The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-13 00:00:00

of Mr. Foster and Lord Hobart from this country.

This circumstance, combined with his own acute-
ness and integrity, led him to become the principal
Turkish gent in the elatoration of the system of

commercial, financial, and agricultural Teforms, the
substantial progress of which Lord Hobart's newly

published supplementary report attests, Being
thus identified with most of the various improve-
ments which the present reign has set into motion,
it was impossible that the unfortunate misunder-
standings which led to his retirement from the
headship of the Ottoman Ministry could be other-
wise than temporary, His restoration to the place

of Grand Vizier, moreover, is at this moment p ecu-
liarly opportune. The budget for the new financial
year is now almost daily expected, and Fuad, pro-
bably beyond any other Minister, possessed both the
authority and the disposition to reduce the public
expenditure ; while he exhibited that ingenuity in
devising augmentations of revenue without inflict-
ing pressure on the population, which is one of the
most useful characteristics of a practical financier.
The comparative results of the taxation for the
financial Tears 1862-63 and 1861-62 are now before
us, although the budget has not yet arrived ; and
they serve in a striking manner to vindicate the
expectations which were formed at the commence-
ment of these reforms. It appears that the total
revenue for the financial year now ended has been
in excess of the revenue for the previous year by
more than 20 per cent. In only two items does a
diminution take place. In the "special revenues of
the Ministry of Marine" there has been a falling off
from nearly 19,000,000 to something more than
12,000,000 piastres. In another department some-
what less. The total, however, shows an increase
of between 750,000,000 and 800,000,000 piastres in
the revenue for 1862-63 over the revenue for 1861-62.
This difference accrues in the following manner.
The " direct taxation" has increased by 70,312,000
piastres, the receipts for 1861-62 having amounted
to 662,992,000 piastres, and those for 1862-63 being
633,000,000; while the "rachat" on account of
military service is more or less a fixed charge of
120,000,000 piastres. We turn next to the indirect
taxes. Foremost among these stands the tithe or
land revenue. The elevation in the produce of this
tax is stated at 86,000,000 piastres—the figure being
868,000,000 in 1862.63, against 782,000,000 in
1861-62 ; although there is some reason to doubt
whether the whole amount of this difference has yet
been paid into the public Exchequer. That revenue
department, however, which exhibits the greatest

inOrease is the customs ; and the extraordinary rise
which has taken place in this branch of revenue is
naturally owing to the commercial tariff promul-
gated by the Sultan about a year and a half ago, as
well as to the growth of public confidence resulting
from the changes which have been introduced into
every branch of Government. The customs receipts
for 1861-62 were 316,060,000 piastres ; while for
1862-63 they are not less than 565,000,000 ; but
from these, again, a certain, though comparatively
inconsiderable, reduction must be made on account
of the receipts of such Adriatic ports on the Monte-
negrin insurrection prevented from flowing direct
into the Turkish treasury. The increase, according
to these figures, is, however, 250,000,000 piastres;
of which Constantinople and Smyrna in them-
selves represent a large portion. The miscel-
laneous department has an increase of 55,000,000
piastres—the tobacco tax, which is one of the secu-
rities for the loan of 1862, represents an increase of
116,000,000 piastres—the stamp department an in-
crease of 40,000,000—the salt monopolies, in con-
sequence of recent legislation, an increase of nearly
120,000,000—and the mines an increase of 4,000,000.
This last result is the last considerable article of
increase in the main elements of wealth in the
Turkish empire. It is, however, pointed out by
Lord Hobart in a recent despatch to the Foreign-
office that the mining wealth of the Government is
at present an undeveloped engine of great future
revenue to the State itself—and among the joint
projects of Fuad Pasha and Lord Hobart during
the previous Grand Viziership of the former, was
that of utilising and thoroughly working, the more
promising of these mines. Such are the main sub-
jects of increase,in the Turkish_ revenue. In other
departments the augmentation is too insignificant
to note—and again in others the receipts are fixed.
Such are the tributes from Egypt, Wallachia, Mol-
davia, Servia, Mount Athos, and the island of Scio.
The total revenue, however, for the financial year
of Mahomet 1276, or 1862-63 of our era, after de-
ducting for the approximate amounts which have
fallen off through the want of proper persons to
collect and transmit them, under the changing sys-
tem of revenue collection, appears to be consider-
ably in excess of 3,000,000,000 piastres, as distin-
guished from 2,500,000,000 for the proceeding
year. This, moreover, is the result of a pressure of
taxation averaging only 10s. a head—and this
yield is larger than the revenue of France would be
if the pressure of taxation were no greater in that
country than in Turkey ; whereas the pressure in
France is five simes as great. There remains,
nevertheless, a vast deal yet to be done. The an-
nual accounts and the system of public audit which
stand among;.the financial measures of Fuad will
assure us of learning the future condition of the
revenue from time to time. Measures are now being
resumed for the extinction of the remainder of the
floating debt. The paper money, too, is now en-
tirely withdrawn, and trade thus freed from one
heavy obstruction. But material reforms, the mul.
tiplication of carriageable roads, the increase of
drainage, are works of time, which respond less
quickly than commercial tariffs. Of such works,
however, Fuad Pasha has, after the Sultan, been
the main promoter ; and there is reason to believe
that they in turn will now engross the attention of
the Sultan and his Ministers.

