The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-05 00:00:00

THE NEW TREATY WITH FRANCE.

13IRNIINGHAAI, WEDNESDAY.
At a meeting of the Council of the Chamber of
Commerce held this day, the following reply was
agreed upon to certain questions recently submitted
by the Board of Trade :
" 1.- This Chamber considers that the duties upon
half-manufactured articles—such as iron and steel ;
iron, steel, brass, and copper wire • brass and copper
sheets; iron and brass tubes for boilers, steam, and
gas, &c. ; and tin plates—should be levied by
weight; and that the duties upon all articles en-
tirely manufactured.should be taken ad valorem.
"2. This Chamber is unable to give the average
price of the manufactured articles known as hard-
ware.' The goods are so varied, and the qualities
of each single article so numerous that any approxis
mate calculation would be of little assistance to my
Lords ; for instance, brass locks, which are made
from 93. to 1802. per dozen and upwards ; steel
pens, from 11d. per gross to 13s. 6d. and upwards;
fire irons, from 10d. per set to 20s. and upwards
plated candlesticks, from 4s. per pair to 80s. and
upwards; japanned tea-trays, from Bd. per dozen
to 80s. and upwards. Numerous other articles
might be mentioned as further illustrating the im-
possibility of affording any information to my Lords
on this subject.
" 3. This Chamber is of opinion that the French
Treaty will be of little benefit to the manufacturers
of Birmingham in the event of a duty at all ap-
proaching 30 per cent, being levied upon manufac-
tured articles, as such a duty would afford the
French manufacturer a protection which would
prevent the importation into France of most of the
leading articles of this district:
" Upon the articles known as hardwares this
Chamber is of opinion that moderate duties,, such
as those levied by the neighbouring countries of
Belgium and Holland, would greatly benefit the
trade of this locality.
" This Chamber is of opinion that upon the
articles enumerated in their reply No. 1, the fol-
lowing should be the maximum duties, viz.:—
" Wire, iron, 6f. per 100 kilogrammes ; wire,
steel, 10f. ditto ; wire, copper and brass, 10E ditto ;
copper and brass sheets, 10f. ditto ; tubes, iron, 10f.
ditto ; tubes, copper and brass, 15f. ditto ; tin plates,
6f. ditto,
" The duty on iron, as stipulated in Article 17 of
the Treaty, although considered by the manufac-
turers of this district as too heavy, will still allow
the import of certain best brands, though probably
only to a very limited extent.
" In conclusion, this Chamber begs to direct the
attention of my Lords to the fact that although an
abolition of total prohibitions in the French tariff
may benefit a few isolated branches of the manu-
factures of this district, they cannot forbear com-
paring the tariff of Belgium with that proposed by
France, as they find, with much lower duties levied
in Belgium upon articles known as ' hardware,' the
demand for the products of this locality is exceed-
ingly limited, and with an ad valorem duty of 30
per cent. this Chamber feels convinced that the
advantages Birmingham and the neighbourhood
would derive from the new French tariff would
prove exceedingly limited.
"'With regard to the suggestions of my Lords
that deputations should be sent to Paris on the
subject of the treaty, the Council of this Chamber
are of opinion that the branches of the trades re-
presented by them are too numerous to admit of the
suggestion being carried into effect. The Council
has, however, appointed a sub-committee to consi-
der the questions referred to by my Lords, and the
committee will have much pleasure in affording any
further information which may be required by them
in the pending negotiations."

PUBLIC WORKS AND PRIVATE EN-
TBRPRISE IN LYDIA.

