The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-11 00:00:00

we can but suspect that this unasked relief to
trade is intended as a reward for
past supineness,
and a bribe for future acquiescence in those
laws which grind the people to dust. If so,
the Commission, which seems likely to pro-
duce very little saving to the public,
may have the pernicious effect of widen-
ing the separation that now exists between
the working and the middle classes. The latter
will be pleased at this little mark of attention,
they will find their affection for a Tory Admi-
nistration increase, and they will be anxious to
show their attachment by opposing, where they
have hitherto stood neuter, the demand for
cheap bread. Measures like this, which confer
a trifling advantage on the opulent only, have
long been favourites with our Legislature. They
evince its partiality and deference to the few
whom, alone, it considers; and they rather ex-
asperate the many by resisting their pray ers.

The Paris Journals of Tuesday have reached
us, but they are wholly taken up with a Report of
the Minister of Commerce—a summary of which
we subjoin for the information of our commercial
readers. The Debats devotes no fewer than five
columns to the report of a speech of the
Procureur-General, M. DUPIN, in the Court
of Cassation, on the appointment of MM.
MESNARD and PATAILE to Judgeships in
that Court. Every affair in France calls for an
oration. The last sad debt which the French
pay to the dead is to spout nonsense over their
braves.

A collision between France and Spain is be-
coming daily more imminent. It was reported
in Paris that ESPARTERO would insist upon the
removal of Madame MUNOZ from Paris, and in
case of refusal, recal the Spanish Ambassador.
In the meantime France continues to increase
her military force on the frontier, and to send
ships of war to Spanish ports to protect French
residents.

