The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-29 00:00:00

THE AVERAGES.

In two former numbers we exposed the manoeuvres
by which a few speculators were raising the average
price of corn, for the purpose of lowering the duty on
foreign grain iu bond. We showed that those opera-
tions were carried on chiefly in London, where prices
had advanced ten and fifteen shillings a quarter, whilst
in the markets of Kent and Essex, whence the London
supplies are derived, no rise in prices had taken
place ; and whilst in Mark-lane double the ordinary
amount of business was doing we enumerated several
large towns from whence no returns had been made !
We explained by facts and figures how completely the
supply of food for the people was at the mercy of a
few gamblers. The result has shown at once the
power of the London dealers over the averages, and
the utter worthlessness of the present law to the
farmer. At the very moment when the latter was
gathering in his crops, the speculator contrived to lower
the duty to the nominal rate of 2s. Bd., and thus
liberate nearly a million quarters of foreign corn from
bond, just in time to forestall the protected British
farmer in his own market !

No sooner was this operation upon the corn-market
made public, than the upholders of the present Corn-
law raised a cry against it. Admirable consistency, to
find fault with the effect of the very system which they
had themselves panned and passed into a law! Mr.
Handley, one of the South Lincolnshire Members (a
supporter of the inhuman bread tax, yet calling himself
Liberal!) published a letter, stating that " several large
houses in the corn trade have combined and subscribed
to make forced purchases for the purpose of reducing
the duty." And some of the Newspapers in the interest
of the landlords actually charged the Anti-Corn-law
party with being at the bottom of the plot ! The
Standard and Post must surely speculate largely on the
gullibility of the farmers, to imagine that they will
follow so false a scent. No. no ; the gamblers who can
work the averegas as they please—they into whose
pockets the sliding scale puts iniihors—will flyer be
found in the ranks of the repealers.

We believe that, with scarcely an exception, the
great corn dealers are in favour of the present law ;
and judging from the proceedings of the last month,
they have very good reasons for supportieg it. Looking
back to the evidence of 1836 before the Committee of
the House of Commons, we find our eminent friend,
Mr. Joseph Sturge, alone advocating nature's Corn-
law—freedom of trade in the article of food with every
market of the globe. That excellent man and S:r
Joshua Walmsley arc, we believe, almost the only large
corn 'dealers who have prominently aided the Anti-
Corn-law party. No, no ; let the cap he rightly fitted.
The sliding scale belongs to the landlords and the corn
speculators, both parties professing to support the pre-
sent Corn-law for the like disinterested object. the pro
teetion of the farmer and labourer.—Anti Corn-Law
Circular.

We have heard from Ludlow that a pair of
stockings. presumed to belong to Misters, charged with
the attempt to murder Mr. Mackreth, have been found
within the last day or two in the msttress of the bed in
which the prisoner slept,— Worcester Herald.
Private George Bennet, of the Ist Dragoons, is
about to be discharged. fie is the last man left (except
the Quarter-matter) out of 450 who served with the regi-
ment at Waterloo, where 97 of his comrades were kited
and 98 wounded. lie was born in the regiment, and weal s
four rings for good conduct —United Service Gazette.
It has been decided that Drury Lane is to open
next week with Concers &Hirer; and, as at present
known, it is Mr. Eliason's intention to have the German
Opera probably bef .re or soon after Christman.
M. Liszt, in passing through Bonn the other
d, paid the sum of 10.060 francs as. part of his promised
munificent donation toward:, the monument of Beethoven,
BRUSSELS, SEPT. 2G.—On account of the
September fete, the Courier Belge of this diite is not pub_
lisped. The Monaca). Beige has no news different from
that of the Courrier Bflye of Friday ; and the pikes of the
funds are only for the 2.Lit.