The Sun.
London, England, 1823-07-04 00:00:00

-HOUSE OF COMMONS.

. Mr. BANICES moved for a Select Committee to examine
into the progress which had been made up to the present time
in forming a general index to the journals of the House.
'*lr. HUM E, as an amendment, moved an additional in 2,,
struction to the Committee—That they should inquire how'far.
any improvement could be made in the present method of en.
grossing. Bills, with a view to facilitate the business of the
H oust.
Mr. BANKES said that there was no affinity between the
amendment and the original motion.
Mr. WYNN submitted, with a view to futurity, that the old
letter in which the Bills were now written out, wits more likely'
to be legible 200 years hence than the Italian band in general
use at present. The ordinary writing-hand was subject to
much variation ; the old letter used in the Bills .would be sub-
ject to no variation at all.
Mr. RICARDO thought the time would hardly pme,when
the common Italian hand now in use would be unintelligible.
The change suggested by the Hon. Member for Aberdeen,
would save considerable expence, and , very much expedite the
dispatch of business.
Mr. HUMP, said that if his amendment was opposed, he
would withdraw it. ,The subject, however, seemed to him of
so.much consequence, that he should give notice of a distinct
mosion,npon it form-morrow (this day.)

MANUFACTURE OF STRAW IMTS.
M ACQUE EN presented a Petition from the Inhabitants
of ,Dunstuble, praying for a protection against the importation
of foreign Strawoplut.
Another Petition .to the same effect was presented from
Luton, • in Bedfordshire.
Lord W. RUSSELL presented It similar Petition front' 6,000
persons' at Leighton Buzzard,. in Bedfordshire, stating their
distress in consequence of the importation.

CLOTHING OF 'THE ARMY.
*.-ISIr.:IIUME moved for a Report of the last contract entered
into foi supplying the navy with. alops. His object was to re:
move an impression which had got abroad, that the clothing
issued to the men.waa not good enough for the price at which tt
was charged.
DIVISION OF THE COUNTY CORK.

. Mr. GoiMBURN, moved for leave to bring in a
divide the county of Cent. .:The object of the Bill was u truly
Irish one.--it was to give the county five quarter-sessions in the
year. This measure was brought forward with a view to expo-
OWN; the trial of offenders.—Leave
_given.
IRELAND .
" Mrr 'BROUGHAM wished to bring in a Bill to correct a
defect. in the law of Ireland ; and•lt would be a great conve-
nience to him it'he was allowed to bring it in without formally
moving for leave. Previous to the Act the 21st Geo. 11. there
were various corporations in Ireland, In which,' by actual or
presumptive charter,' no person could be a burgess unless he
was a resident,' aid the nuMber. of Protestants resident (none
but Protestants being then admissible) were so few at the date
of the Act to which he alitided,!'that. the 'charters were in dim-
ger of being forfeited for want of assertion. To prevent that'
consequence, and under those particular circumstances, the sta-
tete of the 21st Geo. 11. was passed, which enabled non-resi-
dents to he burgesses. As that Act,hOwever, ire feet abrogated
every charter in Ireland, and as there 'was no longmany need
of it—for Catholics were now admissible, and there were, be:
sides, a sufficient number of resident Protestants—he (Mr.
Ilroughanq wished to bring in a Bill for its repeal. The Bill
would,-of course, make residency again a necessary qualifica-
• tau.'lie-withed,only to .bring it in and have it printed, and
then let it stand over till nextSession.—Leave given.
MARRIAGE OF .ENGLISH CATHOLICS.
Dr. PHILLIMORE moved,for leave to bring in a Bill to
amend the law with respect to the Marriages of English Roman
Catholics. As the law now stood; 'Roman Catholics, after being
married by a Clergyman of their own persuasion, were bound
to have the ceremony again performed in a Protestant Church.
To those who were scrupulous, this was an offence, anti he
wished to place the Catholics of' England-upon the same fboting
(as to this point) with the Catholics of Ireland. Ills idea was
this,---that the bans should be published in a Protestant Church,
and that afterwards, upon certificate of the bans produced, the
marriage might' be solemnized by a Roman Catholic Clergy-
man. -Relied a further object in the Bill which he proposed
bringing in: which was to make ft certificate front a Roman
Catholic Priest sufficient to compel the registry of a child by a
Protestant Clergyman.—Leave was given to bring in the Bill.
ROM AN CAT 1 IOLIC CH A BITABLE ENDOW-
MENTS.
Sir 11. PARNELL, in' bringing forward bitmotion on this
subject, declared that theidegratied state as to--The education of
the people of' Ireltuawaiiin a great measure owing'to thtroper-
ation of that law which prevented Roman Catholics from en-
dowing schools and other charities. Ile conchidcd by moving
for leave to bring in a bill to enable Roman Catholics to exe-
cute gifts and grants for pious and charitable uses, in the same
mariner as Protestant dissenters are enabled ,to make gifts,
grants, and legacies, for such purposes.
Mr. GOULBURN would not.object to'bringing in the bill,
but he thought it would not be poinble to make much progress
with it in the present Session.—Leave was obtained to bring in
the bill.
Mr. FORBES moveil.an address to the Crown, praying that
Mere be laid before Parliament a copy of the instructions given
• by Lord Bathurst to Governor Bigg, on MS proceeding to as-
sume the Government of New *lath Wales.—Ordered.
'rice Report of the Law Merchants' Bill was recommittedo
Same verbal alteratiorok, :were effected. The - House mimed,
'Ob.m- amendments woo 'ltigNed.t.o,, and the 13111 was ordered to-
Is: read a third time to.morrow.
. true' ,' BARON O'GRADY. _ -

