The Sun.
London, England, 1838-11-24 00:00:00

not done with the hall-keeper, for it seemed that he was
paid 1,800/. "on account of said expenses." But what
the " said " referred to be could not understand. But
then the Lord Mayor was paid 1001. for not delivering
the Session papers ; and one of the Temples, one of the
hall-keeper's fimily, was paid 31/. 10s. for delivering
them.—(Laughter.) But in all there were 11,6801. ex-
pended by the hall-keeper, which ought to be disbursed by
the Chamberlain alone ; and then, in addition to all, there
was 54/. 10s. for Mrs. Temple.—(Hear, hear.) But
these were things that were a justification of this So-
ciety. They certainly were things that required explana-
tion, and on the part of the public that Society demanded
explanation. What they wished was to have reform of
the Corporation, and to make it truly great and truly
worthy of the city in which it was placed.
Mr. THOMAS HARRISON remarked that the Lord
Mayor was in every way the occasion of entailing enor-
mous expenses upon the city. One of those items was
very serious—the repairs and furnishing the Mansion-
house ; and he found that in fifty years there was laid out
on these two items a sum that exceeded all that had been
expended on the improvements in the city.—(Hear.)
Mr. PRITCHARD was not going to be the apologist of
the Common Council. A great deal had been said of the
police—he had long wished for change and an improve-
ment in it, and regretted that both had not taken place
long before now. The difference between advocates of
improved Corporations and those for centralization was,
that if the Corporations were good they ought to have the
power of appointing the police. As to the expenses en-
tailed in supporting the Mayor, he thought they were very
foolish.

Mr. WELLS proposed a resolution to the effect, that it
was expedient for the association to examine in detail the
several items of expenditure of the Corporation, in order
that they might be understood by the electors of the re-
spective wards previous to St. Thomas's day.
Mr. THOMAS opposed the resolution. What they
sought for was a reformed Corporation, and that was what
was attempted in the plan by the Committee, to which
he thought all their attention ought to be devoted. He
moved that the plan be taken into consideration.
Mr. PHILLIPS seconded the resolution of Mr. Thomas.
A GENTLEMAN stated he came there for the purpose of
information. He thought they ought to have members of
that Association at every wardmote. He said he belonged
to the Lord Mayor's ward, which was one of the most cor-
rupt wards in the city.
The resolution of Dir. Thomas was then put and carried
unanimously.
The Society determined to take the plan of Corporation
Reform into consideration next Thursday.
The meeting then adjourned.

TREATY OF COMMERCE BETWEEN

FRANCE AND BELGIUM.

His Majesty the King of the Belgians on the one part,
and his Majesty the King of the French on the other,
animated with an equal desire to facilitate and extend the
relations of commerce and navigation between both
countries, and convinced that the most certain manner of
realising that object is to abate and lower as soon as pos-
sible the duties which now fall on the respective flags, have
resolved to regulate this important matter by a commission,
and to this effect have named as their Plenipotentiaries—
The King of the Belgians—Charles Joseph Count Lehon,
&c., and John Baptiste Smits, Member of the Chamber
of Representatives in Belgium ; and the King of the
French, Matthew Count Mole, &c., &c.
Who after tile usual interchange of powers, &c., have
agreed on and concluded the following articles :-
1. There shall be full aid entire liberty of commerce
and navigation between the inhabitants of the two king-
doms. They shall not pay on account of their commerce
or industry in the ports, towns, or places whatsoever of
the said States where they temporarily or permanently re-
side, duties, taxes, or imports, under any denomination,
greater or other than those levied on the people of said
nation, and the privileges, freedoms, and other favours
whatsoever, which in matters of trade the citizens of either
State enjoy shall be common to the citizens of both.
2. French shipping shall not pay in the ports of Belgium,
either on entrance or exit, whatever be the place of their
departure or destination, other or higher duties of tonnage,
of port, lighthouse, or pilotage, of quara'itine, or the like
nature, which are not payable by Belgian ships coming
from the same places and going to the same destination.
3. By reciprocity, and until it shall suit Belgium to re-

lieve its own shipping of all tonnage duties, as France has
done of its shipping, Belgian vessels, from whatever port
they may come, shall pay in France the same tonnage dues
which French vessels would have to pay in Belgium, con-
formably to article No. 2. They shall be otherwise assimi-
lated to French shipping as respects all duties enumerated
in the said article. The exceptions to the national usages
which French vessels coming or going elsewhere than to or
from Belgium, shall be participated in by Belgian vessels
making the same voyage, and this regulation shall be reci
procally applied in Belgium to French shipping.
4. Merchandise of every kind which shall be imrortol
from Belgium to France under the Belgian flag, shall not
pay higher duties of entry than if they were imported un-
der the French flag.