An affecting incident followed the death of
the unfortunate General Don DIEGO LEON.
When the account of his being shot reached his
family, a maid-servaut, who was much attached
to her master, went mad on hearing it.
As CHRISTINA MUNOZ was leaving the Church
of St. Philippe de Roule on Monday her Cham-
berlain dropped her purse, which a poor man
found, and delivered to her in her carriage. She
pressed him to keep it, which he refused
to do, or to accept any part of its con-
tents, or even to give his name. It is
gratifying to record such instances of rigid
honesty on the part of the poor. Were LOUIS
PHILIPPE and his Government only half as
honest as this poor man, what a prodigious re-
duction of taxes would take place in France !
The Minister of Commerce has just published the ge-
neral account of the rtade of France for 1840, from which
we make the following extracts :
The foreign commerce of France during 1840 in-
creased in regular progression. The aggregate amount
was 2,063,000,000 f., being greater than in any pre-
ceding year. Of the two elements the imports have in-
creased in the greatest ratio ; at no previous period have
the imports reached 100,000,0001., but this last year
they have exceeded that amount by 52,000,000 francs.
Tae export trade has exceeded that of 1839 by
only one per cent., but on comparing the aver-
age drawn from the aggregate of the five preced-
ing years, the increase will be found equal to 12 per
cent. The special commerce of France—namely, the
produce she draws from foreign countries for her own
consumption, end those which she exports, as the fruits
of her own soil and industry—is comprised in the
2,063,000.000 f., and amounts to 1,442,000,0001., viz., im-
ports 747,000,0001., and exports 695,000,0001. As in
the general trade, the increase of the special commerce
is shown both in the amount of the imports and
of the exports, but mere particularly in the former.
The comparison with 1839 and with the average of
the five preceding years shows a result, in favour of
1840, of increases of 15 and 16 per cent. on the im-
ports, and of 13 and 14 per cent. on the exports.
In importation, the United States have assumed the first
rank, which, in 1839, was occupied by Sardinia. North
America stands for 17 per cent. of the whole, and for
upwards of 118,000,000 francs for the articles for home
consumption. Compared with 1839 and the general
average, 1840 presents for imported produce from the
United States, an augmentation of 77 and 60 per cent.
on the general trade, and of 37 and 38 on the special
trade. This increase bears chiefly on cottons and wool.
Both categories show a progressive yearly increase
until 1840, when it amounted to 110,000,000 f., and
74,000,000 f., being in six years an increase of 30 and
31 per cent. The exports from Belgium were superior
to those of the preceding year, without reaching the
amount of 1838. After these three Powers those
of Sardinia, Switzerland, Spain, and Russia, follow
in order as to the importance of their impor-
tations into France. Her imports from Germany
have not followed the same progression. The
value of the merchandise brought in from thence, in
1835, was 57,000,00 f. ; in 1840, it amounted to only
54,000,0001., a sum below the average of the five
last years. It is nevertheless to be observed that, in
1839, the imports
comparison to from this country
both general and special have increased. This has not
been the case with regard to Turkey, Norway, the
Dutch Indies, Chili,
the French Colonies, Algiers, and
the French. Factories in India. The value of the mer-
chandise brought from each of these sources has not
reached the sum of 1839. There has been on the contrary
augznentations in the amount of imports from the Bri-
tish Indies, the Two Sicilies, Tuscany, the Hans Towns,
Austria, Brazil, Mexico, ayti, Cuba, the States of
Barbary, Denmark, and Egypt. As to exports, there
has been a notable diminution in the trade with the
United States. Instead of 204,000,000 f. (the amount
sent to that country in 1839), the sum in 1840 does not
exceed 136,000,000 f., a diminution of at least 33 per
cent., which has borne upon the special and general
trade in equal degrees. The exports for England were riot
so great as in 1839; the reduction was of slight importance,
being only 1 per cent. for general, and 2 per cent. for special
commerce. Those for Algiers are also increasing, being
three times as much as in 1835. Among other countries
those with which our commerce has most imaroved are
Sardinia, Germany, Brazil, Russia, Chili, and Mexico. A
sensible decrease has been felt in the demands for our pro-
duce in Egypt, Turkey, the coasts of Africa, and Switzer-
land. On inquiring into the proportions which the several
species of merchanise bear to each other in the imports,
raw cotton stands for 14 per cent, of the value of the whole
amount, and of these 94,000,000 f. were for home con-
sumption. As compared with 1839, these sums present
an increase of sixty-seven and thirty-two per cent. The
importation of silks, which gave way in 1839, recovered,
but did not reach the amount of 1838. There was a failure
in the arrivals of colonial sugars, but there has been an
increase in their acquittement. From 1835 to 1838 the
value of foreign corn brought inte home consumption has
not exceeded upon an average 4,000,000 f. per annum.
Since 1838 the importations of linen and hempen cloths
for home consumption have annually decreased. The
contrary is to be stated with regard to flaxen and hempen
threads, the importations of which in 1835 attained to
scarcely 10,000,000 f., but in 1840 were nearly 28,000,0001.
There has been no sensible variation in the importations
of iron in bars or cast iron in its unwrought state, but
in the last article there has been a slight decrease. The
imports of coal since 1835 have increased notably; those
of 1840 amounted to 18,000,000 f., those of 1835 were
only 12,000,000 f. The amount of imports of foreign
cattle was 8,000,0001. in 1840, and 9,000,0001. in 1839.
The imports of foreign sugars, coffee, indigo, cochineal,
dye-woods, lead, zinc, tin, and straw-plaits, have been
much augmented. For the exports of goods from
France, which may be divided into the classes of
natural products and manufactured objects, those of
the former class have decreased one per cent. for
general commerce, and three par cent. for special ditto ;
while those of the latter class have increased 2 per
cent. for general commerce, and 5 per cent. for special
ditto. The most important exports .have been silks,
which have amounted to 141,000,0001., being nearly the
same as in 1839. The exports of cotton and woollen
stuffs have increased, by 74 per cent., and 60 per
cent. respectively. for 1840, as compared with 1838.
The exports of wines have been greater than in 1839,
but lest than in 1838 ; they have not, hower4r, varied
p
muchduring
in6thelast six years. Exports of bran-
dies have increased 31 per cent. during 1840.
A diminution has taken place in the exports of refined
sugars, prepared hides, clock-work, modes, jewellery, &c.
The duties of all kinds received by the Custom-house
(salt-duties included), amounted to 178.000,0001., ibeing
40,000,000 f. more than in 1839. This increase was
chiefly on the entrance-duties, which amounted alto-
gether to 114,600,0001. Compared with 1839, and the
average of the five preceding years, these duties show an
augmentation of 10 per cent. and 8 per cent., chiefly
arising from cottons, coffee, foreign sugars, grains, lead,
oleaginous fruits, and cheese.
The Sentinelle of Toulon says, " The news which we
gave the day before yesterday, of the discharge of the
seamen who have served less than thirty months in the
Royal Navy, is fully confirmed. By this measure some
ships will lose 300 men. We much fear that this is a
prelude to disarming ; for, supposing that the Govern-
ment has not this intention, it would require infinite
time to form new crews.
"It is said, but it is at present only a report, that
two more ships are to be sent to Brest."
Lord Cowley and family have arrived at Paris.—
Constitutionnel.
We are enabled to state, that there is no foundation
whatever for the rumour circulated by the Courrier
Francais, that the Bank of England intended to apply
again to the Bank of France for pecuniary assistance.
Several decorations of the Legion of Honour, have
been granted to the officers and men of the gendarmerie
of the Puy de Dome, for their good conduct during the
late disturbances at Clermont.
M. Paya, chief editor of the Emancipation of Tou-
louse, and four other persons, who stood on the opposi-
tion interest, hare been elected Municipal Councillors in
that town.
The Sentinelle of Bayonne states that Espartero left
St. Sebastian for Pampeluna on the 4th inst.