ticeTiiouse resolved itself 1
into a Cipromittee on the charges against the Chief 'Baron.-
tts:. itßili,tnoved the fourth ItesolutiOn which'embodied
the' allegationa of the Reports of the CenimAtee, andthose of
the CommiasiOn respecting the alteration directed by the Chief'
Baron, to take die tees. in the Exchequer in lingibM, instead of
Irish currency, according t antecedent practice. •
A desultory
.discussion ensued, in which Mr. Canning, Capt.'
O'Grady, Mr; It. Smith, Mr. thoilbitrn, Mr. Wynn.. anti the
tiolicitor.General took part, and which was terminated by Mr.
16. Rice withdrawing the Resolution.
The fifth Resolution was•then.put, and carried.
The sixth resolution was then ronved,'which stated that the.
Chief Baron had altered the practice of the Court, by directing
the fees payable on decrees to be paid at the time of. Setting
downilie-eauses, the consequence of .which had been that he,
had received the fees- in 4711 causes, while decrees had been pro.

',v.,. • •••,.-- • __
nounced only in 344.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL proposed to qualify the
statement contained In this-resolution, which was more exten-
sive than even theseportauthorized. That had only charged
the Chief Baron with takinglarger fees than were lrgal ; but
this went to accuse him of having exacted them in ,CaSeliwhere
they had not existed previously. The total amount,of the fees
illalcd to by this resolution did not exceed two•guineas in
each term. Me suggested to his Honourable Friend (Mr. S.
Rice) whether; under these circumstances, it would not be.
tu Add some words to the effect that fees to a small
amount bad bee n received, but without the knowledge of the
Chief •Baron.
After a short conversation between Mr. WETHERELL, Mr.
Sarmr, and Mr. S. IttcE, the latter Gentleman agreed
to
omit the statement of the number of causes, and to retain that 1
:part of the resolution-which declared that the Chief Baron hadi

altered -the 'make of 'the Court as to The period for per :tent of,
the fees.
The resolution so altered was then carried.
Mr. HUME wished to know what, swsp.his Non. Primed
(Mr. Rice) meant to pursue.. It would be improper, he thought,
to leave these Resolutions as a dead letter upon the Journals.
At the same time he thought this neither a case.for an address
for a removal, or for an itnpeachment.. 'What, then, were they
to do ? For his own part, although he was not prepared to jus-
tify the course taken by the Chieflieron, yet4re was equally
unprepared to proceed to any course of ulterior severity. if
the Chiefiudge of the Irish Common Pleas (who was upon
this questionnf fees equally culpable) witwonortabe-called to
account,fordtis-tonduct in such matters, with what justice could
'they proceed. a severe manner against Chief Baron O'Grady?
He concluded by proposing a resolution ,declaratory of the
course already taken by the House, and declining to proceed
farther as the case now stood. .
. After a few words in explanation from Mr. KRta,
M. C. H. HIJTCHINSON strongly objected to the course
pursued towards the Chief Baron in this case. They ought not
to Imply criminality where thex had declined adopting the only
course which could put the subject upon a faiihearmg, enabling
the individual accused'to be heard fully in his defence.

