The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-15 00:00:00

EXCISE DUTIES BILL

Mr. WILSON moved the second reading of this bill.
Mr. CAYLEY rose to trove an amendment, that the
bill be read a second time this day six months. He dis-
avowed .all personal considerations in bringing forward this
amendment. Ho could not help coming to the conclusion,
after reading the despatches unpartialiy, that the war
is ,whicu we are now engaged has been brought about
by the, vacillation and obsequiousness of the Go'lern-

FREE TRADE IN FRANCE.-NEW DECREES.

The Emperor of the French has taken another step,
and a very important one, iu the path of free trade. By
Article 3 of the Ordinance of Feb. 8., 1826, the importa-
tion into France for consumption of any merchandise the
produce of Asia, Africa, or America shipped in English
ports was absolutely prohibited. The same ordinance
prohibited the importation under the English flag of
European products shipped elsewhere than in the ports
of the United Kingdom or its possessions in Europe.
These restrictions have frequently called forth loud com-
plaints from commercial men, and various relaxations of
the rule have been made from time to time. For in-
stance, in 1834, the prohibition was removed with re-
spect to raw silks, unbleached handkerchiefs, Indian
shawls; rums, and taffetas. The present government, in
December last year, swept away the restriction with regard
to cotton, and, at the same time, ordered the Minister of
Commerce to consider whether the regulation of 1826
might not with advantage be altogether repealed. M.
Magne now reports that he has satisfied himself that this
commercial legislation, introduced originally by way of re-
taliation for corresponding measures adopted in England
pursuant to the principle of the navigation laws, is now
of no benefit to any interest whatever. A decree was pub-
lished on Saturday in the Moniteur to correct this. It is
given in another column. The decree is described by the
Minister of Commerce as intended to replace the com-
mercial and maritime relations of France and England
upon the footing of common right (droit common), the
meaning of which phrase is that the special hostility of
the French tariff to England, as compared with the rest
of the world, is no longer to exist. The minister,
writing to Louis Napoleon, adds, " Commerce and in-
dustry, sire, will applaud a measure which affords an
additional instance of the interest your Majesty takes in
everything that may contribute to the prosperity of the
country.'_ _

By another decree in Saturday's Moniteur, the duty
on raw wool imported into French ports by French bot-
toms from countries beyond Cape Horn and the Cape of
Good Hope, including Cape Town, is reduced from 15
per cent. ad valorem to duties varying from 25 centimes
to 55 centimes per kilogramme, the principle being to
levy a duty of 10 per cent. as near as possible upon the
value in French ports, but regulating this duty, for the
sake of simplicity, entirely by weight, and thus avoiding
various practical inconveniences that have been com-
plained of.
Another decree assimilates the import duty on grease
of all sorts, except that of fish, to that paid on raw
tallow.—Daily News.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL, MAY 13.

STOCK EXCHANGE.—lnfluenced by the closing of the
account, the market has been firm and. good all day, closing
at its best point. Lancashire and Yorkshire, 59 ; Lon-
don and North-Western, 9.34 4; Midland, 57g ; South-
Eastern, 17 11.16.