The Sun.
London, England, 1823-09-11 00:00:00

" open competition, wherever practicable, is ad
vautageOus to the Public,". and that- it has been
asserted, we hesitate not to -say without any real
foundation in truth, that :"Tthe"..
competition" is admitted, and generally iwcog-
nized, as benqficial!"
As this fallacy forms one of the principal bases
of the pernicious theories which arc sapping 11w
foundations of the commercial pre-eminence and
naval power of the country, at the same tune
that they are threatening the interests of the
West Indio. Docks (in themselves of sufficient
importance to warrant. the strongest efforts for
their preservation,) it is necessary that it should
be completely. exploded. And that is a task
which can be performed with very little difficulty.
It is only necessary to refer any individual to
the persons with whom he comes 'in contact, of
whatever class or profession they may be,
for the strongest possible proofs that the

4 principle of open competition," bo far from
being generally recognized as beneficial, is,
on the contrary, without a single exception
universally character4ed 0.1 pernicious, depre.
cated with alarm, and rejected with • horror,

if not, as has been too often the case, resisted
with violence and even with bloodshed !-From

the lowest class of labourers up tti the most
powerful and wealthy of the great Public Compa-
nies of the country--from the journeyman mechanic,
through all the gradations of the community, up
to the Agricultural Interest and 'the leaders of
the Aristocracy themselves; there is but one con-
viction, arising from the constant practical obser.
vation of them all, and from a long-continued and
dear-bought experience, that the effect of compe-
tition, in their respective concerns, is never bene-
ficial to their interests, but on the contrary, is
always hurtful, and often absolutely ruinous!--
We repeat, that all experience proves this truth,
and that all men may be referred to for its con-
firmation ! How is it, then, it may he asked,
that a Committee •of the . House of Commons
can have been betrayed into the sanction of a
fallacy, and into, the declaration of an
.un-
sound' principle, .on the mere authority of the:
' Spurious sChool in Political Economy, and in 41e-
fiance of the experience.of the Members of that
Committee themselves ?—How is it, we may ask
in our turn, that the 'same Committee have tie-
scribed the mischievous principle which they have
so sanctioned, asa principle the truth of which is
generally admitted, although the Very purpose for
which •they were assembled, preVed that' the truth
and psactical 54441 y of the supposed principle were
in fact contested by the West India Docks Com•
pony, and although the petitlima almost
daily presented to the House of Commons,
from some one party or other, furnish an almost
continual succession of proofs, that no one as-
sumed principle is more generally or pertina-
ciously denied ?
We shall resume this subject at an early oppor-
tunity.—ln the mean time, we beg to refer our
Readers to an able communication in our
present paper, in which the question, more psr-
ticularly as affecting those important establi,sh-
ments, the West Intik Docks, is lucidly treated,
and the further elucidation of which, by the tmtne
intelligent writer, will be continued from tittle to
time in the columns of this Paper.

There is a most indecent allusion t(i His
MAJESTY in an Opposition Paper of this l'Aty re-
lative to an Expatriated Beau, who has some
years been resident at Calais. The writer of the
paragraph in question reflects upon his rtliAJEsTv
for not " commanding the presence of hi a ancient
Companion to dinner," as he passed thrqugh Ca-
lais. Surely the writer is not aware of the pre.
sumptuous levity of which the person alluded to
was guilty when he had last the hoaour, of dining
with his AIAJ ESTI' in London, and which may
well account for his dismission from 'the Royal.
table, and the want of all future ioiritations.—
This story, and a subsequent aneirdote of the
same nature, has been generally current, and was
never contradicted. llnt what will the Opposi.
Lion writer say when he hears that there is rea-
son to believe that the Expatriated Beau derives
his support at this moment ftom the Royal
bounty, supplied with equal delicacy and bene.
licence !

Lord fl wenn') leaves NMI in the course of
the ensuing week for Lisbon. It has been re-
ported that that able General is about to resume
his command of the Portuguese army. This,
iv.mitively to contradict.
however, we are enabled
llis Lordship goes for the express purpose of
winding up his accounts with the New Ministers,
and will return home in two or three months.
Notwithstandiug the demolition of nearly all
the fine Colleges, and splendid Churches at
Douay, it still remains one of the neatest, cheap-
est, and most comfortable towns in France.
A CERTAIN MUTLIOD OF KILLING lIOKNETS.
Last week a great uumber of hornets having made
their nest under the roof of a thatched cottage,
within afew miles of A hergavenny, the cottager(not
a little annoyed by this unexpected intrusion) de-
termined on getting rtd of his visitors, and accord-
ingly thrust a red hot poker under the thatch.—
The hornets were certainly destroyed ; but un-
fortunately the cottage took fire, and was burnt
to the ground.--(Cambrian.)