The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-18 00:00:00

owing to restriction, by altering our commercial re-
gulations.
In May 1820, he affirmed that the Corn-law,

" As he had predicted, had turned out totally inade-
quate to give those whose interest it was meant to
serve, that protection they required. The result had
also further shown the fallacy of endeavourinc, to put a
permanent artificial price on a necessary of life by any
legislative measures."
Yet that fallacy the Merchant Mr. Baring, con-
verted into Lord Ashburton the Landowner, now
strenuously defends, and vituperates as a joint-stock
company of agitators those who endeavour to re-
duce to practice his former wisdom. Again he said,
mocking at the wisdom he now admires—
" All this seemed to prove that the price of corn
could not be forced up by Parliamentary enactments ;
but that it depended on a great number of relative cir-
cumstances.'
In March 1825, Mr. Baring, speaking of Mr.
Huskisson's improved regulations as to trade,
" Expressed his satisfaction at the adoption by his
Majesty's Government of the leading principles of that
commercial feeling which they now professed to support."
The Corn-laws he then said, " pressed most heavily
upon the country, and injured it in its commerce, manu-
factures, and foreign relations." He wished to see the
principles of free trade established, and he should be
glad if the trade between England and all countries was
thrown open. " He was one of those political econo-
mists who looked on a reciprocity of advantages as the
only true source of commercial prosperity to any
country."
One of this foolish man's statements some nights
ago was that he had only opposed the Corn-law
of 1815, because it was giving an additional pro•
tection to the corn-growers. But we find him, on
April 22, 1828, speaking thus :
No person could conceive wheat selling at the rate
of 655. in this country without knowing that a great
quantity of distress must prevail, and that consequently
to impose a duty of 20s. on the importation of that
article was unjust."
But that which he then called an injustice he
now supports for its benefits, though under it
wheat has been selling at 88s. per quarter. Next
we will quote a passage which we hope will be
thundered into his ears in the House of Lords by
some honest Peer, and thundered into his ears in
the streets whenever he is recognised and can be
made to hear. On April 25, 1828, the then emi-
nent Merchant delivered these just but bitter re-
marks, for the benefit of the then existing and all
future landowners :

" He was amazed at the course which so many gen•
tlemen had pursued upon this question. How was it
possible that any man, baying the powers of reason or
reflection, could come down to that House day after
day and talk about protection to corn—protection to
wool—protection to oak bark—the difference meanwhile
in the price of bread between Great Britain and the
nations of the Continent being as the difference in
favour of the latter between 2.55. and 645. ? How was
it possible that they should expect we could go on ex-
porting manufactures as we now did, to the amount of
between fifty and sixty millions a year, there being this
frightful disproportion between the relative prices of
corn among ourselves and our continental neighbours ?
Heartily did he wish that some man among them, with
honesty in his heart, would come down and tell them
plainly it was their duty to consider not how they
might get in their own proper rents—for that parti-
cular year or so—but how the country was to subsist
with its establishments for the next twenty or fifty
years? But, on the contrary, he declared with pain
that whenever the corn question came on for discus-
sion it was argued by them on the most selfish and
narrow-minded principles that any Legislature ever
condescended to listen to. He was a landed pro-
prietor, but he disdained to seek protection for his in-
terests in that capacity by means which, being intended
'or the benefit of one class of the commnnity, must one
day crush them all."

The Merchant had, in 1828,become a landowner,
but the feelings and honesty of the merchant still
clung to him, and so he indignantly denounced that
conduct which, as landowner, he is now pursuing.
We wish that some man now, " with honesty in
his heart," would tell the Dukes of Richmond and
Buckingham that it is their duty not to consider
how they may get in their own rents, but how the
country can subsist with its establishments, while,
in addition to the public burthens, it has to bear
the burden of the corn tax, which is lowly esti-
mated at twice the amount of all the taxes levied
by the State.

- It is useless to trace Mr. Baring's change sub-
sequently to becoming a landowner to the present
time. Gradually he has gone from right
to wrong, from good to bad ; and now
the man, who was the great apostle of
free trade in 1820 and 1825—the determined
opponent of the restrictions on the corn trade in 1815,
is become the quoted idol of those whose restrictions
annihilate our trade and starve our people. Lord
Ashburton has no longer any interest in the
House of Barings Brothers and Co., and he is one
of the great landowners of England. This is the
solution of the change, and the full explanation of
the most selfish and narrow-minded principle which
he now espouses. The country that is a prey to
such legislation, unless saved by some interposition
of Providence or of virtue in the people, which will
make them overrule their selfish legislators, must
be on the downhill road to ruin.

