The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-14 00:00:00

PROTECTION IN FRANCE.

Some causes cannot afford to stand still. Th

iyho advocate them must advance that they may
not retrograde. Motion to them is life ; like the
skater they fall prostrate if that motion is inter-
rupted. Such a person was the great Napoleon,
who had brought Himself to believe that to him
tranquillity was certain destruction, that he must
be for ever astonishing France by some new ex-
ploit, and that the moment he left off conquering
others he would himself be conquered and over-
thrown. Upon the example of this great man
the French School of Prohibitionists have
formed themselves. Napoleon is once reported
to have said, if an empire was formed
of granite political economists would reduce
it to powder, and the prohibitionists seem
determined that in their day, at least, this process
of macadamisation shall not take place. Granite is
their beau ideal, a substance out of which nothing
can be got, and into which nothing can enter--
hard, homogeneous, barren, and worthless, without
elasticity, development, or life.
We have to notice, however, to-day, two excur-
sions of the spirit of Prohibition in France into
regions whither it has not hitherto ventured. We
have long ago been accustomed to hear the most
frantic complaints against everything that is im-
ported by foreigners—to hear arguments in favour
of native sugar that does not sweeten against
foreign sugar that does—the praises of wood as
against iron, shoddy against wool, and everything
in the world against calico or flannel. We have
heard the sighs of Amiens and the lamentations
of Lyons, and have become well aware that the
empire of the French is divided between the
Emperor Napoleon and the French manufacturers,
and that if he can rule they can tax the nation
as they please. But we certainly were not pre-
pared for the advance which the French Prohi-
bitionists have just made. The colour which the
principle of Protection has assumed among us, and
hitherto among the French, is that of an intense
desire to promote the grandeur and dignity of
the country by shielding it and its manufactures
from the.unequal competition of foreign producers.
We say the colour, for we have always held this
talk of nationality to be a transparent pretext to
veil the selfishness of men whose whole and sole
desire was to make money out of the public to i
which the merits of their ndustry did not entitle
them. France is the land of logic, and we have
no reason, therefore, to be surprised to find the
principle of Prohibition stripped of the veil of
patriotism behind which she lurked, and produced
in all the naked deformity of her native selfishness.
The object of attack is not now the production
of any foreign country, but the work of French
capital, to which the empire is mainly indebted for
the surprising progress which has been made in the
last few years. The complainants are the Canal
Proprietors of France, and the objects of their
complaint the Railway Companies. To be sure,
these much injured men do not approach the
throne of the Emperor with a request that he will
command a sufficient number of Sappers and
Miners to go forth and level to the ground the
railway works which now traverse France in all
directions. They do not even request that the ac-
cursed English iron with which these anti-national
enterprises have dared to construct their rails
should be torn up and cast into the sea, and that,
instead thereof, a contract at their own prices
should be given to 'the distressed forgerons of St.
Etienne or the Limousin. They will permit
railways to exist, they only ask to be delivered
from their competition. Nay, they are mag-
nanimous ; passengers they abandon to the rail-
ways. They do not require that France should
be traversed. in barges, or that the Indian
mail should be carried down the Rhone in
a steamer ; but over goods they have a sovereign
right—a right which they are prepared to assert to
the uttermost.
The Canals of France—almost all of which, if
our memory serves us, have been made with public
money—reproach 'the railways, the concessions of
which have not been by any means gratuitous, with
having received public support. and thus involving
them in an unfair competition: It appears that
these heartless innovators have actually lowered
their tariff for carrying goods, whenever they have
had to compete with water communication, to a
point with which the canal owners find itimpossible
to compete. This is intolerable, and the modest re-
quest of the canal owners is, that for their benefit
the railways shall be compelled to charge a sum for
the carriage of goods so high as to enable the canals
successfully to compete with them. They ask the
Emperor, in fact, to employ his power in compelling
the railway companies to regulate their charges,
not with a view to their own interest, but to that
of their opponents. The public, of course, who will
have to pay these extra charges, go for nothing in
the matter ; or, rather, the Emperor is asked to pro-
tect them against the effects of their own folly.
The public, say the French monopolists, are not
sufficiently alive to the benefits of competition.
With an ignorant impatience of high charges—
which they ought to know are beneficial to them—
they fly to the railway because they ask least, and
if things are allowed to go on in this way the
canals will be shut up altogether, and then there
will be no competition at all. In our eyes the French
public are excusable for not appreciating the value
of a competition the result of which is to make things
dear instead of cheap, and for thinking little would
be gained by establishing a legal monopoly for fear
the superiority of railways should create a virtual
one. The-request, as we have said, does not appear
to us very reasonable, but it is, at any rate, logical
and consistent. Once admit the principle that the
interests of the consumer are to be systematically
sacrificed to those of the producer, and we can sea
no reason why the weaker producer should not be
allowed to invoke the aid of Government to pro-
tect him against the competition of his stronger and
more fortunate fellow-countrymen. Why should a
barge be subject to the competition of a steamer, or
a punt to the competition of a barge ? Why should
human labour be displaced by that of bullocks, bul-
locks by horses, or horses by the steam-engine ? On
the principles of Protection we cannot say, and we
strongly recommend to the perusal of the Canal in-
terest of France the petition against the light of the
sun suggested by M. Frederick Bastiat as the pro-
per exposition of the griefs of the afflicted manufac-
turers of lamps, candles, and girandoles.
We have left ourselves but little room to expa-
tiate on the second development of the spirit of
Prohibition. It appears that the Basques of the
Pyrenees have not studied under Mr. Bright's
direction. They have man's blessings positive and
negative. Among the former may be enumerated
Universal Suffrage, Vote by Ballot ; and among the
latter the total absence of a powerful aristocracy,
entails, and the law of primogeniture. Yet, even
with all these aids and appliances for happiness,
they are as anxious to emigrate as the Glasgow
weavers themselves. They are the Swiss of France
—keen, active, and industrious, and particularly
well fitted to push their fortunes in foreign coun-
tries. Perhaps they are disposed to think that even
the good things they enjoy would not be ill ex-
changed for a moderate amount of personal and
political freedom, for permission to buy cheap and
sell dear, for emancipation from the extortions
which their protected manufacturers conceive them-
selves born to practise upon them, and for a state of
law which permits and encourages the employment
of capital and skill on' land, and thus favours the
improvement of agriculture and the remuneration
labour. However this may be, many Basques have
emigrated to Buenos Ayres, have acquired fortunes
there, and many others, stimulated by their success,
are preparing to follow their example. The Minis-
ter of the Interior is horrified that the people should
think of leaving the paradise which Protection,
Prohibition, Conscription, and Subdivision have
made for them. " Must I :believe," says the dis-
consolate Minister of the Interior, " that the agri-
cultural labourers do hot receive sufficiently high
wages ?" The Prefect replies, "On the one hand,
the moderate salary paid to daily labourers, parti-
cularly.during late years, on the other hand the
insufficiency of the produce of patrimonial portions
of land for the small cultivators, which is sub-

