The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 13, 1849.

connected the " loud laugh" with the " vacant mind."
Since other classes had in en &prised c f protection,
he thought that it ought not to be eejoyed exclusively
by the shipowne r. Beside:, this advantage would re-
sult from the repeal of the navigation• laws, that the
standing excuse for the failure of all the free-trade mea-
sures of the last two years would be removed.—(Hear,
and laughter.) The Hon. Member for Liverpool said
we could compete with all the countries in the world,
because we had the largest capital. He (Mr. Muntz)
believed that the capital consisted in our land, houses,
and ships, but if we reduced the value of them he was
not sure we should have the largest capital in the world.
—(Hear, and laughter.) They ought to consider what
had been the success of the measures they had taken.
He would mention the effect of them on the article of
zinc, in which he had been a large dealer. No zinc was
now made in this country. Why? Because the price
of foreign zinc was only 13/. or 141. a ton,
while in this country it could not be made under 181.
But what had been the effect of free trade on the
town he represented? A few days ago a person handed
to him a ne.vspaper published there, called the
Midland and Birmingham Advel tiser, and pointed out an
advertisement in it from a respectable ironmonger in
Birmingham. It was headed, " The Effects of Free
Trade," and stated that the advertiser had just imported
from Germany a stock of superior tools, which, although
the duty was 10 per cent., he could sell at from 30 to 60
per cent. under the price at which they could be made in
Birmingham—(lle:lr, hear.) It struck him that every
day they wi re getting out of the fryingpan into the fire.
—(Laughter.) For the last 25 years he had been com-
peting in the foreign market with the merchants of his
own town. By care, industry, and economy, the whole
of them had ceased to compete with him; but, although
he had the whole trade, he found himself so reduced by
competition with the foreigner that it was not worth
should)ing to give it up.—(
buy in the cheapest maup.—(Hear, hear.)
It keeping,wa s
saiadn dthat
twh• ae)s g ,
rket
and sell in the dearest. That did not consist
in the abstract price.—(Hear, hear.) They
might get an at title that yeas manufactured in
England 10 per cent cheaper on the continent. It did
not follow that that was the cheapest market.—(llear,
hear.) Take iron. It might be 101. a ton here, and
only 8/. on the continent ; but if it were bought there
the labour here would be unemployed, and, instead of
buying in the cheapest market it might in the end prove
the dearest.—(Hear, hear.) lie expected to see the
produce of this country as low as foreign produce—
(Hear, hear)—aud he knew that that price could not
pay the taxes and liabilities of the country.—(Hear,
hear.) If they had a fixed amount of revenue to make
up, and they lowered the price of produce, they increased
the pressure of that taxation on the industrious classes—
(Hear, hear)—and by so doing prevented the possibility
of their competing with foreign labour.—(Hear, hear.)
He believed they would find their land uncultivated,
their trade profitless, and their people unemployed, and
that something else was wanted besides absolute free
trade.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD wished to say, on hehalf of
the constituency he and the Hon. Gentleman repre-
sented, that they bad a considerable interest in the re-
peal of the navigation-laws, as Birmingham carried on a
very large and lucrative trade with the colonies, but
which for some time past had been in a declining state.
If free trade had failed, it, had been because it had not
been carried out to the fullest extent—(" Hear" and
laughter),—or because it had not been accompanied by
those changes in the monetary system which were ab-
solutely essential.—(Laughter.) His Hon. Colleague
had referred to the prices of the continent, but if the
articles he spoke of could be supplied there cheaper
than in this country, how did it happen that we were
supplying America with them ?
After a few words from Mr. MUNTZ in explanation
the House divided, when there appeared,

For Mr. Herries's am? drneiii ... 210
Against it „, ••• 266
Majority for the Government ... —56
The announcement of the numbers was received with
great cheering by the Opposition.
The main question was agreed to without a division,
and the Bill was then read a second time.
AFFAIRS OF SICILY.
On the motion of Mr. I3ANKES, the following
papers were ordered by way of addition to Lord
Palmerston's amendment on Sicily:--" Copies of
all correspondence which has passed betwen offi-
cers of the Board of Ordnance and any other
departments of her Majesty's Government with
reference to the transaction in question; and copies
of all communications on this subject which have passed
between her Majesty's Government and the represen-
tative of her Majesty at the Court of the King of the Two
Sicilies."

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
Lord J..RUSSELL said, he proposed to go into Com-
mittee ot Supply on Friday on the navy estimates, in
order to vote the number ot men for the ensuing year.
On Monday evening he proposed to go into Committee
of Supply on the army estimates.
Mr. GROGAN inquired whether the Rate in Aid Bill
did not stand for Monday?
Lord J. RUSSELL said, the Government must pro-
ceed with the army estimates on Monday.
In answer to Mr. RICARDO,

Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to intimate that
he should ask the House to go into Committee on the
Navigation Bill on Friday se'nnight.
The other ordi,rs of the day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at a Quarter to One o'clock.

