The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-09 00:00:00

[THE TIMES:]

Attention will be powerfully attracted to the
procedings of persons interested in the silk trade
against the petty finance scheme of the present
year. Mr. Buxton presented a petition, signed
by no less than 23,000 persons of-that body,who
are averse even to the abrupt remission of the
duty upon imported raw silk, but most averse to
the introduction of the French manufactured ar-
ticle. The situation of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer is at present a singular, we should
say an unprecedented' one, for a Finance Minis-
ter. He olTers a remission of taxation to a cer-
tain-class of individuals—at least he proposes a
measure by Which the revenue is to be dimi-
nished--and yet they whoni'he pretends to re-
lieve, they for whose sakes he is content to sustain a
loss, crowd around to beg he would withhold his
proferred boon, which,say they, will only involve
them in ruin, and In the mean time all the rest
of his Majesty's subjects, who are really panting
for relief, and who might be relieved with the
utmost ease and promptitude, .are wholly neg-
lected and overlooked : their burdens are not to

[MORNING POST.]
In both. Houses of Parliament last night the
notice of an official eiposition of the line of po-
licy pursued by Ministers towards the West
dies, was postponed from Friday next to the en-.
suing Tuesday, on account, it 'was understood, of
the lamented death of Mr. Secretary Canning's
nephew, the Marquis of Tichfield.—ln a Com-
mittee of Ways and Means, in the Commons, Mr.
Iluskisson (in the absence of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer from indisposition) moved the
usual annual duty on sugar. - Mr. Hume, though
professing much reluctance to press any motion
upon Ministers for further reduction, after the
liberal policy which they had shown, proposed
to reduce that duty from 275. to 20s. on
the ground that the consumption of:sugar had not
augmented, or. very little, since Isl 4. Mr.. Htiskis-
zon,however, having proved-by official returns, that
the consumption of that. article -had increased at
the rate of 40 per cent. since the period alluded
to, the amendment was withdrawn and the ori-
ginal resolution agreed to. The House then
went into a Committee on the Custom Acts, when
Mr. Huskisson explained at considerable length
the final views of Government with respect to
the silk trade. In answer to those who pre-
ferred the remission of direct taxes to the repeal
of duties, he forcibly stated, that by encou-
raging onr commerce—by giving a new im-
pulse to the national industry, the fulness .and
fecundity of our future means would enable the
Minister to make large remissions of direct taxes ;
or should we be again unfortunately engaged in
a war, it would furnish the means of of
vindicating the honour and defending the inte-
rests of the country. lie then stated that having
.heard all the parties who wished to communicate
their Own case, Ministers thought the wisest course
was at once to put an end to the disquietude of
those who depended upon their labour for their
daily bread. This they expected to do by making
the remission of the duty as entire and.as hnmedi-
ately as possible; and instead of the 25th of July,
it was proposed that the duty should be reduced
the 25th of this month. The next step in favour of
the trade would be to make an arrangement by:
which all persons having raw silk on band, that
had paid the duty, or thrown silk which was not
worked, should be allowed to return it to the
warehouses and receive back the duty, to take it '
out again on the 25th of March, by paying the.
smaller one. But the greater concession of-all
was this, that instead of expiring in a short time
the prohibition upon Foreign Silks should con-
tinue till the month of July, 1826. In order to
afford greater accommodation 'to those who had
large stocks of manufactured goods on hand, it
was also intended to allow that all manufactured
goods now in the kingdom might be deposited in
the warehouses, audi whenever they Were ex-
ported, although the drawbacks should be ex 7
pired in consequence of the termination of the
high duties, they -should entitled to receive-.
such drawbacks. These statements were received
with cheers by the House, and after some obser-
vations by Mr. Baring, the resolutions embody-
ing the various measures proposed were agreed
to unanimously.

