone wotld have a most impor-
tant effect. The consuls at the shipping ports should be able to
prove that goods are of Russian origin, and the parties applying
for certificates should be held liable. Of course a great deal
would depend on the manner in which the consuls did their
duty. He trusted that they would justify the opinion which
the noble lord entertained of them. 17p to the present year
no tallow was ever shipped from Prussian ports, and the
consuls would have no difficulty in judging, that if applica-
tions for this article were made it would be of Russian origin.
The shipments of hemp from Prussia were almost nil. There
was certainly a small quantity of flax sent from that country,
and his impression was that due vigilance on the part of the
consuls and of those directly interested in the trade would pre-
vent any smuggling to an extent which would assist the trade
with Russia, and would materially assist in bringing the war
to a conclusion. With respect to the interests at home, there
was no disguising the fact that it might do a slight injury :
but we had shown that theinjurywas not to be compared with
the national benefit of bringing the war to an early conclusion.
Ho had a statement of the stock of hemp and flax in London
on the Ist of February, 1855. On that day the quantity of
hemp was 9,844 tons, on the same day 1854 it was 4,823 tons,
in 1853, 2,455 tons, and in 1852, 4,900. The quantity of flax
on the same day in 1855 was 39,536 casks, in 1854, 39,624
casks, in 1853, 33,102 casks, and in 1852, 37,847 casks. There
never had been such a quantity in the market of these arti-
cles as at the present time. The repeal of the soap duties
had led to the substitution of a great many articles in lieu of
tallow in the manufacture of that article. The price of tallow
in London space the declaration of hostilities had fallen 3/. per
ton, whilst the price of palm oil had risen 3/. per ton. With
respect to the substitution of German tallow for Russian tal-
low in this country, the Russian tallow would be sent to Ger-
many, and the German tallow would be sent to this country,
for no German tallow was shipped forthis country at the pre-
sent time or was comparatively a a very small quantity. The
expense of these operations would be enorm•us, and consider-
ing that the price of tallow was failing, and the price of palm
oil was rising he did not think that by stopping the trade of
Russia they would create any such differential value in its
price as would pay for the substitutionof German for Russian
tallow. Again, taking the case of hemp. the stock at present
was double the stock of any previous year, and if the intention
of Government ware known, and the state of uncertainty
which prevailed was at au end, arrangements would be made
for the production of a much larger supply. He believed
that the deputation from Dundee had made a great impres-
sion upon the noble lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
but they omitted to state that their stocks were now larger
than they had ever been, and that the price was as low as it

was fifteen months ago. He had only the day before recaived
a letter from Ireland in which it was stated that, in conse-
quence of the prices they were only going to sow half the
quantity this year in that cnnntry. Now the insatiable de-
sire in Dundee to reduce the price of flax would lead to a re-
duction of the produce in Ireland. The fact, as he believed,
was that there was too great a quantity of machinery at
work, and that the markets all over the world were over-
stocked, and that the calamities ascribed to the Russian war
were really owing to the markets being overdone. It would
be useful to the trade to have a short supply of the raw ma-
terial, instead of !cutting their own throats in the way in
which they had been doing. He would also ask was it con-
ceivable, if the prohibition of the trade with Russia created
only a fictitious differential value of 12 or 15 per cent., that
the flax-spinner in Belgium or in Prussia would order exten-
sive machinery in those countries for the purpose of spinning
tax—machinery which would require a twelvemonth to bring
it into operation—knowing, as he must, that a sudden ter-
mination of hostilities would annihilate his capital at a
month's notice. Ho, therefore, conceived that this was a
complete bugbear on the part of the Dundee spinners, and ho
believed that no injury would be inflicted upon them com-
pared with the benefit to the country from an early termi-
nation of the war, to procure which it was his solemn opnion
no means would be so efficacious as the stoppogo of the trade
with Russia.

Mr. CARDWELL—Sir, the motion brought forward with
so much ability by my learned friend is a motion, for papers
which Government has no indisposition to lay on the table ;
with so much ability, and which excites so much interest
but probably the house will consider that, on a question raised
both in the house and out of the house, it is right that I
should make a more general statement than would ba con-
tained in a mere reference to the terms of the motion. Sir,
when unfortunately at the expiration of a peace of nearly 40
years", we found ourselves once more involved in an European
conflict, it became necessary to consider what ought to bethe
commercial policy of the country—with regard to the circum-
stances of the particular case—with reference to the enemy
with whom we were about to engage with reference to the
ally with whom we were about to be united—and with refer-
ence also to the neutral powers whose good feeling it was de-
sirable to carry along with us in the contest. (Hear.) Sir,

