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

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MINING JOURNAL.

Carlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, August 16.
Sir—One fact is worth a thousand theoretic argu-
ments, and, most assuredly, the fact I am 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 12,000/. more, out of its very
limited income of about 300,00 a. 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 over here, 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 off*. 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. Ifs. Sd. sterling per ton, delivered at Mannheim,
near this place, and obtained the order, rhilst 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 off" against our nefarious
Corn-laws. This is only a sample, but a most striking
and convincing one, of what our British legislators in
particular, and the system of miscalled " protection"
generally, are doing tor 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 8/. Iss. per ton, and on the Ist
of January next the tolls on the Rhine, on all British
goods, will be increased 13s. 4d. per ton above the pre-
sent rates. Tours, respectfully,
SEPII JOHNSON, of Liverpool.

—Mining Journal.

HOP INTELLIGENCE._WORCESTER, AUG.
28.—The fine warm weather of the last four days has had
a most beneficial effect upon the Ilop crop, which is vi-
sible throughout the whole plantation, and the prospect
is now very gratifying to the growers, who began to be
fearful that the crop would not only prove deficient in
quantity, but inferior in quality ; they are now, howe-
ver, sanguine.of realizing a full crop ; and should the
present weather continue a few days longer, the sample
will be of first-rate quality. There is nothing doing on
the duty to-day, but opinions r,re in favour of 19,000/.
Good 'lops are still in do wand, but inferior samples are
quite unsajeable,