[MORNING HERALD.]
The article from the Madrid Gazette, in the
Paris Papers, looks like a demi-official Manifesto
ofia design upon Peru and Mexico. It may be
safely regarded as of French origin, dictated at
Madrid. Such " notes of preparation" frequently
preceded the invasion of. Spain, at the very mo-
ment when the French Ministers were disclaim-
ing hostile intentions, as earnestly as M. Chateau-
briand, in a recent note to Mr. Canningcdis-
claimed any design or possibility of again bring-

FIRST REPORT OF THE. SELECT COMMITTEE
Appointed to inquire into the STATE of the LAW' in the
UNITED KINGDOM, and its Consequences, respecting
ARTIZANS leavin4, the !SINGD9AI, and residing
abroad : also, into the state of the Law, and its Consequences,
respecting the Exportation of 'Machinery ; and into the state
of the Law, and its effects, so far as relates to the Combina-
tion of Workmen and &hits to raise Vv'itges, and to regulate
their Wages and Hours of Working.

31r. Joii:c IIARTI.Z7Enu examined.
Are you an engineer ?_r din,
Have you, in the course of your business, received orders for
tools and machines front abroad ?--Frequently.
the description of msel,unes ordered ; whenever they have come
orders ?—That has depended upon
underiatell e
prohibited by Act of Parlia-
ment, I have refused to ex
~ execute them.
Why have you refuse(' to execute them ?—Because it would
you
description
°till, :sae
ch i n e s
cbeei ve t h necessaryeunder false names, in order to de-
thtebeCniustot6
Could you have exported them by entering them under
another name, if your scruples of violating the law had been
officerst o enterof
satisfied ?—Certainly; it would have been utterly impossible
for the officers of the custorr
is to detect the nature of the ma-
chine when it was sent away in parts.
•
From your own knowledge,, do you
mac i consider it an easy mat-
ter, by breaking up 1
inery, and exporting it at different
times and by other names, to send abroad any thing you please ?
—I think any prohibiteu machinery might he sent abroad by a
little management; there is one obvious mode, which would be
that of mixing two or three Inachines together in such a way,
that no officer of the Customs,. or indeed any engineer, could
detect the nature of the machine
, exorted : and detection would
be still further prevented by shipping these parts so mixed, at
different periods.
Has much machinery, that you might but for the law have
been taking orders for, been trade in foreign parts ?—lt has
either been made in foreigr, parts, or the parties ordering it,
hare been under the necessity of giving up the idea of erecting
it, or it has been manufactured by those who may be less scru-
pulous than ourselves in exporting prohibited machinery.
Has it not also been made h
-Y artizans being sent from this
country; part of the machinery being made here and sent
abroad, and arizans employed there to finish it ?—That has
frequently been the case; the castings for it have been sent
from this country in such a Shape, that it would be impos-
sible for a officer of the Customs to detect for what purpose
they were intended ; and afterwards the machine has been
finished in France or any other country to which it was sent.
Have. not some manufactories been established in fnreign
countries for the purpose of making machines and tools which
the laws forbid you to export e—Manv manufactories have
lately been established, and more particularly- in France ; and
no doubt one of their objects was to manufacture those machines,
the exportation of which from this country is prohibited ; but
they likewise manufacture various machines, which are not
prohibited to be'exported from this country.
Are not those manufactories, or many of them, conducted by
Englishmen ?—I believe almost entirely ; the three prinCipal
manufactories at. Paris are conducted by Englishmen—viz. the
works at Charenton, by Mr. Manby ; those at Chaillot, by
Edwards, and a third, by a Mr. Steele.
In the event of the ,laws remaining as they•now are, would
foreign nations in Bur Ope soon be able to supply themselves,
and America also, with that machinery and those tools which
our laws prohibit the exportation of?—Certainly, if the laws
remained unrepealed and strictly adhered to, that must neces-
sarily be the case. 1

CiM foreigners at present manufacture tools and machinery,
generally, as cheap or as good as they can be purchased here ?
—Certainly not so cheap. In the first place, their labour may
be stated at least from 25 to SO per cent. higher than it is in
this country, arising from the circumstance of their generally
employing English workmen ; the raw material is at least or even
more than cent. per amt. higher than the raw mate,:la in this
country.