Mr. WETHERELL concurred, entirely in the .impropriety
of -adopting a course which implied 'criminality, where no pre-
vious inculpatioAhatl been sufficiently established. if a man
were attacked in a criminal Court, the party prosecuting must
proceed with the accusation. Why should .Varliament.adopt a
Rifrerunt course ? Why should they agree te.a soitien of :reso-
lutions which neither pledged the House, nor any indirillual
Member of-it,- to proceed one step further? The resbltitions
implied criminality, and he could not seer them to. be placed
on the Journals without a distinct pledge was..given that they
would, without delay, be followed up. lie could not content to
leave the business in the way which was now proposed. •
placed the character and.conduct of the Chief Baron in.an
cgtii
vocal light, even *ith reference to that House; but'out of it,
amongst those who had no opportunity of considering the-case,
those resolutions must be viewad an crtminating the Chief Baron
of the Irish Exchequer.
Mr. Secretary CANNING was of opinion that.those Gentle-
men who opposed the present course of proceeding took the most
ofectual means of preventing their arrival at that which they
stated to be their great object, namely, a plain decision of the case
by the House of Commons. In his view.of thenuention the reso-
lutions might to be reported ; and on that report every individu-
al would have an opportunity of stating his opinion.. Ile thought
that it, was extremely proper that the matter. contained in the
reports of the Commissioners of Inquiry, as swell in the re•
ports of two Committees of that Douse, should have .been
brought before. a. Committee of the .whole,House, because the,
charges were .in consequence reduoad to a clear and tangible
shape. As the charges stood in the reports he had alluded to,'!
they were so scattered. and dispersed, . that it was difficult to
make a direct defence against them : bu tt he .resolutions brought
the whole of the charges to one point, and the Learned lndi-
viand who Arcs implicated in thew proceedings was thus
enabled to shape . his defence in a clear and intelligible way.
The whole.-course:cf the proceedings ,of that House was in
favour otthat line which had been pointed out to them by the
lion. Member for Limerick ; and it was calling on them to
unravel their awn web, if, havinrbrought the question to. its
present shape—having placed the charges in a clear point of
view, they were asked to abandon that straight-forward course
they had hitherto taken.
After a few words from Mr. Hu stE, Mr. CANICHIG, and
Mr. WETHERELL,

Captain O'GItADY shortly addressed the Committee, and
expressed his anxiety to have a vote on the subject then before
Parliament, convinced as he was, that 'that vote would be
in perfect accordance with his own feelings. He did not blame
those by whom this investigation was instituted ; hut he
had to complain that this was the third year during which the
charge had been; preferred ; and he begged of Gentlemen to
look about them; and to ask their own hearts, whether such a
House as was now• assembled was a fit one in which to decide

this question ? He should be sorry that the Resolutions should
be lost in so thin a Hottstrusthat. Let the question be brought
forward in a full HOUsei anti let the conduct of the Chief Baron
be fairly investigated. ,flevas convinced that if due consider:.
ation were given to the subject, and given to it by such a Houstt
as be had alluded to, every shadow of imputation .would .be re
moved from his character. It was most unlit that, year after year,'
imputations should be left hanging over the character of the
Chief Baron of Ireland ; and therefore he was anxious for in.:
vestigation as to the plain question of guilty or not guilty ;
beingTerfectly assured that the-verdict fur lino would be a
most triumphant one.
Mr. LOCKHART ,was of opinion, ,that when ,the noose
took up matters of this kind.; they ought to ,prueeed to their
immediate determination. 'They ,were not rupholding their
character for jillitiCe'hy entertaininiuthe samercharges'year after
year.
Mr-a". WILSON' said, if•the report of the resolutions were
received, it would, in his opinion, be necessary that the house
should express some opinion on those. resolutions.
Mr. S.RICH defended the course he had pursued.
After a few words from Mr. RicAttoh, the Clf At tt MAW
said he thought it was too late to propose the resolutions sug-
, gested by the Hon. Membet(Mr. Hume), in concurrence with
those which had been, already voted. The Hon. Member's re-
solutions, however, might be moved as an amendment.
After a few words from Mr. WETHERELL and Mr. CAN-
?awl, the House resumed.
The CHAIRMAN reported the original resolutions;ul the
report,was ordered to be received on Alonday next.
The Insolvent Debtorti` Bill was then discussed in a Com.
mittee of the whole House. After some conversation between
Mr. R. Smith, Mr. Bright, the Solicitor-General, Mr. T. Wil-
son, Mr. Lockhart, Mr. Hume, the Attorney-General, and Mr.
W. Courtenay, the several clauses of the Bill were agreed to ;
the House resumed, and the Report was ordered,to- be received
to4norrow.

