The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-17 00:00:00

PORTS OF FRANCE.

HAvRE, SEPT. 9.—Mr. Burke, in speaking en the
army estimates in 1790, says—" France, by the mere •
circumstance of its vicinity, had been, and in a degree
always must be, an object of our vigilance, either with
regard to her actual power, or to her influence and
example." There is obvious truth in this remark, and
in the present uneasy and feverish state of our relations
with this country, it is quite fitting that you should
know what is actually doing in the principal ports of
France. To be vigilant, however, is not to be suspi-
cious or distrustful, and it shall be therefore my aim
to report to you faithfully, what I see and observe, and
to allow you and your readers to draw your own in-
ferences.
You are aware that the commercial existence of this
port only dates from 1670,as previously to that, though
it was fortified by Louis VII. in 1509, and especially
fostered by his successor, Francis 1., yet this was with
a view more to the success of warlike operations than
to the more peaceful and, I may add, more glorious tri-
umphs of commerce. In the whale and cod fishery
originated the prosperity of Havre, which was increased
by more venturous and successful expeditions to Ca-
nada and the eastern shores of Africa, to such a degree
that the then French East India Company and the
Companies of Senegal and Guinea, not only made the
town their entrepot, lint the chief seat of their com-
mercial operations.
This nascent good fortune was crowned by the inde-
since which period down to a
America,
with the United States,
the prosperity of
i Havre has unremittingly and almost
Abymherei
uninterruptedly increased. It may have been said in
Pr
ee cnednetn et
ei
moef,
1836, when I was last here, to have attained its acme.
From that period, however, a spirit of speculation and
over-trading has had a most disastrous influence, and,
after the complications produced by the ruinous wind-
ing up of American affairs in 1837 and 1838, there
wanted, perhaps. but the events of the last two months
to augment to the highest degree that distrust and ap-
prehension fatal to all enterprises, but more especially
paral) zing to the operations of industry and commerce.
What then are these events ? you will ask. I answer
nothing positive, nothing certain, nothing known, but
that which amidst a mercurial and highly excitable peo-
ple is far worse—an unknown, an indistinct, and
vague apprehension, a sense of uneasiness and dread
of the future, under the influence of which specula-
tion is checked, commerce languishes, confidence,
that " plant of slow growth" (to use the words of Chat-
ham), is totally destroyed, and social intercourse itself
painfully embittered by the apprehension that the man
who has hitherto been your patron and friend, and
made you the advances necessary for the carrying on of
your trsde, may to-morrow from prudential considera-
tions, or from a more pressing and selfish need of his
own, be unable or unwilling to assist you longer. In a
commercial country like England, and in such towns as
London, Liverpool, and Bristol, such a situation as this
will be appreciated ; but the inhabitants of London,
Bristol, or Liverpool can, arguing from the experience of
those places, form no idea of the effect which such a state
of things produces here. In England there are large
masses of floating capital, and immediate returns are
not looked for. In England, too, there is a re-
servedness, a discretion, a secrecy, and a retenue in
commercial operations, to which perhaps great part of
their success is owing ; but here,
.where capitals are
small, where masses of money are not found at all, where
immediate and large returns are almost instantly looked
for, where the national character is vehement, demon-
strative, and prone to the indiscreet exhibition of any
private calamity, it were impossible to conceive the
1 effect produced by the vivid manner in which these
• worthy but somawhat too vivacious Normans speak and
think of the actual crisis. As to the future, I never
enter with them into the consideration of it, for their—
" Active fancies
" Travel beyond seas, and picture things unseen." .

In sober reality, it is really lamentable to think that
the mere rumour of war, which every sane person
dreads and deprecates, should produce such results.
They, however, who have raised the storm have much
to answer for in all the French seaports, but most of all
here. There have already been three or four failures,
one a banker ; discounts are now impossible to procure,
even on good paper. Many vessels which were freighted
for St. Thomas's and Hayti, for Mexico, Colombia, and
the Brazils, for Chandernagore, Martinique, and Gua-
deloupe, have unladen their cargoes, and either pro-
ceded out in ballast, or have gone into dock, there to
lie up till something definite is settled. In the year
1837 the number of foreign vessels which entered this
port was above 800, making in round numbers an ave-
rage of 66 a month. During the last two months, how-
ever, owing to the causes which I have stated, I am in-
formed by an eminent ship-broker that only 96 foreign
vessels have entered, leaving a deficit of 36, even on
the estimate of 1837.

