The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-18 00:00:00

OJr tening aint

LONDON, FRIDAY, dUNE 18, 1847.

Although Lord PALMERSTON has been spared the
necessity of expatiating upon the advisability of the
British interposition !n the political affairs of Portu-
gal, the Noble Viscount has had to say his Ministerial
catechism before Parliament. Yesterday evening, for
example, a long chapter of interrogations from all
quarters of tlk House elicited the corresponding
answers from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
Has the blockade of the Douro terminated ? inquired
/irk. HUTT. Are the Government prepared to enforce
the rescinding of the notorious decree of MARIA DA
GLORIA, inserted on the 6th June in the Diario do
Governo, suspending, among other things, the liberty
of the Portuguese press ? asked Mr. BERNAL Os-
BORNE. What about the infraction of the first article
in the Treaty of Lisbon, signed in the July of 1842 ?
What about the infraction of the fifteenth, of the
seventeenth, of the eighteenth articles ? What
about the forced currency of the Bank of Lisbon
notes ? demanded Lord GEORGE BENTINCR. Are
DfS ANTAS and his soldiers to be'released from con-
finement in the castle of St. Julian immediately the
intelligence of the submission of the Junta reaches
the capital ? Are the British officers to be permitted
to receive decorations for their services off Oporto and
Lisbon ? Nay, Mr. OSBORNE proceeded so far in his
Inquisitiveness as to inquire into the course pursued
by Government in the event of a dim possibility ; but
Lord PALMERSTON eiiaded the interrogation by ob-
jecting to give an official response upon a merely
hypothetical casualty. •
Ludicrous and frivolous as this pertinacious cross-
examination may appear ; troublesome as it must
'undoubtedly be to the Noble Statesman at the head
of the Foreign Department; calculated as it is to
consume an unnecessary amount of public time,
and engage an unnecessary amount of legislative
attention, we are gratified that general curiosity
is still kept alive in respect to the condi-
tion and positipn of our Portuguese contem-
poraries. Simrtaneously with the glorious realisa-
tion of the free-trade principles, a new civilising
and
sentiment has animated the hearts of our fellow-
countrymen—a sentiment of sympathy for the
advancement and elevation of their fellow-creatures
beyond the shores of these islands, and beyond the
frontiers of our colonial possessions. Hitherto it
had been regarded as an indisputable truth that
the wisest course to be adopted by an English
citizen was to attend solely to the internal pros-
perity of their own country, and abandon the compli-
cated knots of our foreign relations to the subtle and
'experienced supervision of the Cabinet. It seemed
to, be an universally received opinion that the fingers
.of Joan BULL were too clumsily formed,
.and too blundering in their movements, to
2,e engaged in the loosening and the tying
pt)f those knots without producing an inex-
«tricaTsle confusion and ravelling of the bonds of in -
tternational alliance beyond all hope of amendment.
!-The multitude therefore remained isolated as it were
*from the millions of their brother men : and there was
0 direct communication with the different divisions of
to human family, chiefly, if not entirely, through
punctilious correspondence of the state authori-
Eea s. Even commercially the communion of adjacent
k; itgdoms was, so to speak, carried on through the iron

grating of customs' duties. Hand in hand, shoulder
to shoulder, the millions of the earth could not by
possibility stand until such time as the fiscal barriers
erected by monopolising legislators should have been
beaten down and trampled under foot. A humanising
system of reciprocity could indeed be no more esta-
blished until the trammels of an erroneously distri-
buted taxation should be removed, than the helio-
centric system could be proved until the combination
of the lenses had granted a telescopic assistance to the
gaze of the astronomers. Now, however, that this
dwarfing and insulating scheme of taxation is dis-
appearing, there is not mere a certainty of
the development and expansion of commerce
to its naturally healthy condition, and its
naturally colossal dimensions, but the screen
seems to have been removed which had been pre-
viously interposed between the various states
and races of the globe. A novel interest
has arisen amongst the people of England in the po-
litical and social, as well as in the intellectual and
commercial progress of contemporary nations. While
COBDEN, when speaking of the corn-laws, is saying
to the millions of continental Europe—in the ambi-
guous but impressive languge of CICERO, when that
great Consul spoke of CETBEGUS and LEN TULUS, on
the evening of the day on which those companions of
CATALINE were executed—" they have flourished C'—
while those significant words are responded to with
enthusiasm in France, in Italy, and in Spain, at home
the inhabitants are awakening to a sense of the im-
portance of a preservation of friendship with the po-
pulation of both hemispheres.
Hence it is that so much interest is attached at this
moment to the events which are now occurring in the
Peninsula ; and from the evidence of this very in-
terest we may recognise a new and glorious surety
for the perpetuation and the preservation of the prin-
ciples of freedom.

