The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-30 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL TREATIES.

The delays and disappointments which have invariably
attended the commercial negotiations and commercial
treaties undertaken or concluded of late years between
the British Government and foreign Powers, have
thrown a good deal of unmerited distrust upon that
mode of extending the trade and manufactures of this
country. That distrust, ought more properly to be
attached to the department by which these matters have
been so grievously mismanaged ; and the failure of our
previous attempts is so manifestly attributable to an
imperfect acquaintance with the subject, or gross volun-
tary neglect of the best opportunities, that these exam-
ples prove nothing against the advantages which a.more
active and enlightened system might assuredly confer re-
ciprocally upon ourselves and our Allies.
The great basis upon which the whole fabric of
commercial intercourse rests, is the growing and ever-
unsatisfied wants of civilized men. The more the
globe is explored, occupied, and peopled, the more need
is there of those productions of nature and of art which
are indispensable to the life and happiness of mankind.
Great Britain is, of all the nations in the world, best
fitted to supply this demand, by the extent of her own
productive dominions, by the power of capital, which
is ever seeking for investment in every shape of enter-
prise abroad and at home, by the energy and skill of
her industrious population, and by the strength and
numbers of her maritime power.
Hence it follows, that Great Britain has a larger
share of commercial advantages to offer than any other
nation.
m i
She has it in her power to assist by the legiti-
ate nfluence of commerce the prosperity of every
other nation, to open wide markets for their internal
produce, to raise their revenues by increasing the de-
mand for colonial produce and cheap manufactured
goods—in a word, to apply her own mighty commercial
machinery to the development of resources in other
countries which are as yet unknown to themselves and
useless to the world.

It may be inferred from the ini,ifferent success of our
negotiators, that they have seldom held this language.
We arc looked upon in Europe as a nation
of merchants, supplicating for privileges we will
not grant to others, and seeking to reap where
we have not sown. At other times reports
have been made by the commercial agents of
Downing-street, framed to suit some party purpose at
home, and intended to assail the defects of our own
commercial legislation, rather than to explain the real
condition Of foreign countries. The result has been,
that the British Government, with an undoubted power
of conferring the greatest benefits by a fair system of
commercial intercourse, and able to outbid every other
nation in supplies, in capital, and in navigation, has been
baffLd in the paltry attempts which have been ostenta-
tiously announced from time to time as boons to British
industry.
The consequence has been, that the Austrian Treaty,
not having been combined (as bad been intended by
the sagacious Minister of that empire) with the
negotiations then pending, but abruptly concluded
at . Constantinople, and having been framed with
an entire oversight of sonic very important ele-
ments in the relations between the two countries,
has given no proofs of vitality except in the Bill of
indemnity which was brought into Parliament last
Session to rectify its illegality. The Turkish treaty,
as we showed to demonstration some months ago, had
the effect of creating insurmountable restrictions on
British commerce in some parts of the Ottoman em-
pire, whilst it professed to remove those restrictions in
all. The Neapolitan treaty, which was a fair specimen
of what might be done all over the world by the in-
fluence of common sense, was disavowed and smothered
by Lord Palmerston. The French treaty, after years of
fruitless negotiation, was at last brought to the eve of
completion, when it was frustrated by political occur-
rences, although we venture to affirm, on very good
French authority, that if the matter had been urged as
it might have been by Lord Palmerston, that treaty
would have been signed before our relations with France
had chanced to be put in jeopardy, and would conse-
quently have afforded an additional pledge of peace to
the mercantile communities in both countries. The
inquiries made by Dr. Bowring as to the German
Customs Union appear to have been attended with no
result, and the periodical revision of that system is
allowed to pass without any improvement of our rela-
tions with the large communities which constitute the
League ; whilst, instead of making:the:most of the supe-
rior liberality of the tariff of Hanover and the northern
German States not belonging to the Prussian Union,
we raise objections to the Static dues, which involve no
real principle or example of commercial legislation. If
it be an object with us to stand upon a bLtter footing
with the great German League, the obvious method is to
confer advantages worth having on those States which
have refused to belong to it. Our present tariff, with
all its inconsistencies and injudicious duties, at least en-
ables us to cede with a good grace upon points which
are a positive restriction to other countries, although
they only act as a negAive and unproductive restriction
to ourselves.

