The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-12 00:00:00

FRENCH COMMERCE.

The usual analysis of French commerce has recently been
published by the Customs Department, giving the results of
the year 1814. In reading this analysis it is always necessary
to bear in mind the signification of the words "general" and
" special." With respect to importation "general commerce"
includes every article imported, without regard to its origin
or destination, while "special commerce" only includes arti-
cles entered for consumption in the kingdom. With respect
to exportation, " general commerce" includes all exported
articles without regard to origin; while "special commerce
includes solely goods produced at home, and those that have
been naturalized by the payment of import duties.
The general commerce of France during the year 1844
has amounted to 2,340,000,000 f., exceeding that of 1843 by
161,000,000 f. or 7 per cent., and exceeding the average of
the five preceding years by 248,000,000 f., or 12 per cent.
The increase is much more on exportation than on importa-
tion. The foreign produce entered for French consumption
amounts to 867,000,000 E, showing an increase of 3 and 11
per cent. on a comparison with 1843 and the five years'
average. The French produce exported abroad amounts to
790,000,000 f., presenting on the two comparisons an increase
of 15 and 14 per cent.
Considering the trade as it is carried on by sea and
land, it is found that the commerce by sea amounts
to 1,658,000,000 E, and that by land to 682,000,000 f. ;
that is to say, the sea commerce is more than two-
thirds of the whole. Compared with 1843 and the five years'
-average, this is an increase of 6 and 10 per cent. for the sea
commerce, and 12 and 17 for the land. Of the total amount
of goods carried by sea (1,658,000,000 E), as much as
764,000,000 f. has been carried in French bottoms, and
894,000,000 f. by foreigners. This gives an increase of 6 and.
11 per cent. for the French, and 6 and 9 per cent, for the fo-
reign flags. The countries with which there has been the
most trade are the United States, England, Switzerland, Sar-
dinian States, German Zollverein, Spain, Algeria, and the co-
lonies of the Antilles and Bourbon. These countries are set
down for 72 per cent. of the total amount of imports and ex-
ports combined. In 1843 the proportion ofthese countries was
only 69 per cent. Compared with 1843 trade with the United
States has increased 12 per cent., with England 4 per cent.,
with Belgium 15 per cent., with Spain 26 per cent.,
and with Algeria 46 per ceut. The goods imported into
Franca from England in 1844 show, as compared to 1843, a
decrease of 3,000,000 f. to general commerce, and an increase
of 5,000,000 f. to special commerce. The United States are
set down at 143,000,000 f., of 12 per cent., in the total " ge-
neral commerce of importation ;" and at 134,000,000 f., or
15 per cent., in the total " special commerce of importation."
England figures at 145,000,000 f. for the general, and
91,000,000 f. fur the special commerce. The exportations to
the United States amount to 161,000,000 f. for the general,
and 102,000,000 f. for the special commerce. This is an in-
crease as compared with 1843, but does not equal 1839 and
1841. The movement with respect to England is analogous.
The value of importations in 1843 amounted to 141,000,000 f.
and 87,000,000 E, and in 1844 exceeded 143,000,000 f. and
99,000,000 E, these amounts being still inferior to those of the
three first years of the five.—Times.

