The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-17 00:00:00

donment of all the most effec- What can be done for ship.
tive parts of ourlong cherished ping can be done for goods.
system of protection, since The German Commercial
every country that desired to League is at this moment
remove the disadvantages
giving unity
of British
and closeness to
under which we placed its
shipping, had it thenceforward
the exclusion
manufactures,. till England
consent to take the
in its power, by adopting our
will
plans in the spirit of retaliation,
to compel us to a relaxation of German producc,coru. Huz-
our code."—ld. za for the German League! it
is what will work out our com-
mon deliverance in the end.

30.—Let us first inquire A.—Exposh of this kind
what has been the effect of tell for little, because there
the reciprocity system upon is always a presumption that
the maritime strength and pro-
sourcesre-
of the empire, and .the other side would
duce one with directly oppo-
then examine whether or not
site results. But in the pre-
these effects have been coun-
terbalanced by the increase of sent case there. is the notable
foreign trade and commerce omission, of all the gains
with the countries with whom that were made at every turn
reciprocity treaties have been by the trader who was the
concluded.—ld. consumer,—the gains re-

presented in the illustration
by the "Npints of wine." But this is theory; that is to. say
there is a theory on the other side, that half the items in an
account ought to be struck out.
31.—The two grand articles A.—By superiority in the
in the trade of which it is of trade of " grain," appears to
paramount importance that a be meant, not having it. By
maritime State should, at all the " subsistence of the
hazard maiin its supe-
people" to b meant,
riority, are grainnta and shipping.
not having people toe subsist.
The former is necessary for
the subsistence of its people ;
the latter is an essential ®le-
nient in its national defence and independence. —ld.
32.—1 f we are dependent A.—That is to say, if all
on foreign supplies for grain, foreign nations should close
we cannot maintain even the all harbours at once, all
shadow of independence ; be- trade might be cut off.
cause foreign nations can at Throwing all aces with fifty
any moment, by simply closing
dice is nothing to it. We
their harbours, reduce our peo-
pip to desperation, and our y p
know eriment that the b ex
Government to submission.— Emperor of Russia could not
cut us off from tar and hemp,
at a time when we were

. . ,
proceeding to fight him with
. his own goodS. And why ? Because his own people cut
,hint off in preference. But the object peeps out. We are
• to be kept on the slip for another Tory war ; and corn-
litorce, which is the great bond which binds nations mutually
to I.reep the peace, is to be put down accordingly.
reciprocity con- A.—ln the case of ship-
lists not.in admitting tbesame ping, the bargain was fair
Orticle into our pcirts on the enough, even on the pitiful
same terms onlwhich our neigh -
hours receive ours, but in ob- principle assumed. It is pre-
sumable there were interests
taming admittance for a cor- for keeping British shipping
.I*Ponding article on our side,
in out of foreign ports ; or it
which we have a correspond-
trdranta,te ever /d. would never have been done.
34—Real reciproCity, then, A.—Try them with corn.
17001 d hive consisted in , a Admit that in return for ad-
treat:, whereby, in dOnsidera- mitting cotton goods. Will
lion cf our admitting their these reciprocalists con-
illipping- into our harbours on sent ?
as favourable terms as they ad-
rained oto.s into theirs, they
consented tu receive our cotton goods into their ports on the
same terms as we received their cotton fabrics into ours.—.M.

35.---For example, if at A.—Mistake. Ask the
.present we send 5,000,000 of sixteenth clerk. If France,
'our manufactures to South &c., could have been paid
America, with which we pur- with cotton goods, the dollars
Chase dollars to a similar in South America would
Amount, and then send these
dollars to France, Prussia, and never have been bought at
thc other reciprocity countries all. The reason why, be-
with .a view to purchase their cause it was only the want
induo.y. we gain in return for of dollars to pay in France,
the pcmhase of 10,000,000 that caused them to be
Worth a their produce; that bought.
is, of 5,000,600 worth of dol-
lars from South America, and
4,000,000 worth of produce from Europe, only five millions
*earth of our own mahufactures off our hands; whereas, if we
bad stipulated for similar advantages to our cotton goods, in
return for the advantages conferred by us upon foreign ship-
ping, we should have been enabled to sell ten millions worth
of our manufactures, viz. 5,000,000 to South America, in
exchange for the bullion, and 5,000,000 to Prussia and the
other reciprocity countries, in exchange for their goods. —ld.
36.—1 t is quite evident that, A.—Nothing so doubtful
tojustify commercial arrange- as things " quite evident."
luents with any particular The mistake is in the repro-
qeo.2ntry,. we must be able to sentation about " reciprocal
:rangements,standingthboys:heamr:
..ow, that under benefit." If A rides in B's
benefit
:selves, a reciprocal
the inhabitants of omnibus, he gains himself,
12,_t
h.—ld. "ws to
'ju and gives some gain to B.
If A is a baker, and B will

take his bread of him, this
,lie
tut may be an additional benefit,
, -gain .A makes by riding in the omnibus is not
clepenn ent on it, and therefore they are not " reciprocal be-
Ilefl,ts" ii the sense intended. The object of the text is to
main tain, That A ought to refuse gaining two shillings by
riding in B omnibus, unless B will also engage to take
Lis breAti of hm.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

OPERATION OF THE CORN-LAWS
ON THE COMFORTS OF THE PEOPLE.

