The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-07 00:00:00

SYRIA.

BEYROUT, JULY 24.—At a moment when Eastern
affairs still occupy a large share of the public attention,
the enclosed copy of a letter addressed by the British
merchants here to their Consul, relative to the working
of the new tariff in Syria, may not prove wholly
uninteresting to your commercial readers. The
letter is couched in general terms, but may be consi-
dered as expressing the pervading feeling here amongst
merchants, regarding the detrimental influence of the
tariff. England is blamed by all as having been the
first not only to frame the Convention, but also to in-
sist on its being put in vigour, and as many of the evils
and abuses which the new tariff has given rise to were
not contemplated when the Convention was framed, it is to
be hoped that the British authorities in Syria will do all
their power to bring about a speedy amelioration ; and
if the tariff itself cannot be annulled or greatly modi-
fied, and the old one established in its place, they ought
at least to see that the annoying and iniquitous abuses
now practised by the Turkish authorities be reformed.
As yet the Ottoman Government has neither abo-
lished nor modified any of the internal duties, whilst
it insists on exacting those
has so onerously increased on i w.hich the new tariff
ts foreign and domestic
commerce. Indeed, the Turkish system of Govern-
perversion. The hatti scheriff, which has
ment appears to be only one of venality, intrigue, op-
pression, and
been made such a sine qua non in Egypt, is either not

acted upon here, or it has produced no perceptible
reform in the civil administration of the Government.
Several changes of Custom-house officers have occurmd
since the new duties were levied, but every change seems
for the worse, and the present Director adds to other
grievances by his unbearable insolence of manner, and
apparently fanatical feeling.
The currency is in the greatest state of confusion and
derangement ; yet the efforts made by the local authori-
ties are so unenergetical, that no attempts at renovation
hitherto made by them have had any good result.
• It is impossible to divine the views which impel
the Ottoman Government to persist in such a state of
affairs, but it requires not the eye of a politician or
a statesmen to predict, that if sound and wholesome
reform be not at once introduced, we may soon look
for volumes on the " Decline and Fall of the Otto-
man Empire." Its ruin will inevitably be brought
about by civil warfare, if by no foreign Power. The
whole population of Syria is in a dissatisfied and ahnoit
rebellious state. It is said the Pasha of Damascus openly
displays his hatred of the English, and now refuses Co
give travelling firmans or passports to British officers
travelling in the country.

COPY OF A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE BRITISH CONSUL

AT BEYROUT BY THE BRITISH MERCHANTS THERE.

BEYROUT, JUNE 30, 1841.

SIR—We, the undersigned British merchants, have the
honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communi-
cation of the 24th inst., requesting a report upon the
working up to the present time, within our observation,
or to our knowledge, of " the commercial convention of
1838."

The new tariffof importduties, though not exorbitant, is
prejudicial to the interests of British merchants, since the
duties paid by the subjects of other nations are lower, and
to British commerce in proportion as the new duties ex-
ceed the old, the loss not being compensated for by the
abolition of any monopolies, as the produce of Syria has
for many. years been exempted from any heavy or re-
strictive interior taxes.

The exports of Syria, as compared with the imports, are
only very limited, consequently the difference must.
be made up in specie. The principal production
is silk, of which a small portion is consumed
in the country, and the remainder exported.—
As this is: an article of very expenaiye_production,-
and rarely produdes a profit proportionable to the labour
and risk of cultivation, it is natural to suppose that the
new duty of 12 per cent. imposed upon it will be the
cause of loss to the grower, who cannot be remune-
rated by the price it yields. The cultivation of
silk' in Europe having. been greatly extended, the
inferior qualities of Syrian silk are neglected by con-
sumers, who now only buy them at a heavy reduction
on former prices. The silks of Syria now pay an export
duty of twelve per cent, in lieu of half per cent., as
formerly paid, which in an equal proportion will diminish
the resources of the country in paying for its imports,
or, in other words, have a restrictive influence on its
foreign commerce, particularly with Great Britain.
These remarks do not apply to silk alone, but equally
to all articles of Syrian production and export.
It is well known that Syria has latterly furnished
grain only sufficient for its consumption during a portion
of the year, and is consequently forced to have recourse
to importation from other countries for the means of sub-
sistance. This article (as in all countries)can be paid for
only in cash, and, being charged with an exorbitant duty,
is another heavy drain on the resources of the country,
which is greatly augmented by the unjust and ruinous
duties levied upon grain transported from one part of
Syria to another. These imposts are highly detrimental
to the interests of the country and its commerce with
other nalions, and are the means of discouraging the ex-
tension of agriculture, for which the capabilities of the
country can scarcely be surpassed. The abolition of all
imposts on grain—particularly the production of the
country—would be attended with the most signal benefit
to the commercial resources of Syria.
Since the new treaty was put in execution, in the
month of March, it has had the effect either of suspend-
ing sales, or of forcing importers to submit to the loss
of the difference., betwixt the old and new duties,
which, consumers refusing to pay, consequently fait upon
goods imported. In exportation it has suspended trans-
actions, to the serious prejudice of both merchants and
producers, whO look forward to some amelioration of the
present system, as neither the producer nor the exporter
can support the new export duties, in the face of present
prices of Syrian exports in Europe.
In addition to the advantages of an increased rate of
import and export duties, we believe smuggling is car-
ried on to a considerable extent, and a large portion of
the British trade being now in the hands of the natives,
who consider it neither a crime nor even disreputable to
be engaged in smuggling, or using means to avoid pay-
ing the dotiea according to the new scale, they have an
advantage over' the fair dealer beyond what many would
consider possible.
In conclusion, we may remark, that British mer-
chants in particular suffer from this state of things, be-
cause the subjects of other nations who have not accept-
ed the new tariff can buy and sell on conditions which
would leave a loss to the British trader.

We have the honour to be, very respectfully, Sir,
Your most obedient humble servants.
To Niven Moore, Esq., her British Majesty's
Consul, &c., Beyrout.