The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-22 00:00:00

TILE STADE DUES.

Attention has been repeatedly called to the
Stade dues, an impcst levied upon•shipping at the
mouth of the Elbe by Hanover in defiance of the law
of nations. The case of these dues has been care-
fully investigated by a Select Committee of the House
of Commons in the Session of 1858, when the unani-
mous resolution was reported, "That the Stade tolls
are injurious to British trade ; that Hanover renders
no services in return ; and that the Treaty under
which this country has temporarily submitted to
the payment of these dues should be terminated."
In pursuance of these resolutions notice was given
by Lord Malmesbury to the Hanoverian Govern-
ment to terminate the Treaty of 1844, and the late
Administration declared in Parliament that this
ill-advised Treaty would expire on the 14th of
August last. The change of Government which
occurred a short time before the period of the ex-
piration of the Treaty rendered a • postponement
unavoidable. Lord John Russell, on coming into
office, explained in the House of Commons, on the
18th of July last, that he thought it advisable to
refer the question with regard to the Stade
dues once more to the law officers of the present
Administration, and that it would be necessary
that the Treaty with Hanover should be renewed
for a limited period in order to gain sufficient
time for negotiation with Hanover. It was
in consequence agreed between the two Govern-
ments that the Treaty should be renewed for six
months, so as to expire on the 14th of February
next.

In the meantime another step has been taken,
which cannot fail to facilitate a final settlement of
this vexatious question. The Government of Bel-
gium has considered it advisable to follow the ex-
ample of the British Government, by giving notice
to Hanover for the termination of their Treaty of
February 22, 1842, with regard to the Stade dues.
We understand that this notice has been served
upon the Government of Hanover by a note of the
Belgian Minister, Baron Nothomb, of the 23d of
November last, with a view of concerting means to
provide for the abolition of the Stade dues on the
principle of an equitable compensation.
A similar determination appears to exist on the
part of the Dutch Government, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Holland having declared in the
Second Chamber, on the 26th of November, 1858,
that the Government of the Netherlands would be
disposed to negotiate with Hanover for the aboli-
tion of the Stade dues on the same principles as
those which, to the satisfaction of all contracting
parties, were adopted in the case of the Sound
dues.

The Stade dues seem, therefore, to have now at
last arrived at their doom. The Government of
Hanover will have either to allow a settlement of
the question on the principles of justice and of in.
ternational law, or to forego the impost altogether,
as the States principally concerned in the naviga-
tion of the Elbe have now, by the termination of
their treaties, liberated themselves from the self-
imposed liability of paying these tolls. It is to be
hoped that the British Government will not lose so
favourable an opportunity of bringing to a close this
long-pending question, so as to release us for ever
from an impost which is unjust in principle, and
which, in its unequal operation, presses with pecu-
liar weight upon British shipping.