Yesterclzy the Cotton Supply Association pre-
sented to the Secretary of State for India in Coun-
cil the following memorial in favour of encourag-
ing the free application of English capital and skill
to works of public utility in India
To the Right Ron. Sir C. Wood, Bart., M.P., &c.,
11;.:r Mdjesty's Secretary of State for India in
Council.
The Memorial of the Cotton Supply Association
showeth,
That your memorialists are of opinion that, look-
ing to the extensive area embraced by British India,
and the enormous extent of works of public utility
required to place that territory in even a proper
state, in order that its resources may be fairly de-
veloped, it is manifestly impossible for the Govern-
ment, by its own efforts, to effect much in that
direction, whilst it is equally clear that the surplus
capital and free enterprise of Englaud, if made
available; will with rapidity supply all those of
such works as do not of necessity and exclusively
belong to the operations of Government.
That irrespective of the stupendous benefits which
a speedy and extensive construction of works of the
nature referred to in various parts of India would
produce to the cotton trade, and therefore to the
general community of this country, it is difficult to
over rate the numerous civilising influences and
solid advantages which would thereby necessarily
flow to the native population, and especially when
accompanied by the introduction there of a large
body of English civil engineers and others of skill
and education, such as would be employed by pri-
Tate companies.
That it is therefore a matter of the most vital and
pressing importance to the best interests of both
India and England that every possible facility
should be afforded to those who are willing to take
upon themselves the onerous task of raising capital
in this country, and to apply it to purposes so pre-
eminently important as those before adverted to,
whilst by the adoption of a liberal policy in such
cases the Government will not only relieve itself of
much anxiety and trouble, but be a considerable
financial gainer, and at the same time secure the
affection and loyalty of its subjects.
That your memorialists have learnt with much
satisfaction that an influential joint-stock company,
established in London, under the name of the
Madras Irrigation and Canal Company, have sub-
mitted to you a proposal to construct extensive
works of irrigation, drainage, and navigation in
Orissa, and to connect that territory with the
port of Calcutta, requiring from Government no
other assistance than the mere supply of all
land requisite for such work. Your memorialists
are assured \that a company already and favour-
ably known to the English public must neces-
sarily possess advantages for raising capital which
could not appertain to a newly organised associa-
tion, and are, therefore, more likely to achieve that
success which is all important in a pioneer enter-
prise intended to open up the way for a more gene-
ral and greatly extended application of the free
skill, science, and capital of Britain to the regene-
ration of India.

Your memorillists, therefore, most respectfully
pray :

1. That the Right Hon. her Majesty's Secretary
of State for India in Council will afford to the sub-
ject-matter of this memorial immediate and serious
consideration, with a view to the adoption of
prompt and energetic measures for the most com-
plete and rapid provision of works of irrigation and
means of cheap transit in India, the want whereof
at present prevents that country from producing
an unlimited supply of cotton to the manufacturers
of Great Britain, and from relieving the latter from
an uncertain and perilous dependence upon the
slave states of America.

2. That, as it is utterly impossible for Govern-
ment to construct throughout British India more
than a small portion of the works in question,
although they are essentially necessary to develop
her agricultural and other resources, and to make
her prosperous and contented, and able to bestow
upon the people of this country those high com-
mercial benefits they have the right to expect from
her direct union with England, and as it is equally
clear that the surplus private capital, skill, and
energy of Great Britain are capable, if properly
applied, of producing such works with rapidity and
'advantage, every possible facility and encourage-
ment may be given by Government to all joint-stock
companies formed in England who may seek to
undertake the construction of well-selected, prac-
ticable, and useful projects of irrigation and navi-
' gation, &c., in British India; and
3. That the proposal now submitted by the
Madras Irrigation and Canal Compan for the ycon-
struction of works of irrigation, &c., in the districts
of Orissa without a governmental guarantee may
receive the most favourable consideration, and
every proper encouragement and support be given
to enable that company to enter upon the contem-
plated undertaking with the least possible delay
and in a satisfactory manner, in order that others
may, by their success, be induced to undertake
other works of a like description by means of capi-
tal raised in the same way.
Signed at a meeting of the Executive Committee
of the Cotton Supply Association in Manchester,
the 3d day of April, 1860.
(Signed) JOHN CHEETHAM, Chairman.
G, R. HAIWOOD, Secretary.