Do you refer to iron chiefly P—l allude to iron altoge-
ther, the brass of the machine forms a small proportion of
its value.

Are you able to state what is the relative difference of wages
given in the same mAnufaCtory in France, to Frenchmen and
to Englishmen engaged in the same branches ?—I will state an
instance of a smith, which may serve as a criterion for all.; a
smith in France would receive about four francs per day,
while the rate of wages paid to an expert English smith at Pa-
ris wouldbe ten or eleven francs per day.
Do you think, if the trade was free, English engineers would
nippily the greater part of the world with tools and machinery ?
—I have no doubt but they would.
Can you state any rules for forming that opinion ?—My
reasons for it principally consist in the natural advantages that
England possesses, from the circumstances of the ironstone
and coal being invariably found in the same spot, and thus
affording a means of manufacturing iron at a cheap rate ; the
talent and ingenuity of the workmen : the immense spare, ca.
pital we have in, this country ; the circumstance of our canals
and rail-roads already established, enabling us to bring the raw
material from the interior of the country at a very low rate : it
would of course take a considerable time before France or any
other country could possess any of these advantages, even those.
which cannot be considered as peculiar only to us, such as
canals and rail-roads.

Can you state what additional price you calculate is put on
the machinery which.is sent out of this country, by the risk
of smuggling ?—I thinit that would not amount to much, fr.=

own men ; about
Can you state any cases' in point ?--I havetilyself had re-
peatedmy men enticed
3 years instancesaodf attempts
considerableteinp ts to entice
number away noity
on work which I
me
eas the subject of a
away for the works at Cheaxil4lmotp,ltehsewy
where
ee ofa ythaettbemespttdseshcraivpe-
tmi.oisnhoefdwfoorrkamteinn,leatnodkmeeepn ermripvatotye,edforbyit
patent.
stating, that two Eng-
ftaorind' Ptlaiartis'one of their objects in
been
navme
made
eu
toaneyntriacete your men ?.,I have received, within
if any of them were
see,
offered itself,
ithishesme
efnewhaddaycso,mae letter from
Lonon was to entice men from our 'manufactory in par-
ticular;going ; the I immediately sent this letter into the manufac-
tory,aani
disposed
0t
hsieandt order do edgr
iodt htaot
not
France,thei
nt
enindttohmpaitrgeahvnte
prevent
Ote;t
.11 a i r
conse-
quence was, not a single man left me, though I had reason to
believe that the terms offered were very high, and very advan-
tageous to them.
suppose the law now existing to be repealed, what descrip-
tion of men would be the most likely to go abroad ?—I have
no doubt but that the inferior workmen would be the first to
go • those, in fact, who found it difficult to get employment in
this country ; I am persuaded that our superiorclass of work-
men would never leave their country, if attempts were not
made under the existing laws to entice them away by high
bribes. _ _

DO you think that many of the best workmen who go abroad
now from a freak, or perhaps to see the country, would be
dispOsed very soon to return, but for the penalties of the law
which now prevent them ?—I think that very few would leave
the country, but that those few who did leave it from the cir-
cumstances referred to, would be very glad to return.
'Would not perfect freedom to go or stay, render the men
more satisfied, and less likely to make a permanent emigration
that,. now am persuaded if the law were repealed, very few
of them, or at any rate, of such as are worth keeping here,
would go; from my own knowledge of the habits of the men,
I am persuaded they would be quite satisfied if they only had
the.right to do so.
Have you any fear that the country would suffer by the rival-
ry of other countries, if perfect freedom was given to the arti-
zans to go abroad ?—I am satisfied that it would not suffer, for
the reasons I have already given—viz. the inferior workmen
going instead of the superior.
Have you seen any men who have returned, and can you
state what report they made of the establishments abroad, or
of their liking the situations they are in ?—Not of my own
knowledge, but my partner was residing at Paris about two
years since, and had opportunities of, convening with English
artizans there, and most of those he saw expressed a strong
desire to return to England, but their passports were refused
them.