EAST INDIA TRADE BILL.
On the motion of Mr. ,C. W. 'WY NN, that the Itottsedo re;
solve itself into a Cormnittee for further considering the report
of this Bill,
Mr. BRIGHT 4Thjerxd to the Bill. It ought, he observed,
to•have been brought in at an earlier period of the Session.—
If.the Bill were panned, it would have the etnet of opening the
trade in opium, ,so as to allow its importation to the West
Indies, than which nothing could be more destructive to those
Colonies. The.Hon.-Tilember then went on to object to other
parts of the Bill, and said he could not consent.to .its 'further
progress.
Mr. T. COURTENAY defended the Bill.
Mr. ROBEIt'rSON did not object to going Into the Com-
mittee; but pointed out several defects in the present column-
cial intercourse with India, and the.system 'tarried on in our
Engem Colonies.
WIGRAM supported the bill.
Mr. C. NV. WYNN defended the bill, and said that it was
no objection to it that opium might be introduced to the West
Indies; for, even if this bill didnet-pass, opium might be in-'
troduced to the West Indies front this country at the ptesent
day.
After re few words from Mr. Fountain support of the melt:
sure, and from Mr. T. VV,H.soikt; who complained that a part
of the bill would be injurious to the Shipping interest of this
country, the House went into the Committee., . •
Several clauses were then agreed to without discussion.—
Some verbal amendments were .matle in others ; and after
some discussion carried on between Messrs. AsTELL, Ito.
ItTSON, T. P. COURT EN AY, and FORBES, the House re-
sumed, and the Report was ordered 10 be received this day
(Friday).
The other Orders of the Day wercthen disposed of, and the
House adjourned at ll.a.t.far.taT Two .o'CLoctc.

PO Pratt NEW Curl it cit.—The ,Consecration of
the New Church of the Parish of All saints, Poplar, and the
adjoining burial.ground, took place yesterday, when the Bishop
of Losinow presided on the occasion. The new building itof
considerable elegance, and will accommodate about 1500 per-
sons. The Lord Bishop of LoamosT arrived at the northern
entrance of
received with the greatest respect by thousands of spectators,,
tbe Church-yard et half-past 11 o'clock, and was
who had assembled to witness.the•ceremony, and in the ^ll9Put
that some Members 'of the Royal Family would be present**,
Ills Lordship on his artful joined the procession, which ad-
vanced to the Church. The Church service havins been con.
eluded, the burial-gretintle svere.perambulated. Ms Lordship
retired to a tent prepared for his .reception, and the Procter
having presented.the deeds of .rt•twoyance,. he signed.und pro-
mulgated the sentence of consecration, and commanded it to
be recorded in his registry. The Children then aang the sth,
fish, and 7th verses of the ;kith Psalm, accompanied by an ex-
cellent. band of music. God rave Me King. followed, and the
other national air, Reid Britannia, concluded the ceremony.
The Gentletnen who formed the procession then adjourned to
the Rectory, and partook of refreshment. The health of the
Kilt° was proposed, and.the spectators joined rapturously in
the cheers.

DUEL.—Early yesterday morning an affair of
honour took place at ‘‘ orinwood Scrubby,
tween a 'MN HAYCHOFT and a Mr. Smtnt ; the
latter was slightly wounded in the right arm.
The dispute originated from a reflection Mr. S.
had made on the character of the Lady of
Mr. R.

PARIS PAPERS.