It is most likely that this defalcation would be speed-
ily repaired, the moment all shilster auguries of war
had ceased to resound ; but in tho meantime workmen
are thrown out of employ, enterprises of great moment
stand still, the fair occasion for speculation goes by,
hundreds of artificers arc without bread ; they become
impatient, uneasy, riotous, and the original humour, the
prelude to this "ingens dimple cohors malorzon," is
found, after all, to be destitute of truth and verisimili-
tude. What reason had Chancellor Oxenstiern to
say, " With how little wisdom is the world governed ?"
Eighteen months ago the two private chantiers or
dockyards of this town employed 180 workmen, in-
cluding machinists, ship-carpenters, and caulkers, &c.
I yesterday visited both these establishments, the one
the property of M. Normand, and the other of M.
Vasse ; in the latter there was not a single ship-car- '
penter employed, though there were two common saw-
yers at work ; in the former there was one master
ship-carpenter, but neither caulkers, riggers, smiths,
nor machinists. Normand has acquired some celebrity
as a builder by the construction of those beautiful and
swift sailing boats the Castor and Pollux, which plied
last year between London and St. Valery-sur-Somme,
but which are now laid up literally rotting in the Basin
Napoleon. He also constructed the Phoenix, which
plies between London and Havre, the Havre, which
plies to Rotterdam, and the Hambourg, which trades to
Hamburgb, and various other smaller vessels equally
distinguished for beauty of form and rapidity of sailing.
Normand was also to have constructed the great
Transatlantic steamer from this port to New York ;
for the Havre merchants and tradesmen, finding the
speed and success of the Great Western, British
Queen, &c., materially injured the liners frequent-
ing this port, had also determined to have their
steamer too. A Company had been formed, shares
were issued, and every thing was in fair progress to-
wards the end of Jane, when the speculators, in conse-
quence of this plaguy eastern question, became timorous,
and the enterprise vanishes, or at least is abandoned for
a season. Yesterday it was known here that this con-
ception of the Havre men is actually executing, at the
moment I write,in Belgium. The Belgians are to have 1
one half of the shares, the Americans the other half,
and one of the vessels is to be constructed at Ant iverp.
I was present at a sale of 660 bales of cotton at the
Bourse when this news was bruited abroad, and I assure
you it were difficult to form an idea of the exasperation
it caused. Far am I from blaming the merchants for
feeling sorely on this point. I have conversed with most
of the leading men amongst them, and they all (with one
solitary exception) admit that a war would be ruicons to
France and disastrou3 to Havre. Desirous, therefore,
of peace, for reasons not only resulting from public po-
licy, but from the stronger suggestions of private inte-
rest, they complain that they are the victims of reports
and rumours which they do not encourage, whose exist-
ence they lament, and whose propagation they would,
had they the power, check and control.
There are about 240 vessels, some large, some small,
belonging to this port ; but more than 500 French ves-
sels from Marseilles, Cherbourg, Nantes, Bordeaux,
Bayonne, &c., entered here in 1833. I have not been
able to get an accurate account of the number of
French vessels which entered here in the past year, but
I am told by those competent to give an opinion, that
the number was on the increase, and that it is not likely
there
receipts will be
ofbe any sensible diminution in the present year.
The
the customs last year were above
30,000,000 francs, but there is reason to fear that there
will be a sensible diminution in the present year. MI
nautical men agree that the port is a most convenient
one, both for getting into and going out, for by means of
the play of artificial sluices sufficient water is provided for
the entry of the largest vessel two hours before the full
flow of the tide, and two hours after the ebb. This re-
markable advantage is in no degree owing to the nature of
of Cherbourg, I shall have to en-
terthe place ; it is altogether the result of art, and is
chiefly due to the encouragement given by the unfor-
tunate Louis XVI. to every project of this kind in
1786. In speaking
more at length on this subject, and shall, therefore,
abandon it for the present ; but in justice to the me-
mory of that unfortunate Prince, I must I emark, that he
was not only the creator of the
port of Cherbourg, but
that he further merits the renown of having done more
for Havre than any of his predecessors.
The chief products which Havre receives from Ame-
rica are coffee, indigoof all, cotton. A g,
reat dealhides of this l peltry, and
lattermost
article is
14
manufactured
at Rouyn, and a considerable quantity at
Muihausen. Considerable exports of American pro-
ductions, or perhaps I should rather say transhipments,
are,madc to Dantzic, Hamburgb, and St. Petersburgh.
The chief trade with Spain is confined to Alicant,
Carthagena, Cadiz, and Malaga. Thence are received
the Spanish wines, wools, oils, and bardla s. The
traffic with Portugal: is inconsiderable ; but hitherto a
considerable commerce has existed between this port
and Sweden and Norway in planks, deals, masts, pitch,
tar, &c. This trade ,however, has much declined
within the last twelve 'months, and has nearly ceased
during the last two. I have already stated that there
is nothing building in the way of
ships. Some of the
artificers remain here others are gone of their own free
will to Honfleur, while levies have been made of the
most able artificers for the Government dockyards.