What evil do you apprehend from the repeal of the Combi-
nation Laws ?---I apprehend no evil whatsoever ; on the con-
trary, I think that in the course of time all the evils that the
Combination Laws have brought on would be done away with,
and the effect produced by them has been •so very injurious,
that it would also require the greatest care and management
on the part of the masters to do away with the bad feeling
excited by them.

Is not one effect arising from combination on the part of the
men when successful, that they interfere with their masters
respecting the number of apprentices they shall take, and
various other minor regulations in the manufacture ?—That is
generally one of the sources of dispute between the masters and
the men : the men obliging the masters, or endeavouring to oblige
them, to take a smaller number; and,the masters, on the con-
trary, wishing to extend their number as much as possible, in
order that they may not be so much at the mercy of their men.
Does not that condition which is so often imposed upon
masters mainly depend upon the men succeeding in their com-
bination against the masters I?—Certainly.
Then that which you consider an inconvenience, would per-
haps be done away, or much lessened, if combinations did not
take place ?—I conceive so.
_

In your opinion, should not the men and masters be allowed
to make what bargain they please, as to the amount of wages,
the, hours of working, and mode of payment, provided a speedy
method of enforcing contracts was established ?—I should have
no 'question but that such an arrangement would be good both
for masters and men : with respect to the method of enforcing
contracts, I am not prepared to speak decidedly, but I think
that should be left open also.
Do you not know that by the law as it now exists, any man
refusing to complete his work, may be comthitted to prison and
flogged ?—Yes, lam aware of that ; but I am not prepared to
say that such a law is politic.
Do not you think there should be some summary,way of en-
forcino• the fulfilment of a contract ?—No good workman in a
manufactory properly conducted, would be inclined to leave his
work 'unfinished : and as a manufacturer, I should say, that if
I had men of a different description, the sooner they were gone
the better.

Can you state, whether the combinations amongst ship-
wrights and sawyers at Liverpool, are not attended frequently
with very serious consequences ?—Very frequently ; I believe
in no part of the kingdom are combinations so strict and close
as they are at Liverpool.
What has been the effect of those combinations in Liver-
pool ; has it been to obtain the mastery over their masters, or
otherwise ?-7-I believe almost invariably to obtain the ascend-
ancy over their masters ; I believe at the present time they are
almost under the dominion of the men.

Bo you think that if the Combination Laws were all repeal-
ed,"there would be no combination among workmen against
their masters ?—I should not go to the extent of saying that ;
I think a repeal of them would have a tendency to prevent com-
bination, but it would be going too far to say it would prevent
it altogether.

[To be continued.]

Letters from Madrid, according to the French
Papers, speak of the almost incessant failure of Spanish .corn,
mereial -houses, owing to the very depressed state of the
CPWltry.

PRICES OF 'FALLOW, MO Al', p1121b.--March 6•-
Town TallOW 393 Od. —s Oil Yellow Soap
_703
Yellow Russia 35s Od od Mottled 7g'
White ditto .. sis 04 Curd • sec
Soap ditto.... Sts..o(l-1 Od Grares .... . 165.0 d Melting Stuff 99s —s Od. Good Dr .........
ug's ....... . 6s Ditto Rough.. 16s od —s• Od
PRICE OF CA-NDLES, FRON)
Price of Caddies, per dozen
6d per.dozcii

TALt.oWCHANTocEn's HALL.
); 8s 6d--Moulds, los Od.
!d for ready money.