divided at every inheritance, constitute the prin-
cipal causes of the Basque emigration." Again
he says,—." Insufficiency of means to live on their
native soil in consequence of the minute subdivi-
sion of property is among the principal causes."
The remedy is characteristic—to refuse passports
to all persons under age. This makes the whole
circle complete. The State deprives every one of the
right of disposing of his property at his death, and
substitutes for that right an enforced subdivision
by which it ruins agriculture. It forces every one
to pay ail enormous tribute to a number of greedy
monopolists, thus depriving him of the natural
right to buy and sell where he pleases ; and when,
reduced to extremity by such treatment, the
peasant proposes to carry the only commodity
which the mischievous meddling of Government
has left him to a better market, his native country
is converted into a gaol, from which, for the
benefit of the protected interests, he is on no ac-
count to be allowed, to escape.—Times.

DEPARTURE OF THE SWALLOWS.—A lar e num-
ber of swallows assembled yesterday morning, on the south
side :only of Lincoln's-inn-fields ; a few were also seen
in the square of Lincoln's-inn, and attracted consider-
able attention. About two o'clock, when a steady rain
set in, they collected on the roof of the College of Sur-
geons, where by their incessant twitting they appeared to
be holding a council, after which they suddenly disappeared,
and were not seen for the remainder of the day. Mr. Yar-
rell states, hilthis " Natural History of Birds," that about
the middle of October martins generally leave this country
in large flocks, having previously assembled on house-tops,
about churches, and lofty trees. It was supposed that this
gathering was preparatory to a general migration. •

AN AMERICAN DUEL.

