The Sun.
London, England, 1834-01-29 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE TIMES.

Sir,--We take leave to enclose a copy of a memorial
lately sent from this place to the Lords of the Treasury,
with a hope that as it relates to a measure of public in-
terest, and which ought to be more generally known, you
will favour it with insertion. Ic is of sufficient import.
ance to entitle it to the attentinn of the Legislature, and
several Members of the House of Commons have engaged
to give it their active support.
We remain respectfully,
JOHN and WILLIAM COLLIER.
Plymouth, Jan. 25.

"TO THE RIGHT HON. THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF

HIS MAJESTY'S TREASURY.

" The Memorial of the undersigned Merchants, Ship-
owners, Millers, Bakers, and others, inhabitants of
the port of Plymouth,
" Showeth,—Th it an extensive trade is carried on from
the United States of America, and also from Hamburg,
Dantzie, and other foreign places, by supplving the British
colonies and shipping with the articles of flour and bis-
cuit, from which your memorialists are excluded by the
restrictions of the present corn laws, inasmuch as the
duties upon the importation of foreign corn generally
amount to a prohibition of its use, and the price of
British corn renders it impossible for the miller and baker
in this country to compete with the foreigner, either as
regards the supply of our own colonies, or other countries,
with flour and bread, to the manifest injury of British
skill and industry.
" Your memorialists, without impugning the wisdom
and policy of the law which enables the colonists to resort
to the most advantageous market for obtaining their ne-
cessary supplies, humbly submit that they have just cause
of complaint when they find themselves deprived of their
accustomed employment, and the fruits of their industry
transferred to foreigners, and enjoyed by those only of
their fellow-subjects residing in Guernsey, Jersey, and
other British islands, the more especially as they can de-
monstrate to your Lordships, that, notwithstanding the
disadvantages arising from restrictions which your memo-
rialists necessarily labour under by the provisions of the
existing laws, they might not merely compete with other
countries in the supply of fl :ur and bread to our colonies,
but also be enabled to export those articles to foreign places
with advantage to themselves, without militating against
the principle of the existing law, or in anywise affecting
the agricultut al interest of the country.
" The relief your memorialists seek is to be allowed,
under proper securities and regulations, to manufacture
foreign corn, now in bonded warehouses, and hereafter to
be impored under the provisions of the corn laws, into
flour and biscuit, for the purposes of exportation. To
effect this desirable object, your memorialists take leave
to suggest that a certain quantity of flour or biscuit, of a
specified quality, shall be placed under the locks of the
Crown for every quarter of wheat o laic!) may be delivered
out of bonded warehouse for the purpose of being manu-
file:Aired into these articles, under the superintendence of
the Customs, with sufficient securities to insure an equit-
able and commensurate return of manufactured goods for
exportation, similar to the regulations (as far as the nature
of the case will allow) recently adopted with regard to the
sugar-refiners.

"Your memorialists deem it unnecessary to trouble your
Lordships with the particular details of the beneficial
operations of the proposed measure, although, if required,
they are ready to do so, because the plan will not, in their
humble judgments, interfere with any existing interests ;
but, on the contrary, will open an improved choice of
markets to the colonists, and employment for our ship-
pin, and in nowise deprive them of the facilities which
they now enjoy of resorting to foreign countries for their
supplies, should they find it for their interest to do so, and
will also benefit the agriculturist, by putting in active
operation a hirge capital now locked up in foreign corn,
which might be more profitably employed by investments
in the produce of our own country.
" Your memorialists, with the view of impressing upon
your Lordships' minds the impottance of the trade now
carried on by foreign States in the articles above-men-
tioned, beg to staie, that from the information they have
received, there are annually exported from the United
States of America, chiefly to the British possessions, up-
wards of 1,009,000 barrels of flour, besides vast quantities
of biscuit, of which articles very considerable supplies are
alto obtained from Hamburg and Dantzic, as well as irons
the above-mentioned British islands, which wore, a few
years since, oiitoned excluei:Tly from the mother country.
" Your tuemurialists, therefore, humbly pray, that
your Lordships will he pleased to tak, the premise, :.ito
your early and moss serious ccrisideration, and adopt such
measures as in your wisdom may be deemed to
enable your memorialists to manufacture foreign wheat
flour and hiscait, f,r the purpose of e7.%mrtation,
thereby ,11.,:rtlir): additional freights fur our outward-bound
ships, and the means of employment to a very us-ful and
industrious class of operatives, who have been thrown out
of wet k in consequence of restrictive laws, from which
foreigners, as well as some portion of his Majesty's sub-
jects, are exempt.
" Plymouth, D:c. 3."

