The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-20 00:00:00

TEE VOLUNTRE.R MOYE3IENT.

On Tuesday evening a crowded public meeting
was held at the Horbury school-rooms, Ladbroke-
road, Notting-hill, to promote the formation of a
cadet corps in connection with the South Middlesex
Rifles—the Hon. E. Curzon in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said that, as the residents of Not-
ting-hill were among the earliest in establishing
volunteer corps, he was not surprised to find them
in favour of the proposed cadet corps. If the volun-
teer movement was to become one of the permanent
institutions of the country, cadet corps must be
established, so as to enable the rising generation to
take the place of their elder brothers in arms who
might be removed from the muster-roll of the corps
through
-eath or any other cause. The cost of
equipment to the cadet corps was modgrate, so as to
bring it within the reach of all parents.
Mr. SILL then
rnoved " That, inasmuch as the
volunteer rifle movement
has now become a subject
of national approbation, it
is the opinion of this
meeting that volunteer cadet corps should be
formed."
Mr. StrErtiDAN, M.P., seconded the motion,
la.hich was carried.
After addresses from several other speakers, a.
resolution was agreed to pledging the meeting to
support the proposed cadet corps. A vote of thanks
to the chairman closed the proceedings.

On Tuesday afternoon a numerous company
assembled at the Town-hall, Woolwich, to witness
the presentation of a silver bugles subscribed
for by the ladies of the district, to the 4th Kent
Rifle Corps, which arrived at the time named,
under the command of Captain Carter, and pre-
ceded by its band. The corps having formed oppo•
site the platform, Mrs. Brown, wife of the Rec.
Henry Brown, M.A., rector of Woolwich, ad-
dressed them as follows Several of the ladies
of Woolwich have honoured me with the request
that I should present to you this silver bugle as a j
token of the high estimatim in which your disin-
terested services are held by them, as well as by
the inhabitants of this important town in general.
Though the sound of the bugle is usually associated
in our minds with the terrors of war, we trust that
in this instance its notes may serve to enliven
the peaceful occupations of our daily life rather than
be heard as a call to arms for the defence of our
Country. But should the tranquillity of our

homes be disturbed by foreign invasion, we feel
assured that we may confidently rely on your cou-
rage and readiness, as well as on you ability, to
aid in our defence, since only a high s, nse of duty
to your Sovereign and of love for your country
could have thus roused you in a tim of peace to be
prepared for the unhappy contin r ncies of war."
Mrs. Brown then presented the bugle to Captain
Carter, who replied in appropriate terms, and, after
an address from the Rev. H. Brown, the corps re-
tired in marching order.
On Monday last, at a meeting of the non-com-
missioned officers and privates of the 4th Company
of the Ist Surrey Rifle Volunteers, a valuable watch
and chain, with a purse, was presented to Sergeant
George Madgwick, R.M., as a mark of their appre-
ciatien of his services as drill instructor.

TILE MANCHESTER CFLAMBER OF COM-
MERCE AND TEE FRENCH TRLITY.