The San Francisco co rrespondent of the New
York Herald, writing on the 6th ult., describes a
duel which took place on the 21st August, on Angel
Island, in the Bay of San Francisco, between
George Penn Johnston, Clerk of the United States
Circuit Court and editor of the National, and Wm.
I. Ferguson, State Senato-r from Sacramento county,
in the presence of a larger crowd collected for the
occasion. It appears that Ferguson took ground,
months ago, against the :Kansas policy of the ad-
ministration, and that Johnston is an ardent sup-
porter of Mr. Buchanan.. The -correspondent
writes :
" Ferguson was on a visit to this city, and met
Johnston accidentally about midnight at the Bank
Exchange. The difficulty which followed occurred
in this manner. During the conversation Ferguson
remarked that Johnston belonged, body and soul, to
Dr. Gwin. A Mr. Westmoreland, who was present,
then repeated a few lines which appeared in the
Butte Record in reference to a despatch over the
Atlantic Telegraph, announcing the safe arrival of
Mrs. Gwin and family in England, Johnston re-
quested the speaker to cease, remarking that no
gentleman would mention the name of a lady in a
bar-room. Westmoreland desisted, but Ferguson
repeated the lines, which were in truth harmless
in themselves. Johnston remonstrated; and
went on to assert that he (Ferguson) was
the last man in the• State who should attempt to
fling ridicule or bring discredit to the door of any
one, for he had violated his pledged word made to
him (Johnston) at Sacramento, where he promised
that if the Administrative Convention did not no-
minate Congressmen, he (Ferguson) would use all
his exertions to prevent the' anti-Lecomptonites
from so doing. Ferguson replied by pronouncing,
in unmistakeable terms, the statement untrue, and
made a demonstration towards Johnston. Johnston
drew his pistol, but parties present interfered,• stat-
ing that Ferguson was unarmed. Upon being in-
formed of this fact Johnston put up his weapon.
Other words passed between the parties, when mu-
tual friends interfered, and both left. But before
leaving the place Ferguson called to all persons
present that the quarrel between him and. John-
ston did not arise about a lady, and asserted that
he had said nothing disrespectful of Mrs. Gwin.
The next morning (Aug. 21) Johnston sent Fergu-
son a peremptory challenge, which was promptly
accepted. The time and place were fixed after
some preliminaries were settled.
" The meeting took place on Angel Island, about
five miles from the city., but fully within view.
The principals, with their seconds, physicians, and
a number of friends, arrived on the ground at two
o'clock in the afternoon. Until five o'clock nothing
was done save talking, obtaining refreshments, and
indulging in pistol practice, for it was well known
neither party had much experience in the use of the
weapon. At the last-mentioned hour about 80 per-
sons were present, including several federal officers.
The parties were brought to the spot selected, the
pistols (duelling ones) loaded, the agreement being
on the first fire 10 paces, or 30 feet ; the second and
subsequent fires 20 feet.
" Both appeared cool and collected, coming on
the ground with overcoats. They were presented
with pistols by their seconds, the latter exhibiting
more nervousness than the principals. A reporter
from the Morning Call, who witnessed the fight,
gives the following account •of it, which is consi-
dered correct :—They stripped off their overcoats,
buttoned up their coats, and turned up the collars
thereof, Ferguson at the moment giving vent to one
of his characteristic jokes. The moment was an ex-
citing one to the spectators, many of whom were
never participants in a similar affair. Mr. Johnston
was placed standing to the west; Mr. Ferguson
standing to the east, facing south. The former wore
a sack coat, buttoned at the top ; the latter a frock.
The word was to be given by demanding, ' Are you
ready ?—Fire !' At the latter word, both fired, Fer-
guson a little the first; but no damage was done--
Johnston's bullet striking the ground about a foot in
front of his adversary, and Ferguson's passing close
to Johnston to the, north, lodging in the earth. All
the spectators gave a relieving breath, and sup-
posed that some steps would be taken to effect a
reconciliation ; but such hopes were dispelled on
seeing the weapons reloaded. On the second fire, the
distance being reduced 10 feet, both discharged
their pistols simultaneously without effect, the shots
being line ones, and the bullets lodging in the
ground near each contestant's feet. On the third
attempt Ferguson fired first, Johnston reserving his
fire. At this moment, when the life of his adversary
was in his hands, the excitement was intense, and
every spectator expected a deadly issue. After
discharging his weapon, Ferguson gave one of his
characteristic shakes of the head, and braced him-
self to receive the fire, which was given deliberately,
but missed, passing to the south of the latter. The
result was a.great relief to all present, who could
not but admire the coolness and courage of both
parties, and strong hopes were entertained that the
affair woald then be terminated, as it looked like
\ butchery to see two men coolly shoot at each other
at such a short distance ; but Johnston's seconds
demanded another shot, which of course was
granted. On coming to the ground for the fourth
shot, the excitement among the spectators had
somewhat abated, the three puff paffs interchanged
having somewhat familiarised them with the code
of honour, and the sentiment was universal, ' Go
in, and get killed'—the outsiders considering it
rather forcing the matter in requiring another shot.
During the interval Johnston talked freely with
his friends, and Ferguson, after throwing his over-
coat around him, for the wind commenced to blow
sharply, walked to and fro with Dr. White.
" The parties prepared for the fourth fire and the
word was given, but Mr. Dameron, one of John-
ston's seconds, stopped the fire on account of some
informality. After a short parley between the se-
conds the word was again repeated, and both fired
—Ferguson firing first, Johnston having reserved
his fire. On the report of the pistol being • heard,
Ferguson was seen to fall. It was expected that he
was killed, but on examination it was ascertained
that Johnson's shot had taken effect midway in his
right thigh, breaking the bone. Ferguson's shot
passed through Johnston's coat, ploughed up the
front of his pants and grazed his left wrist and
hand, and inflicting a trifling wound.
"On the result of the fourth fire being made
known, a feeling of relief was manifested amongst
all present. Mr. Ferguson's surgeons attended to
his wound promptly, and availed themselves of a
mattress and stretcher, which had been brought to
the ground. Whilst in the surgeon's handS the
ruling passion of Ferguson predominated, for he
joked in the' best spirit, and said if he was a poor
shot, he had sufficient pluck to face the music. On
receiving his wound Mr. Ferguson asked if John-
ston had been injured, and sent a friend to inquire,
which civility was reciprocated by the Johnston
side ; and afterwards Mr. Johnston, accompanied
by his seconds, after having inquired if a visit was
permissible, visited Mr. Ferguson, and shook hands,
passing but the usual set phrases incident to such
occasions.

