The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

on Tuesday last. The conduct of the " long-shore"
men, in Common-hall, he particularly adverted to. He
said he spoke the sentiments of many thousands of his
fellow-citizens, who joined with him in believing a most
extensive change to be necessary in the constitution of
the Corporation of the city of London.
Mr. W. S. IVlasterman solicitor, of Clifford's Inn, next
appeared. He complained of the inefficiency of the
Court of Common Council, as evidenced in the instance
of the opening of the Lord Mayor's Court. The Common
Council some time since, passed a resolution to the effect,
that the Lord Mayor's Court should be thrown open to
solicitors ; but he had made application to practise, and
had been informed that if he did so, an action would be
commenced against him. Not being inclined to do so, be
thought the best way for him to proceed, under the cir-
cumstances, would be to name the matter to the Commis-
sioners, as they were then sitting. To the constitution of
the Mayor's Court he objected; its operation was very arbi-
trary. With reference to the qualification of a party to
vote for an alderman or a common councilman, it was
not only necessary for the party to be a freeman of the
City, but he must also be on the parliamentary roll.
This he thought to be a great hardship. He had men-
tioned the matter to one of the members of Court, and
that gentleman said he believed it would be rectified.
As to the office of secondary, at the last election he
(witness) was a candidate for the office when Mr. James
died, but the gift was in the hands of the Common
Council, and although Mr. Cotterell, who was then
sheriff, promised him the situation, he was not able to
obtain it. He thought the appointment should not be
placed in the hands of the Common Council, but that
such places should be disposed of under the authority of
an act of Parliament.
At this stage of the proceedings the Commissioners
suspended their inquiries.—Adjourned.

REDVCTION OF THE DUTY ON IRON
IN FRANCE.

( From the Times.)
The full particulars of the modifications in the
French tariff received to-day enable the following
explanation to be given :—Coal formerly paid a duty
of 4s. 7d. a ton, when imported by sea from Dun-
kirk to Sables d'Olonne, in the department of
Vendee. This is now reduced to 2s. 9d. The for-
mer duties of 2s. 9d. a ton when imported between
Sables d'Olonne and Bayonne, and ls. 4id. when
imported by the Mediterranean ports, have been
consolidated at the lower charge. The duties on
importation by land, varying from is. 414. to
ls. (Ad. per ton, have been retained. Coke formerly
paid -twice the duty on coal ; now it only pays one-
half more than the reduced duty. These are the
duties by French ships. By foreign ships they are
higher ; but, as English ships employed in the trade
between France and England have been since .1826
assimilated to national ships, the distinction is of
no practical importance to this country. This being
the case generally, it will only be necessary, as
regards iron, to place the former duties in 'com-
parison with those now to be paid on importation
by French vessels, English vessels being in the same
category :

Former Duties, Duties, per ton, Aft 6
per ten. till Jan. 1,1853. Jan. 1, 1855,
--t--1
A s. d X s. a. x O. d.
Pig ir0n........... 2 16 8 2 4 0 1 i 5 4
Iron in bars, accord- r 1
from 612 6 S 510 r 4 18 0
ing to dimensions. Lto 8 4101 to 7 010 Lto 6 '3 4
Rails, the same as
iren bars, :accord-
ing to dimensions.
Iron p1ate5........ 17 12 6 11 0 0 8 16 0
Steel, in bars :
Cast .. .. .. .. 26 80 i
17 12 0 13 I 4 0
Wrought.... 52 16 0

From these details it will be easy to estimate the
importance of the step taken by the French Govern-
ment, the advantages it is likely to confer on that
country, and the influence it will exercise oti the
trade with England. It will be seen that, although
some of the anomalies of the former system retrain,
and the duties are still very high in several eases,
a sensible and practical step has been taken iii the
direction of unrestricted intercourse. The im-
portation of English coal into France is large at
this moment, and employs a great number of vessels
of both countries. It is likely to be much promoted
now, and English coal reaching Rouen, Dieppe, or
Boulogne will only pay a surtax of ls. 4id. over
Belgian coal, instead of 3s. 21d., as before, and will
therefore be able to reach further in the interior
before being undersold by it—perhaps, as far as
Paris, if the French Northern and Paris and Rouen
Railway Companies are enabled to convey it pro-
fitably at a cheap rate. At present English iron is
little consumed in France ; henceforth it is likOly to
be used to a large extent in Normandy and the
western parts, which are remote from the French
iron districts, especially after the Ist of January,
1855, when the further reduction will come' into
operation. The duty on rails will still be very high.
The reduction of the duty on steel is considered
more likely to promote imports from Sweden than
from this country.