Sir Charles J. Napier having expressed a wish to
visit Italy previous to his going to India, the Lords of
the Admiralty have given orders'for one of her Ma-
jesty's steamers to be at L-ghorn on the 28th of the
present month, to convey the General from Leghorn to
Alexandria, to meet the Marseilles mail there. The
mail is to be detained at Alexandria until the arrival of
Sir Charles.

lIER ➢IAJESTY'S TEIEA.TRE.—On Saturday Car•
lotta Grisi arrived from Paris, and Gardoni from St.
Petersburgh.

THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION.—The following are
extracts from a letter received at Plymouth from an
officer on board her Majesty's ship Plover, lying at the
Sandwich Islands, Commander Thomas E. L. Moore.
The letter bears date Aug. 23:—" I have obtained per-
mission to go with Capt. Moore in his boat when she
leaves the ship, to proceed along the northern coast of
America, towards the Mackenzie River, to which river
Sir John Richardson, with his party, are proceeding;
they having landed at New York some two or three
months since. He will proceed further to the eastward,
as far as Copper-mine River. Sir James Ross and his
ships, which have left England, will commence their
search from Davis's Straits; so that if Sir John Franklin
and his expedition are in existence, we shall, in all pro-
bability, find them very shortly. Should any unforeseen
accident occur to prevent our getting through Behring's
Straits to the ice this year, which might be, should the
winter set in earlier than usual, we shall winter at
Petropaulowaki, in Kamschatka, or at Norton Sound,
at the entrance of Behring's Straits, on the north Ame-
rican side."

NELL G W YNNE TAVERN AND CHOP-HOUSE.--
This tavern, which is situated in Bull Inn-court, Strand,
has been opened by Messrs. Archer and Holt, who have
fitted up the coffee-room in the style of the period in
which Nell Gwynne lived, and every attention has been
paid to the comfort and convenience of the public. The
decorations are perfect. The ceiling, painted by Sanz,
is chaste, and beautifully executed. The chimney-
pieces aro chiselled out of Caen stone, by artists who
have been engaged on the extensive works at the Houses
of Parliament. The fittings are of solid oak, and the
chandeliers are the most elegant and light that have
come under our notice. We recommend our country
friends to pay a visit to the Nell Gwynne. The table
d'/wte at half-past five precisely, consisting of fish and
joints, is admirably served up, and the chop and steak
department is first-rate. The tavern is contiguous to
the Adelphi Theatre, and will be found convenient for
not only the visitors to that establishment, but also the
gentlemen connected with Somerset house and banking-
houses in the vicinity. _ .

PRINTERS' PENSION SOCIETY. Yesterday the
annual general meeting of the subscribers and donors of
this valuable institution, which was established in 1827,
for the purpose of affording relief, by granting pensions
to aged and infirm printers and their widows, was held
at the London Tavern, for the purpose of receiving the
report of the Committee for the past year, and to elect
five pensioners on the funds of the institution. R. Tay-
lor, Esq., F.R.S , the treasurer, presided. Mr. Hodson,
the secretary, read the report, which stated that the
society, in common with all other charitable institutions,
owing to the depression of trade and the prevailing com-
mercial distress, had suffered much by a diminution of
their general support, the annual subscriptions having
fallen to 470/., being 50/. less than last year ; the same
influence had operated upon their receipts at the anni-
versary dinner, the subscriptions amounting,to 235/. lOsi
only. The Committee, however, had the satis-
faction to state, that instead of any
.of tho pen-
sion being curtailed, they had been increased by
281. The number of pensioners on the funds
after the election last year was 52, since which two
had died. The Committee had vested 1001. with
the Commissioners for the reduction of the national
debt, which, with tho year's interest on stock, added
294/. 17s. SJ. to the funded property, which now
amounted to 5,2091. ss. 7d., producing 2001. a year in-
terest. The Committee had also received 9/. 16s. 6d.
f
and 11/. from a private theatrical performance at the
Olympicr from
the
profit of
Theatre
in
nhe VauxhalllB47 Gardens entertainment,
1847. Tee
Tee gross receipts amounted
to 1,211/. 19s. Ild., and the expenditure to 1,002/. 88.9 d.,
leaving a balance of 2091. I Is. 2d. in hand. The propo-
sition for increasing the pension for men to 141. per
annum, and for women to 91., was carried, on the ballot
being taken,
by a majority of 963 to 781; and another
motion that every pensioner shall have been duly ap-
prenticed, and a printer's widow to be deemed eligible
must not have been re-married to one of another trade.
A very long and warm discussion ensued as to the pro-
priety of excursions being undertaken by the Committee,
in aid of the society, when it was finally carried they
should be discontinued. The treasurer, committee, and
other officers having been reelected, a vote of thanks
was passed to the chair, and the meeting separated.
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Opticians, have invented Spectacle Lenses upon a new construc-
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the York Hotel.