And reciprocally merchandise of all kinds imported from
France into Belgium under the French flag, shall not pay
other or greater duties than if imported under the Belgian
flag. _ _

L. Merchandise of all nations, which shall be exported
from Belgium in French bottoms, or from France in Belgian
bottoms, for whatever destination it might be, shall not be
subject to other fees or formalities of exit, than if it. were
exported in national vessels ; and it shall enjoy under either
flag the same bounty or drawback which may be given in
either country to the national flag.
6. There shall be no other fees paid save those of weigh-
ing and warehousing on goods imported in the depots fixed
in either country for the produce of the other until re-ex-
ported, or given out for home consumption.
7. French and Belgian shipping may keep on board,
while in the ports of either kingdom, such parts of their
cargo as is destined for a foreign port, provided that
this destination be clearly expressed in the manifest, and
according to the obligations imposed by the respective
legislatures.

8. The shipping of both States entering into the ports of
the other country by distress shall be exempt from all du-
ties, as well as for the ship as for the cargo, if no commercial
operation be made, provided that the necessity for coming
into port be fully proved, and they do not remain in port
longer than it is necessary to refit.
9. The Consols of both nations shall be at liberty to
arrest and send on board, or send home, sailors who may
have deserted their national flag. For this purpose they
are to address in writing the local competent authorities,
and make out, by the production of the registry and the
list of the crew, the fact that the sailors belonged to said
ships. Upon these proofs being given the demand made
cannot be refused. All aid and assistance shall be given
to the recovery of the said deserters who are detained in
the prisons of the country, at the requisition and at the ex-
pense of the Consul, until the agents find means to send
them home.

10. All operations relative to salvage in French vessels
wrecked on the Belgian coast shall be carried on by the
Consulates of France, and reciprocally Belgian Consuls shall
direct all proceedings taken with regard to salvage on Bel-
gian vessels wrecked on the French coast.
11. In all that concerns the right of Custom-house and
navigation the Two High Contracting Parties promise re-
ciprocally not to accord any favour, privilege, or immunity
to any other State which shall not be on the instant ex-
tended to their respective subjects gratuitously, if the fa-
vous be gratuitous to the other State, and on receiving
the same compensation or equivalent if the concession has
been conditional.

-12. The present convention shall be in vigour during
ten 'years from the date of publication, and beyond that term
for the space of twelve months, after one or the other of
the high contracting parties shall have announced to the
other his intention of determining it--each reserving to it-
self the right to make such declaration at the end of the
above-mentioned ten years. And it is agreed upon that
after the twelve months of prolongation above-named shall
have expired, this convention and its stipulation shall cease
and be void.

13. The ratifications of the present convention shall be
exchanged at Paris within the space of eight months, or
sooner if it so pleases.

LEHON.
SMITS.
MOLE.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.
On Tuesday evening the King transacted business with
the Minister of Marine, and received the Spanish and
Turkish Ambassadors, the Prussian, Bavarian, and
Wurtemberg Ministers, General Count Pajol, the
Count de Portalis, and Admiral Jacob. Yesterday his
Majesty received Lord and Lady Burghersh, Marshal
Gerard, and the Count de Celles, and at one o'clock held
a Council of Ministers.
Several Journals gave-the following laconic note of the
Minister of the Interior, by which he recently announced
to a Sub-Prefect his dismissal from his post :---
4, Sir--h is with regret that I have to inform. you that
the King, on my recommendation, has aiiposed of the
Sub-Prefecture which was intrnsted to you. If
wish to retire immediately, the Prefect is authorized t Q
filll up your place.
4.1 MONTALIVET."

We do not give much credit to the following, which we
find in the ILlqssager :--" The Belgian question is said to
be takini the most tAntwara turn in the ,Conference of