The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-24 00:00:00

THE FRENCH CUSTOMS'.

The Moniteur Industriel, the organ of the Pro-
tectionists, analyses the Customs' returns for the
months of January, February, March, and April,
to show the injury it alleges to be done to trade in
France by the Commercial Treaty with England
and Belgium. In the first place, the importation
in iron have increased in "enormous proportions."
The cast iron introduced from the Ist of January to
the 30th of April has increased from 116,000 quin-
tals in 1860 to 226,000 in 1861, and to 660,000 in
1862. In April particularly the importation of cast
iron was remarkably active. In April, 1860, it was
12,000 quintals ; in the corresponding month of
1861, 62,000 ; and in 1862, 202,000 ; showing a pro-
portion of Ito 17. England and Belgium are cre-
pted with maim.
or the four months just mentioned England has
sent, as compared with the corresponding period of
1860, from 67,000 quintals to 530,000, and Belgium
from 38,000 to 121,000. :In bar iron the importation
from 1,281 quintole in 1800 is more than 200,000
for the same period in 1862. The importation of
forged as of cast iron has also rapidly increased ;
for the single month of April it amounts to 77,000
quintals. For the four months England stands at
156 quintals, and Belgium at 39,000. In steel bars
the importation for four months in 1860 was 1,544
quintals against 7,000 in 1862. The value of ma-
chinery
introduced in 1860 was 1,038,000 E; in 1862,
4,219,000 f. In textile products the importations of
tissue:: pure or mixed there is a considerable ad-
vance. Eighteen millions worth was entered dur-
ing the four months above-mentioned. This, how-
ever, is the amount declared ; " whereas," observes
observes the Moniteur Industriel," it is well known
that the declared value is far inferior to the real."
Side by side with the increased importation of
woollen tissues is to be remarked the diminution in
raw wool, which, comparatively with last year, has
fallen from 120,000 to 69,000 quintals ; " these two
facts being," the Moniteur Industriel adds, "one
the logical consequence of the other—our manufac-
tories working less and employing less of raw ma-
terial as the manufactured article enters in greater
quantity."
To show the bad effects in France of the Decree
of the 24th of June with reference to foreign ships
in the transport of sugars, it states that, whereas
in 1860 and 1861, the sugar imported in foreign
bottoms was insignificant, not reaching 1,000 quin-
tals, in 1862 it was 81,000. In April, especially,
the sugar imported in foreign vessels was 30,000
quintals, an amount equal to one-half of that im-
ported in French ships.
" Let us now ask," concludes the Moniteur In-
dustriel,
" Where is our compensation ? We look for it in the
returns before us, and we look for it in vain. Our wine
growers, to whom the commercial treaties were to open a
magnificent market, have been egregiously disappointed.
We exported during the first four months of 1860 693,000
hectolitres, and only 678,000 in the corresponding period
of 1862. In 1860 we sent to England 29,000 hectolitres,
and in 1862 26,000. Our exports in eaux-de-vie to all quar-
ters has decreased from 73,000 hectolitres to 51,000, and,
as regards England, from 36,000 to 26,000. And the same
may be said of our articles of luxury, whi.•h wore exported
in greater quantity before than since the Treaty. Thus the
Customs' returns confirms at each publication all we had
anticipated."

On the other hand, I give the same returns as
analysed by M. Block, in the Temps:— •
" The Commissioners of Customs and of Indirect Taxa.
tion have published comparative returns of the principal
ariicles of merchandise imported and exported during the
month of April last and the first four months of the present
year. The following is an analysis of these returns. The
consumption of colonial produce has increased. In cocoa,
the quantity imported in the present year amountsto 17,255
quintals, against 15,811 quintals in 1861, and 10,207 quin-
tals in 1860. The coffee imported during the present year
amounts to 134,565 quintals, against 129,199 in 1861,
and 60,081 quintals in 1860. Sugar amounts this
year to 308,790 quintals, against 188,482 in 1861, and
183,155 in 1860. Several other articles of colonial prodUce
have likewise increased in the bonded stores. The rape crop
not having been abundant last year, the importation of oil
and of seeds for crushing has increased. Seeds have in-
creased in the present year to 38,313 quintals from 25,818
oi IhBo6,and
81 increased
i ilia greater
in
eate'rlpBr6oo B
p.
ortiou h
proportion,
,ttoe i737sp2oBrtation of
in the present year from 29,433 in 1861, and from 57781 in
n
1860. The importation of raw and cast iron has likewise
considerably increased during the present year. Cast iron
shows an importation of 660,131 quintals against 226,416 in
1861, and against 116,063 in 1860. The bar iron imported
during the first four months of the present year amounts to
200,611 quintals, including 117,326 quintals of rails, against
2,838 in 1861, and 1,281 in 1860. Of this sum total Eng..
land supplied .530,288 quintals of cast iron, and 156,760
quintals in bars ; Belgium, 121,943 quintals of cast iron and
39,799 of bar iron. The importation of coal diminished
during the month of April last. The importation of wool,
which rose in the first four months of 1861 to 120,516
quintals in consequence of the reduction of the duty, has
fallen this year to 65,673 quintals. The woollen cloths im-
ported into France this year on which the duty was calcu-
lated according to the value amount to 19,016 quintals,
valued at 18,030,588 f., and the duty paid to 2,704,698 f.
ciTohi en
two
loso,lle
andn
duty ,importedpaid wasby Weight
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iu,nhtee dwtooo
171
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carpets imported weighed 1,129 quintals, valued at 550,797 f.,
and the duty paid was 83,310 f. The cotton cloths im-
ported, and on which the duty was paid by value, amounted
to 4,230 quintals, valued at 3,566,393 f., and the duty paid
was 515,537 f. The cotton cloths on which the duty was
paid by weight amounted to 5,282 quintals, and the duty

paid to 366,994 f. On examining the exports, I find a
diminution in the cattle exported. On the other hand, the
export of ordinary wine and liquors has slightly increased.
They amount in the present year to 678,611 hectolitres, to
645,661 hectolitres in 1861, and to 693,927 hectolitres in
1860. The export of brandy has remained nearly stationary
at about 51,000 hectolitres, but the quantity of spirits of
wine exported has declined sensibly. It is a remarkable
fact that the cotton wool exported this year amounts to
61,226 quintals, while the cotton wool imported amounts
to only 65,910 quintals, so that the stock has been in-
creased by only 4,684 quintals. The exportation of wool and
of woollen thread has increased. The soap manufacturers
do not appear to have suffered by the suppression of the
drawback. The export of millinery has greatly decreased.
The export of silver in coin and in ingots continues to de-
crease. The export of silver in 1860 amounted to 5,470,633
hectogrammes. It fell in 1861 to 3,902,950, and in the
present year to 2,721,832 hectogrammes. The export of gold
presents the following variations :—ln the year 1860, 97,844
hectogrammes; in 1861, 222,085 hectogrammes; and in
1862, 113,441 hectogramnaes. These figures explain in some
measure the reappearance of so many five-franc pieces. The
export of manufactured silk has remained stationary for the
last three years. These returns show further, that neither
the linen nor woollen trade is making much progress in
France."