The Sun.
London, England, 1826-07-28 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

In addition to the burdens and embarrassments natu-
rally, or at least generally, affecting the commerce of the
empire for some time past, there has arisen, we lament to
say, another cause of suffering, which, if still partial in its
?p_eration, is most unnatural and revolting in its principle.
We mean the system of outrage upon the mercantile flag
of England, by ban& of pirates assuming the colours of
nations from whom Englishmen and English property
hive a right to the most active officeS of kindness, for-
bearance, or protection. At one extremity of the Medi-
tenant= this evil is perpetrated by Greeks—at the other
by a body of freebooters pretending to be republicans of
South America. The mischief in both quarters has,
we are informed, arrived at a pitch no longer to be tole-
rated, with any consideration for the interests of our
commerce, or for the honour of the British flag.—
It is unquestionable, that the conduct observed by
England towards neutral Powers, when she was her-
self. a belligerent, has established a precedent capable of
much abuse, and convertible to vexatious purposes
against her own commerce, now that she has., ceased
to be a belligerent, and that others who are engaged
in war conceive themselves justified in applying to
her the measures which she set the example of em-
ploying towards other neutrals. Thus, upon the legality,
long contended for by this country, of searching for and
seizing enemy's goods at sea, which were alleged by Buo-
nal?arte and his partisans to be covered in ell cases by the
flag which conveyed them, the Turks and Greeks, the
South Ainericans near Spaniards, might all have justified
the stoppage and ch of neutral merchantmen, though
not freighted with cargoes of contraband war, for the sake
of ascertaining whether any portion of the Goods on board
them were Greek or Turkish, Spanish or South American
property. That the Turks have not been accused, at
least generally, of exercising any such power upon neutral
commerce, may be ascribed to the indolent and unenter-
prising habits which characterise their system of warfare.
The Spanish Government delegated in practice the power
of molesting neutrals to privateers, after her navy had be-
come extinct ; the privateer of course abused the right ;
the pirate succeeded to the privateer, and made the power
which he usurped, and the character which he personated,
a vehicle for the most frightful atrocities and spoliations.
What the Turks forbore to try, the Greeks have succeed-
ed in perverting. The flag of that loose and half-moraled
people has covered the most audacious insults, ob-
structions, and robberies of British commerce; and,
favoured by the disasters of the war, the incapacity of their
national marine to act in bodies under any certain rules,
and the general relaxation of discipline, and absence or
weakness of legal authority, theprivateers of Greece have
degenerated into a piratical banditti, regarding the proper-
ty of all nations alike as their prey; and finding more Bri-
tish merchantmen ifioat than those of any other people,
have found amongst them' accordingly more subjects for
cruelty and plunder. Men, we are aware, in ail profes-
sions, are apt to speak largely of their own wrongs ; but
facts speak for themselves in this instance,—a list of spo-
liatioes is given on authority alike specific and respecta-
ble, and the proceedings of the robbers, from the seizure
of the merchandise to the sale of it, are described with
minuteness and apparent fidelity. The worst of this sys-
tem, as has been fairly stated, is not the mere plunder of
the goods, which affects the fortune of the individual losers
only; but as these goods are of British manufacture, the
eager sale of them by the plunderers, at half their intrin-
sic worth, deprives the great body of our exporting mer-
chants of all chance of a remunerating price for their pro-
perty, and, in times like the present, swells itself into a
calamity most grievous to the nation at large. Under
such circumstances, it is not too much to ask that a more
complete and satisfactory protection should be furnished,
by the British navy to the merchant. We are aware of
the difficulties opposed to our marine in the Archipelago,
by the intricacy of the navigation, the number of the
islands, the minuteness of the creeks into which the pi-
rates run for shelter, the velocity as well as multitude or
their little vessels, and the shrewdness and desperation of
the owners; but if the British cruisers on the station be
not sidlicient in number, or well adapted by their size and
Construction to the service, let others more qualified he
sent to reinforce them; it is on such points as these that
we have ever pressed for a parsimonious expenditure of
public income. If our commerce goes, the sinews of the
navy are cut off, in men as well as money. At the oppo-
site boundary, as we have said, of the Mediterranean, the
trade Of England is subjected to a similar process ciour-
rageous insult and oppression. Under the flags of Colom-
bia and her sister republles, a swarm of privateers, or
rather pirates, infest the neighbourhood of the Straits,
and under - pretence of searching for Spanish goods, rob
friend and foe with equal and impartial diligence. The
cargoes thus purloined are carried off to the West Indies,
or to some part of the Spanish main, and sold, as at
Smyrna, for prices ruinous to trade ; while the cause of
liberty itself is betrayed, seal the fame of independent na-
tions loWered, by these unauthorised and guilty usurpa-
tides of the flag and title of South America. It is indeed
asserted, that these vessels are not 'so mitch as manned by
natives of the country tinder which they profess to navi-
gate—on the contrary, there is reason for believing that
many of them are fitted out by foreign merchants residing
at Gibraltar, as a central point, where Intelligence is
promptly. received and acted on respective prizes worthy
of spoliation. The whole subject cannot be too earnestly
recommended to the notice of the King's Ministers.—
Times.

Much jealousy is said to be felt by the London bankers
respecting the project for establishing branches of the
Bank of England in the country, especially those who have
themselves formed banks in those places where this sort of
rivalry is likely to present itself. From what we have learnt
of the proceedings of the new branch bank at Gloucester,
the bankers are likely to be deprived in part of the agency
for receiving dividends, tine); for the sale of stock by powers
of attorney, which is a department of the banking busi-
ness much coveted. , This is now undertaken, we believe,
by the branch bank at Gloucester, and the credit de-
rived from the connexion with the parent establishment
is likely to make it extensive. It is natural that all
men should exercise a jealous watchfulness after their
personal interests; but we may safely venture to affirm
that this feeling of jealousy against branch banks has led
some interested parties to represent affairs in the manufac-
turing districts as. much less disastrous than they really
are, because they seek to create an impression in very
high quarters that trade is about to revive--that the re-
newal of confidence, one of the benefits anticipated from
branch banks, Is about to take place spontaneously ; and in
fact, that a continuance of the old system, of width they
are the supporters, will do all that is desired. The Bank
Directors naturally will have to expect from this feeling
that every possible obstacle will be presented.to the com-
pletion of their plan on the part of the bankers. At pre-
sent, from whatever cause, they are a marvellous illustra-
tion of the proverb that "great bodies move slowly."—
Times.

prevail with regar
Much difference of opinion *ems to
to the plan of the Batik of England for introducing ili:ancd
h ,
Banks into the country. A ._good deal May
'The establishmentbteiof ;tiriladorti:osbi:
both sides of the question.
Banks will no doubt tend to check the forgery f
particularly the small notes. In several parts of England,'
at present—such as Lancitshire, there are few other notes
'in ctienlation than those of the Bank of England, yet
though the clerks in the banking concerns in that quarter
ma know forged notes its well as the clerks in the Bank
of England, and consequentl rect thtaking oen), thff eeynders into
have not
so summary a power, we bel eve of
custody, nor would they have the same interest as the
Bank-. of England agents in, carrying 'on n
d the prosecuandtions the
Should; :kliffdoze„.. the march of scien avanc e,
present sygre-e>.o9lnery continue or increase, which is
probable, Mid should the circulation of paper medium be-
come more and more extensive, and the bank of England,
in consequence of Exchanges being against us at sonic
futureildt446tigefittibliged'to issue one and two pound
.141V:Zlerel*..,,