The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-13 00:00:00

THE TR

'MERCE.

REPORT TO THE MANCHESTER CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.

We are now enabled to give to our readers an abstract of
that important document.
The deputies from the Chamber consisted of Messrs. Ross,
Henry Ashworth (president), John Cheatham, and John
Slagg ; to whom were added Messrs. Benjamin Armitage,
B. Stretton, and Edmund Ashworth, jun.
The report consists mainly of the minutes of proceedings
in Paris, from the Ist to the 11th October inclusive ; but
they are introduced by the following statement :
"It is now some months since the names of several of
the directors of the Chamber have been set apart and them-
selves liberated to undertake such services as might be
required of them in regard to the arrangements of the treaty
now pending for the introduction of cotton manufactures
into France.
"The deputies have now to report that upon two occa-
sions they have been called upon to visit Paris ; first in the
month of July, and again during the present month of
Oetober ; and although the terms of the treaty have not yet
been made public, they feel assured that they will not again
be required to render any further aid in this matter.
" Upon both of these visits they have been joined in their
labours by a deputation representing the Chamber of Com-
merce of Glasgow ; and they have the gratification to ac-
knowledge the very efficient and harmonious co-operation
they have received from these gentlemen.
" Front the intercourse which took place during the visit
of July, it appeared that the leading object of the Commis-
sion then sitting was to obtain general information on the
economy of manufactures, whereby to aid their decisions in
regard to the demands of the revenue to be derived from
imports, as well as to enable them to deal with the demands
which were being raised by the proprietors of a protected
manufacture.
" On their last visit to the French capital, they were in-
vited to enter into those other considerations of the subject
which had relation to the market value of yarns and manu-
factured goods, not alone for the purpose of promoting com-
merce, but as affording information which would be avail-
able in determining upon the tariff, and the amount of
pressure to be laid upon the consumer.
" They were also consulted upon the practical arrange-
ment which would be necessary for the classification of yarns
and manufactured fabrics, so as to facilitate the regulations
of entry and other proceedings for customs purposes.
" The deputies have been fully aware of the delicacy of the
mission they have been permitted to undertake, and they
consider it due to the chaaa,o, to report that, in accordance
with the conditions of appointment, they have carefully
abstained from involaing the estimation of the Chamber ;
and that they have, as individual., and at their own ex-
pense, undertaken the responsibility of the advice and other
proceedings, which they have ventured to submit to the
Commissioners touching thelmportant questions at issue.
"Referring to the minutes of their proceedings it will be
found that they have placed on record their disclaimer of all
participation in the exploded doctrine of protection,' but
that they were quite willing to enter into this deliberation,
and to afford any aid in their power to carry out the treaty in
the spirit in which it had been conceived.
" After having bestowed, during many weeks of absence,
a very devoted attention to the subject, the deputies have
returned from Paris most fully convinced of the existence of
great earnestness and good faith in the contracting parties,
and the deputation from Glasgow has most fully concurred
in the pleasing duty of expressing their sense of the very
patient and polite attention which they have received from
Mr. Cobden and his colleagues, Mr. Ogilvie and Mr. Mallett;
and they honour the feeling which has prompted Mr. Cob-
den to devote so much of his valuable time to promote more
widely the commercial intercourse betwixt the two countries,
and sincerely trust that his labours will be crowned with
success. " Ma,Lcoust Ross.
HENRY ASHWORTH.
JOHN SLAGG.
"After the deputies had, as they thought, concluded their
labours, a very pressing message arrived from Mr. Cobden
to send over a party competent-further to assist the commis-
sion in connection with cotton fabrics. Your deputies en-
deavoured to secure the services of a qualified gentleman
from several of the leading firms in Manchester, but with-
out success ; and the message being most urgent, Mr. Slagg
undertook, at great personal inconvenience, the fatigue of
another visit, the importance of which can scarcely be over-
rated, as will be seen on reference to his minute of the same
annexed. " Ma.ncoma Ross.
HENRY ASHWORTH."
On the Ist October, the gentlemen named as representing
Manchester, assembled in Paris with the following, who
had been deputed from Glasgow :—Messrs. S. R. Brown,
Hugh Beckett, David Anderson, George Thomson, and
Gavin Walker.
" As a preliminary proceeding, the deputies agreed to act
upon the conclusion already notified to the public, that it
was the desire of the French Commission now sitting to
procure the advice and assistance of those who were prac-
tically acquainted with the various branches, to enable them
to determine upon a scale of duties upon the imports of cot-
ton and other British manufactures which in their opera-
tion in France shall have the threefold effect of conferring
upon the consumer the benefit of cheapness, of affording
gain to th having renra to existing
e pubiJo roT.siut.,
intorc,3rs, supply a salutary impetus to the enterprise, the
capital, and the industry of France already embarked in the
production of the articles in question. The deputies urged,
in accordance with instructions, the propriety of ad valorem
duties being adopted, and it was only on this being declared
as generally impossible that they proceeded to consider in
what other mode the duties could be levied to mutual ad-

