The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-02 00:00:00

[SECOND NOTICE

By far the larger portion of this, the fourth and
concluding volume of Mr. Macgregor's most valuable
work, is devoted to the statistics of Oriental commerce,
including, of course, a history of the origin and pro-
gress of the British dominion in Hindustan and of
the English East India Company. The history of
the Company should he attentively studied by every
free-trader. It is a complete illustration of the
truth of free-trade doctrines. The East India Com-
pany originated in necessity—its formation was a
practical protest against the monopoly doctrines and
practices by the Dutch
"In 1599, Queen Elizabeth appointed Sir John Mil-

denhall as ber minister to traveroverland, by the route
of Constantinople, to the Great Mogul. He arrived at
the court of that potentate, and applied for trading pri-
vileges to an English company. He aas opposed by
the Portuguese at that court; but he finally succeeded to
a partial extent. Individual enterprise, in regard to the
risk of undertaking uncertain adventures, was paralysed
by the disastrous fate of Raymond's expedition. The
Dutch had, however, opened a successful trade to India.
At this juncture England,' says Methuen, not being
able to get supplied with Eastern commodities from
Lisbon, on account of the war, could only obtain them
through the medium of •the Dutch,...w her own Turkey
Company, by way of the Levant.- The Dutch, taking
advantage of this circumstance, raised the pepper upon
us, from about area shillings to the extravagant rate
of six and eight shillings per pound. Aggrieved by
this imposition, the merchants of London conceived an
idea of putting in for a share of this trade. A meeting
was accordingly called on the 22d of September, 1599,
at Founders' Hall, at which the Lord Mayor and most
of the Alderman and principal merchants of the City,
to the number of 101, attended, and agreed to form an
association, for the purpose of establishing a commercial
intercourse with India direct. The sum raised for that
purpose was 30,1331 6s. Bd."
Soon after the Company was incorporated they
sent out their first venture, which returned to
the merchant-adventurers a net profit of 95 per cent.
The anti-free-traders of the day objected to this com-
merce in silks and spices carried on by the East India
Company, as the anti-free-traders of the present day
object to a commerce in corn, that it drains the
country of specie. This fallacy was admirably
exposed as early as the year 1616 :
"A pamphlet published at this time, entitled' Trade's
Increase,' charges the East India trade as draining the
country of specie, among other alleged evils. Sir
Dudley Digges, who answered these charges, says that,
the company had employed, from the it origin, twenty-
four ships, of which four had been lost; that nineteen of
them were from 150 to 600 tons' burden; that one was
of 800 tons, one of 900, one of 1,060, one of 1,100, and
one of 1,293 tons ; and that the reason for having such
large ships was owing to the navy not being sufficiently
strung to protect them from the Barbary rovers.' He
states that the largest value of goods exported in cne
year was 36,0001.; that 70,0001. had been saved annually
to the nation in the prices of pepper, cloves, and nut-
megs for home consumption ; that spices had been ex-
ported in the last year to the value of 218,000/, besides
indigo, calicoes, China silks, and drugs, to which should
be added the king's customs, and also the employment
given to ships and mariners in the re-exportation.
" That besides cinnamon, the Company calculated that
there were annually consumed at home, viz.:—pepper,
formerly at Bs. but now at 2s. per lb., 450,000 lbs.;
cloves, 50,000 lbs.; mace, 15,000 lbs.; nutmegs, 100,000
lbs.; and that the cloves, mace, and nutmegs were pro-
portionably reduced in price since our direct trade to
India. That the cargoes, in 1614, amounted to 100,0001.
and consisted of bays, kersies, and broad cloths, dyed and
dressed, 14,000/. ; lead, iron, and foreign merchandise,
10,000/4 treasure (which is less than allowed to export
by charter), 12,0001.; the shipping and furniture cost in
the same year, 34,0001.; for provisions and other extra-
ordinary charges, 30,0001."
No doubt the Protectionists of that day had the same
objection to cheap spices that the Protectionists of the
present day has eto cheap corn and cheap sugar. In
the time of Cromwell the experiment of absolute free
trade with India was tried : -
"From the commencement of the Company's estab-
lishment complaints bad often been made against their
exclusive trade to India. Cromwell, by way of experi-
ment, declared the navigation and commerce to India
open and free to all for three years. Milburn remarks:
All ranks eagerly embarked in the trade. The conse-
quence of this permission is thus truly stated by an in
telligent author—" When the East India trade was laid
open, they afforded India commodities so cheap, that
they supplied more parts of Europe, and even Amster-
dam itself therewith, than ever they did after, whereby
they very much sunk the East India Company's actions;"
and there was also a great lowering of English com-
modities in India.' In this year the Company made up
the actual state of their affairs, by which it appeared
that their assets amounted to 185,589/. 75., and their
debts to 29,271/. 19s. 4d., leaving a balance in their
favour of 156,317 L 7s. Bd.' "
In consequence, however, of the representations of
the proprietors of the East India Company of the great
expense they had incurred in erecting factories, &c.,
the charter was renewed in 1657. Still the outcry
about the drain of specie continued, and was met in
the following manner by Sir Josiah Child :
" In the year 1670, Sir Josiah Child, who was an East
Indian director, published his Discourses on Trade.'
In that work he maintains with respect to the Indian
trade, that,
" I. It employs from twenty-five to thirty of the
most warlike merchant ships of the kingdom, with
sixty to 100 mariners in each.
" 11. It supplies the kingdom constantly and fully
with that necessary article, saltpetre.
" 111. It supplies the kingdom for its consumption,
with pepper, indigo, calicoes, and several useful drugs,
to the ♦alue of from 150,000/ to 180,000/. per annum.
" IV. It also supplies materials for carrying on our
trade to Turkey, viz., pepper, eowries, calicoes, and
painted stuffs ; as also for our trades to France, Spain,
Italy, and Guinea, to the amount of near 300,000 L per
annum, most of which trades we could not carry on
with any considerable advantage but for those supplies.
And those goods exported do produce in foreign parts,
to be returned to England, six times the treasure in
specie which the Company export to India. He there-
fore concludes—