This article was prepared some time ago, but
was withheld by the pressure of more temporary
matter. Since it was drawn up Lord Ashburton
has spoken justly of the Church in Upper Canada.
We wish we could suppose that he had no pecu-
niary interest in the question. But we aro afraid
that the influence of the breeche,, pocket may be
traced even in his opinions of Church establish-
ments. The Noble Lord is known to have a con-
siderable pecuniary interest in the United States,
and perhaps has an interest of that kind in U per
Canada. His language was too clear and too
decided not to be dictated by the sensorium that is
seated in the neighbour'iood of the right thigh.

THE EDIBLE BIRDS' NESTS OF
CHINA.

Not only in their ordinary form, or acted upon by the
culinary art, are the mosses employed as food ; but one
of the most admired luxuries of the table in China is
the eatable birds' nests formed from them. A small
swallow, called, from his peculiar instinct in building
this sort of habitation, hirundo esculenta, makes his
nest from several of these species, and amongst others,
it is said from the Ceylon moss, in the highest and most
inaccessible rocks, in deep damp caves. Craufurd
tells us, that none but those accustomed from child-
hood to the dangers it offers, can pursue
the occupation of collecting these nests, for
they are ody approachable by a perpendicular
descent of many hundred feet, by ladders of bam-
boo and rattan, over a sea rolling violently against the
rocks. When the mouth of the cave is attained, the
perilous task of taking the nests must be performed by
torch-light, by penetrating into the recesses of the rock,
where the slightest slip would instantly be fatal to the
adventurers, who can see nothing below them but the
turbulent surf making its way into the chasms of
the rocks. The high price given for these delicacies
is, however, a sufficient inducement for the ga-
therers to follow " this dreadful trade." The nests
are formed of a mucilaginous substance, they re-
semble ill-concocted fibrous isinglass, and are described
as of a white colour, inclining to red ; their thickness
little more than that of a silver spoon, and the weight
from a quarter to half an ounce. When dry, they are
brittle and wrinkled, the size nearly that of a goose's
egg. The qualities of the nests vary, according to the
situation and extent of the caves in which they are
found, and the time at which they are taken ; if pro-
cured before the eggs have been laid, the nests are of
the best kind ; if they contain eggs only, they are still
valuable ; but if the young are in the nest, or have just
left it, they are nearly worthless, being dark-coloured,
streaked with blood, and intermixed with feathers and
dirt. After they are procured, they are separated from
feathers and dirt, are carefully dried and packed, and are
then fit for market. The best sort are sent to Pekin,
for
the use of the Emperor. The labour bestowed to
erevnedryerattiek
hem,
orfitimfoprortiatby of any
leisenokrminodu, enormous—every
cvaerryfofeather,
many
preparations, they are made
Into undergoinghea
soft,
deliciousi
they are likewise served up in brot
have the reputation of being nutritious ngs
.and
,
hs
and
and gently
these nests
The extravagant
by the Chinese render them a most expensive articl e of
of
diet. The sale has become a monopoly the Govern-
ment, in whose dominions they are found. MeY in
his voyage round the world, states, that the Japaneseeni
had long ago discovered that these costly birds' nests
arc nothing more than softened sea-weed, and that they
now prepart, the substance itself in an artist-like man-
ner.—. Dr. Signiond on the Ceylon Moss.

A weekly allowance to a poor woman residing
at Southampton, eighty-four years of aye—an outepanper of
one of the parishes in the Devizes Union, having for a short
time been discontinued, the old lady determined upon " facing
the Guardians." (hi Sunday last she walked from Southinup.
ton to Salisbury, a distance of 22 miles; and on Monday from
Salisbury to Devizes, 22 miles farther. On Tuesday she pre-
sented herself to the board ; when the guardians, after atten-
tivtly listening to her story, determined to continue one-half of
herformer allowance—ls. a week, instead of 2s —with which
she appeared satisfied, and yesterday returned to Southampton
to foot ! It appears she gets a trifle by going errands, and
selling a little
taPe.—Devizes Gazette.