The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-02 00:00:00

FREE TRADE.

At a period when the attention of Parliament is di-
rected to the principles of free trade, with reference to
the admission of foreign corn and other products, the
letter of a correspondent, which we purpose embodying
in our remarks, may be considered opportune, as afford-
ing evidence of the support given by other Governments
to their home manufacture over that of foreign produc-
tion. We are not prepared to enter into the question,
or to determine that the present Corn-laws have or have
not produced the effect complained of—that of a pre-
ference being given by the Grand Duchy of Baden to
the ironmasters in the Prussian dominioni over those of
England and Wales, but • that the point raised by our
correspondent may be better understood, we here insert
his communication: -
TO THE EDITOR OF TILE MINING JOURNAL.

Carlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, August 16.
Sir—One fact is worth a thousand theoretic argu-
ments, and, most assuredly, the fact lam now about to
state, will fully bear out the adage. The Grand Duchy
of Baden, one of the Germanic States, has this day de-
cided to give for 4,000 tons of iron rails, to two Prussian
ironmasters, upwards of 12,0001. more, out of its very
limited income of about 800,00 CL per annum, than the
same were offered to be supplied for by the British iron-
masters. This contract has been advertised, and handed
about Europe for the last six weeks, and twenty-eight
tenders were sent in from England, Wales, Scotland,
Austria, Prussia, France, and • Belgium. Such of the
parties tendering, who chose to come ovet hera, were
allowed to be present this day,
.when the respective ten-
ders were opened by a Government officer, in the Go-
vernment-office, and read aloud. The most rigid,
honourable, and scrupulous impartiality was observed,
and the offer accepted was the joint one of M. Hoesch,
whose works are near the banks of the Rhine,
not far from Coblentz, and Mr. Springfelt, whose
establishment is near Aix-la-Chapelle. These par-
ties, having no duty to pay, agreed to supply the
whole of the rails, the delivery extending over 1843 !
at 131. I Is. Bd. sterling per ton, delivered at Mannheim,
near this place, and obtained the order, -whilst the same
might have been obtained, of at least equal quality, 'and
from two British houses of unquestionable respectability,,
at 101. 10s. per ton, if imported duty free—the State
thus taxing itself to the amount of upwards of 12,0001.,
to support and " protect" the interests of "'domestic
manufacturers," as a " set-•otf" against Our nefarious
aCnodr n-1
convincingas 'T isnehois, of I
what ou
cillYasa-mprle' but a' most' striking
British legislators in
particular, and the system of miscalled •" protection"
generally, are doing for our English manufacturers and
artisans. I know your unwillingness to admit party po-
litics into your columns, and will, therefore, not pursue
the subject further, but content myself with asking the
favour of your earliest insertion of this " plain un-
varnished tale." I will just 'add, that the import duty-
here,- on small bar-iron, is 81. 15s. per ton, and on the Ist
of January next the tolls on the all British
goods, will be increased 13s. 4d. per ton above the pre-
sent rates. - • Yours, respectfully, • • •
JOSEPIr JOHNSON, of Liverpool.
—Mining Journal;

The Duchess of. Kent steamer left Ramsgate on
Tuesday morning at nine o'clock with about 200 paSsen-
gers, met with'an accident soon afterwards, and her ma-
chinery- got out Of order. The vessel came up a great
part of the voyage with wily one engine going, the
other being totally disabled, and she made a tedious
passne of eleven hours before she made her appear-
ance at London-bridge-wharf, where she landed her
passengers a' few minutes past eight o'clock at night.
The detention of the Duchess of Kent, which is one of
the 'most ,regular steamers on the Thames, and gene-
rally makes the voyage between London and Ramsgate
in six or seven'hours, cussed some &arm among the nu-
merous Persons waiting for their friends and relatives on
the wharf:
ACCIDENT At' Tiit NEW HOUSES OF PAR..
mENT.—yesterday AxkortiOv shout half-past seven,
as George Butler, 41410444 labourer, was at work at
the building of the new'llouses ofParliament, a mass of
stone, weighing between three and tit- tons, fell upon
him ; he was with much- i:liff}stuo;extricated from un-
derneath the ponderous load; alicl was' found to be dread-
fully injured, particularly his rigikt arm, whiAxia so se-
verely shattered, that it is grea;ly fetql4tl amputation will
become neeess•try. Ile reaiovecl toprootminswr
Hospital.