The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-25 00:00:00

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COALITION TO RAISE;THE PRICE OF
FOOD.

Great sensation has been caused at Nantes and in the
neighbourhood by the Government having caused nine
merchants of that city to be prosecuted for having
entered into a coalition for raising the price of salt meat
sold to the Government. The trial has just taken plat*
before the Tribunal of Correctional Police of Nantes,
and has occupied several days. The indictment set bareh
the following facts :—The Minister of Marine, in ,Apr'
last, made known in different sea ports that he should
require a large quantity of salt meat for the navy. In
August he demanded at Nantes tenders for the supply
of 800,000 kilogrammes ; only two tenders were made
—one at 145 fr., the other at 132 fr. 50c. the 100 kilo-
grammes. The Minister thought those prices exorbi-
tant, and refused to accept them. Shortly after he de-
manded tenders for 600,000 kilogrammes, but only one
offer was made, and that was at 137 fr. 50c. the 100
kilos. Re refused to accept that also. He made a third
atte.opli t) obtain 200,000 kilogrammes in four lots at a
reasonable rate ; but again he only received one offer,
which was at 127 fr. 50c. This likewise was rejected.
At the time these sums were demanded from the Ori-
vernine,:it, the salt meat was sold in the markets near
Nantes at 70fr. the 100 kilos. After the failure of the
ti ird a tten pt, tl.c salters sent two delegates to confer n
he Minister, who did not disguise limn them that 116
"'I Pr, e;ng need of supplies, and he attempted to come
'o an asnaiad t a
rra,insgteniinenstteanditloi
fthnenpip,lying
hutwas unable to do so,
On account of the high prices they demanded. On this,
to dealers he would
e-tahlish a special agency at Nantes for the purchase of
salt incalt, but they_attemnted to dissuade him from
doing anything of the kind, and represented that they
were paying 100 lr. for tire; 140 kilogramme,:, though in
point of fact the price was far inferior. The Minister
charged two dealers, named Wilson and Langlais, to
buy meat for his department, and they were able to do
so at 85fr. the 100 kilogrammes—a rise in prices having
taken place ; but no sooner had they commeanriacedtionsin
price opera-
tions than prices shot up rapidly towBaay v
7sr. fr;tBhBinfrg.,i9nOtfhr.e,
92fr., and at last to 100 fr. Not only wa, such a sud-
den
beingrise totoarllyhfru.noexra2mfrp.,ledb,utthteheorerdin
state of the market to call for it. On this an invm.
tion was made, and it turned oat that the rise was 00;;.
sioned by the fraudulent manoeuvres of the accused. The
accused vehemently contended that they had not done
anything that was not warranted by the liberty of corn.
merce ; but nevertheless a prosecution was instituted
against them. Evidence was then given in support of
the indictment, and it proved clearly that in order to
stop the purchases through Messrs. Wilson and Lang-
lais, and to compel the Government to pay more than a
fair market price, the accused had either verbally or in
writing recommended the holders of salt meat with
whom they were accu:t mod to deal not to sell at less
than 100 fr. the 100 kilos.—a price much superior to the
legitimate market price ; that as an inducement to the
holders to Insist on that price, or to keep back their
stocks, they had promised to pay them 100 fr. ; and that
so clear was it that they had acted illegally, that a fall in
prices took place immediately after their proceedings were
discovered, and a prosecution was commenced. A num-
ber of letters in which their schemes were fully revealed
were besides produced. The accused being interrogated
contended that the rise was occasioned by the supply of
salt pork not being equal to the demand, and that they
had to submit to it instead of occasioning it. The Public
Prosecutor, in a long and able speech, maintained that
they had undoubtedly been guilty of a coalition, and that
they deserved severe punishment. A number of counsel
were heard for the defendants ; they laboured to prove
that the accusation was unfounded. The trial ended by
one of the accused named Philippe being acquitted, he
having been absent from Nantes at the time the frauds
were perpetrated, and his partner having acted in his
name. All the other accused, whose names are Dupont,
Quemet, Barden, Rondonet, Levesque, Cornillier, Ca-
naud, and Martin, were declared guilty, and were seve-
rally sentenced to a month's imprisonment and 2,000 f.
fine. One of the Paris papers in giving an account of
this case, contrasts the conduct of the condemned with
that of certain English tradesmen who have generously
offered supplies to the Government for the war' without
profit, and have eves made large donations. The con-
trast, it declares, is not at all creditable to the patriot-
ism of Frenchmen.

THE TACTICS OF PRIIASSIA.

(From Galignani's Messenger.)