After an inquiry, extending through several days
the inquest held over the bodies of the unfortunate,
persons who were either immediately killed, or who
subsequently died from the effects of the injuries
they received faom the fearful accident that occurred
on the Dee bridge on the Chester and Holyhead
Railway, was brought to a close on Thursday. The
inquiry has been conducted in every way in a man-
ner becoming the extreme gravity of the subject-
matter with respect to which it was the important
duty of the Coroner and the jury to institute the
most searching investigation. The Government and
the Railway Commissioners have likewise effectually
discharged the duty which, under the lamentable cir-
cumstances, it was incumbent upon them, on the part
of the public, to fulfil. They sent down two cele-
brated engineers, Captain SYMONDS and Mr.WALKER,
to examine into the cause of the catastrophe, and to
lay before the jury the result of their observations.
But, whilst every one must be gratified by the fair and
impartial mode in which the inquest has been
held, the conclusion which has been arrived
at must arouse the most serious apprehensions
in the public mind. The jury have unani-
mously recorded in their verdict that the acci-
dent was consequent upon the breakage of one of
the cast-iron girders, and that the girder was made
of a strength insufficient to bear the pressure of quick
trains passing over it ; that cast-iron is too
treacherous a metal to be used for such a purpose ;
that they had in evidence before them that there are
upwards of 100 bridges similar in principle and form
to the late one over the river Dee, either in use or in
the course of being constructed, on various lines of

railways.
It should be stated that these views of the jury
are strictly in accordance with the opinions of Cap-
tain SYMONDS and Mr. WALKER, who condemned
the principle of the bridge and its security, and who,
" entertaining these opinions very decidedly," not-
withstanding they were opposed by Mr. ROBERT
STEPHENSON (who has erected a number of bridges
on the same principle) and other engineers, never-
theless declared they felt it "to be their
duty (by no means an agreeable one) to ex-
press them !" Under these circumstances, her
MAJESTY'S Government have but one course to
take, which is to have forthwith examined every
bridge where cast-iron girders are used, with a view
to their immediate removal and to the bridge being
otherwise rendered of sufficient strength to ensure the
safety of passengers. As against this recommenda-
tion, which we most earnestly press upon the atten-
tion of the Government, we attach no weight to the
remark of Mr. STEPHENSON, that the recent acci-
dent was the first of its kind, we only feel too
thankful that as yet we have been saved the
repetition of such a dreadful failure in
railway architecture. It is manifest, from
the able and elaborate report of the Govern-
ment engineers, that the public are daily exposed to
the hazard of a similar catastrophe. Instant precau-
tion should therefore be taken against the occur-
rence of such another distressing accident ; and, for
the satisfaction of the public, publicity should be
given to the particulars of the casualty, for the pur-
pose of ensuring such rational measures in future as
shall prevent the recurrence of any similar calamity.

On Tuesday last we directed the public attention
to the valuable results that would be attendant on an
extensive cultivation of flax in Ireland, which we
then stated furnished the most obvious means for the
removal of Irish distress and Irish difficulties. We
shall now endeavour to prove the accuracy of that
assertion. The soil and climate of the sister king-
dom is peculiarly suited for the growth of flax. By
recent experiments it has been found that most
valuable crops can be produced at high altitudes ;
that one in particular, which gained a medal from the
Royal Society, was grown on the top of a mountain
more than 1,000 feet above the level of the sea, and
entirely surrounded with heather. To those who are
acquainted with Ireland and the neglected state of
the mountain districts, it will at once be manifest
how wide a field is afforded for the profitable cultiva-
tion of lands which have heretofore been suffered
to remain idle and unproductive, or turned
to little beneficial use ; in fact, there is scarcely any
variety of soil, highland or lowland, that will not be
found well suited for the purpose. The value of the
crop will be found in a great degree to depend on the
care and attention devoted to it. A ton of flax will
vary in value according to its fineness, colour, and
other essential qualities, from 401. to 2001. Here,
then, is at once the strongest inducement held out to
the grower to give ample employment, to have a
number of persons engaged in watching the growth,
and taking all the necessary steps in relation thereto,
when he is sure to receive so ample a return therefor.
In no country in the world can a higher quality of flax
be produced than in Ireland. A skilful and judicious
farmer is certain to produce the more valuable descrip-
tion, and it is only reasonable to suppose that the
example thereby afforded will, in a short time, when
its advantages are fully understood and appreciated,
be generally followed. In estimating the annual
return, we shall, however, restrict ourselves to the
present average value, and make no allowance for
the probable improvement that may follow a more
thorough knowledge of the details and operations
connected with its growth.

