The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-21 00:00:00

RUSSIAN PRODUCE.

The delay sought and obtained by the Goverment, re-
garding the announcement of their intentions as to the
overland traffic in Russian produce, his apparently ex-
cited a feeling of dissatisfaction both among those who
desire the trade to be stopped, and those who wish it to
continue. It is an axiom' in the conduct of the mercantile
affairs of nations that anything is better than uncertainty,
and the fact that, from the commencement of the war
down to the present moment, almost all the commercial
intimations given by Ministers have proved vague, con-
tradictory, or delusive, is therefore strongly commented
upon, notwithstanding the universal wish to avoid com-
plaining of such evils as the progress of the struggle may
render inevitable. On the question of the blockade of
the Black Sea, the confusion that has existed might have
been lessened if the Government had stated their own
uncertainties, instead of allowing notifications directly
at variance with each other to proceed from different de-
partments, and to be followed by rather abrupt and
positive answers, which were never subsequently verified
to any member of the House of Commons who, might
desire an explanation. Again, with regard to the stores
of wheat lying within reach of the Danube, and which
are alleged to 'be prevented reeching this country by the
allied squadrons at the Sulina month, unnecessary less
has been inflicted, from the absence of any statement to
satisfy the public of the necessity for the restriction,
which, while it inflicts serious injury upon the people of
this country, is
.equally damaging to Turkey, and is
looked upon, according to some statements, as impolitic
both by Turkey and Austria. Great, however, as have
been the perplexities from these circumstances,the doubts
suffered tceprevail on the question of the continuance of
the transit of Russian produce overland to Memel and
elsewhere are calculated to lead to results nearly as un-
desirable. In the Black Sea, throughout the past season,
the prohibition by the Czar of the export of grain,
combined with the absence of actual knowledge as to
whether at any specific moment a blockade would be
found to exist, tended considerably to diminish the effects
of the want of action on the part of our ships, but the
overland trade is subject to.no such hindrances, and has
gone on, and will continue to go on, steadily, unless dis-
tinct measures be taken. Every day, therefore, dui.-
ing which this point is left in doubt our merchants, who,
under impressions produced by former Ministerial state-
ments, have embarked in procuring substitutes, are ear-
-1 'ling on a hazardous trade, while those who, on the
contrary, are endeavouring to extend their business at
the frontier Baltic ports are equally kept is anxiety. Of
the extent of the interests involved an idea may be
formed when it is stated that even under the small ex-
isting impediments to the arrival of Russian produce the
supplies of linseed sent from Calcutta have increased
from 440,733 maunds in the 12 months eliding Sept.
30, 1853, to 1,025,595 maunds up to the like date in
1854, while, as regards hemp, from the same quarter,
,
and palm oil, &c. from Africa and elsewhere, the move-
ment has been equally striking ; and not onlyriasae, be
gam-
bling character imparted to the whole of this td
the risk is also incurred of dispiriting
by allowing them to be stimulated by
expectations
producers
it
are to be disappointed. Under these
circumstances,
will be admitted that the commercial community are
foreign
which
not unreasonable in expressing a feeling that the Go-
vernment can justify themselves for postponing their
decision for several weeks
only by ultimately adduc-
ing
reasons of an
unanswerable erable and peremptory
kind. That such reasons exist,
especially
in the pre-
sent state of the relations between the Allies and
Prussia, there is every disposition to believe • and it
may be added
that, whatever soreness may prevail as to
the various annoyances experienced by traders duringthe past year,
there is still a feeling that the present Go-
verment have shown themselves, on the whole, desirous
to attend and recognise any representations connected
with the,p, sramount claims of the mercantile interests of
the country. It is not expedient, however, that the
desire to avoid cavilling at a time when forbearance is
demanded on all sides should lead to a suppression of
criticisms such as on points of this nature have lately
been prevalent.

ROBBERY OF A COUNTIN4-110IIBE.—Some thieves en-
tered the countinghouse of Messrs. Robert Hyde, Greg,
and Co., cotton-spinners, Quarry-bank, Cheshire, a few
nights since, picked the lock of the iron safe, and carried
away 3001. To avoid detection while engaged in the
robbery, the thieves had taken with them three blinds,
and placed them before the three windows of the count-
ing-house.