It appears from the evidence collected by the Com-
mittee of the House of Commons on import duties, that
there are 516 articles in our tariff which produce on an
average 1:39/. each to the annual customs revenue
Ten articles produce upwards of 100,0001. and below
500,0001. Nine produce upwards of 500,000/. each,
but these nine articles produce collectively 18,575,0711.
out of the 9.2,122,0951., which is the total amount of
duties collected. In short, those nine articles, being
all of primary necessity and vast corsumption, are the
grand source of our national income : a slight propor•
tionate increase or falling-off in them is of moreim-
portance than all that happens to the other 854 taxed
articles put together. The object of the imposts on the
former is revenue ; that of the imposts on the latter, a
costly and injudicious system of protection, frequently
amounting to virtual prohibition :
But although we admit that there is ample room for
the revision and improvement of our own tariff, we do
not adopt the sweeping measure of reform recommended
by the Import Duties Committee. Example may be
one mode of forcing open foreign markets, but negotia-
tion is another ; and in treating of these matters it is
not unworthy of consideration that we have a number
of points to concede, which it is even more important
for other nations to gain than for us to grant.
It is the duty of the Legislature and Administra-
tion to hold the balance evenly between those in-
terests which have acquired the importance of ma-
turity, and those which are yet to be created and
nurtered in the various dependencies of England.
Without doubt there are elements of prosperity in the
world sufficient to meet the undiscovered wants of un-
born generations. One nation will be enriched by
producing them, another by exchanging for them its
own productions. Mankind will learn more and more
that commerce, like mercy," blesses him that gives and
him that takes ;" and the same power whose wealth
and energy in time of need equipped all Europe for
war, may employ the same gifts as generally and gener-
ously for the purpose of opening new channels of com-
munication, promoting new plans of improvement, and
proving that the welfare of each derives its srcwity
from, and contributes its. share to, the welfare of all.—
Times.

PURLOINING- A CHURCH-RATE

BOOK.

The parish officers of St. Chad's, in this town, for
the present and past years, assembled yesterday in the
vestry, to sign a " declaration," in the nature of as
oath, that they had not purloined the Church-rate
book, nor did they know who had stolen it, nor where
it was. W. Stokes, Esq., was voted to the
Chair. The Mayor attended to take the " decla-
rations." After considerable debate the officers
proceeded to sign the declaration, with the excep-
tion of two, who said they would not sign it till a
similar oath was taken by the inferior servants of the
parish. Whilst a duplicate of the oath was being
written for this purpose, Mr. Jobson proceeded to the
residence of the late senior warden, who was unable to
attend, and baring ascertained that he did not object to
sign the declaration, Mr.- Jobson and Mr. Blakemore
attached their signatures : the other dissentient did not.
sign it. The meeting then broke up, their proceedings
being ordered to be laid before the Committee of Church
Trustees, to guide them in their future investigations in
this extraordiniry transaction. We purposely ab-
stained from stating a single word of the painful dis-
closures and recriminations that have arisen since we
first gave publicity to the fact, that the Church-rat
Book of this eat ns'ye parish had IR en stolen, and all
arrears of rates thereby cancelled :--and our motive
was, to put no impediment in the way of the Book
being returned, and the honest and respectable part of
the parish thereby saved the infliction of paying a
church rate throe. or four times over.—Shrewsbury Chro-
nicle.

FAMOUS SIIOEMAKER.—A correct catalogue
of shoemakers who have in any one way or other made
themselves remarkable would be a curious thing. It i 3
vrt ameng the undiscoverable mysteries why dustmen
should wear red plush lr.ieches, and as unsucce s'ul
its cap tendencies
have been all attempts to account for those very
peculiar rt nsiet:ve habits to :ffi.heic.j.hi.t)t;henciorraeft
or
rf
less is
are notoriously addicted. The mere circumstance of the
s of Quaker box, and Reformers
to the scarcely lei'. unruly
r. fl -cling turn presents no d
tslice(kstl:CaertnYakpeurnaurietst;he.great marvel. From
and" Hardy, we note, in this
ii trident
the
caseto aolfl
timetiiiaine
Hans
turbulent
Sachsenadl days
Jacobiayn oi,
ciri,o)
flit m c
most respectable trade, such a long list of rcligionisaig,
radicalisms, jac,binisms, and every variety of isms, as we
find in no other class of men. It was against this tendency
indeed, the old proverbwaslannened, as far back as the
age of Appelles. Why is this? Can any one explain it?
Fitness is the object and endeavour of the trade. Is there
of necessity associated with it the restless impulse to dis-
cover in everything else an eternal unatnesi. We wish we
could consult Philosopher
ndows ; and also of the Svare..—Erarniner.
e.i
The Comtnissioners of Stamps and Taxes have
directed the surveyors throughout the country to obtain
from the several assessors an account of the number of
houses and cottages in their districts not already assessed
from there being less than eight
number of farrn•houses at present exempt.

EXTRAORDINARY FEAT oF
SWINDLING IN PARIS.

