The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-09 00:00:00

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ter Chamber of Commerce—one who had presided at a
meeting where a petition was agreed to, which said—
" That your petitioners view with great alarm the rapid exten-
sion of foreign manufactures, and they have in particular to deplore
the consequent diminution of a profitable trade with the continent
of Europe, to which, notwithstanding the great increase in popu-
latim since the termination of the war, the exports have actually
been less in value during the last five years, than they were during
the first years, after the peace; and whilst the demand for all those
articles iu which the greatest amount of the labour of our artisans is
comprised, has been constantly diminishing, the exportation of
the raw material has been rapidly increasing' =was to himastonishing.
It did appear to him rather extraordinary, that the Chairman of the
Chamber of Commerce should talk of the extraordinary property
and the export of our manufactures. He (the Chairman) did not
deny the statements which the Hon. Member had made; he believed
they were correct, but his sin appeared to have been a sin of omission.
lie could show that the statement which the Hon. Member had brought
forward in the House of Commons, fully bore out the paragraph in the
petition which he had just read. It was the declared value of the
principal articles of British produce and manufactures reported from
the United Kingdom. It commenced with the average of the years
1834, 1835. 1836, and 1837, and then stated the amount in 1838.
It showed the incrcose in cotton manufactures to be 642,0001. That
might be true, but he wished to ask if any increase had taken place
in the exports to Europe. He then went on to say that the increase
in cotton yaru was 1„432,000/. This, it should be borne in mind,
was a raw article. There was a diminution in woollen manufac.
lure of 385,000/. The decreese in cutlery and hardware was
232,0001., while the increase in the faw material of iron and
steel was 686,000/, and in copper and brass 159,000/. ; tin in bars
52,000/., in plates 83,000/. ; and in sheep's wooi 158,000/. This fully
bore out the statement which had been made by Mr. Stansfield. In coal
and cam there was the enormous increase of 180,0001., being sixty
per cent. in the four years. The exportation of raw iron, steel, and
coals was what he complaned of, becauee they furnished the foreign
manufacturer with the means of competing with us. It was the omis-
sion of this important part of the statement which was calculated to
give a wrong impression. At the Chamber of Commerce it was stated
that during the last two years trade had been in a most unprofitable
state, and the Hou.:Member knew that, for he had been a cotton.
spinner. The Hon. Member had been getting up an illu-
sive picture of prosperity, when he had said not one word
of the suffering below the surface. The Honourable Member
had alluded to one subject which he trusted he would take the
opportunity of explaining in his place in the House of Commons,
and that was the relative exports and increase of trade in our
country, compared with foreign countries. In the year 1315,
Great Britain exported to the amount of 51,603,0291. ; in
1836, to 53,369,5711. Its 1815, the exports from Franec
amounted to 15,908,1741., and in 1836 to 38,451,390. The ex.
'ports from the United States in 1815 were 10,959,5311., and i❑
1836 they amounted to 26,804,799, so that while our exports
had increased only 4 per cent„ those of the United
States and France had increased 260 per cent.—Hear, hear.)
He wished to ask if that was a subject of congratulation. Ile
was sorry that he had been obliged to make these observations,
although no one regretted the necessity of doing so more than him-
self, and no one felt greater mortification than he did on bearing the
speech of Sir Robert Peel.
Mr. G. W. Woon desired to offer a few observations on the rtt
marks of the Chairman. He bad stated that he was not presets_
during his speech In the House. With respect to the countries to
which our exports had gone, he had not then in his possession
the necessary particulars, and had consequently no means of im-
parting information to the public. With respect to other branches
of trade, they would no doubt be useful in a discussion on
the Corn -laws. He did think on that occasion, speak i net as he was
upon another subject, they would have been considered out of
place, and of no service to the cause. The petition
from Manchester stated of course the sentiments of those
by whom it had been adopted ; and it was hardly necessary to go
over the ground again in the discussion to which he (the Chair.
man) had alluded.
Mr. GREG proposed that a private Committee meet on Monday
next. at ten o'clock, for the purpose of considering the course
to be taken with respect to the witnesses that might be called.--
Agreed to.
The Committee then adjourned.

-NEW COURT OF CHA:

CERY.

We are informed on very good authority that it has
just been: determined upon to have an additional Court
of Chancery in consoquence of the impossibility of the
Judges of the present Courts getting through the
arrcar of and accumulating business before them. We
are told that there is no less than an arrear of a thousand
causes. The Solicitor-General is mentioned as likely
to be the new Judge.

PRICE OF SUGAR.

EFFECT OF MONOPOLY.

Table showing the cx.duty price of West India Sugar In Mins_
ing-lane, and comparing the same against foreign sugars:
London, Fel), 8,183 g.
The Gazette of this day quotes the average price of Brithit re: swot,
Plantation Muscovado Sugar, exclusive of duty, at • , 371 3d,
M.scovado Sugars raised by free labour in the MaiiiPa
are worth this week from 225. to 245. per mi.,

being about las. per cwt. less than the average ps ea

of West India sugar.

er last, been rs
The bounty on refined Sugar having, in Octo;
duced to 355. Sd., per cwt., no sales for exportation at that rate at
bounty have been effected; the excessively high prices paid by :At
British consumers cannot, therefore, now be attributed to tne
bounty. Nevertheless, this reduction still leaves, allowing la, /„:.•
cwt. for the poisonous dirt contained In the Muscovado or triomf.
Sugar—and which is extracted by the process of refilling, a elcc.2
bounty of 10s. ed. per cwt., which would, in the event of an ample
supply of Sugar from the West Indies, come into active operation,
and by stimulating the exportation of relined Sugar, always main.
tain the average price of West India Muscovados at 10s. par cwt.
above the price of free labour Sugar from other quarters.
British Treacle is worth Ss. 6d. per cwt. in the foreign markets.
The same has been sold this week at 325. per cwt., being an excess
of price paid by the nation of 235. gd. per cwt., in other words,
6d, per cwt, on Treacle contributed by the poor man towards tVcst
India Bounty, and not, as it is erroneously supposed, towards re.
venue.
CorFax.—The duty on West India Coffee, the price of it ranging
from 935. to 138 s. per cwt,, is 50s. per cwt., about 50 per cent. act
valorem.

The duty on St. Domingo Coffee, the average price of it being 425.
per cwt., is 140 s. per cwt., or about 300 per cent. ad vak rem. TI,LI
protective duty, therefore, on West India Ogee is equivalent to 251)
per cent. Some importers of Coffee, avail themselves of the pri_
vileges conferred by the East India Company's Charter, to ship Cof.
fee from the Brazils to the Cape of Good Dope, and thence t ) 12„.
land, where, in consequence of the privilege alluded to above, it ie
admitted for home use at a duty of 545, per cwt. Sales of Brae 1 Coe.
fee brought by this circuitous route have occurred in Mincir ;Jane,
so that through trickery, and favouritism in duty, the Bribsh
public are unconsciously made consumers of coffee raised I; &ay.
labour, to the exclusion of that cultivated by f?te hands in St. Do-
mingo.
We have already shown that the gain to the monanolists, and the
loss to the British community by the protective laws on West
produce amounts to 4,210,080/. per annum.