The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-29 00:00:00

bined efforts to flourish upon bullying and extor-
tion. The inhabitants of London have stiffened
rather too long under both them galling grievances.
It now remains that the offenders should be di-
rectly or indirectly punished. A 'rod, for their
especial advantage, has been some time in pickle,
thanks to the Under Secretary for the Home De-
partment. All required at this moment is that
with it a swinging blow may be administered
by the Imperial Parliament.

A Ministerial surprise, but one of by no means
' an agreeable character, signalised the bringing up
of the Report on the Government of India Bill
last night. Deceived by the apathy and indif-
ference exhibited by one section of the House,
and by the unlimited subservience displayed by
another, the members of the Joint-stock Adminis-
tration thought that there was no prospect of any
proposition being carried without their assent and
concurrence ; that, in fact, they could do just as
they pleased with respect to the administration of
affairs in the Anglo-Indian Empire. After the
large concessions made to Indian reformers, in in-
creasing the salary of the Right Hon. Baronet,
the President of the Board of Control, to at least
5,0001. per annum, and in making a very
pleasing permanent provision for one of his
proteges, nay more, after deciding upon bestowing
an additional 9,0001. per annum on the Leaden-
hall-street Magnates, the salary of each Director
being augmented by 5001. a year, and restoring
the patronage of the scientific branches of the
Indian army, which was about to be thrown open
to public competition, to these excellent, but much
calumniated, individuals, it was too much to sup-
pose that such an ungrateful return would be
made for such bounteous liberality. What were
the ingrates thinking of ? What could the Whip-
per-in have been about ? Who could have sup-
posed that a House pledged to the principle of
" unrestricted competition" could have dared to
interfere with the salt monopoly in Hindustan, by
allowing the unhallowed men of Cheshire—the
quondam Protectionist voters of Droitwich—
to transmit their manufacture to the Indian
market. We'd might our own dear Sir CHARLES,
with a ponderous attempt at facetiousness, sneer
at the inconsistency (!) of the ex-Colonial Secre-
tary for protesting against " the enormity of im-
posing a duty upon the food of the people."
Never was there a piece of such unparalleled ab-
surdity, such ridiculous folly, as the notion that a
Whig in office should be bound by his votes and
opinions in opposition—that his " doings" when
in, should in any degree be regulated by his
"sayings" when out. - The sweet innocent clearly
never thought that the charge of inconsistency
could be retorted on himself—that the boomerang
which he hurled against the unlucky assailant
could possibly fly back upon himself, the
pet of the Coalition—the pride of Cannon-row—
recipient of Five Thousand Sterling Pounds in
each and every year, as a trifling recompeuce for
his inestimable services. How could he suppose
that the resolution adopted by all but the 53 im-
practicables could be applicable to the subject
under consideration, or that any man could for a-
moment imagine that in supporting, not merely
that resolution, but one couched in much stronger
terms, in which the Saxon appellative, " Free
Trade," was used, he intended anything be-
yond damaging his opponent for the time being.
How cruel—how inconsiderate—how unreason-
able of any person to taunt him with his conduct,
or to suppose that it was not just and proper to
maintain an exclusive right of supply. The word
" monopoly" was clearly inapplicable to one of the
primary necessaries of life for one hundred and
fifty millions of human beings. The arguments
with respect to corn could surely never be
made applicable to "salt," nor could what was
good for Englishmen be at all suitable for
Hindoos.

The Right Hon. Baronet, too, astonished the
House by his lexicographical ability. He even
surpasses his Noble Leader in the extent of his
varied acquirements. It has been asserted that
Lord JOHN was prepared to take the command of
the Channel Fleet in a storm, or to perform the
operation of iithotomy in a difficult case ; but we
never heard that he set up- as a critic of Dr.
JOHNSON, or was prepared to bring out a
new edition of the English Dictionary for
the benefit of Legislative Free-traders. The
Noble Lord could never have ventured on
such a brilliant definition of the term " mono-
poly," or inflicted such merited castigation on the
unhappy and misguided Baronet who used it, as
hi:; talented coadjutor was enabled to throw off at
a moment's notice—" He (Sir CHARLES WOOD)
always understood that a monopoly meant an en-
deavour, by artificial means, to raise the price to
the consumer." "He thought that what the
Right Hon. Baronet (Sir JOHN PAKINGTON) wanted,
was to establish a monopoly for the exporters of
salt in this country !" Take that Sir JOHN.
Learn your own language before you again have
the audacity to interfere, or come into collision,
with your too potent and too critical brother
of " the bloody hand." Don't again attempt to
establish "a monopoly" for the manufacturers and
traders of the entire world against the " unre-