" That although the East India Company's imports
greatly exceed its exports of our manufactures, yet fur
the above reasons it is clearly a gainful trade to the
nation.' lie subjoins also,
" ' Ist. That if we had not this trade ourselves, the
single article of saltpetre, so absolutely necessary for
making gunpowder, would cost a vast annual sum to
purchase it from the Dutch.
" 2d. The loss of so many stout ships and mariners
would be a great detriment to the nation.
3d. Were we forced to buy all our pepper, cali-
coes, &c., from the Dutch, they would make us pay as
dear for them as we do for their nutmegs, mace, cloves
and cinnamon; and if we did not use calicoes, we should
fall into the use of foreign linens.'"

In consequence of the outcry against the East India
Company, as lesseners of the consumption of English
manufactures, Parliament actually enacted an absolute
prohibition of the wear of all Indian cotton fabrics in
England, muslin only excepted. While this prohibi-
tion lasted the wear of Indian cottons in England
was very great, and they could always be procured
without difficulty, the only effect of the prohibition
being to throw the trade into the hands of the
smuggler. The prohibition was removed, from that
moment the smuggling trade began to decline, and now
English cottons have not only driven Indian cottons
completely out of the English and all neutral market!,
but actually compete with them advantageously. in
the Indian markets themselves. Another curious
illustration of the truth of the doctrines of free trade
is afforded by the history of the East India Company
'
as a trading body. As long as they hadcompetitors
in the Indian market, such as the French the .Portu-
guese, the Dutch, so long did they carry on the trade
at a profit, but when they had entirelyr monopolised
without corn
the whole trade of India, and «'
ere
the time the trade
petitors, they traded at a loss. At
was thrown open in 1834_, it was at losing tr
effectsade to the
East India Company. Such are the blighting
of monopoly.
We must postpone our notice of Mr. Macgregor's
account of the history of the rise and extension of
the British power in India to another opportunity.