[Front the Illonitrnr of Tuesday, Julyl4
(oriolcw.
ARMY OF THIil PYRENEES.
BULLETIN.
" Iris Royal Highness has just been informed.
that the vanguard of Count Bordesoult was on,
the 18th at Utrere. Ile arrived there -him-
self on the 2lst. The rapidity
jof 'his move-
ment, combined. with that of Count Bourmont,
hindered the project which Lopez Banos had
formal, :oti arriving at Seville with 3 or 44.,p00
men, to join Villa Campa, and proceed to Cadiz.
For this purpose Villa Campa had already his
cavalry at Utrera, on the arrival of our vanguard ;
but on our approach `he retreated to Runde,
where he lies jbeets abandoned by his whole
troop, part of which have joined Count44erde-
sOult. Lopez Banos ut the same time evacuated
Seville on the 18th, in the morning, taking the
j direction of Buehle, where he thought'to embark
for Cadiz ; but Count Bordesoult being•informed
of his movement, pushed, on the 19th, his van-
guard, commanded by General Lauriston, to San
Lucar-leZlajos, where it came up with the
enemy's rear, took 350 prisoners, 22 of whom are
Officers, one a Brigadier-General, 400 horses,
1-10 .carriages. General Lauriston pushed him
about two leagues ; and we may believe that, but
for the fatigue of our horses, which had just
marched eight Spanish leagues, he would have
caused the enemy still greater losses."
(Then follow IlieJ,;inunes of some officers who
distinguished themselves).
44 We had 'some men wounded, but none dan-
gerously.
44 General Valli') 'having joined General Lan-
riston, has continued to pursue the enemy.; and
on the 23d he sent word that the cavalry of•
Lopez Banos had thrown itself into the moun-
taiiir to gain Badajoz, 'and that he hopes to de-
strorthe -rest of his column before it 'reaches
Huebla. 'General Bourmont, after +saving given
the troops some days' rest at Seville, and having
learned the result 'of the expedition of General
Vein'', will rejoin Count 'Bordesoult, whose van-
guard was at Xeres .on the .21st, and who would
himself arrive before Cadiz on the•23d.
" All the reports agree that that place, as well
as the-Isle of Leon, are destitute of subsistence ;
that the greatest confusion reigns among the re-
volutionarparmy, 7 or 8,000 men of which have
taken refuge there ; and that no preparations
for defence were made.
44 When Lopez Banes appeared before Seville,
the inhabitants resisted ; but that General
haying a pretty considerable force and artillery,.;
forced the entrance-: there were-some killed and
wounded on _both sides. Ile had imposed a heavy'
contribution on the city ; but he had only time
to carry off 200,000 francs, and a ,quantity of
clothing and shoes, of which hiskteoops were in
the greatest went; ,
" Count Bordesoult announces to his. Royal
Highness, that the inhabitants of the country
which he has just passed through, are animated
with She -same enthusiasm as those of the rest of
that teputies (rein the mountains of Bonda
have comae to hire to declare, that the authority.
of the King shall he Immediately recognized
there, and that the inhabitants are going tir take
firms to repulse all parties of the enemy.
" llallasteros, after having sent three batta-
lions to Alicant,chas gone with the rest .of his
troops .to the-kingdom of Murcia. Ile is Closely
persued by the second corps. ,
", His Serene flightless the •Prince of Hohen—
lobe reports to Isis Royal Highness, that on the
19th, at four in the Morning, the garrison of St.!,
Sebastian kept Up such a brisk fire from all the
batteries, that there 'was every reason to believe'
that it waited only till it shodhl have demolished
our pallisades, and caused diserder in
,our ranks,
to make a vigorous sally ; hut the attitude of our
troops such, that the enemy did nothing
inure than
cannonade,for afcouple of hours the
in Was ,
suburb Of St. Martin, Where two select companies
of the'sth light regiment and 17th of the line gave
striking proofs of their courage. We lost co-
body, but we had five wounded. Major-G'en.
Schaeffer, commanding.the blockade, whose dis-
positions on this occaSiou cannot be too highly
particularly .(names of officers),
aPtriadis.eodisol meit
calrirnbisneers Hoitienu and Maid, who,
though both dangerously wounded, did not cease
to.give proofs of their courage, and suffered am-
putation, crying 4 Vivo le
" Ileadivarters, Madrid, June 25,'1823.
" By order of his
-G
Royaifliglatesti the Major-General
Connt UI-UM I NOT."
[The oatieur ecintains else a Royal Ordinance of the 27th
af June, appointing Prefects to sittcen Departments:l
• [ From the Qxotidienne4
PARI3, Jert.y 1„.....ft is now very certain that the counter.
revolution is effected iti Portugal, but we have net yet sail-
dent details respectini the events which, accompanied it, to
judge of causes and e ects. In the narrative transmitted to us
in the klugliAl journals,' we see at least in ,words,_, certain con-
cessions which have afflicted the Royalists, and which they
would Wish to efface from the annals of Royalty. is it not
evident, as .we said some days since, that the jealous:Deity de.
sires to reserve to himself alone the care of reforming the world,
and that the present progress of imman.affairs is like a prodigy.
which is unceasingly renewed, and which rises far above all
human fragilities ? ()cid has, willed that Mite earth should be
drawn attecond time front chaos and all that has passed near
us, and at distance front us, is like another creation of the
world, in'which we ought to see nothing but divine will.
Purc JUNE 20.—A traveller, who has arrived from
'Barcelona,
states , that that City is still in the greatest agita-
don t and that the Constitutionalists/have encamped at the vil-
lage of Ortha, one hour's distance. It is stated, that if the
arrangements of a French Colonel had been seconded by the
Baron d'Eroles, neither Mina nor any of his troops could have
succeeded In reaching Urgel. '
JUNE 22.-1:0-day 2,000 French, and the battalion of Ito-
magosa, setout front hence;
they are marching towards La Seu
with 3,000 others
, who were at Belver with the Baron d'Eroles;
they intend to blockade and besiege La Sou.
UTRONA, JUNE 25—mina gone towards Lerida. The
Marshal Moncey having. received trio reinforcetnee.ta which he
expected, is about to march with all his army on Barcelona,
which will be invesuslon.the4th or 7th of July.--( Journal des
Debate.)
M. Le Marechal de Lauriston,as we have already announced,
takes his departure this week for Bayonne. It issaid-even that
lie will leave Paris within two days. During his absence the
business of the 'Annie yr of the household a his Majesty will
be administered by the Viscount de Semmes ; the Ordinances
will be -countersigned by the President of the Council.--(La
Quoadiennef)
A Toulouse Journal states that Portugal, after abolishing
the Constitution of the Cortes, has adopted without effusion of
blood, that of England,—(lbid.)
Count Abisbal arrived at Limoges on the 2'ld of June, and
hired wresidence in one of the faubourgs of that town.--1/bid.
Our 'Private Correspondence mentions the entrance into the
port of Barcelona of an English vessel, from which M. San
Altguel, late Minister otState at Madrid, disembarked, in or-
der, it is said, to take .the military command of that place.—
(Le Constitutknnel.)