HERALD.—There can no longer be a doubt that
Puebla has fallen. The news, first received from a
source favourable to French interests, has been con-
firmed by advices from New York. The cannon at
the Invalides has given the assurance of victory to
the Parisian public, and the French press is already
discussing the effect of the triumph of French arms
in Mexico upon European politics. So far es
Mexico is concerned the result of the operations
before Puebla leaves little to regret. The gallant
resistance offered by the Mexican garrisoJ to a
powerful army, composed of the elite of the French
troops, is at once a redeeming honour to the Mexican
flag and an additional credit to the intrepidity and
endurance of the expeditionary corps. There was
a general feeling amongst Frenchmen that their
soldiers were battling with a foe whom it would be
little honour to vanquish; but the desperate fight-
ing along the lines and in the streets of the Mexican
stronghold has added fresh lustre to French arms,
and will doubtless give popularity to an enterprise
which has hitherto been regarded with great mis-
giving and repugnance by the public. The Emperor
has now a fine opportunity of getting out of an
unpleasant situation, which, it is rumoured, he will
not be slow to avail himself of. Puebla fallen, the
Mexican Government will probably not be indis-
posed to accede to terms which it would have re•
jetted with scorn three months ago. Altogether,
the beginning of the end of the Mexican effair may
be said to be in sight. But precisely on this account
the danger to Europe is the greater. Our Paris
correspondent draws attention to the fact that the
Opposition journals in France are already making
the victory in Mexico the starting point for a
crusade in behalf of Poland. A protracted war or
a disaster in Mexico would have occupied all the
energies of France for months to come. The news
of a great military success and the probability of
an early termination of hostilities have inspired
all the aoi.disant friends of Poland and the revolu-
tionary party with new hopes, and the great topic
of conversations in all circles is the chance of a
war with Russia. The Emperor of the French
is far sighted, but he is the author of " Les Ideas
Nepoleoniennes." There is no Polish Cavour to
lead him into action ; but, on the other hand, the
opportunity is far more tempting than it was
in 1859. The French army is in a far higher
state of organisation than it was on the outbreak
of hostilities with Austria. Prussia has given the
example of intervention, and is incapacitated by
her internal convulsions from vigorous action. Eng-
land, under the auspices of Lord Russell, is blindly
playing the game of follow my leader, as she did
in 1854. We cannot shut our eyes to the truth that
the prospect is a gloomy one, and that the Polish
question requires more delicate handling than ever,
if we are to avoid drifting into the unfathomable
perils of a European war. Our correspondent
alludes to a rumour that M. Drouyn de Lhuys is
on the point of retiring from the Foreign Office.
We sincerely hope the rumour is unfounded. His
resignation at such a moment could have but one
interpretation. It would be an obvious menace to
the existing peaceful relations of the European
Powers. It must not be forgotten that the Polish
cause is, of all causes, that with which the senti-
ment of the French nation is most closely identified,
and that a war waged in behalf of freedom would,
at any rate for some months, have the approval of
all classes. The army and the peasantry of France
would, of course, favour it, as they would any war ;
the clergy already regard the struggle in Poland as
one sanctified by the highest interests of their reli-
gion. There would remain the bourgeoise alone to
count the cost of the enterprise, and even the monied
class in France shares too largely the passion of its
countrymen to be very strongly opposed to war in
aid of the Polish patriots. There are some arrears
of unpopularity to wipe off, one or two matters to
set right. A well-struck blow for Poland might
effect all this. There is no telling how far the
victory of Puebla may tend to bring it about. Let
Lord Russell look to it. He is playing !a difficult
game. He is endeavouring to pursue a straight-
forward English policy at the same time that he is
ccquetting with the party of revolution. He may
learn too late that he is playing with edged tools.