REDUCTION IN THE ARMY.—The mules of about
300 soldiers were returned to the Horse Guards, for
discharge from the regiment in Cork garrison. It is,
however, understood that a letter has been received in.
tirnating that at present compliance with the order direct-
ing discharge would not be required.
DUBLIN, THURSDAY.--THE WRIT OF ERROR.—
It has been intimated to the state prisoners that the
arguments on the writ of error, in the case of bmith
O'Brien and others against the Queen, cannot be entered
into at the very earliest, before the 20th of May, but
more probably not until a month later, namely, the 20th
of June.

DUBLIN, FEB. 28.--It blew a strong gale here last
night. A vessel, apparently a brig, was reported tc. be
on shore on the Arklow Bank yesterday.

7E
T LONDON WEDNEMAY CON-
Ii
bey
(pence EX.6TER IDZLL.
The dirs;atoer'sE leeive to annAneie,,ethat in conse-
(pence of the unprecedented suceo/4
.el.eisp eti,liCertSt
the series will be extended to tweeE.f'cienetB, in" i
stead of fifteen, as originully neKejietie;,eniitliing art - 1
extra season of eight conerrts, I,eelesill 0114 e eel& Elfit:
fOIIOWS:—*
~..:4,0-,-,:Er:-..:
16th concert, Wednesday neseee. '''
_teee.i.--rnj''
March 14; 18th, Merch 21; eili, 4tervite2Be- -2teshe'
April 11; 21st, Wednesoay, Ae re 18,' heie,e foe the
benefit of Mr. Sims Reeves; 22.1, Weduesday,'Aptil 25,
being for the benefit of Air. Willy; 23.3, Weelessday,
May 2, being for the benefit of Dlr. Stammers, and the
last night of the season.
The directors of " The London Wednesday Concerts
avail themselves of this opportunity of tendering to the
public and to the press their grateful acknowledgments
for the unprecedented patronage and support which
these concerts have received. They were fully aware
at the onset of the numerous difficulties which sur-
rounded the establishment of an undertaking of this
character; yet, being convinced of the want of such an
entertainment, and being resolved on their part to carry
it through with energy and liberality, they were led to
hope that neither the patronage of the public nor sup-
port of the press would be wanting. The result has far
exceeded their roost sanguine expectations; and in the
short space of fifteen weeks, "The London Wednesday
Concerts" havyaken a position as one of the first
musical entertainments of the metropolis. The fifteen
concerts hill have been attended by upwards of thirty-
nine thousand persons, and the performances through-
out the series have received the kind approval of the
whole of the daily and weekly press.
The directors cannot but congratulate themselves upon
the fact, that, at this, the conclusion of the fifteen con-
certs, they are not aware of a single promise made, or
hope held out, in their original prospectus, but which
has been fully redeemed; and that they have, moreover,
been enabled, by the liberal patronage bestowed, to alai'
themselves of a variety and amount of musical talent
which they hardly dared to hope for when the series was
commenced.
The directors feel it their duty to acknowledge their
grateful sense of the zeal and ability of the various
artists, vocal and instrumental, who have been engaged
during the season; this acknowledgment is most pecu-
liarly due to Mr. Sims Reeves, to whose great talent
and active cooperation, upon all occasions, and in
every manner which was conceived to be to the interest of
the undertaking, although, in many instances (at the
time), directly opposed to his own taste and wishes, the
directors feel they are in a great measure indebted for
the success they have achieved.
In conclusion, they beg leave to announce, that, for
the supplemental season, most of the principal artistes
who have appeared during the past season are retail:ed.
The services of Mr. Sims Reeves have been secured for
each evening. Several new engagements have also been
made, which include Mademoiselle Nissen (three nights),
Mademoiselle Helene Stoepel (three nights), Messrs.
Travers, Lawler, Noble, 13riecialdi, and others.
Negotiations are also pending with other artistes of eminence; and no effort will be wanting, on the part of
the management, to endeavour to maintain the favour-
able opinion, and liberal patronage, which the public -
have been pleased, up to the present time, to bestow
upon " The London lednesday Concerts."
JOSEPH STA.3I3IERS, Managing Director,
Feb. 28, 1848. 4, Exeter Hall.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD, MARCH I.—l❑ a convocatioi, holden this
afternoon, the honorary degree of Doctor in Divinity
was conferred on the Rev. George Smith, M.A., of Mag-
dalen Hal, Bishop Designate of Victoria, in Hong Kong,
China. The Rev. Gentleman was introduced to convo-
cation by the Rev. Dr. Jacobson, Regius Professor of
Divinity, who, in a suitable Latin oration, urged his
claim upon the notice of his auditors for this important
degree. The convocation was rather a large one. We
noticed several heads of houses, as well as Masters of
Arts and Proctors. The ladies' gallery was numerously
attended, and a great many under-graduates were also
present.

