The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-11 00:00:00

We read in the Presse :—" We are informed
by letters from Toulon that, unless counter orders
arrive, a new convoy of convicts will leave for
Cayenne. It consists of a certain -number of per-
sons who were condemned by Courts-martial after
the coup-d'etat of December, 1851, some to simple
transportation, others to transportation to a forti-
fied place. They had appealed to the chief of the
State, and their punishment had been commuted to
15 years of hard labour either at the bagne of Tou-
lon or at the penitentiary colony of Cayenne, at
their choice. They had chosen Cayenne, thinking that
they would be there classed in the category of
political convicts, but when they had made their
choice, they were informed that they would be assi-
milated to ordinary convicts. These persons wrote
immediately to Paris to obtain, if possible,. the re-
vocation of their commutation, preferring a con-
demnation for life to a lighter but more degrading
condemnation."

A telegraphic dispatch from Toulon states that
the squadron of evolutions has returned to that
port, after a cruise of ten days.

The Debats has an article on the effects of the
restrictions in the French commercial tariff. Some
of the facts stated are too remarkable for it to be
supposed that the Government will not make some
material modifications in the relations of interna-
tional commerce. We confess, however, that we
do not comprehend how it happens that the price
of cotton is 14 per cent. higher at Havre than at
Liverpool. The Debats says
"It is a fact worthy of remark, and one which se-
riously affects all houses who manufacture cotton goods
for exportation, that the raw material is now selling
from 12 to 14 per cent. dearer at Havre than at Liver-
pool. It may be readily conceived how much this cir-
cumstance enhances the price of French articles as
compared with similar ones manufactured in England ;
there is nothing more wanting to enable our rivals on
the other side of the Channel to drive us out of every

foreign market. The remedy for this evil would be VerS,

simple if our manufacturer; could go and supply their
wants at Liverpool, but this power is formally denied

them by our customs' laws. When the treaty of corn-
merce between France and England was negotiated in

1826, the two governments, in order to confer advan-

tages on the commercial marine of their respective
. .

countries, stipulated that the subjects of each of the two
states should not procure from the other any of the pro-
ductions of Asia, Africa, or America. Hence it follows
that the produce of these three parts of the world before
it can reach the French public, however much it may be

wanted, must be shipped at London or Liverpool- for

either Rotterdam or -Ostend, and thence re-shipped for
France, thus giving rise to delay and heavy expenses.
It is for this reason, also, that pine apples from the
West Indies can be purchased in London for 25

sous, whilst in Paris they cost 20fr. But to speak
of interests more serious than the pleasure of eating
pine-apples, it is thus that- while the " English
ports are glutted with guano from Peru, our
agriculturists are compelled to dispense with that
valuable manure. It is thus that raw cotton, under cer-
tain circumstances, as for instance at present, is so dear
at Havre as compared with the price at Liverpool, that
our most skilful and most enterprising manufacturers,
those who compete with the English in foreign markets,
are deeply injured. The English Government, better
enlightened than in 1826, as to the true interests of the
British public, and particularly of its mercantile marine,
completely abolished, in 1849, the restrictive clauses of
the treaty of 1826. Any of the produce of Asia, Africa,

or America, may now be sent direct from any port in
France to England, and there, under whatever flag it
may arrive, it is treated exactly as if imported in an
English vessel. It is much to be desired that this exam-
ple should be• imitated by us. The protection which
the legislator of 1826 flattered himself he reserved-for
French vessels, is here illusory, for cotton from the

United States is exclusively brought to Havre in Ameri-
can bottoms. It is, therefore, in the interest of the
American shipping that our laws cause an injury to our
manufacturers, which at the present time is very consi-
derable. Our customs' laws offer many other examples
of similar mistakes. No one can be ignorant that the
high duties levied on coal, when it is imported by the

se; frontier from the Sables d'Olonne to Thinkirk, causes
considerable injury to French manufactures in our de-
partinents on the coast, less for the benefit ok French
collieries than for those of Belgium."
Lord Stratford de Radcliff, the British ambas-
sador at Constantinople, has been received by the

Emperor and the Einpiess, in the apartments of

the latter.

On the Bourse yesterday a good deal of activity
was displayed, both in Rentes and Railway securi-
ties ; but the former did not maintain the quota-
tions of Wednesday, though the latter generally
improved a shade. The Three per Cents. closed at
81f. 10c. for the account, being sc. lower, and the
Four-and-a-Hall per Cents. at 104. f. 50c, being a fall
of 40c. , Bank Stock remained at 2,750 f., being
the former quotation after the heavy decline of the
previous two days. The market for railway shares
was firm, 'with a good demand for Northerns at 901 f.
25c. for cash, and 906 f. for account ; Strasburg
' and Bale at 366 f. 50c. for cash, and 368 f. for ac-
count ; and Caen and Cherbourg at 627 f. 50c. cash,
and 625 f. for account. A good deal of speculation
was observable in Paris and Rouen shares, which
were at hig
and closed at 1,072 f
one time as has 1,078 f., but fell to
1,065 f . 50c.