(From the Spectator.)
Wbon the supporters of the Corn-laws are charged with
causing distress to the labouring classes by enhancing arti-
ficially the cost of bread, a common excuse is, that wages rise
with corn nd that, consequently, they who live from hand to
mouth hav interest opposed to a high price of wheat. It
would be easy :s'o prove that the remuneration of labour must
Ile regulated
.amount solely by the demand for and supply of
and that labour is as much a marketable article as sugar and
tobacco ; but without going into this, we ask attention to one
or two facts,
'theorywhich seem decisive against the landowners'
of wages.
In Sept. 1835, the average price of corn was 41s. 9d. per qr.
1836
1837

---------------
1838 .... 735. 2d.
-buring the last three years, then, wheat has been steadily •
/• jug in price, in spite of at least average harvests, taking the
ph Isle period into the account. Have wages risen in the same
443rtiea ? The difference between the cost of a quarter ofwhe •
.1t in September, 1835, and September, 1838, is 318. 5d.,
the • 75 per cent. within a fraction. Will anybody pretend that
17 abourer, who earned 10s. a week in 1835, receives
•3' 6 now ? Unless this can be made out, it follows that
-TS liave not risen with wheat during the last three years.
currout it may he said that peculiar circumstances have oc-
vh_ d, 'within that period, to disturb the working of a rule
te:ch genr hols good. That is true. Me times have
been •v' IrY remarkable—there has been an unusual, an unpre-
Inakine d demand for labour, consequent upon the railroad
Tr, g' A new vent for capital, requiring the expenditure of
478-anT Ulions in the hire of workmen, has been discovered;
pni',":llt -For this extraordinary demand, there must have been a
labour market, This is manifest from the fact,
tail' notwithstanding the numerous workmen required on the
wages have not been high. From the Forty-seventh
••t 01' the Poor-law Commissioners, it appears that, " in-
el, uleg harvests and ether profitable seasons," a stout labourer
:Rh earn on an average 9s. a week ; and it is stated in the
ttele document, that in the counties of Worcester, Giouces-
heel.' Si. 'A Somerset, wages are stationary. This point need not
w
154rs'-',.'d any further. Sufficient has been said to show that
'e not risen with the advances in the wheat-market.
eithe - are they likely soon to rise. Increase in foreign
colon,
ular,...,ereo is not to be expected. The internal demand for
the-,su'ectur is w ill not be augmented in a greater ratio than
oh
Pulati~;m . ,',ut the extraordinary employment of labourers
4
"le •st soon in a great measure cease. Next
th°lldaY, the Bi, h 'ham and London Railway, on which
Of h ave been en.'
ledli ployed for several years at the expense
„s3n,,e f pounds, yv;11 be completed. The other great
taieo4„,‘e,,altt approaching t,. completion. All who have main-
trias;Veen taelves and families by working on the railroads,
Ilea; "ad the means of subsisten.ce elsewhere ; there are no
Undertakit'gs of similar magnittn.ic projected. With an
steoteased sr rpply of labour, and, as far as can be seen at pre-
" pro spett ',whatever of a growing demand, it is not to be
'r§(?ed Vaat wagt s will rise.
'the e,,,t;hei: is there nay probability of a material reduction in
get,bf-e of bread. it has been seen that fine weather, to-
loll, yr with a considerable importation of foreign wheat,
-.l4rovelY afrects the market. Inquiries privately made in
well-
to :Ted quarters, as well as the published accounts access:hle
gue", only confirm our opinion, that though there may be
lik_',ll4ticons and occasional depressions, the price of corn is not
Prey:Ll° be permanently lower for a long period, under the
spiv_sP-tem ; and even the repeal of the duty would only
soiv_ a pat tial mitigation because foreign countries, like mir-
s, have not grown superfluity. Besides, holders and
Pnrehas
oveTrabt:eekrstieical.rneualrakteete.n higher prices next year, and will not
'kens,
'cei„ablafferteg occasioned by dearness of bread,
o.pulation subsisting on scanty wages, is scarcely con-
to the im-
slot by those who look at their bakers' bills as only one and
▪ r largest item in along list of expenses. But mark how
the poor.
offourpy a loaf operates on the coforts of
e. ,The _ A Lan and his wife with six children would
atcon-
the least twelve quartern loaves weekly : and this is
"!ravagat.t allowance. when it is remembered that the
..e 4Y joint is generally the only thing in the shape of
4r, v's meat which they enjoy. Bread forms the chief meal
diank.r, and supper. Twelve loaves multiplied by
C.---Alit difference Letween 6d., the price in 1835, and 101 d.
eo,stn'ice'nk 'w
—make 4s. 6d. per week ; and this 4s. Cl. is to
Ice oat S, 1., 10s., 155., or ‘,;,05., as the ease may be, Take
obl high average of 15s. ; then let the man in comfoit-
a ce..cumstances imagine his income pf (say) 6001. a year
gradual)
Y reduced to 4001 , his family incrcasin,g all the
Ile; and he will have a faint notion of the 4loti-Css caused
4,antithe poor man's household by the enhanced cost of 'pis own
ill his children's staff of life. in sonic parts of the country
Y are mixing oatmeal and potatoca with tlae;x• flour. It is
r.'e Corn-law, not the Poor,law, that is compelling f,lnern to