- At the same time the grant from the University chest
of 200/. towards the restoration of the church of Draycot-
le•Moors received the unanimous sanction of the house.
The names of the Rev. John Robert Oldham, M.A. of
Oriel College, and the Rev. John Buckle, M.A., of St.
Mary Hall, were also ordered to be restored to the re-
gister of convocation.

THE HARBOUR MASTERSHIP OF THE PORT OF
LONDON.—The Port of London Committee were to have
met yesterday, at Guildhall, for the purpose of electing a
principal harbour-master, but the election was postponed
till this day, in consequence of the holding of a Court of
Common Council, at which the members of thecommitteo
were obliged to attend.
Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, K.C.8., enter-
tained at dinner last evening the French Ambassador,
Vice-Admiral Cecile, Rear-Admiral Deans Dundas,
C. 8., M.P., Captain W. A. B. Hamilton, and a party of
friends. During some portion of the time the gallant
host held the command-in-chief in China and the East
Indies we believe Admiral Cecile commanded the French
naval forces on that station.

GOLD FROM CALIFORNIA.-.lt was reported in the
City yesterday that intelligence had been received at the
Babk of England to the effect that her Majesty's sur-
veying brig Pandora, Lieut. Commander Wood, was
comitg home from the Pacific with a freight of " gold
diggins," to the amount of nine tons—or to the value of
900,000/. sterling. This will give the lucky commander
about 11,0001. for the freightage, the admiral's share will
be 2,8761., and Greenwich iospital will benefit to a like
amount.

DUDLEY CRANBOURNE. BY SICEFTINGTON MOORS.
(
—This novel sets out with more than one startling fact
in woman's history, two of which lend their hue to all
the rest of the story. One is the lapse from honour in
the wife of an earl, described as a most magnanimous
character (as he is drawn in relation to his frail lady, in
remembrance of their former love, and for the sake of
their only son); and the other is the equal fall of a virtuous
and high-spirited widow, in coenexion with the aforesaid
Noble Lord, and the sad consequences thereof. The most
original feature of the work is the gradually descending
career of the widow. It is not overstrained, nor un-
mixed with traits of her original goodness and purity.
She is a female and novel Lucifer—truckling and base,
and sensual under the pressure of her condition, but re-
taining qualities unobliterated, though confused, of her
former self- esteem and womanly worth. We consider
this portrait to possess very uncommon truth and na-
tural reality."—Literary Gazette.
MELANCHOLY AND FATAL ACCIDENT.—In our
obituary of this week we notice the death of Miss Sarah
Maria Dancocks, daughter of the late H. H. Dancocks,
Ek.q., of DJ mock, in this county, and sister to Mrs.
Thomas Higgins, of Dingwood Perk, Herefordshire. It
appears that this esteemed young lady left Ledbury on
Saturday (17th ult.), in a gig, to return to her residence
at Dymock, accompanied by an attendant as driver, and
when a short distance from Ledbury the horse, owing to
some cause arising from the inebriated state of the
driver, ran off at a rapid rate, and both were precipitated
with fearful violence to the ground. The driver was
incapable ;of rendering Miss Dancocks any assistance;
but she was discovered some time after the accident
lying on the road in a senseless state, and wasimmedi-
ately brought back to Ledbury, where every assistance
which human aid could bestow and skill suggest, was
rendered by Drs. Tanner and Goat, but the injuries she
had sustained were of so fatal a nature that she never
rallied, and died on the following day.—Cheltenham
Examiner.