RECIPROCITY OF DUTIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF. THE SUN.

Thursday, July 3, 1823.
Sitt—A. letter ou,lber.ebove subject, signed
J. IL, having appeered 'in "e columns of the;
.Nero Times oT Tuesday laSti,Pl was induced to.,
enclose-to thi: ~Editor of that Paper the accom-'
ploy reply, trusting to his impartial candour for
its fair insertion or absolute rejection. In his
Journal of this day he has thought proper to
publish a garbled extract of my letter, accom-
panied by an, explanatory remark,, intimating
that he has
,omitted " only the observations.
" which are purely personal."—But, aware of
the intention of the writer of the letter, and de-
sirous that those whom it was designed to inne-
r ence might be ,placed on their guard against the
consequences of the period of production, as well
as informed on the subject under consideration., I
felt and still`Ted 'the allusions thus unfairly ex-
eluded important to the due understanding of a'
question dearly interesting to the Public at
tarn, but'hitherto brought before their view
under circumstances calculated to preclude im-
partial decision—l have, therefore, now no re-
source but to throw myself and my argument,
with all its alleged personality, on your dispas-
sionate consideration, trusting to your pehlic
spirit and general fairness for the insertion in
your Journail of the whole letter.---I should not
be induced on my own account to make this re-
quest, but the cause I advocate must, I am con-
fident, sustain greater injury from the.ungenerous
inainuatiou of the Editor of the /Vim Times than
can possibly result from a public disclosure of
the facts on which his charge rests.
J. am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A REAL SHIPOWNER.

'RECIPROCITY OF DUTIES.
Tuesday, July 1, 1023.
TO THE'EDITOR OF THE "YEW TIMES."