HUNGERFORD MARKET.—.A great im-
provement in the lower quadrangle of Hongerford Market
is now in proge,ss, for enclosing a large space in the centre
of the fish-mai ket, on an unique plan. An ornamental
iron frame is nearly erect-6, which is to be covered with
an iron roof, and will have a very h =Nome appearance
when finished. This enclosure will protect the tr ,d, s.
people who have articles to vend from the rain in wet
weathrr, and the sun in summer, and will add consider.
ably to the general convenience of the market. An,,th,-r
alteration has taken p'ace in the upp-r gallery, where
tables are now ringed, and shops are fitting up, and may
be converted iota a b:,.z ,ar, or appropriated to other pur-
poses: and the west wing, at the entrance from the Strand,
is expected to be completed in the ensuing summer, which
will complete the super!) buildin!, and will be a distin-
guished ornament to the improvements in that part of the
Strand.

INTRIGUES AND CRIMES OF RUSSIA.-
, The forthcoming Number of Mr. Buckingham's Parlia-
mentary Review, to be published on Saturday next, the
Ist of February, will contain a detailed Repiy to the Rus-
sian Manifesto, entitled " Russia as it Is," in which the
Intrigues and Crimes of that wily Power are set forth
from the year 1553 to the present day, forming an epitome
of Russian D.•spotism for the last 280 years. Als, a Tale
" For Each and for All," being an 11l ustration of Political
Economy from Real Life, wi,h an Article on the Prospects
of the Coming Session, and a Word of Advice to the
Aristocracy of England. No. I. of the New Series of this
Review, commencing with the opening of Parliament, will
be published on Saturday, the Bth of February, and conti-
nued weekly at the reduced price of Sixpence per Number.
To be bad of all Booksellers and Newsmen.

A MISER.—A miser who heaps up treasure
which he never means to spend, is as idly employed as
one who lays his puree before a looking. glass, and sits all
day contemplating the useless duplicate of his wealth.
MURDER.—We learn from Capt. Waterman,
of the brig Veto, of Brunswick, Maine, arrived on Wed-
nesday morning from Miracaibo, the following savage
murder committed on board his vessel, while at Barburas,
in the Lagoon of Maracaibo, at four o'clock a. m., on the
20th of November :—While getting under weigh, the cap-
tain ordered the pilot, a Spaniard, named Cruse Pass.
whom he had taken on board at Maracaibo, to come off
and take the helm. As he did not hear Capt. Waterman,
the order was repeated by the mate, Mr. Merriman. The
pilot refused to do so and mocked the mate, and on the mate
insisting upon the order being obeyed, he (the pih,t).truck
the mate with a belaying pin several times. The mate
retreated back, and in self defence struck the pilot with
a handspike. It being dark, the captain called to know
the cause of the disturbance forward, when the pilot
came aft, and told him the mate had struck him.
The mate also came aft, and acknowledged that he
had struck him, but stated it was in self-defence.
Mr. Merriman (the mate), turned to go forward to
his duty, when the pilot sprang upon him like a tiger,
stabbed him in bis side and cut his throat from his ear to
his windpipe. Mr. Merriman called to the captain that
the pilot had stabbed him and cut his throat, staggered to
the quarter-deck, and fell. Knowing hia time was short
in this world, he requested the captain to convey his love
to his wife• and family, and almost immediately died.
While the captain and crew were assisting Mr. Merriman,
the murderer jumped into the long-boat, which was along.
side, cut the painier, and put off from the vessel. The
small boat was immediately manned with five seamen, who
started in pursuit ; when they came up with the boat he
had escaped in he was tnissing, having jumped overboard
and swam for the shore, which was half a mile distant: it

being dark, they could not see him, and he escaped.
Exertions were made by some of the inhabitants on shore
to arrest him, but without effect. Mr. WlMint 0. Mer-
riman, the unfortunate murdered man, was first officer of
the brig, and is a native of Brunswick (Maine), aged
about 27 years; he has left a wile and child to mourn his
untimely end. His attention to duty and gentle conduct
bad endeared him to all on board the vessel, and his loss
was very great. He was a stricly moral, capable, and
attentive officer, a good husband, and kind father.--New
York Standard.