THE JERSEY COLLEGE.--On Tuesday last there
was a meeting of the Administrators of the Impot and
the Committee of the States, appointed to co-operate
with them, with a view of erecting in the island. After
some deliberation, the majority of the meeting rejected
the revised plans of Mr. Buckler, and also decided not
to allow more than 5,500/. towards the erection of a
college.

Die Venerable Knight of Kerry lies dangerously
ill at his seat, Valentia, and his death is hourly expected.
THE ROYAL WEST INDIA MAILS.—We have reason
to believe, that in consequence of the accidents to the
steam-packets of the Royal West India Mail Company,
the Admiralty, on requisition, are disposed to assist the
Company by placing at their disposal one or two men-
of-war steam-vessels. It is likely that the Birkenhead,
now ono of the advanced squadron at Portsmouth, will
be the first fur service.

_es •
METROPOLITAN COMMISSION Or SEwERs• ~, at
terday a general Court of Commissioners wa_;.elisee'n"t_
the Sewers-office, Greek-street Soho•square. r
chair;
the Right Hon. the Earl of Carlisle, in the,ir ii. do la
Ebrington, M.P., the Hon. Fred. Byng, 0
r considerable
Beche, Dr. Southwood Smith, ,S,:n•
dAed Icon tho sugges-
tion it was proposed and seconded,
narried unanimously,
Lion of the Earl of Carlisle, and Lord
by the solicitor to the
that a case should be drawn
the business of the com-
as to the legality.of transacting court, to bo submitted to
other business being thedis-
c t
inuglaw officers of the Crown,
mission by commitcues.; S
ourned.
death of this most amiable, gifted,
posed of, the court
itEv. win. cRoxE,
R.c.e.__we
announce the
clergyman, who expired in Churl 'll
evi e, on
and patriotic
fr
t.
_ instant, deeply and a ee tonately lamented by
the 12ath
~: that tow
t inhabitants of a, the scene of his short mis-
sionegpri andetDEATH
lagloriouso
I 1
labours
„nity. The deceased was nephew to the respected
parish priest of Charleville, the Rev. Thomas Croke.
He was educated in the Irish College, Paris, where he
remained for a period of seven years ; and immediately
after his ordination, he was engaged as professor in ono
of the most important colleges in Belgium, where, hehe
remained for two years. On his return to Ireland,
was attached to the mission of his Rev. Uncle, where ho
became remarkable for his saintly character,
gs
h
zeal, and his ardent sympathy for thniete had, and
poor. wa He
imbued with the strongest love of hisuntirin
the warmest hopes for her ultimate freedom.
a ,duration.—Cork He fell a
victim to a virulent fever, of five days'
Examiner.

DEATH OF CAPT. MOYLAN OF TDB 72D HIGH..
Ile died on tht3 21st of Jannary, at
lntelhgvnce has been received of the demise
LANDERS.—
many of his brother officers and
oßfAtrliti:ds gors,tliejamvainng.,
1.1 k!)
soldiers, Julien a victim to the yellow fever. The de-
ceased was brother to Mr. Moylan, the judge of the
Westminster County' Court, and had been connected
with the service since 1831. Ile was advanced to the
rank of captain in 1844.

TUE EPSOM CASE.—It was yesterday decided by
Mr. Justice Patteson that the writ of habeas corpus
being a continuing writ, the sheriff and the keeper of
the prison were correct and justified in the course
they had pursued. Tho Learned Judge, therefore, dis-
missed the upplication with costs. Mr. Bartlett conse-
quently still r, mains in prison.
The railway calls fur March, advertised up to the
present time amount to 2,187,7201., the whole being for
British and Irish lines. For the corresponding month
of last year they were 1,848,9201 for British, and
1,287,0004 for foreign, waking t 3 WWI 9f 3,135,9201.