The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-11 00:00:00

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.

At Tuesday'3 sitting the Chamber resumed the discus-
sion of the Customs' Bill, left off on the previous day upon
the amendment of M. PJwels, an extensive iron founder,
proposing to substitute for an ad valorem duty on ma-
chinery. another to be levied upon the actual weight of
metal employed in its construction. Machinery intended
for international navigation shall be regarded as exported
and enjoy the same drawback, and a premium of 20 per
cent. allowed upon machinery made in France.
M. Cunin Gridaine, Minister of Commerce, said that
the Government should oppose this amendment, as the
tariff proposed by the committee was not open to objec-
tions which appeared insurmountable. Besides, the amend-
ment would have the effect of establishing the right of
drawback upon all machinery imported, and consequently
give rise to injustice.
M. Vowels defended his amendment—contending that
the premium of 33 per cent., accorded by the Government
project of law, was an illusion ; and this was evident from
the fact of the Government and Committee objecting to
his proposal.
The Minister of Commerce observed, that by his pro-
position a premium of 20 per cent. would be allowed upon
imported machinery, and 20 per cent. premium on that
exported ; these, added to other duties, would raise the
premium to about 44 per cent.
M. Porch; explained that according to his proposition
the premium would in no instance exceed 20 per cent.,
and declated that if his amendment were rejected the
result would be that the manufacture of French machinery
would fall off from day to day.
M. Martin du Nord combated the amendment of M.
Powels, on the ground that it would be injurious to inter-
national navigation.
M. &Haut thought that the committee had not suffi-
ciently protected the interest of French manufactures, and
that the premium of 33 per cent. would not counter-
balance the prejudice which gave an imaginary superiority
to whatever was manufactured in England. In his opinion
M. Powel's amendment was much preferable to the system
advocated by the committee.
The amendment, on being put to the vote, was rejected.
(Left sitting.)
The Sud of Marseilles, of the 4th of February, has the
following article :
' A letter, dated Malta, of the 28th of January, has the
following intelligence :
" The Meteor, which left Algiers on the 20th of this
month for Toulon, arrived here at Malta. The violence
of the wind, which has prevailed for some days, obliged
this packet to take refuge in our port. The Meteor has
sustained much damage, which will probably prevent it
putting to sea again for a fortnight. There are on board
fifteen officers and eighty privates, who will perform qua-
rantine here ; it is supposed that they will embark in the,
packet which will leave on the 6th of February. The
mail from Algiers is on board the Meteor ; the letters,
about 10.000 in number, are undergoing the progress of
fumigation, and will bo sent to Frarce on board the Tan-
credo. This vessel is in our port, waiting for the Rhamoses,
of which we have no news, and which has, doubtless, been
forced by the bad weather to take refuge in some pert in
the Archipelago. The Tancrede will depart to-morrow,
with or without the letters from the East. —Le Moni(eur.