The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-24 00:00:00

THE INDIAK .DUTIES AD IMPORTS

It is easy to understand how some gentlemen In
the North of England not Very larig since arrived
at the conclusion that it did not so very much matter
whether England was independent, or the province
of a Continental Monarchy. The -most immediate
and most palpable link between each one of us and.
our rulers is the taxgatherer, and he is the. same
manner of man everywhere. He is the true cosmo-
polite, and the. one bond of universal antipathy.
He speaks a universal language, which wrings every
heart, offends every prejudice, defies every argu-
ment, and shatters every theory. Trojan or Greek,
Pagan or Christian, it is all the same to him, and
he is all the same to you. Why inquire about man-
ner or means when the end is the same? Tnus it
is that in Manchester a Custom-house officer is a
Custom -house officer, and unless a man is picking.
up materials for a " tour" or a grievance ,he dos -
not much care whether the extorter of percentages
does nefarious work in the name of Napoleon 111.
or Queen Victoria. A robber in red is much the
same as a robber in blue. A taxgatherer is one of
those institutions which is found under every clime.
Like the mendicant, the pickpocket, and the man
who wants to 'drink yonrcheftlth, the taxgatherer -
is everywhere a Christian and a brother. He is
hail fellow ill met with e'er body. All the earth
is his home. What iiirtfirli47tftere is a sort of Free-
masonry in his profelBibn: No doubt, at this
moment the French and the Indian Customs' De-
partments are comparing notes to see if they can
take a leaf from one,another's books. Whoever is
the mysterious pErsonage who does the finances of
India—he it Sir C. Wood, or Lord Canning, or Mr.
James Wilson, or some noun of multitude—be or
it is probably not such a-thing as we should ordi-
narily associate with the Emperor of the French ;
but to the Manchester intelligence they are as like
one another as two wasps, two rats, or two of any
other destructive animals. They are guided by the
same diabolical instinct to find out the weak places
in the manufacturers' harness, and reach the blood
or the vitals.

The Manchester Chamber of Commerce have ad-
dressed a petition to Parliament touching the rapa-
cious habits of the Indian taxgatherer, which, with
only a few verbal alterations, might be addressed
and sent by post to Richard Cobden, Esq., Rue de
l'Universit 6.. Since the mutiny the Indian Govern-
ment has raised the duties on cotton goods and
yarns rise upon rise. Instead of ad valNrein duties,
whiCh the manufactbrers we fear Will never See on
this &de paradi:l,e, India, like France; levies specific
duties, the weight of Which falls chiefly on the in-
ferior ;duds. The coarsest calicoes and yarns are
those that suffer re•th.-t, and they happen' at.the same
time to be the articles in which we have to compete
with native industry. Further, these duties have
been assessed upon the prices of the last year, which
have been veryhigh—much higher, indeed, than are
now to be expected. The Custom-house authorities
have not even deducted from those prices the
amount of duty, so that duty is now paid upon duty.
During the last year all the duty has been twice
raised, till in the ease of piece-goods of certain qua-
lities it is estimated that, all things considered, it is
as much as 20 per cent. Bleaching, which is done
here for 3d. each piece, is estimated there as an
additional value of 25., and made to pay the duty
of 23, or neatly cent. per cent. on the original cast
of the process. All these and other complaints are
so similar to what we find addressed:to other quar-
ters, that one almost suspects a conspiracy between
the Anglo-Indian and the French Treasury. But it
is the old story of taxation all over the world. It is
a rough and violent process, and cannot be otherwise
The first taxgatherer was the man who greeted yet
oa the road with " Stand and deliver !" Thousandtx
of sheiks and kings hold their revenue on no other
title to this day. The Chancellor of the Exehequer
must get what he can. The Manchester people
hail the application of the Income-tax to India, and
hope it may eventually cover a reduction of the
Customs' duties. That hope is all they can offer.
Of course, they venture on no calculations that
could be of any service to the Indian financier.
They suggest, indeed, that as heretofore the Indian
Chambers of Commerce may assess the values and
lay the duties. But it is observable that the
complaint is not that high qualities pay too little,
but that low qualities pay too much ; and it is
natural to suspect that any gentleman in the
interest of the manufacturers and merchants would
underrate prices. As to the wish for ad valore,h
duties, which creeps out in the petition, it is clear
they would not be enough in the cheap qualities
without being excessive in the most costly ; and no
custom-house will ever be able to prevent goods
from coming in at a lower price and lower rate of
duty than the real -value would justify.
Public necessities compel us to sympathise rather
with the taxgather than the manufacturer in this
instance. The Manchester Chamber of Commerce
would do themselves service by looking at the
question as financiers, as well as taxpayers. - Why
don't they till Sir Charles Wood and Lord Canning
how to raise the money without pressing unduly
on the industry of Lancashire, and giving a treache,
rous stimulus to the Indian factories ? What a
financier wants is a budget. He must cover ex-
penses with income, and that income he must get
from what source he can. It is evident that the
other parts of the new Indian taxation are still
more objectionable in Indian eyes-, and that people
out theme will begin to rejoin, "Do what you like
with the import duties, but let's have no income
tax or new licences if you would wish to be spared
anothee mutiny." Sir Chas. Trevelyan evidently
thinks it dangerous to provoke that ignorant im-
patience of taxation, which is quite as strong a
sentiment in India as at home ; -yet it is too plain,
by the example of the United States, France, and
some other great countries, that, if money must be
obtained at any sacrifice of principle, the custom-
house is the place to go to for it. " Protection "
sweetens the bitter cup to the toiling masses, who
are unable to trace out the fact that they arc
the chief sufferers by prices artificially raised. In
this instance the whole affair is exceptional from
beginning to end. The mutiny, the abundance of
money, the immense demand for British manufac-
tures, the high prices, the consequent high assess-
ments for the tariff, the high duties, are all acci-
dents that must be met as well as may be. The
only thing to be hoped for is that affairs, including
high prices, may revert to their former condition,
and remain there as long as the wickedness of man
will allow. What are these high tariffs but tables
of penalties incurred by weak and foolish nations,
and- compelling us all to take warning, and be-
think of ourselves and our destination ere it be
too late ? _lf it is possible to devise a tariff
that will obtain the required money, and leave,
no loophole for fraud and imposture, then we
shall be in a condition to discuss our relation's
with our neighbours at home. We have, however,
tried in vain ; so also have a good many other
amateur financiers.—Times.