(From the Gazette des Tribunaux.)
A rich merchant of Martinique, named G—,
recently arrived at Havre, and having divers im-
portant business to transact in Paris, as well as
being desirous of seeing all the lions of the day,
hastened off to the capital without delay, taking
with him a considerable quantity of valuable lug-
gage. M. G— had always been rather a gay
man, and notwithstanding the fact of forty-five
winters having passed over his head, leaving a
little of their snows behind, he was not entirely in-
different to the pleasures of the world. He arrived
in Paris on Sunday morning. He took his walk,
he called upon his friends and corrdspondcnts,
and was kept to dinner by one of them. In
returning in the evening to his hotel he passed
Ole Salle Ventadour. The dance was proceed-
ing with all the gaiety of a Parisian ball, and
the merchant was invited to take a billet
d entree. Ile at first refused, but on being further
pressed, he thought he might as well have a peep at
one of these balls, of which he had so often heard
and read. He accordingly entered, danced a qua-
drille or two, and was much pleased with the daz-
zling appearance of the place. But he was soon
overcome with ennui, and was preparing to take
his departure, when he was accosted by a pretty
little domino of blue satin, who took him familiarly
by the arm, called him by his name, and asked
him what news from Havre. M. G— was agreea-
bly surprised, and at once entered into a very ani-
mated conversation with the fair unknown. Who
could she be who appeared to know him so well ?
In vain he attempted to discover; she would not
gratify his curiosity, although she made herself the
most fascinating creature in the world. At length
he proposed that she should sup with him, for,
let her be who she might, there could be no great
impropriety in this, thought the honest merchant.
The lady would consent on one condition only,
and that was, that they should both go to sup at
her house. Monsieur would call a coach. She
had her own there already. How extraordinary !
thought the merchant. She must be a person of
some consequence. He ventured to ask her once
more, but he was told that '' that he could never
know !" Off they drove, and on their arrival
at her residence she, for die first time, removed the
mask, and discovered the prettiest pair of eyes in
the world, but her name she still persisted in not
disclosing. It is unnecessary to go into the details
of the supper. Suffice it to say, that it went ofl
with much eclat, and Monsieur was too much
fatigued with his journey and all the pleasures of
the day not to sleep soundly on retiring to bed. To
say the truth, he did not wake un'il twelve o'clock
next day, when finding himself alone, he rang the
bell for the servant. The domestic appeared.
" Have the goodness to tell me," said M. G—,
" where I am " Where you are, Monsieur ?"
re-echoed the attendant, " the-house has not changed
its name since yesterday—you are still in the
Hotel de France."—" Oh, I am at an hotel am I ?
and who is the lady who occupies this apartment
" The lady ? why, your wife, Monsieur, I suppose ;
she rose early to take the bath." " You suppose
wrong," said the merchant in an angry tone, " I
have no wife. lam a bachelor. Ifowever, give
me my clothes, and let me have my bill."—" Here
are your clothes, Sir, but the bill was paid last night
by the lady, when she ordered the supper. Mys-
tery on mystery. However, he would go to his
own hotel. On arriving there he found that the
same mysterious agency which had paid the bill at
the Hotel de France, had paid it at his own hotel.
He was told that he had paid it himself, and that
he had taken all his things away ; that he had put
the bill in his pocket-book, with two letters which
had arrived for him in the course of the previous
evening. Was he asleep or awake ? Was he in
his right mind, or was he no longer master of his
reason ? He looked at his pocket book, and then,
as if to confirm the astounding intelligence which he
heard, there he beheld the paid hotel bill, and the
two letters referred to. There was no longer a
doubt. - He had been the dupe of a swindler. His
luggage had been carried off ; his pockets had been
ransacked ; his letters of credit had been received,
and not a trace was left of property to the amount
of nearly 10,000 francs. The manner in which
the mercham's identity was so successfully counter-
feited is not the least extraordinary, for even when
the hotel-keeper saw the real " Simon Pure," he
persisted in declaring that it was he who had
taken away the things ; in short, that everything
had been done by his orders.

SALTING AND CURING ANIMAL

SUbSTANCES.

Our attention has been invited to a new process,
protected by letters patent, for the above purpose.
'rho advantages enumerated in the circular are :
" 1. The whole process of curing effectually the
animal substance does not occupy more than one quar-
ter of an hour, economising thereby labour and time to
a very great extent.

" 2. At any season of the year, and in any tem-
perature, even under the influence of a tropical sun,
the process is effective, and may be used with perfect
safety.
"3. The materials employed aro the same as
hitherto used, but less than one-third of the usual quan-
tity is consumed.

" 4. Any desired flavour, and any degree of saltness,
may be communicated, the process being thus equally
applicable to hams, tongues, and other preparations as
to plain saitng. Fish, poultry, &c., raay be treated
with equal advantage.
" 5. By this process the nutritious elements of the
animal substance are all preserved in it, which, by the
old mode of curing, are necessarily much deteriorated.
" G. By this process hides can be prepared for pack-
ing with great advantage, occupying much less space,
thoroughly preserved, and rendered fitter for the tan-
nine process."
'The meat to be cured is'placed in an iron vessel of
considerable strength, connected by a pipe and stop-cock
with the brine tube, also with an exhausting pump.
The cover having been screwed down on the vessel, the
air is extracted and a vacuum established, whereupon,
the stop-cock being properly turned, the brine rushos in
and takes the place of the air, filling the pores of the
meat, and penetrating thoroughly the animal substance.
Lest, however, some parts of the meat might not have
been impregnated with the pickle by this reaction and
the common atmospheric pressure, more of the liquid
from the tub, prepared to taste with salt alone, or with
saltpetre, or sugar, or spice, or alum in the case of hides,
is pumped in by a small condensing engine (connected,
of course, also with the iron vessel) until a pressure of
from 15O1bs. to 2001bs. on the square inch be attained.
Now, the animal substance is allowed to remain under
pressure for about ten minutes, and the process is com-
plete. The meat when taken out is thorougly saturated
with the brine, the full flavour of which is imparted to
it, and we►l cured.