lIIPORTANT MEETING at SUNDERLAND.

A numerous and highly-respectable meeting ol
the shipowners, merchants, and traders of the port
of Sunderland, was held in the Commission-room,
Exchange-buildings, last week, for the purpose -of
taking into consideration the propriety of petitioning
Parliament against the renewal of the reciprocity
treaties, and of adopting such measures as may be
deemed expedient to oppose the intended alteration
in the duties on timber.
JOHN HUBBARD, Esq., having been called to the
chair, introduced the business of the meeting in a
very able and excellent speech.
J. SPENCE, Esq , then addressed the meeting
neatly as fallows :
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,—We are met to
take into consideration subjscts of the highest im-
portance, connected with the shipping interest, the
distressed state of which has been clearly proved
before a Committee of the House of Commons.
That distress has been felt, I am persuaded, by
every man who is now listening to me, and I
cannot but date it from the period when the
reciprocity treaties were entered into in 1824.
At that time freights from Quebec were 55:. per
load, but last year they were 375. from the same
place, and so low as 30s. from New Brunswick.
The advantages given to foreign shipowners has
oradually forced the British shipowner from the
Baltic ; and it was impossible that competition
could be sustained, when it is considered that the
foreign ship is built and fitted for sea at about one-
third less cost than the British ship, whilst sea-
men's wages, provisions, and stores, are full one-
half in favour of our rivals.—(Hear, hear.) I had,
last spring,-a ship suitable in every respect for the
Baltic wood trade. A Captain and officers were
appointed to navigate the ship, and at that time my
firm were desirous of removing a quantity of timber
and other goods to our yard in Sunderland. We,
however, received a letter from our agent at Memel,
stating that Prussian shipping could be supplied to
us at from I4s. to 15s. per load ; but as we could
not navigate our own ship, even without profit, at
less than 20s. per load, we were, therefore, com-
pelled to employ the foreign vessel and suffer our
own ship to remain useless. We naturally sup_
posed, after having clearly made out, before the
House of Commons, a case of deep distress, we
should have been at least commiserated, if protection
was not afforded.—(Cheers.) The wisdom of our
forefathers considered that the welfare of this isolated
country depended upon its "'shipping, colonies, and
commerce," and if protection was required for
those great interests at the time when the
navigation laws were enacted, bow much more
do we require it now, when competition with the
Baltic shipowner is impossible ? In lieu of
commiseration and protection, we, are told, and
we believe truly, that his Majesty's Ministers
intend to alter the timber duties in such a manner
as will cause the carrying trade to be further, if not
altogether, thrown into the hands of foreigners.---
( Hear, hear.) If such a measure—a measure
fraught with so much ruin, be carried into effect.
the consequence inevitably must be that upwards of
1,000 British ships will be thrown out of employ-
ment, and from 20,000 to 25,000 seamen will be-
come paupers.—(Cheers.) There is also another
trade of vital importance to this port that will be
lost by this destructive measure. The trade I
allude to is, the ship-building; for it is a fact that
there are generally here fifty ships at a time—this
being the most extensive building port in the whole
island. Those ships, on an average, cost 2,0001.,
and one is built on ;au average of time in three
months, which makes a- trade in this port of
400,0001. a year. Now, this trade will be lost, for
no one cen suppose that our ships can be wanted,
when so many will be laid by the walls to rot.—
(Hear, hear.) The immense number of peopls
employed in the building of these ships—the ship-
carpenter, joiner, smith, sailtnaker, ropemaler,
and all the diffetent artisans, will be thrown out of
employment. Those of our colonies, which were
protected with such fostering care by our ancestors,
,eeiss now to be little thought of; for, if Le lumber