A special meeting of the Chamber was held
yesterday in the Mayor's parlour, at Manchester,
to receive a report from the directors relative to
the French treaty.
Mr. H. FLEMING, the secretary, read the docu-
ment, as follows :
The French Commercial Treaty being now completed,
and its details having been published, the directors feel it
their duty to report the various steps they have taken as
regards this important measure.
On the publication of the treaty the subject was brought
under the immediate notice of the Board ; and at a meet-
ing, held on the 13th of February, it was resolved to peti-
tion the House of Commons in its favour, the petition con-
cluding as follows :
" Your petitioners therefore pray your hon. House to
afford the measure its calm and impartial consideration in
its many important details, to pass the sane with all con-
venient speed, and thus check the mischief arising from
the uncertainty now naturally affecting many important
interests. On the same day a cordial vote of thanks was
passed by the Board to Hr. Richard Cobden, M.P., for
his voluntary and patriotic exertions in the negotiation
of the treaty in question, As soon as possible after the
receipt of copies of the treaty the Board met to consider the
subject, and on the 20th of February appointed a sub• com-
mittee to examine its details and report thereon. Their
report was presented on the 23d of the same month, strong
objection being taken to article No. 13, which gave the
French Govemmentlhe power of converting the ad valo-
rem into specific duties, the sub-committee being of opinion
that such a course would be attended with considerable
risk of complication and uncertainty, and would be found,
as regards the manufactures of this district, to be generally
impracticable. The report also showed the unfairness of
calculating the rate of duties upon the medium price ruling
during the six months immediately preceding the ratifica-
tion of the treaty, as a fair average would not be arrived at,
prices having been higher during that period than at any
time during the previous ten years. The views contained
in the report were subsequently brought under the notice
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and more particularly
of the President of the Board of Trade, by a deputation from
the Chamber. The deputation was assured that the matters
to which attention had been called should be brought under
the special notice of the French Government. Early in the
month of April a letter was received from the Board of Trade,
requesting the Chamber to afford information upon several
points. Your President, with the concurrence of the Board,
forwarded a reply, suggesting that it would be productive of
great advantage ifa meeting could be arranged with Mr. Cob-
den and the other Commissioners, and thoßepresentatives of
Chambers of Commerce from the large commercial towns
whose trade was likely to be affected. The proposed interview
took place at the Board of Trade, and your directors again
urged their objections against specific duties ; and they
flatter themselves the results of that interview have been
beneficial. After this period the Conseil Superieur du Com-
merce proceeded to take evidence on the relative cost of the
manufactures of both countries, and several members of
your Board proceeded to Paris, and were examined. Mr.
Cobden subsequently requested the Chamber to aid him by
sending to Paris a deputation of gentlemen well acquainted
with the manufactures of this district, and able to give him
all the requisite information regarding them. Your Board
immediately appointed a deputation, with instructions to
adhere to the opinions already expressed in favour of ad
valorem duties, but still to afford all the aid in his power
in framing a scale of duties which could be practically
carried and be mutually satisfactory to Great Britain and
France. A resolution was passed on the 16th of July,
That the deputation to Paris from this Chamber should
not commit the Chamber to any opinion as to the rate of
duties which ought to be imposed by the French Govern-
ment on English manufactures.' At the close of the month
of July the deputation proceeded to Paris. A very exten-
sive assortment of patterns of the various manufactures of
this district was also sent. Every effort was made by that
deputation to enforce the views entertained by the Board
on the mode of levying the duties, explanations were
afforded to the French Government as to the great injustice
and difficulty which the adoption of specific duties would
unavoidably entail. The difficulties in attempting the
classification of printed goods and every class of fancy
woven fabrics have since been practically acknowledged in
the tariff by the admission of many kinds of such goods at
an ad valorem duty. But it will be found that in the case
of yarns, cotton, woollen, and linen, in plain cotton aid
linen fabrics, in fustians and velvets, a complicated scale of
specific duties has been adopted ; the directors regret that
the very simple form suggested by the deputation in July
was not accepted. The directors invite from members of
the Chamber the expression of their opinions as to the prac-
tical effect of the tariff, as they believe, from the liberal
spirit evinced by the French Government, that where error
have been made or difficulties arise, modifications of the
tariff will be considered with a view to amendment. The
directors have much pleasure in acknowledging the cordial
co-operation afforded by the Glasgow Chamber of Com-
merce. The Treaty being now complete the directors are
confident the Chamber will unite in declaring its estimation
of the great value and of the devoted, untiring, and gratui-
tous labours of Mr. Cobden, and will express to him their
full appreciation of the high motives which led him to at-
tempt the negotiations now terminated. The Board trust
the Chamber will also tender its thanks to Messrs. Mallett
and Ogilvie for their services and polite attention to the de.
potation from the city while in Paris; and also to the gen-
tlemen composing such deputation for their great assistance
in conducting a very difficult and delicate negotiation.
" On behalf of the Board of Directors,
" EDMUND POTTER, President."
Mr. EDMUND POTTER, the President of the
Chamber, took the chair, and moved the adop-
tion of the report. He thought they had gained a
very great benefit by the completion of the treaty
—a much greater benefit, he must confess, than he
had himself anticipated. There was in the treaty
much that he regretted, but much that he
valued. Though it was rather reversing the
order of things, the first point he would refer to was
the closing suggestion of the report, that a cordial
vote of thanks should be given to Mr. Cobden.
He (the chairman) had framed that clause himself,
therefore it expressed his feelings entirely. He be-
lieved that only Mr. Cobden could have obtained
this treaty—(hear, hear)—considering all the cir-
cumstances. He made that admission frankly,
because, like many others, stanch freettaders as
they were, he had not exactly liked the mode in
which the thing was set about. However, he be-
lieved great advantages would accrue from it, and

there were times when expediency itself might
become principle. Perhaps it was better to have
dealt with the question as Mr. Cobden had done. If
he (the chairman) were not addressing a commer-
cial assembly, and as a commercial man, he should
say the great value of the treaty was more in its
moral and political than in its commercial bearings
(Hear, hear.) But the duty of this Chamber was to
consider it as a commercial treaty alone. In that
spirit the report would show that they had all
along expressed a strong opinion of the value of ad
valorem duties. He adhered to that opinion most
strongly, and had, perhaps, expressed it dogmati-
cally, but he did not regret having done so, and he
thought the whole value of the treaty now con-

sisted in the ad valorem principle they had intro-
duced into it. The admission of woven goods of all
sorts, more particularly printing goods, at 13 per
cent. duty, was an amazing concession on the part
of the French Government, and he deeply regretted
that the same ad valorem system could not be car-
ried throughout, because he saw in the specific duty
_ .

Such an enormous amount of mischief and unfair-

nes% Specific duties never meant exactly what was
intendedn ao
stated ; as a rule
athey were always very much more
than the nominal
t
amount. He
aH
he
ibelieved thatspecific
fie it haddu
ty
not been
than 15 per cent.
on spun cotton goods, woollens,
worsted, and gray skirtings; but on the present
hi;h prices the duty would be 15 to 20 per cent. ;
a
and if there werereduction of price in a few
months, as was likely
enough,r these duties would
pe
mount up to 24 or 25 cent. Again, specific
duties required specific
goods to be manufactured
for particular markets, and thus the trade was ham-
pered in various ways. A great example of the
mischief of specific duties was the Zollverein
Ac-
cording to the statement of M. Arles Dufour, that
gentleman was resident in Germany when Prussia
established the Zollverein proclaiming the principle
that the duties should not be protective, but always
fiscal, and should never exceed 10 per cent. on the