SlR—From,the similarity of the manoeuvre practised, stil
more than from the initials affixed to the Communication in
your Paper of this day, on the subject of :the Reciprocity of
Duties' 13111, I am loud to infer the identity of your Correspond-
ent with *the Individual who eta recent public meeting con-
trived, by a ruse de guerre of a similar description, to convey
to the public his own sentiments on the same question, under
circumstances equally calculated to give them all the effect of
which they were susceptible, tut the same time that they effect-
ually precluded those who differed from him in opinion from all
beneficial opportunity of,correcting his mis-statements or con-.
futing liisurguments.
That your Correspondent, whether as an orator or an auther,l
is an able tactician I must, admit, and really must concede to
hint the credit of considerable ingenuity, for having, on the oc.'
casion to which I allude, 'contrived to engross for an hour and
a quarter the attention of a public meeting of mercantile men,
the business of which was not fairly opened till elate period of the
day, since by.this ingenious device it was absolutely impossible
for his opponents to think of attempting to detain those whom the
approach of `Change-time, and the hour of quitting town, 'im-
peratively called invay, by any such comprehensive reply as was
rendered requisite by the prolixity of his speech and the variety
of details it embraced. This imposiiihility procured for the
Individual in question the inestimable advantage of the puff.
direct on his oratorical talent in the Newspapers of the succeed.
ing morning, and the correct report of arguments which were'
e)ryrncuetfhoxpreeietl,histilcniet wolfiotlielotsiemwehaontairtereetendofrtn)mof
,unrefuteil, because unanswered—and unanswered, because the
.asrsiheelal ;ueker had l
7:r!tiel(:)ttelBiinsieotrllielyiittt"!
very y h be eh
hconsidered'sefia
tilriiattrenidcescawiriceichl
d
experienced front the meeting of Ship-Owners, at which no-
thing.but•that liberality of feeling he now thinks proper totally
to deny them, could have permitted his attendance, as he pub—
licly avowed that he himself was not a Ship-Owner.
'With equaliiiirnest does your Correspondent, now on the
very eve of the day on which the discussion on the Bill is to
take place, and when no reply 'tan of course 'he made till
after the question is decided, address to those who question
the policy of " War Ditties" (an expression which no one can
misunderstand), alengthy repetition of his arguments, seasoned
with a profusion of politic compliments on those Who agree.with
Ithei in opinion, anti rendered doubly piquant by the caustic
severity with which lie treats theunfortunate Ship-owner, anti
the contemptuous triumph ,withavhieh he ridiculeshis " gloomy
predictions," and laughs at his groundless alarms.
But though thus debarred from any practical -adiantage to
be derived from a reply, the strong desire I feel-that whatever
the Legislature may decide, the public should be aware that"
this interesting question may be. viewed iu a light very different'
from that 'in which it has reathed them through the medium
of Speeches at the London Tavern, wad the Letters of J. B.
induces me to claim from yourimpartiality the opportunity of
offering some remarks in answer to thailetter. Viridian far.
titer exordium, therefore, .1 shrill proteed to grapple with the'
Leading arguments advanced.
In considering ibis question, I am spared much urgument
by the concession made in the early,part of theletter, that " if
the adoption of the princiPle" against which J. H. contends,
" could secure to British shipping the monopoly or carriage,
we ought not to reject it." The paramount importance of
maintaining the British carrying trade is thus plainly admitted;
ywhic be no longer
front which admission it follows, that notedly should that prin-
ciple be adopted which will securous. the monopoly of carnage,
followedmono h will polh
practicable, t t h a t i
thattlie maintenancesyst
?io
shooolfd
se-
curethat to us the largest portion of it,; since, if the undivided
possession of that which is allowed to be essential to our
security be .impracticable, sound policy imperatively dictates
that we should retain as much as circumstances will perniit. The
broad argument than hinges on this point—Supposing the adop.
Lion by foreign nations of the precise spirit of our Navigation
I la wa, should we, under the nature of the intercourse that would
then arise, lose a larger proportion of our carrying trade (while
we continued to secure to ourselves the monopoly of importa-
tion for our own consumption), than would result from a free
admission ofiforeign shipping to participation in that trade, on
condition of British shipping being allowed a similar participa.
tion in the carrying. trade of foreigners ? By keeping the mind
steadily fixed on this qaestion, and disentangling it from the
web of confusion which sophistry and misrepresentation have
artfully spur. around it, I feel confident that a conclusion very
different from the inferences of J. H. will be rendered ap.
parent.--This line of arguMent is not only .more plain and
intelligible, but hears more immediately on the intention of
the Bill under consideration, which is, the reciprocal abro-
gation of all protecting .duties on freight. When national
policy has imposed a duty oh foreign produce for the protection
of native industry, it is reasonable to imagine that such duty
will give rise to retaliatory measures on the part of those
against whom the imposition is levelled ; the exports and irn,
ports of produce being in such Me supposed to be relatively
equal in value, this War of Dudes becomes the unnecessary
means of raising the price to the consumer, and its abrogation is
tin act of real and valuable reciprocity. Thus far I agree with
my opponent. —But in the article of freight, the only article
to be affected by the " Reciprocity of Danes" Bill, the analogy
no longer holds good. The relative value of exports and imports
'no longer bears on the question ; bulk alone, constituting
the employment of tonnage, is the real consideration. In this
view Great Britain cannot equally give and receive; she is (if I
:may be allowed the expression) a larger consumer of freight
than any other nation whatever : perhaps than all other Eu.
ropean nations iu .the aggregate. For her then to admit the
foreigner to participation in her carrying trade by the abo.
lition of her protecting duty on native freight, on condition
of admission to participation in foreign freight, is no longer
an act of pure reciprocity, leaving both parties under the
effect of the abrogation in the same situation as under the
system of duty which is the case with respect to goods ; but
is a surrender without an equivalent of that advantage,
which the smallness of her territory, the density and wealth
of her population, and the bulky nature of her importations,
as a manufacturing nation, conspire to affbrd her. Avail-
ing herself of this advantage, she protects domestic freight
by an additional duty on foreign freight—an act of unquation.
able policy and undeniable right; all that foreigners are in this
case entitled to do, consistently with the spirit of equitable re-
taliation, is to protect similarly their own freight ; but to en-
deavour to force us by duties not on freight .hut on tonnage,
which for the reasons before stated is unfavourable to us, to
give them that which they cannot, were they inclined, yield to us
in return, is no act of fair reciprocity calculated to advance the
mutual interests of two trading communities, but an unfriendly
exertion of mercantile aggression, and an insolent attempt to
interfere with our national policy, which is not even specious
enough to account for the extraordinary circumstance of the