PRICE OF ItAIIT FAT, per Stone of.6lb.—March 6.
Price of Tallow (as stated by the Tallow !Welters), 2s lid

COUNTRY

GUI LDFORD
Wheat per 1. 141 Os to 191 is
Old Wheat 181 Os to 811 —s
Oats, per qr '... 11 4s to 11 12s
Old ditto .. 01 416 to 01 Os

MARKET..
kRKET, Feb. 14.

Barley, it 141 s to 11 18;
Beans, per qr.2l Os to 3l IOA
Pease, per qr. 11 16s to 2125
Rye, per qr .11 17s to 21 25

COAL MAItKET, March G.
Ships at Market. Ships sold. Price.
471 Nev%ca,tir
151 Sunda' lsoll
D- k meet- IL -

_ing took, place at seven o'ock
yesterday morning, at the Broad-gap, within
about three quarters of a mile of Islington-green,
between J. CoorEn, Esq., and Capt. Monttis,
late of the Royal Navy; the former attended by
HERBERT FITZMAURICE, Esq., the latter by
Lieutenant WAINWRIGHT, Royal Marines. At
the first fire, Mi. C.'s ball slightly grazed his an-
tagoniit's pistol arm, passing through the coat
sleeve ; on the second discharge, Captain Mow-
RIS'S ball dangerously wounded Mr. COOPER
in
the gullet, who fell immediately ; on being raised
from the 'ground by his second and another Gen-
tleman, he could scarcely articulate a word from

the great effusion of blood in the throat ; however;
his wishes being at length interpreted by his looksr
Capt. Mounts, who had not left the ground, was
called towards him, when Mr. COOPER. squeezed
the hand of his antagonist in an affectionate man-
ner, and feebly exclaimed, " I only am to
blame." A professional Gentleman, who attende
ed on the part of Capt. M., examined au&
dressed the wound, which, though extremely
dangerous, still admits some faint hope of reco—
very. The origin of the dispute we have not
been able precisely to ascertain.

BIRTH.
On Saturday. last, in Devonshire-place, the Lady of Johrt'•
Barclay, Esq., of a daughter.

On the Bth inst., at St. Sepulchre's, Mr. Hine, of Charter--
house-square, to Mrs. Smither, of Lamb's Conduit-street.
___

DIED.

In the Tower, on Ash-Wednesday, Susanna Elizabeth, th 4.
infant daughter of Edmund Lenthal Swift, Esq., Keeper of the"
Jewel House.
On Sunday, at Hastings, Mary Frances, the wife of Captauv.
M. Andrews, of the 30th Regiment.
On the 6th inst., of apoplexy, Flower Freeman, Esq., °f:
Kennington-lane, late of the Island of Barbadoes.
At Berlin, on the 11th ult., aged 59, Mr. Professor Stutzer4.
a celebrated teacher in the Royal military school, in that.
capital.

At Amsterdam, on the 26th ult. Admiral Blois Van Tres-
long, He was a gallant seaman, and had lost his right arm in
fighting the battles of his country.
Lately at Saint Petersburgh M. Von Demidow, one of the
greatest landed proprietors in Russia. He was besides largely
interested in the great Ural Mines,
On the 4th instant at his house in the Bailey, Durham, aged
~
55 years, the Rev. James Blackburn, A.M. Rector of Rornal"-
kirk, in the county of York, and vicar of Gainford, in the count;
of Dunham : heretofore, a fellow of Trinity College, Cam"
bridge, domestic chaplain to the late Earl of Strathmore,
and lecturer of the church of Saint Nicholas (under the
corporation) Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The integrity, the kind'
ness and courteousness of disposition and manners, the literary
Acquirements, and the extensive but unostentatious charities
of this Gentleman will cause his decease to be not more
deeply regretted by the poor, then by those who had the happi-
ness of his acquaintance and friendship.

Printed and Published for the PROPRIETORS, at the S.V('
OFFICE, 112, Strand, by J. 13. CARSTAIRS.