An acre of ground will produce from forty to fifty
stone of good flax as a fair average ; there would be
a much larger quantity of the coarser description,
but the quality would be deteriorated in proportion
to the increase of quantity. This may be averaged at
15s. per stone ; we thus find a return of 301. per acre
for the fibre alone, in addition to which there is the
value of the seed, which will be found to average
from 51. to 101. per acre. This seed will be
found a most valuable and nutritious food for
cattle ; every large farmer will, therefore, be
enabled to use it on his own lands, the impor-
tance of which for any description of produce
it is impossible to over-estimate. In addition to
the
profit of the manure thus produced, the
water in which the flax is steeped will be found a
most useful liquid manure, enriching
,the soil, and
producing
that e
every
ehry portionemost luxuriant
ofitis r
touprsi.i I to advantage,
IN
€:'
and a money return of from 351. to 4%1
addition, which, if we allow for the i therefore,
find
ne. persed acre in
rea
expen-
diture in labour rendered necessary, will leave
a
larger profit for the farmer than almost any other de-
scription of crop. There is no danger of an insuffi-
cient demand; on the contrary, there is a constant
drain of money going from our shores to pay
'z'oreigners for that which might be produced
at home. By the official returns for six years, end-
in in October, 1845, it will be found that no less

than 388,867 tons of flax, worth 19,443,3501.
sterling, were imported during that period ; it will
also be found that there is an average annual im-
portation of 500,000 quarters of flax-seed, and
over 70,000 tons of oil-cake. The annual drain on
the country may, therefore, be fairly estimated at no
less than 6,000,0001. sterling, the whole of which
might find its way to Ireland in place of to France
and Belgium. It is needless to speak of the vast in-
crease of national wealth derivable from the retention
of so large a sum in the country. These advantages
that we have enumerated are, however, chiefly con-
fined to the farmer. There are, however, other and
still greater benefits in the employment afforded in
weeding, pulling, rippling, watering, spreading, lift-
ing, drying, breaking, and scutching the crop,
and even when finally converted into yarn, its bles-
sings are still observable. We find from a return given
by Sir ROBERT KANE, in his celebrated work on
" The Industrial Resources of Ireland," that the pro-
duce of three statute acres of flax afforded full em-
ployment for an entire year to no less than 216 per-
sons, who received 2,217/. 6s. Bd. for the wages of
their labour, and that, after paying all expenses, it
left a clear profit of 332/. 13s. 4d. for the manufac-
turer. Surely, with such results, it will be admitted
that we have established the truth of our proposition,
that in an extensive growth of flax in all parts of the
country will be found the chief remedy for Ireland's
distress—the means of safety and wealth for Irish
landlords.

Madrid papers of the 11th instant have arrived.
On the evening of the 9th the QUEEN, whilst riding
out on horseback, was surrounded by a number of
women in great distress, who besought her to take
pity on their misfortunes. An aide-de-camp at-
tempted to push them away, but the QUEEN ordered
them to approach, and one of them presented a peti-
tion praying her to give orders to the Minister of
Finance to pay the arrear due to the poorer classes of
the State creditors. Her MAJESTY received the pe-
tition graciously, and promised to take its prayer into
consideration.

General PEzuELA has obtained permission to reside
in Madrid.

General DB LA. CoNcnA, Commander-in-Chief of
the army of Portugal, arrived at Zamora on the sth,
and at that place and at Salamanca preparations
were making for the troops to march into Portugal.
The Herald() announces that the insurgents have
abandoned all the coast as far as Viana.

The best feeling is said to exist between the
Spanish troops and those of the Queen of PORTUGAL.
The intelligence that SA DA BANDEIRA had offered
to make his submission is confirmed by the Correo,
the new semi-official journal of Senor SALAMANCA.
The prospects of the harvest throughout Spain are
exceedingly cheering.
The funds necessary for the payment of the divi-
dend on the Three per Cents., due on the 30th of
June, had been forwarded to London and Paris.
The Three per Cents. were done at 31 for cash; the
Four per Cents. at 18; the Five per Cents. at 18; the
Debt without Interest at 54; and the Coupons at 15.

We have received the Paris papers of Wednesday.

On Tuesday M. DEMESMAY brought forward a
motion in the Chamber of Deputies for the reduction
of the duty of salt. Last session a similar motion
was carried by a majority of 240 to 26 in the Cham-
ber of Deputies, but the Bill was stifled by a Minis-
terial manoeuvre in the Chamber of Peers. None
of the Ministers spoke on Tuesday, and the debate
was adjourned. The following article in the Debats
announces the intention of Ministers to oppose the
motion on financial grounds merely. After admitting
that the tax is one which presses heavily upon the
poor, the Debats says—

