The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-30 00:00:00

FRANCE.

Experiments were made on the 26th, in the
Polygon of Vinccnnes, with a new and improved
rifled cannon, said to be of extraordinary power,
and of precision beyond what is now attained in
French artillery.. It is right that whatever con-
cerns the progriess of humanity, as such philan-
thropic inventions, canons rayes, unquestionably
are, should rec(Ave every improvement of which
they are capablo. Who the people are to be next
liberated from 0 espotism or won over to civilization
by these agents. time only can tell.
The Commercial Reform Association have ad-
dressed the folliowing circular letter to the Cham-
bers of Comm Lerce and Consulting Chambers of
Arts and Mangy 'factures :

" Paris, April 26,

" To the Pr viident of the Chamber of

" M. le Commercial Reform As-
sociation, though founded only a few days, have
already received numerous adhesions. The in-
formation add ressed to it from all parts gives it
the assurance t hat it may, with the co-operation of
its members, us efully serve the various interests of
commerce, indetstry, and the consumers.
"We believe we cannot better inaugurate our
labours than by' calling the attention of the Cham-
bers of Comm& .ce and the Consulting Chambers of
Arts and Man afactures to the consequences pro-
duced by the d clays fixed in the commercial treaty
with England.
" Contrary to. 'the generous intentions of the Go-
vernment, these; delays, which, with the view to a
paternal protection, have been stipulated in favour
of the general interest, by rendering the transition
easier, have e•verywhere the effect of restricting
commercial operat ions, and consequently paralyzing
consumption and labour.
" We are justified in thinking that the terms
fixed—the 31st of December, 1860, for manufac-
tured metals; the Ist of June, 1861, for threads
and linen tissues ; the Ist of October, 1831, for a
great number of articles—delay or restrain every-
where the pure base of materials until after those
periods. The s tavnation and diminution of opera-
tions injure navigation and the carrying trade.
" It would seem that all who are interested
ought to desire tb.at the period at which the appli-
cation of the new tariffs commence should be
abridged as mueb. as possible.
" If the ineor,venience .which we point out to
you, M. le Pre s:-;.dent, affects the branches of in-
dustry which you represent you will doubtless
deem it proper t o unite your efforts to ours to de-
mand of the Gov ey:nment to abridge these delays, in
the double interisst of the producer and consumer."
On the other hand, the ilioniteur Industriel, the
organ of the ',Protectionists, addresses a leading
article to the Chambers of Commerce and the Con-
sulting Chambe-:s of Manufactures, warning them
against what it terms " the manoeuvres" of the
Chambers of Col amerce in England. It says :
_

" We deem it our duty to call the attention of the
representatives of our national industry to a
manoeuvre which the English Chambers of Com-
merce are carrying on with perfect unanimity, and
which, if it suoceQd, would do nothing less than
annul, in a fashi:o7 t the most disastrous for us, one
of the most impor:-,ant clauses of the treaty.
" The Imperial. government wished to secure a
guarantee for our manufacures by stipulating that
the ad valorem Ciu ties established in the maximum
limit by the first. article should be converted into
specific duties by' a supplementary convention, and
that the average prices for the six months which
preceded the da%e of the treaty should be taken as the
basis of that con.v,!rsion. The motives which occa-
sioned this clause ure easy to understand, and we
have already m()re than once expressed them."
. The Monitcur .Industriel concludes by exhorting
the French Chambers of Commerce to resist these
attempts on the :part of the English :
"We do not ball them to move heaven and earth
(as the Chambers of Commerce of Leeds and Hud-
dersfield are said by the Manchester Guardian to
be doing), but we strenuously recommend them to
address themselve3 to the Imperial Government to
make it understalid. all the dangers of the establish-
ment of ad valorem duties, and to demand its sup-
port against prewusions which are in opposition to
the treaty, and which would destroy one of the
most essential guarantees stipulated in favour of
national industry.
The past week Nms one of lassitude in the com-
mercial world. It i 3 certain that, in whatever point
of view we look at it, trade in France is undergoing
a crisis which will not cease till the determina-
tion of the Government with respect to the Cu.s:-
toms' tariff shall be fully understood. The fact
caanot be disguised that nobody will enter into any
fresh engagement until he sees his way in this
respect clearly before him. The Paris markets are
extremely dull, and sales are difficult. The cold
weather which until this day has prevailed exercises