tri.de is lost to North America, that country is lost
with it.—(Loud cheers.) There are many millions of
capital laid out in that country in the erection and
construction of extensive saw-miils, wharfs, and
canals, all of which will be lost.— (Chsees.)
Many, many thousands of emigants from this coun-
try, 'hat are now obtaining an honest living in the
cutting, preparing, arid trarisp:)rting lumber to the
shipping ports, will become destitme, and be com-
pelled to emigrate to the United States, who, no
doubt, will receive them► with open arms, and give
them that protection arid assistance which the mo-
ther country refuses.—(Hear, hear.) There was a
time when the British shipowner viewed his ship
with complacency ; he had a pride in keeping her in
order, anti was enabled to do so, But now he looks
on them coldly and I:silessly; they ate valueless—
they yield him no profit; he cannot keep them in
proper condition; many are going fast to wreck;
and it is a lamentable fact, of which melancholy
proofs can be brought forward, that the foreign ship
is now the safest for the owner of goods to employ,
for ,hey have a remunerating profit, and are enabled
to keep their ships in perfect repair. Should this
iniquitous measure, the abolition of the timber du-
ties, be brought forward, I do hope sincerely there
is not a single shipowner in the United Kingdom
but will oppose the measure, as though lie was, and
in truth will be, fighting for h:s very existence.—
(Loud cheers.) Gentlemen must well know, that
if their ships cannot be employed to give them a
remunerating profit, their ships must be laid by the
walls, and thus, unquestionably, both capital and
interest will be lost." Mr. Spence concluded,
amidst cheers, by proposing the first resolution.
Sir JOHN STOREY seconded the resolution, which
was carried unanimously.
JotiN SPENCE, Esq., hoped the meeting would
allow the S.cretary to read the report of the Com-
mittee for managing the affairs of the North Ame-
rican Colonial Association.—(Hear.) It was a
most valuable document, and had only been received
from Mr. Alderman Tnompson, the worthy Member
for the borough that morning.—(Cheers.)
The Secretary then read the report alluded to.
It contains much highly interesting matter.
HENRY MOON, Esq., then rose, and, in propos-
ing the next resolution, said there were strong
grounds of suspicion that Government would pro-
pose ar► alteration in the timber duties in the ensuing
Session of Parliament, which would prove still more
advantageous to foreigners, lie hoped, however,
that meeting would expt.es its entire condemnation
of such a step, and also declare its intention to op-
pose the same by every legal means.—(Cheers.)
The motion was seconded by W. ORD, Esq.,
and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN remarked that the next business
of the meeting would be to nominate a Gimtnittee,
to carry their views into effect. It would likewise
he their duty to say of how many it should consist,
and of Whom.

Mr. BARRY wished the appointment of the Com-
mittee to rest with the Port Committee.
The CHAIRMAN said that the meeting was not
only composed of shipowners, but there were
Members of the Chamber of Commerce and others
present; it was therefore a mixed question.
H. ORD, Esq. remarked that they had better
choose a Committee from the present company, and
then each interest would be represented.
ROBERT SCURFIELD, Esq., said, that it was to the
right utijustment of this duty that they locked for
employment for the poor.—(Cneers.) No country
could thrive Unless this was done, and they would
find their profit in doing so. Mr. Scuifield, after
some further remarks, nominated a Committee.
CALEB WILSON, Esq., seconded the resolution,
which was carried unanimously.
CALEB WILSON, Esq. having called the attention
of the meeting to the eminent services rendered to
the shipowners of Sunderland, as well as to the
Chamber of Commerce, by Alderman Thompson,
JOHN SPENCE, Esq., proposed a vote of thanks to

the Alderman, which vezonded by HENRY
MOON, Esq., avid carried ht se, lamation.
Thanks were then vo,ed to A. Gilmour, Eql., or
Glastyow, for the impo,t,,nr H-ormation communi-
cated by him, !:nd to ih? Chair, no for his impartial
conduct.--Adjourned.