"We believe the reform to be useful and urgent, as
well in the interest of the poorer classes in the country
districts, as for the prosperity of our agriculture. We
have no intention of undertaking the demonstration of
this double assertion, because it is not seriously con-
tested, and because it has been already frequently done.
But a serious apprehension prevents us from wishing to
see this reform carried out at present, in the midst of
the financial embarrassments which surround us. The
duty on salt brings to the Treasury upwards of
75,000,000 f. a year. The proposition reduces the
duty from 3 dClimes to 1, or two-thirds. The
loss consequently would be two-thirds the first
year, or fifty millions. There can be no doubt
that the reduction in the duty would lead
to an increasing augmentation in the consumption,
which would in the long run make up the loss at first
produced to the revenue. We agree with M. Demes-
may on this point, and fully share his hopes. But what
cannot be contested is, that this reform, so fruitful in ex-
cellent results of various kinds, commences by imposing
on the Treasury considerable sacrifices, the termination
of which we may not see in the fifth, the sixth, or per-
haps the tenth year after its adoption. What will be the
amount of these sacrifices? We cannot say, but cer-
tainly something very considerable. That is a point
agreed on by every one. Is the moment well selected to
undertake a reform the first effect of which is to call for
a sacrifice of fifty millions, or let us say forty millions,
to the Treasury ? That is the question, and it appeared
to us quite enough to ask it to create doubt in the most
determined mind."

The Peers are summoned for the 21st, to hear the
report of the Committee appointed to examine into
the truth of the accusations against General
CUBIERES.

The Presse still continues its attacks against M.
GUIZOT. From the tenor of the following article it
would appear that the intrigue for the substitution of
Count MOLE for M. Cluizor is revived. The article
commences with the following extract from an
address from M. GUIZOT to his constituents, pub-
lished in 1839 :

" The affairs of the country are neglected. The
Government is null. All questions remain in suspense.
Railroads—the conversion of the Five per Cents.—the
abolition of slavery, and that all-important one, public
instruction. Neither are material interests better com-
prehended nor better treated than moral interests, and
all this, too, at a period of profound peace—in the pre-
sence of the most pliant Chambers and the most favour-
able circumstances, without the occurrence of any great
obstacle or any great danger! If the Ministry remain in
office, what will be the consequence? That which has
happened during two years (' read seven years' says the
Presse)—the same simultaneous enfeeblement of the public
powers—the same confusion amongst them—the same
adjournment of questions—the same decline of our in•
fluence—the same increase of our embarrassments. On
some day—l know not on what day, but infallibly on
some day—a reaction will be produced, which will sud-
denly rouse the powers which are degraded, those
feelings now despised, those interests neglected and
(that which will add to the evils intended to be re-
moved) its own evils and its own dangers. The feel-
ing of this present danger, and the anticipation of
future misfortunes, have determined my opposition."
" Thus," observes the Presse. "M. Guizot expressed
himself in the year 1839, when addressing his consti-
tuents. The reasons which he gave at that period to
justify his opposition, are exactly those which we might
adduce to justify ours at the present day, with this single
difference, that he accused a Cabinet having only two
years' existence, and having to contend single•handed
against the entire coalesced force of the Tribune—
against an oratorical holy alliance, whilst the Cabinet
of the 29th of October reckons seven years of existence,
and has to contend solely against its own impotency.
When we compare those two periods, when we compare
the two Cabinets of the 15th of April and of the 29th
of October, there is one reflection which we cannot
avoid making; which is—that according as Count Molii
found his majority diminishing, he himself became
greater during the contest, whilst, on the contrary, AI.
Guizot appeared more feeble according as his majority
became greater."

The report of M. BIGNON on the Budget of Ex-
penses of 1848 was distributed on Tuesday to the
Chamber of Deputies, in the name of the Committee.
The ordinary budget amounts to 1,544,072, 627 f.,
and the Committee proposes a reduction of 7,000,000 f.
The reductions on the extraordinary credits are much
greater, they amount altogether to 92,768,000 f., and
are in the credits for extraordinary works in the de-
partments of Public Works, War, and Marine. The
Government had demanded 472,288,939 f.
The Courrier Francais contains an announcement
(which may be considered official) that it is the in-
tention of the Opposition Deputies to call the atten-
tion of the Chamber to the conduct of M. GUIZoT as
regards Switzerland, and to move a formal vote of
censure on the Ministry.
ahe Union Monarchique says that " Lord and
Lady NORMANDY, on their return from England, will
make but a very short stay in Paris, but will leave
almost immediately for Germany. The appointment
of a successor to his Lordship in the post of Ambas-
sador in France will shortly take place. Among the
political personages mentioned as likely to replace
him, Lord CLANRICARDE, Lord BEAUVALE (brother
of Lord MELBOURNE); and Lord HOLLAND, are more
particularly cited. This last choice, which hitherto
appears to have the greater chance of success, would
be, on the part of the British Government, an act of
courteous gallantry towards France, which has not
forgotten the pious recollections that connect so
honourably the name of Lord HOLLAND with the