We were enabled two days ago to confirm the state-
ment in a private telegraph despatch from Berlin, that
the Prussian Government intended to make an effort to
induce the French and English Cabinets to enter with it
into a treaty on the Eastern question, having nearly the
same object as that of the treaty of Vienna, but to which
Austria should not be a party. At the same time we
mentioned that M. Von Usedom, onelof the most dis-
tinguished diplomatists of Prussia, was to be the person
charged with this mission to London, and that a diplo-
matist of equal rank was to be sent to Paris. The pri-
vate telegraphic despatches since received from Berlin
give the name of M. Von Usedom, but not that of the
diplomatist to the French capital. In one of these de-
spatches indeed, it is said that M. Von Usedom is to be
charged with the mission to both Governments. In an-
nouncing the appointment of M. Von Usedom, we were
' enabled to add that his mission would have no chance of
success, and that in all probability, after the rejection of
his propositions, the Prussian Government would give
its adhesion to the treaty of Vienna. The Pays, in an
article on this subject, erpresses some astonishment at
the course adopted by the Court of Prussia. It is diffi-
cult, indeed, to comprehend the motive that the Prus-
sian Government can have for a step which on the face
of it presents such little probability of success. It is
sith a view to gain time for the Emperor of Russia,
and to retard the consequences which must result
from the treaty of Vienna, in the event of the Emperor
Ndiolas refusing before the end of the year to accept
the four points of guarantee ie the sense laid down by
the three Allied Cabinets ? or has the King of Prussia
some modifications to propose at the instance of :the
Czar, which he imagines may be accepted by France and
England, and which, accepted by them, would be ac-
ceptable to Austria ? These are questions which time
only can solve. There is another which presents it-
self, and which is founded on as much probability rs
either of the others. May not the Prussian Cabinet
have resolved to adhere to the treaty of Vienna, but be
seeking to prove to the Emperor of Russia that it bad
previously exhausted every means of averting in his in-
terest
a necessity greater than all considerations of family
connexion and personal sympathy ? The position of
Prussia, if she should isolate herself from the policy of
the Western Powers, would be one of discredit and.
danger. To the shame of a tendency to Russian inte-
rests in opposition to those of Europe and to the cause
of civilisation and justice, she would add the. danger of
consequences which might be fatal to the Prussian mo-
narchy. All this is without doubt felt by the most en-
lightened men in the Prussian Cabinet, but with a loyal
devotedness to their sovereign they maybe endeavouring
to do all in their power to prove to the Emperor of
Rusia that his royal brother-in-law is compelled by the
force of events and by public opinion to make common
cause with his adversaries. Whatever may be the mo-
tive of the mission of M. Von Usedom, whatever may
be its result, it is not reasonable to suppose that the
Prussian Governinent will adhere long to a policy of
isolation. The immediate consequences of such a policy
would be to give to Austria an exclusive influence in,
Germany by the strong hold that she would have on
public opinion, and to put an end to the commercial ad-
vantages which Prussia has hitherto been permitted to
derive neutrality. It is very
independentlyrynaturaltosupoi
sup-
pose drat th
the family connection of the Court with that of Russia,
would cling as long as possible to a system of neutrality
os froma iele Prussian
which has enabled it to profit by the want of means of
sea transit for Russian produce ; but it knows that the
privilege which Prussia now enjoys in this respect will
no longer be tolerated, and thus one of the most impor-
tant advantages of' neutrality will be taken from it. As
long as it could be shown to the people of Prussia that
they profited by the war of the Western Powers against
Russia, and that their trade would increase with the
duration of neutrality, it was comparatively easy to
render them less sensible to the appeals of honour and
the obligations of national independenoe. The ismnber
of the partisans of Russia in Prussia will however be
very materially diminished, when it shall be generally
known that the Western Powers are resolved to put an
end to the traffic which has hitherto been tolerated under
the system of neutrality. The Pays says --
"We have already announced that Prussia had mani-
fested an intention of treating direct with the Western
Powers instead of adhering purely and simply to the
treaty of the 2d December. It is announced that for
this pirpose she has sent to London M. d'Usedom, for-
merly her representative at Rome, with an autograph
letter from King Frederic William to Queen Victoria,
and that another diplomatist will shortly be appointed
to fill a similar mission to Paris. It is difficult to un-
derstand what hopes Prussia may entertain from this
proceeding. It is evident that the Western Powers will
not grant her better conditions than those adopted by
Austria. For what purpose, then, should separate ne-
cancapursoedduicsequetude in the
no result, and
bl
de be of openedab
to naturewbi which
Confederation, to the great prejudice of the interests of
gohtiicahtio wnosu
Germany ?"

LONDON DOOKS.---tEXTENSIVE WINE FEADDS.—_prom
a trade' circular, signed by Messrs. Ridley and Co , it
appears that an extensive system of fraud has been .
the con.
ibnyto fine old
car-
riedversioonn
oaft
dtahme eaasgeta vranumltm,
aLgoendsoanle Doc by
ports, which are disposed of to the public at corm-
pending prices. It is said that about 70 pipes of inferior
sour wine, purchased at from 20s. to 40s. perpipe, have
been passed through the London Dock vats, and then
forwarded to the east vault, whence, after about a
month's time, they are passed off as valuable racy
ports, at prices varying, from 301. to 381. per pipe. We
know not how true this statement is, but .it is very cir-
cumstantial, and wears on the face of it an appearance of
truth. The circular states that the authorities are pre.
pared to go any
'P°"ibilitYs to punish all parties who are implicated in
length, regardless of expense and re-
this hatter.—Civil Service Gazette.
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