Though Havre is not properly
- -
a Governorent port,
or does not, in other or
dockyard or arsenal, yet it is the residence of a Com-
wds, contain a Government

missary-Ger:‘ral of the Marine, and it possesses a corn- I
mercial collage and a public library. It can boast of no
manufactures, except the tobacco manufactory of the
Govcramcnt, and s)me stni:ll esta'al;shaleut Lr the
tranufacturing of cables, cordage, and tar.
I have left myself little space for general news.
Lord Granville has been here for the last three weeks
at the establishment called " Frascati's." I believe
he intends remaining until the first weeks of October.
He moves out but little, seldom appearing before three
o'clock in the day. His Grace of Devonshire has seen
here for more than a month, and lives at the same
hotel. There is to be an exhibition of the disgusting
mummery of Mesmerism in the saloon of this esta-
blishm•:nt (I mean Frascati's) this evening at eight
o'clock by a Dr. Laurent. I mean, as the French say,
" to assist" at it, and, should anything queer takes place,
shall acquaint you.

POST TRAVELLING- IN THE

REIGN OF JAMES I.

In these days of accelerated locomotion, it may not
be unamusing to the reader to be accurately informed
of the rate at which a courier travelled post from Ply-
mouth to London in the reign of James I. The Go-
verment couriers were, with the exception of the com-
mon carriers, at that time, I believe, the only mode of
despatching letters to the principal towns of En :land. •
lii this way the conveyance of letters, at a stipu.ai, '1
rate of postage, became at length a Government under-
taking. Postmasters and relays of horses were sta-
tioned at the principal towns along the high roads, and
they endorsed the despatches with the hour at which
they arrived at every particular station.
The couriers of 'the Crown were, down to the time of
Henry VIII , and perhaps later, subjected to martial
law ; and if they lingered on the road with their de-
spatches were hanged on their arrival as an example
to all dilatory post -.
The letters of the 16th century frequently bear a
sketch of a gallows on the cover with a courier officially
" suspended," in the literal sense, and underneath the
stircing admonition, " Haste! Post! Haste.—Post,
haste ! for thy life I"
The follow►ng are the indorsements on a letter of the
year 1623, from Mr. Bagg, Deputy-Mayor of Ply-
mouth, to Sir Edward Conway :
For his Majesty's espeeiall service.
" To the Right Honourable Sir Edward Conway,
Kfi..,.ht, one of his Majesty's principal secretaries, these,
at Court.

" Post hast—post bast—host—host—with speed.
" Plymouth, 17 June, 182,3, eleven o'clock in the

morninge.
" A,hton (Ashburton), 17 June, 1643, four o'clock
in the afternoon.

" Exeter at four in the morning, June 18, 1623.
" Received this packet at Honyton, at eleven o'clock
in the forenoon.

" Sherborne, late at night, 18 June, 1623.
" At Sarum, 19 June, at six in the morning.
" Andover, past nine o'clocke in the morninge, 19th
day of June.

At 13.tsino• at twelve at noon.
" Hartford Bridge, half-past two in the afternoon.
" Staines at past five o'clock in the afternoon
June 19.

" Stroud (the Strand) at house, past eight o'clock at
nig!. ."

By the above it wid be seen that the post, riding ac-
cording to the prove' bial saying "for his life," was 17
hours on the road between Plymouth and Exeter, a
distance only of 411 miles : a very inferential proof of
the badness of the west-country roads at that period.
Seven hours were consumed en route from Exeter
to Honiton, the distance of 161 miles ; from Honi-
ton to Sherborne, in Dorsetshire, 35 miles, oc-
cupied, we may conclude, about 11 hours ;
from Sherborne to Salisbury, 34 miles, 10 hours ;
Salisbury to Andover, 171 miles, say three hours and
a-half. The courier was now upon the beaten line of
the old Roman road, and made better speed. He
pas3ed to Basingstoke, 191 miles from Andover, in
three hours ; from Bssingstoke to Hartford•bridge, 10
miles, occupied him 21 hours ; from Hartford-bridge to
Staines, 19 miles, about 31 hours ; the remaining 19
miles to the residence of Mr. Secretary Conway, in the
Strand, where he delivered his despatch, consumed
nearly 31- hours. A distance, therefore, of 212 or 214
miles was traversed in 57 hours, the average being little
more than three miles and three quarters in the hour.
The Defiance coach in the year 1825 used to tra-
verse the whole distance between London and Plymouth
in about 27 hours, being at the rate, including stop-
pages, of nearly eight miles the hour. We may expect
at no very remote period that, by steam-engine and
railroad, seven hours will be sufficient to reach Ply-
mouth from London ; so that the superior powers of
machinery, and the stupendous force of water in the
gaseous form, will have brought Plymouth 50 hours'
j iurney nearer to the metropolis than it was in the reign
of James I.

Could the talc of the Seven Sleepers be verified in
England, how would those slumberers of three or four
centuries be astonished to find, on awaking, time and
space annihilated ! the ideas, wants and wishes of man-
kind conveyed hundreds of miles at a penny the half
ounce ! To see the astonished horses, which formerly
drew carriages, now drawn by them! Droves of sheep
and oxen flying over the plains with the rapidity of
flacks of wild geese! The whole world in locomotion,
flying, steaming, diving, as actively as if they them-
selves were gaseous compounds,—Gentleman's Maga-
zine.