'Bitlint.mded to tiny their Wishesinto effect, being termed by
British Statesmen-- i-A Reciprocity cif Duties Bill."
This consideration, that the protecting duty at present pro-
posed to be abolished is simply a protetting duty on freight, and
not on goods, affords a reply to many vf the arguments brought
forward in the letter of your Correspondent, and renders•many
of the remainder inapplicable.; thus, the fact ofthe small abso-
lute amount of some of the flutica,is urged as n proof that the
assertion of the superior cheapness ;at which foreign shipping
can be built and navigated, must be unfounded, or they would
engross the trade; but when we ate told that this additional
duty is, Orraimber, 35. per register ton,
_ it is, in fact two shillings
and ninepenie per load ; it must be remembered, that this
duty, which-on the price of the timber in this country would
not exceed 24 per cent..—is; on the freight to which alone it ap-
plies, no less than about 11 per cent, an insufficient protection,
it is true, as is abundantly proved froM the increase of foreign
tonnage employed in itsimportation, and .the ruinous depression
of • the British Shipping Interest, but not the inconsiderable one
attempted to be insinuated.
'I pass over the argument respecting the inability of the British
Ship-Owner to compete with the foreigner, as inapplicable to the
course of reasoning I adopt, which is, that the proposed mea-
site is not one of reciprocity; assuring my opponent, however,
that I ern fully prepared to substantiate that inability from which
1 merely at present abstain from unwillingness to occupy your
columns with cliscusiiion on the policy of ado2ting the system of
reciprocity, while considering a particular measure, which it is
my object to prove does not embrace the principle it assumes ;
but I trust, should it be necessary, I shall hereafter be allowed
to advert to the extraordinary nature of the evidence on which
the assertion of our having nothing to fear from foreign eompe-
, tition is grounded, which I feel convinced of being enabled
satisfactorily to refute. From the same motives, I shall not
enlarge on the inconsistency of the statement that " the recom-
inendationa of the Foreign Trade Committee never had the
good fortune to meet the approbation of the Ship-Owner,"
with the eulogy on Mr. NVallace, said at the time to lie most
numerously signed by Ship-Owners, from which one would be
almost led to infer that Gentlemen assume or disclaim the cha-
racter, as may suit the particular object in view. I forbear to
insist on the actual verification of the gloomy predictions of the
Ship-owners, in the ruined state of their property, wholly unpro-
ductive of income; or the partiality, if not inaccuracy of some
of the returns; or on the unfortunate selection of our trade with
America as an illustration of the benefits to be expected front
the general adoption of a principle, under the operation of which,
whether in consequence of it or slot, we have lost the bulk of
our carrying trade with that country. But I cannot suffer to
pass'utinoticed the assertion, that" Ship-owners have stated that
if the duties on the materials employed: in shipbnilding are re-
mitted, they have nothing to fear from competition," because I
know that no such statement has ever been made by the Ship-
owners ; and it is the pure result of a total misapprehension of
that which the Ship-owners' Petition actually expresses, viz.—
" An earnest hope that the Legislature will . discountenance
every measure calculated to deprive British Shipping of pro-
tection from foreign competition, until it can be relieved trom
the burthens and restrictions to which it is at present subject."
I would twin hope that the misstatement Is unintentional,
but the ingenious calculation funneled on it is really rather a
flight on Icarus' wings from the regions of sober and arithme-
tical calculation, by which your Correspondent is distinguished-
Trusting lie will be more cautious in his future facts before he
builds on them such a structure of hypothetical reasoning,
I remain, Mr. Editor,
Your obedient Servant,
A REAL SIIIP-OWNER.