The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-22 00:00:00

RAILWAYS IN THE CITY.

Alderman LAWRENCE then proposed a motion of
which he had given notice at a previous court, that
in order to mitigate the evils likely to arise from
carrying out the various railway schemes now
before Parliament, for obtaining stations or ter-
mini within the City of London, and which in-
volve the destruction of large numbers of houses
now occupied by the working classes, petitions be
presented by this Court to both Houses of Parlia-
ment, praying them to introduce clauses to compel
the several companies to run three trains early in
the morning and also in the evening, except on
Sundays, within a distance of six miles from the
General Post-office, such trains to travel at the speed
of 12 miles an hour, and at the fare of 4d. per mile.
Mr. Alderman Lawrence called the attention of the
Court at considerable length to the inconvenience
to which the working classes would be subjected
by having their dwellings destroyed by the new
railways, and he urged that it was imperatively
necessary that they should be enabled to obtain a
residence at a short distance from the metropolis,
and to get there at a cheap rate.
Mr. MEDWIN seconded the motion.

Alderman ROSE thought the matter was too im-
portant to be disposed of at once by the court, and
proposed as an amendment that the question be
referred to a committee, who should be empowered
to consider the whole subject, and report thereon
to the court.

Dr. Ross seconded the amendment, which, after
some discussion, was put and negatived, and the
original motion carried by a large majority.
PROPOSED DEMOLITION OF BLACKFRIARS-BRIDGE.
Mr. IL W. VALLANCE, the chairman of the
Bridge-house Committee, brought up a report,
which recommended among other things that the
present Blackfriars-bridge should be taken down,
and a new bridge erected in lien thereof.

Mr. DE JERSEY said it appeared to him that the
question involved in this report was far too im-
portant to be taken into consideration at once, and
he should therefore move that this report be printed
and circulated among the members of this court,
and that it be taken into consideration on a future
day.
__

Mr. VALLANCE said he had no objection to the
course that was proposed by Mr. De Jersey, but he
would merely observe that the London, Chatham,
and Dover Railway would erect another bridge at a
distance of 105 feet from the present bridge, and
that they could not proceed until they knew what
course the Corporation intended to take with re-
gard toßlackfriars.

The LORD MAYOR observed that it was of im-
mense importance that the works of the railway
should not be delayed, and he suggested that there
should be a special sitting of the court to consider
the report in question.
This suggestion was agreed to, and the court,
after disposing of some other business, adjourned.

FOREIGN TARIFFS.

A statement, in the usual form, has been laid
before Parliament orthe alteration in foreign tariffs
since the 31st of December, 1859. It is of a more
voluminous character than ordinary, as it includes
the whole of the changes under the French and
Chinese Treaties, the former of which occupy 20
pages, and the latter nine pages. The other more
important alterations are those made by Sardinia,
including Naples, which are in the direction of
freedom, and involve an average reduction of about
50 per cent. in the duties on most of the principal
articles of importation. Russia shows no disposi-
tion to an improved system, her only alteration
being a reduction of 50 per cent. on rod iron and an
increase of 100 per cent. on mixed stuffs of silk and
cotton. As regards the Grand Duchy of Finland,
however, there is a reduction of about 281 per cent.
on pig iron. Spain likewise has been without pro-
gress, except that, in connexion with the war in
Morocco, there has been permission for free imports
into the port of Ceuta. Portugal has limited her
movements to a reduction of from 33 to 50 per cent.
on foreign brandies. Greece has made several
alterations; somelinvolving an inerease, and others
a decrease. Grain, which was previously free,
is now taxed according to description to the
extent of from ls. to 2s. 6d. per quarter.
In the duties on hides, paper, and wrought
iron there is a considerable reduction. Mo•
roceo has removed until October next her pro-
hibition against the exportation of wool, maize,
beans, peas, and hemp seed. Brazil shows several
modifications, including a reduction in pig iron, and
also in various kinds of metal work, while on other
kinds, especially steel Fens, scissors, guns, and rifles,
and zinc and its manufactures, there are heavy ad-
ditions. Linen and woollen fabrics, and earthen-
ware 'have likewise been subjected recently to' a
great increase. The Argentine Republic has made
some important changes, all of a favourable kind.
Thus the old duty of 8 per cent. is entirely removed.
from all printing materials, books, paper, cattle for
breeding, coal, charcoal, lime, and other articles
essential to the progress of the country. On a
large number of additional articles of an analogous
description, including agricultural machines, ma-
terials for shipbuilding, all raw materials for the
use of industry, iron and other metals, timber, &a.,
there has at the same time been a reduction of 75
per cent., the former ad valorenz duty of 20 per
cent. having been lowered to 5 per cent. On silks
and ready-made clothes the reduction is equal to 60
per cent., and on woollen, linen, cotton, and metal
manufactures 25 per cent. Venezuela has increased
her export duties on coffee, cocoa, and hides, and
the Sandwich Islands haye adopted, in place of their
old rates, ad valorem duties of a uniform character
as regards the majority of imported articles.