The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-05 00:00:00

TUESDAY EVENING.

CHRONICLE.—We alluded yesterday to the una-
nimity of feeling in the City in support of Lord Palmer-
ston's policy as regards the Eastern question, and ex-
pressed our belief that although the commercial interests
would be prominently aff,Tted by a rupture with France,
the British merchants cordially approved of the policy pur-
sued by her Majesty's Government. We have seen no
Cause to modify what we stated. At the same time, there
is a general and ardent wish expressed that the difference
may be amicably adjusted. _ _ _

The commerce and trade of both countries would be se-
riously injured by hostilities, and the English manufacturers
would be serious losers by such an event. We have no
desire to conceal that fact, nor the general desire which
pervades the trading interests to preserve peace. But
France seems inclined to put too much faith in these con-
siderations, and we wish to undeceive her ; for she is quite
mistaken in supposing that they will induce British mer-
chants to oppose the policy of the Government. Besides,
the French Cabinet will find that the trade of France would
suffer more deeply than that of England, should friendly
intercourse be suspended between the two countries. The
imports to England from France ire certainly more than
double the value of our exports to that country.
On looking at the tables in Illaculloch's Dictionary, we
find the official value of the imports to this country
from France in the year 1834, stated at 2,808,2561.,
and the exports to France of British and Irish pro-
duce and manufactures at 1,280,667/. ; while, of the
11,340,000 francs gross value of wine exported from
France, ne.- rly 4,000,000 f. was imported to England.
The silks of Lyons and the wines and brandies of Bor-
deaux would no longer find vent in the London market,
while we should only lose a mart for part of our cotton
twists and Irish linens. Such would be the immediate re-
sult of hostilities in the staple articles of trade. It is un-
necessary to follow cut the question as regards its effects
upon our shipping interests, because we are supposing a
state of things which we trust will never come to pass ;
but, if it should unfortunately happen our shipping interest
would of course, if not efficiently protected by our ships of
war, suffer from capture, yet the French mercantile ma-
rine, a far less important, but certainly an improving in-
terest, would be literally destroyed by our numerous
cruisers.

POST.—There was again great fluctuation in the price
of Stock this morning ; but there was a considerable
amount of loose capital to invest, and advantage was taken
of this depressed state of the market to lay it out, so that,
although the same fears and doubts exist as heretofore
with respect to the adjustmPrtt of the pending difficulty
with France, the stock offering was presently absorbed,
at or about the above rates, and the quotations have conse-
quently improved.
The continued fineness of the weather serves to tran-
quillize the minds of our commercial men with regard to
the Foreign Exchanges. Wishes have been expressed by
some that there were only inducement for the importation
of a few thousand quarters more of wheat (say four or
five), but, with the fair prospect we now have before us of
an abundant supply of our own, any further quantities
will hardly be ordered from abroad.
Twa or three weeks since the impression was that the
exportation of gold was about to be resumed upon a large
scale, in payment for grain, but there is no longer any
fear of this. The probability is that the operations in
specie may tend rather the contrary way—that the
coffers of the Bank of England may be still further re-
plenished. _ _

The issue of the next few days, as respects the wea-
ther and the crops, will solve a problem of the deepest in.
terest to the nation, in connexion with the currency.
With some weeks more of temperature like the present,
the position of the banking community will be rendered
one of perfect safety. In the recollection of former dis-
appointments, we will not, however, allow ourselves for
the moment to be over sanguine in our anticipations upon
this point.

rIERALD.—The transactions in the Funds to.day
have been of less importance than for some time past,
and it would seem that the speculators for the
fall have rather come to a pause for the present. This
may perhaps be partly owing to the moderated tone of the
French Journals received this morning, in u hich gene-
rally there is not so much acerbity of expression as for
some days previously. Altogether however the fall in the
Funds so long continued is quite unaccountable by any
fact which has yet transpired, and it is referable to specu-
lation almost solely, for it must be noted that the public
have not been sellers of stock, and therefore the business
has been altogether in the house among the jobbers, or
brokers, acting for parties out of doors.
If the French papers are to be credited Senor Mendi-
zabal was expected at Bayonne en route for this metro-
polis. It is hardly possible, however, to place faith in this
announcement; for it is not usual for people knowingly to
run their own heads into the fire. However, should he
venture he may be assured of a warm reception, if not a
Needy despatch to his old quarte,ix over the water, where
Marshal Chapman may perhaps condescend to recognise
and accommodate an old acquaintance, unless he should be
fort sill'ed by a sterner functionary somewhere about the
Old Bailey. The bondholders of course will be on the
alert, and this reminds us by the way that nothing has yet
publicly become known respecting the opinions of counsel
agreed by the committee of bondholders to be taken re-
specting the legality of the surreptitious issue of bonds by
Mendizabal, and the liability of parties in consequence who
were concerned as agents in the sale. It has been whis-
pered that one opinion at least has been declared affirming
such liability, but of course the committee will not take
any steps in the shape of publicity and proceedings until
fortified by more opinions than one.

SUN.—The Foreign Exchanges did not rally this
afternoon, being still affected by the orders for grain
recently transmitted to the Continent, but which it is
hoped will now in part be countermanded, owing to the
fine weather. Next post day, supposinc, we have a con-
tinuance of bright skies, we may look for an improve-
ment. Bills on Paris were negotiated at 25f. 50c. to
52ie. ; on Hamburgh at 13.8 to 13.8} ; on Amster-
dam at '22.2 ; and on Frankfort, at 1.191 to 149 a.
The Funds were more buoyant, and closed full
per cent. higher. Consols for Money at 90} to 90i ;
and for the Account at 9O to 90i- ; Exchequer Bills
left off at 225. prem.; and the Reduced Three-and-a-
Half per Cents. at 991
In the Foreign Funds there was no particular altera-
tion. Spanish Actives were last marked Portu-
guese New 31:11, Colombian 25i-, Mexican 28,20 and
Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. .51a, all a shade
better.