" Ferguson's wound is serious, and he has since
been confined to his bed. At first he thought that
his life was in jeopardy, and that the limb would
have to be amputated. These fears have been re-

moved, and the gentleman will escape, probably
with a halting step for the balance of his existence.
_ _

The regret for the injury is felt by his political
opponents almost as much as by his friends. Fer-
guson is a man of generous qualities, though not as
careful in his mode of living as those who know
him would desire. Johnston was but slightly
wounded—he was on the street the day after the
duel. Ferguson stays at the same hotel with Mr.
Broderick, where he was directly conveyed from
the field. Both gentlemen displayed unflinching
courage and extraordinary coolness during the time
occupied with the fight. There arc few duels of
which we have any record where four shots were
exchanged and so much fearlessness and noncha-
lance exhibited."

practice at Brussels, in presence of the King, the following
BELGIAN`RIFLE PRACTICE.—At the latell rifle.
were the results of the firing : s
guns non rayes, fired 11,100 balls,3
Civic Guard the following are the"foAafcltvsha:r
i—cht's2l2,lolms men, with
50 blanks.
that 10 per cent. of theballs struck The average was
the target. They obtained 12,5 0
peints;made
the mark. 200 men armed with muskets fired 1,000
target. They obtained
balls, of which 220 struck the
'
2 660 points ; made 16 blanks. Thq average 22 per
cent. As to the army, 78 men armed with the carbine a
he target. They obtained 1,625 points and made
tige fired 290 balls, of which one-third, that is to say 130,
touched t
10 blanks. On the average 33 per cent. of the balls hit the
mark. 384 shooters used the rifle gun. The result was
1,920 balls fired ; 584 balls hit the mark ; 6,250 points were
obtained ; 33 blanks. The average of balls hitting the object
was 28 per cent ; 156 shooters with non-rifled guns. They
fired 780 balls;. 122 hit the target. They obtained 1,385
points ; made 11 blanks. The average of balls that hit the
mark waslll6 per cent. The shooters served with armes de
precision were numerous ; 254 took part in the match at
the fixed target. _ They fired 2,640 balls, of which 2,257
reached the rget. They made 416 blanks, being the enor-
mous average of 88 out of every 100 touching the mark."
These results appeared to interest his Majesty greatly.
They showed the enormous advantage of arnica de precision over the ordinary arms. The Ministers of the Interior and '
of War added their congratulations to those which the King
addressed to the president of the committee.
A FLYING MACHINE.—Lord Carlingford, in a
letter dated " Swift's Heath, September 17," announces
to the public that he has "clearly established the principle
of aerial nrigation," that the aerhedon or aerial chariot,
in the construction of which his lordship has spent several
years: "having flown and proved the perfection of its
principle, and of the manner in which it has been carried
out, it is now a question of forming a company for the pur-
pose of bringing it out, and then for the whole world to
witness at last the• lore
Civilisatio and g-sought-for discovery, advaßcirng.
n,administering to the happiness and Po
isperity of nations." '