FEARFUL COLLISION ON THE
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.
WALTHAM CROSS, MONDAY ..iFTENOON.—In addition to the
brief account which has appeared of the serious collision
which occurred on Sunday morning last near the Waltham-
cross station of the Eastern Counties line, the following par-
ticulars were gleaned this day :
From several couve.tsations with parties who were eye-
witnesses of the occurrence, and others who were called to
the spot a few minutes after the accident, it appears that
shortly before five o'clock, A.M., a train of luggage waggons
drew up in front of the Waltham station, having been
some time detained on their journey by the failure of one
of the wheels of a goods' truck. When the injury was fully
examined, it was discovered that some time must elapse
necessarily before the damage could be repaired, and there
being no means of removing the heavily-laden waggons
from the up line of rails, and the mail-train being nearly
due, it was considered necessary to send down the line one
of the servants of the Company, to telegraph the engine-
driver by mee ns of a red signal light. To this precaution,
however, n • attention appears to have been paid by Young,
the driver, inasmuch as the train rushed forward with speed,
and ran into the luggage-waggons with fearful violence.
The consequences were fearful. The engine Young was
driving (a new locomotive of great power), which had only
been sent for the purposes of the line two days. was doubled
up, and the funnel, fire-box, and woodwork literally torn to
pieces, while the pistons and minor machinery connected
with the driving wheels were wrenched from their rivets,
and the iron axles of the wheels were bent considerably.
One of the se. ,nd-class carriages, fortunately an empty one,
was hurled t. JITI the line, and it now lies a wreck near a
ditch by the side of the line. Another carriage, in which
were seated Captain Lawrence, R.N., and Mr. Fisher, a
drover, from Norfolk, was broken up, and unfortunately both
of these passengers were injured. The engine-driver and
stoker were hurled from the engine, but falling into the
water and soft mud of the ditch, they escaped uninjured. A
truck, filled with sheep and lambs, was also smashed
and partially set on fire, and not less than
twenty of the animals were killed, and others
of them so injured, that it was found necessary
soon afterwards to slaughter them. The confusion and alarm
which prevailed is described as being fearful, and the vio-
lence of the shock was so much felt throughout the whole
train, that all the passengers were more or less shaken. The
rails were torn out of their places by the violence of the
shock, and the line was literally strewed with the mangled
remains of the sheep and the corn, &c., the contents of the
broken luggage-trains. Seale little degree of order being
restored, the attendants with lights examined the wreck:
fortunately no one was found killed by the collision, but the
above-named persons were so much injured that they were
unable to proceed to town, so they were conveyed to Mr.
Wildbore's, of the New Inn, who most hospitably and
humanely attended to them, whilst medical assistance by
special train was procured from London. Dr. Jarfreson
having seen the patients, declared the arm of one to be
dislocated, and the other to be severely injured by the
violence of the shock. He, however, in neither ease ap•
prehended any seriously alarming consequences. As soon
as the confusion had subsided, a dispatch was instantly
forwarded to Broxbourne (the depot of the pilot-engine)
for assistance, and as it is the practice to keep the locomo-
tives ready there at all hours for immediate service, but little
time was lost, the damaged wheel was repaired, and the mail
train set forward on its journey to the Shoreditch terminus,
all the passengers, except the two previously named, being
able to travel the remaining distance (14i miles). As soon
as daylight dawned, a strong body of men set to work by
Mr. Kennaird's and other directors' orders, proceeded to clear
and repair the rails, but no carriages were allowed to pass
along the upelin during the whole of Sunday, the Whole of
the trains " up" running oa the down-line from Broxbourne.
It must be said that every possible attention was paid by
the authorities to the sutrerers.
Upon inquiring this afternoon (Monday), it was ascer-
tained that both the injured parties, though seriously hurt,
are in a fair way of recovery.
The engine-driver states, by way of justification, that he
did not see the signal light ; the guard, however, says he
saw it two miles from the station.
It is the determination of the Directors to institute a most
rigid investigation into the cause of the accident as soon as
possible, and if any blame is found to attach to Oath tervants,
to punish them accordingly.

THE WEATHER AND CROPS IN &dthitth.—Two
or three days of dry weather of last tteelc, accompanied by a
gale of wind, quickly (tiled the sheaves, and created a great
-accession to the hulk of the stackyard. Neaskv tht Whole
of that part of the crop which required only to hAve the
rain with which the sheaves were soaked to be dried °tit,
has been secured, and although some a it httt been stacked
in damp enough condition, the tiNtmstahces Were not such
as to justify farther delays And accordinglY A We. audition
has been made to that part or the del previously in the
stackyard. In the holy entintl'y the crop ma,: 'oe said to be
p
now finally secured with much ;Gas damage than, wassu'
posed; and even in ft; seconda
distxirje tat': the greater
part of the is now sefe. iolia Edinburgh; by. Falkirk
and Sti.;ing, tt2 CAllailder, the fields riiO4, be said to be
cl.gred ncteptiug beao, outAteildffitt grain in that
exteuswe range is 11.1okt-tit:dive. The harvest has keen
protracted and pensive ; but the,quantit7 Of grain al3eo
lutsly lost, or seriously dainagoit, is oii. khd.. /hole, a very
small amount. The luxe cakt3...ed oy the high winds shaking
the grain lAA of the ears is probably greater than the
damage to the quality occasioned by the continued rain.
The potato crop is rapidly giving way, and there is now
every reason to apprehend that the loss of tpis valuable
article of food will tell seriously nn. the grain • markets.
Labour is fortunately eiOilY to be had, and wages
good. The class likely to suffer most is that large portion
of our fellow-creatures who, from being unable are unfit for
any settled employment, depend chiefly on the precarious
bounty of others. This class of persons at all times live in
a state of privation and suffering, but when a failure in the
article of food, on which, from its cheapness, they derive
their chief support, occurs, their distress is aggravated in a
very high degree, and crives them a claim on the wealthy
and benevolent classes which few will be disposed to resist.
We hope stops will be taken to procure some alteration in
the condition of the numerous class here referred to before
the setting in of the winter.—Edinburgh Witness, Oct. 29.
THE STEAM-SHIP GREAT I3RITAIN.—LIVERPOOL.
r.fuNDA;-. '7; 1. oil le, l•thIltil 111 Ilie Money is hourly
anticipated, as, assuming that she left New York on the day adver-
tised, she had yesterday afternoon been out fifteen days. We are
authorised to state, however, that bet departure on the 25th ult.
was Tory problemeticaL _