The Railway Shares were quiet, and the same as
quoted in our morning article.
The exports of the precious metals from the port of
London in the week ending Thursday last, were as
follow :

Silver Coin to Rotterdam 66,000 ounces
Hamburgh 121,000
Calais BO,OOO
Gibraltar 30,000
Silver bars to Rotterdam 20,000 ounces
Hamburgh 13,448
Bombay 15,99G
Calais 20,000

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE MORNING PATERS OF THIS DAT.
(From the Morning Chronicle.)
We cannot bring ourselves to entertain so low an
opinion of the Statesmen of France, as to suppose that
they seriously contemplate hostilities with this country.
For how stands, in fact, the matter with France? And
this cannot be too often repeated. The main reason given
all along by France for not joining in coercive measures
against Mehemet Ali to force upon him an arrangement
which France herself has always admitted would be the
best calculated to secure future peace is, that if coercive
measures were employed, Mehemet, driven to
pence, and
would make Ibrahim march on Constantinople,e,
and thence would arise events which would probably
lead to war. France, therefore, refuses to join the
other four Powers, because she clings to
ev to prevent
yet no sooner do the four Poweis determine
on without her, than she suddenly turns round upon to go
them,
a
her only avowed objection to
ethad seriously.t to war.
oatenstogotowar with them
en a
tt once,
them
them doing things,
wmrfr
which is, that these things might
This nonsense is too childish to be dealt with l
wi
If, indeed, the refusal of France to join in coercive mea-
suresany other secret mo-
taroseshfrern
e does not think it prudent
i o againstr
hidden M
viewseh e
wt
h ieit
or bonourable to avow, that is another thing ; but although
such a circumstance might tend to
also tend more strongly
to render the conduct of
France more intelligible, it would
to prove the wisdom of he decision adopted by the Four
Powers, as a resolution called for by a just regard for their
own interests, and necessary for maintaining the balance
of power in Europe.(F
roro
the Morning Post. )
which we are placedwitlThe difficult circumstances—for they are difficult—in
with respect to France must surely
have had some origin.
authority of We have already stated, on the.
a corres ndeonft,thwhose main positions. remain
the concealment practised b
1 unshaken, that the causeP'
hi.,
oprrde spanitnul
onrfsrtioe
has been published in Parisys shows, and we have grounds
Id l 1 nAesl Is ca
thatsi

(From the Morning, Advertiser.)
Our readers will read with an interest prvportionate to
its imFortance, the report in yesterday's Adrertzser,Of the
thefirst
Cgreonwernalt.neing of the A 6
the-Cernei-,laai;ivmAarsohciii)atoifenA,lar.t
meeting of
Warburton, M. P. It was attended by a large number of
the most influenti Members of Parliament in andtown,
gives om'a eas sgn" of the question's renewed agitation
during the recess. Many will be discouraged by the
late failure in Parliament of a great popular effort, and
by the stubborn adherence of the aristocracy to the,
most unjust and oppressive of' all monopoliA. For
ourselecs, we are not 'greatly discouraged by the Par-
liamentary st.en_cth of the monopoly party.
.The rid.
nority on this question, on Mr. Villiers's motion, was
larger than we have known on many questiot s just before
their ultimate stvcess. It is so large as to give a fair pro-
mise of succors, If the opponents of the monopoly are only
true to their own cause. Let the manufacturing and m:r-
cantile classes ken p up and extend the means of enlighten-
ing the public mind—let every Anti-corn-law Association
continue a pet severing activity—let the -.subscriptions
be resolutely maintained—let the lectures and the
tracts be multiplied—let Manchester maintain its post at
the head of the great league now organised to: obtain
justice for the people—let the constituency resolve to re-
turn no candidate who is a friend of the iniquitous bread
tax—let all these means be adopted, and we feel convinced
that the monopoly cannot be upheld many sessions, at least
without a very important modification.
(From the Morning Herald.)
Lord Ashley moved, last night, that "an humble ad-
dress be presented to her Majesty, to direct an inquiry
to be made into the employment of the children of the
poorer classes in the various branches of trade and maltiu-
facture in which numbers of children work together, not
being included in the provisions cf the Acts for regulating
the employment of children and young persons engaged in
factories, and to collect information as to the ages at
which they are employed, the number of hours they aro
engaged to work, the time allowed each day for meals,
and as to the actual state, condition, and treatment of
such children, and as to the effects of such employ-
ment, both with regard to their morals and their bodily
health." The speech of Lord Ashley was admirable, it
abounded in statements of fact, of the highest import-
ance ; and it was pervaded by a spirit of the most
profound wisdom. The treatment to which the children
employed in all the great branches of our manufactures are
suljected is a national disgrace. Their ease, their heaVh,
their comfort are utterly sacrificed ; and all these feariul
evils arc incurred in order to carry on a system of manu-
factures, which, the more it is extended, the poorer dues it
render the country ! In the crurse of the discussion, Mr.
Villiers and Mr. flume, while they admitted the evils
alluded to by Lord Ashley, took occasion to ascribe those
evils to the operation of the Corn-laws. It might puzzle
those gentlemen to account fur the startling fact, that the
slavery of factory children and of other children of equally
tender years is far more severe in those countries where
bread is cheap" than even in England with her much_
abused Corn-laws. The truth is, that the tendency of the
Corr, laws is to protect the labourer, and to enhance Ilia
value of his toil.