MANCHESTER UNITY OF ODD FELLOWS.—The
official report of this (the largest) Friendly Society has just
been issued, containing many important particulars upon
the experience of last year. At the commencement of 1859,
there were 287,573 members. During the year, 27,836 new
Iraneomrebtehrasnwoenree
halfiniti, a
wt eedr,e oufndwehr 02m3
yne
ao r
sl eosfs
age. th
T..15,he r6•l6w,
were
3,275 deaths amongst the members, being 1.138 per cent., or
one death out of every 87 mein bers, and of the members' wives,
2,384 died. As an instance, showing the prosperous state
members,
of the country, it is stated that during 18580,f07r73wmi
travelling in search of employment, received £837, whilst in
withdrawn
from £262. From
this Unity
variouslBs 9 only
causes 4 855. required
membersr el relief toh have
ee extentseceded
Whit-Monday, consisted
set
tshe the
roor order
meeting
o :
5, a2nl dp4l aa thetces,
apportioned closesubscribing of the
to
parts of the United Kingdom and the Col4oy4neliaerds
Annual Committee of Delegates from havingDistricts.is,trnaiisc.istesGmi3rba3ll le
'2l:
assembles
tartoSpohirieswissbuexrypeoentellrht y, and the old border Mc-
week. wear a lively aspect during the

.FATAL ACCIDENT IN THE RIVER LEA.—Yester-
day
a fatal accident occurred to a boy named John Kery,
aged six years, who was amusing himself on the towing-
path of the river Lea, when he slipped and fell into the
water. He was seen to sink, and when the body was re-
covered he was quite dead.
NAVY SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE.—A supple •
mentary estimate has been issued, stating that a vote ra
required of £2,500 towards dredging and extending the
great harbour at Malta, There will still remain a further
sum of £101,026 to be voted in future years for the comple-
-1 tion of the work.

THE ELLISON WATiIt 'COLOUR COLLECTION, OF
PAINTINGS.—This valua'ble gift has now been deposited in
the South Kensington Museum, and will be first exhibited
to the pubic on Saturday.next.
CAT SUCKLING A H./MM.—There is to be seen,
at Mr. C. Duff's, Parkhaugh, Glass, in this co*nty, a cat
giving suck to two kit+ens and a wild rabbit. The rabbit
appears as much at home as the kittens, and the cat seems
as much attached and as careful of her adopted as of her
own offspring,—.BanPhire Journal,