Aided competition," of the Free-trade supply from
the stores of the East India Company to its sub-
jects. If you do, look for an avenging Nemesis,
arising in the shape of the Right lion. Member
for Halifax, and inflicting summary vengeance for
the reckless attempt.
But, notwithstanding the brilliancy of his elo-
quence—the soundness of his reasoning—the
House, wilfully, and with nialtce prepense, decided

in favour of the motion " that the manufacture

and sale of salt in India shall be absolutely free,
subject only to such Excise or other duties as may
now, or from time to time, be levied on such salt

so manufactured." Verily, the voice of mourning
will be heard in Cannon-row, and there will be

deep tribulation in Leadeuball-street. We know

not whether there will be any attempt to set
aside this decision—to induce the majority to eat
their own words, and stultify themselves, in order

to perpetuate that which, despite of Sir• CHARLES

Wool), we cannot help stigmatising as a disgrace-

- -
ful and grinding monopoly, equally opposed to

justice and sound policy, and calculated_ to occa.

sion the utmost discontent among those who, by
means thereof, are prevented from obtaining, on
_ _

anything like reasonable terms, an adequate sup.

ply of the only condiment for their tasteless food

—an article essential not merely to the comfort,

but to the health of themselves and of their

cattle.

SAMBRE AND MEUSE RAILWAY.—There was a meet-
ing of the Sambre and Meuse Railway Company yester-
day, at which a report was read, which stated that the
balance of profit was 7,2681. Bs. 9d., which might be
applied to dividend, but it was recommended to be re-
served for contingencies, as the entire undertaking
would be completed by the Ist of May next. The
report was adopted.

THE CITY POLlCE.—Yesterday afternoon a general
meeting of the city police was held at the Temperance
hall, Friar-street, Blackfriars, for the purpose of adopt-
ing a petition to obtain an increase of pay. The attend-
ance of constables was numerous, there being nearly four-
fifths of the force, numbering about 400, present,
the remainder being unavoidably absent on duty. Seve-
ral sergeants were also present, who, however, did not
unnecessarily interfere with the proceedings, as was the
case at a meeting of the metropolitan police, having a
similar object in view, on Thursday, the 21st instant.
Police-constable Forster, 425, was unanimously called
to tne chair. The petition was unanimously adopted.
0_ n the question being put,
whether it should be ad-
dressed to the Court of Aldermen or the Commissioners
of Police, it was decided that the latter course, as being
deputation
respectfulwtl.tohn othip2 constables,
c.o customaryethesitrable m
chiefsf,o eo
i officer and more in accord-
,n
ssihsotiunlo.d
obfespix ursuedfirst-class.A
and -six second class men, two selecte'd from each divi-
sion, to present the petition. The deputation having
been nominated, and thanks voted to the chairman, the
meeting separated.

THE STRIKE AMONG THE METROPOLITAN
POLICE.
Yesterday a memorial was presented "fivireayne,
Chief Commissioner of Police, at Scotian to, the
police constables of the D division, by Mr. Gibbs,OlauE.tl—he
superintendent, and which was signed by each policeman
of the force. The memorial, which was left for the sig-
nature of the men at the various sectional stations, re-
quested an increase of pay in consequence of the increased
price of provisions. A memorial was also forwarded
from the T, division, which is stationed at Acton, Ealing,
Brentford, and that neighbourhood. The purport of it
was to a similar effect as that of the division, but,
in order that no man might be marked on account of
having his name first attached, the signatures were in a
" round robin."