vantage."
On the 261 October the deputies, soon after assembling,
proceeded to meet M. E. Baroche (son of the Minister of
State), who, they were informed, "had devoted six or eight
months of his time to the study of the cotton branch of
manufacture, with a view to aequit himself as the exponent
of the interest involved in the case of the spinners and
manufacturers of France." Having bofore them many
samples from Manchester and Glasgow, the deputies entered
into a long discussion with M. Baroche. The deputation
"insisted very strongly that all grey goods of 2oz. or up-
wards per square yard should be admitted at one rate of
duty charged by the pound weight, and all lighter goods at
a duty which should be ad valorem." M. Baroche ob-
jected decidedly to the simplicity of the arrangement pro.
posed, and he maintained his adhesion to " a scale which he
claimed to have discovered," for levying duties " upon the
investigation of fabrics by length, weight, and count of
threads. The use of the glass by the Custom-houseofficers
he considered to be indispensable, and the largeness of the
number of officers required in the service quite unimpor-
tant." He "hoped that seven-eighths of the Manchester
goodswouldcome in under three classes, and that, in order to
effect this, some light grey fabrics might suffer a little."
His views were to the following effect :
"That sewed muslins would be ad valorem.
" That all mixed fabrics should be charged by weight, at
a low rate of duty.
" That all dyed goods or goods composed of dyed yarn
should be charged first the duty that they would be charged
in the grey, and have a low supplementary duty, to be
charged by weight for the dyeing.
" That the same process would bo applied in the case of
printed goods, but with this difference, that five colours and
under would be admitted at one rate, and those having
above five colours at a high rate. The supplementary duty
to be charged by the yard."
Upon this scheme M. Baroche admitted that the French
would now receive the raw material at the same cost as the
English; and he urged that " low rates of duty were in-
tended," it being desired " not to impose duties that would
throw obstacles in the way of trade," nor had the French
Government "in view the prohibition of any article, or any
intention to exact the full limit of 30 per cent." The duty
to be imposed, he said, was "solely for revenue, and to a
certain extent to afford protection to the native manufac-
turers." The deputies selected samples to illustrate their

own views.
On Wednesday, the 3d ult., the deputation having met
M. Baroche, who was accompanied by M. Herbet, the fer-
er gentleman "introduced the subject of cotton yarns,"
ni
suggesting " a separate rate of duty upon each sucqrsive
10 numbers." He would take Mr. Ross's highest quotation
as the basis. Mr. Ross, of course, protested that this was
an Mr.d
very unfair ; but M. Baroche endeavoured to fortify his
position by "quotations of an exceptional character from
Messrs. Houldsworth, Messre. M'Connel, and Mr. Thomas
eeaddysa imms.
Clegg." Mr. Ross explained that then lass of yarns dwelt
upon by M. Baroche did not at all repsent the usual pro-
ductions of the market, but were of " extra quality, and
therefore exceptional, morpetpistarrt.iculoasrlsy,sirnrictehseoefahsiegehf
per 100 yards ;
; which
Clegg." M. Baroche was inexorabnirleaob.nietA.hse tAaovldleroauthgbarl
M. Baroche agreed to acce
low nßumosbaercso,nasnidderteedbausenolibiisectatiroi
chars
and °
valuationfr duty
tuhpaotnappeared, o n the
Barocheand h he
indicatedproposed
whole, to be unobjectionable.
As to geode, M. Baroche said that, as a rule, the French
t adopt
that the easiest
o
Government were unwilling- to entertain the ad valorem
system. The deputies
suggested
do insisted
bt
ese d h
i sted
to dt
°ap ll a u:grey.
r m
rate m
perod of
levyinge e
lb.,
wgoods should be
classed into two categories—those of 2oz. and above per
square yard at a price to be fixed ; those below 2oz. at an
ght : th
ande du
theyties wu
ad valorem duty. M. Baroche admitted that by his scheme,
dyeing, printing, &c., would be subjected to a slight supple-
mentary duty ; and he endeavoured elaborately to support
his proposition. Referring again to his plan founded on
counts of picks and lengths and weights, M. Baroche said
that he had tested its accuracy by 2,000 samples, and that
he intended to submit it to the Commissioners that evening.
He stated further, that grey clothes would be classed in two,
three, or four categories, embracing all descriptions of the
cloth. After an interval of an hour, the deputies assembled
to discuss M. Baroche's plans and views ; but the members
only " became more and more confirmed" in the belief " that
his scheme was too minute for all practical purposes, and
therefore altogether unsatisfactory." Accordingly, the de-
puties considered how they could supply information
to Mr. Cobden "whereby he might be enabled to coun-
teract the mischievous tendency involved in the scheme
of M. Baroche." Mr. Ross undertook the yarn depart-
ment; and he justified his valuations by a tabular state-
meat egOiting " str9pg grow for rejecting*, as 11)1'
•