the consideration of these circumstances naturally leads to
these oonclusions. The enemy with whom we were about to
contend was in peculiar circumstances, inasmuch as his ports
are situated in land-blooked seas, and peculiarly exposed to
the consequences of a blockade. The ally with whom we were
about to be united had differed with us in former years as to
the laws of maritime policy which ought to prevail during
hostilities, and the neutral powers would naturally sympathise
with us as we adopted a maritime policy less unfavourable or
less prejudicial to their interests. Sir. the declaration of war
was accompanied by a declaration of policy on the part of her
Majesty, who, not waving any of those belligerent rights for
which wo had contended in former wars, but suspending the
operation of part of them during the continuance of the pre-
sent conflict on motives of policy arising from the considera-
tion of the circumstances to which I have referred, and which
it is not therefore necessary for me to pursue any further.
Sir, it naturally followed as a consequence that the order in
Council of the lllth of April, to welch the hon. member for
Bridport (Mr. Mitchell) had referred in terms of disapproba-
tion, should have been published, for if it had not been,
the consequence would have been that the enemy in neutral
ships—the property of neutrals having been left free—would
find his trade left open through that channel, to the exclu-
sion of the subjects of her Majesty. (Hear.) However de-
, drous we may be to carry on the war with vigour, and bring
it to a speedy conclusion, we might agree with the reason of
the honourable member for Plymouth (Mr. Collier) and
engage in a conflict which would cost us two sovereigns for
every one of the enemy's. But, sir, to adopt that course,
the consequences must be to bring injury on ourselves, and
not upon those whom they were intended to reach, would be
inconsistent with the dictates of common sense, and not in
conformity with our desire to bring the war to a speedy con-
clusion. But, says the hon. member for Plymouth, you have
adopted a course the results of which are totally ineffective.
I took notice of some of the phrases whilst he was so con-
tending before the Rinse. He says your operations have sig-
nally failed. He says the exports from Russia have materi- '
ally increased, at least from certain ports. The statistics of
the whole trade quoted by the hon. member for Bridport,
and those which it may be necessary for me to trouble the
house with, lead to a totally different conclusion. But, says
my hon. friend, the result of the proceedings by blockade
have been ineffective. Sir, with that conclusion I must most
respectfully join issue. I shall be able to show the house
that they have been far from ineffective under the circum-
stances under which they have been conducted. But what
are the circumstances ? He tells us, and truly tells us, that
the trade with Russia is peculiar, and in times of peace is
carried on by advances of English capital. Sir, it was so car-
ried on ; and it is a natural corollary from that system that
when the war first broke out you should leave to those whose
property, invested in Russia, was on its return home, to those)
who were the subjects of the Crown, an opportunity of bring-
ing their property from the hostile porte; otherwise a block-
ade rigorously enforced would only have been an injury to
ourselves, and not to the enemy. Time was given in the
Baltic and White Sea ; and I • shall not hesitate to acknow-
ledge that, with regard to the Black Sea, the blockade was
not enforced in so satisfactory a manner as might be desir-
able. I shall make this avowal frankly, and accompany
it by a statement of some of the causes which led to this
circumstance. At the outbreak of hostilities the blockade
was to be carried on by our vessels in conjunction with the
vessels of our ally-. It necessarily followed that communica-
tions must take place between us and oar ally with respect
to the terms of the blockade, and the vessels with which it
was to be conducted. It unavoidable happened that time
was lost in these communications before a blockade could be
established. At a later period it will be in the recollection of
the house, every vessel which the allied powers could com-
mand was engaged in the great expedition which took piece
in September. Up to May time was given in the Baltic for
the reasons to which I have alluded, and a longer time was
given in the White Sea on account of the difference of latitude,
to bring home the French and English property there which
it Was important should be brought home,; pnd I am going to
press it into rode argument, there was a remissnessof blockade
in the Black
the year 1855 whaii You will not expect that a comparison of
with Russia, shouldthe Preceding year, as regards the trade
vigorous operations would
a return which the defects of
you may expect for future not lead you to suppose, or which
making this preamble by years. Do not think that I am
results of which, when you Va 4 apology for any returns the
un-
satisfactory. The hon. member for'aßrn before
you,
been paying dearer for two-thirds ofrtildie'may be
ort says that we have
Russian exports than
honan.e,rwier coupled that
we used to pay for the whole. my
with an argument which did surprise
so acute au economist as himself. What has'en Itecamfel, from
ac-
tual result of the operations up to this time ? "vh--:
mercantile navy Russia possessed may be said, for
the tever
pose of commerce, to have been annihilated. (Hear.) IViitl:l-1
regard to our ships, they ride unharmed on every sea, and e
do not think there is any owner of ships or consignee of flier_
chandiee who would give much to be insured from the risk of
capture by Ilussia. Russia had taken greate)
areams strongly
to become
On
a manufacturing country. Her manufactures
protected by import duties ; but
to believe b
I have reasonthat
her ruanufacturcs have suffered materially
on account of the
pressure of the blockade which our friends who insist. upon a
rigorous blockade would induce us to put ou the
.sube raw ee s o
ate-
f
Great Britain, namely, to prevent the suppl of y
m
rial, with which our manufactories are condueted • Sir, I
hold in my hand, and perhaps I ought on an occasion like
this to trouble the house with figures, because everything in
connectiou with the war is of groat interest. (Hear, hear.)
I will therefore state to you the facts of the case in figures.
With respect to the year 1854, as compared with the year
1853, I will take the three principal articles of exportation to
this country from Russia—flax, hemp, and tallow•—to which
the hon. member for Bridport has directed particular atten-
tion, and I have already shown that much more may be ex-
pected in future years. In 1853 Russia sent us 1,287,000
cwt;. of tallow; in 1854, directly, very little ; but if I take
the Prussian increase to account for the Russian decrease, you
will see that Russia has been able to send overland much less
than would be expected by means of Prussia. In 1854, the
Prussian increase is 425,000 cwts., making an apparent Rue-
Sian de
trade.n! easeof
676,000 cwts., or 52 per cent,
of the whole
With regard to hemp, the diminution of 1854, com-

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