The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-12 00:00:00

A

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING OCTOBF,R 12, 1842.

THE CUSTOM-HOUSE FRAUDS.

Yesterday a meeting of Spitalfields weavers was
held at the Duke of Gloucester, Seabright-street,
Bethnal-green-road, to take into consideration what
steps should be adopted by them in consequence of
the recent discovery of frauds committed by the Cus-
tom-house officers on the importation of silks and
other articles at the Custom -house.

Mr. FOSTER having been called to the chair, stated
that a Committee of the trade of journeymen silk-
weavers had been formed, in consequence of a corn-
' nmnication from the masters, and that some meetings
of the Committee had been held, who had received
information that enormous frauds had been com-
mitted on the revenue by the Custom-house officers
upon the importation of foreign, and more particu-
larly French, silk goods.—(Hear, hear.) The reason
of their present meeting was to discuss the injury
that had been done to the trade, and to determine
what course they should pursue to protect themselves.
—(lean) It had been ascertained, he had been told,
that in the article of silks alone the revenue had been
defrauded to the amount of nearly one million of
pounds, but which affected the trade to the actual
value of goods exceeding in amount above 4,000,0001.
It was very likely that a great deal had come before
the Government which they had not thought proper
to disclose, and that the revenue had been much more
defrauded than they were aware of. It appeared that
the investigation was going on very tardily. They
(the weavers) hoped that by laying their case before
the Government they might be able to urge a more full
inquiry into the transactions at the Custom-house.
Mr. BERRY said that what the Chairman had stated
in reference to the enormous frauds practised at the
Custom-house, ought to induce the Government to
try what remedy they could apply. He thought that
they could have no protection unless the duty on silks
was collected; as in the year 1829, when the importa-
tion was confined to three ports in the United King-
dom, the penalty being the forfeiture of any vessel
that went contrary to such regulations. From what
he had heard of the plans carried on to effect the
frauds, a more efficient body of Custom-house officers
was required, for if they looked at the returns they
would find that as many goods are imported without
paying duty as pay duty. The effect of such a
system was to rob both the capitalists and the labourers
of the whole country, and the fair trader was under-
sold in the market.

Mr. CLAISSE observed there was no question but
that the late Administration were aware that the
duty was not efficiently collected, and that the ma-
jority of silk goods passed the Custom-house without
paying the duty.—(Hear.) A deputation of journey-
men silk-weavers waited on Mr. Labouchere, at the
Board of Trade, and laid such facts before him as
were sufficient to support their assertion. Their
Chairman had stated that there was a deficiency
in the revenue in the article of silk alone of 1,000,0001.
It was a fact, well known to the trade, that one of the
largest manufacturers of figured silk velvets
(some of the weavers in the employment of which
firm were present) had not made any for some
time; yet there was a large quantity of
figured silk velvet in the market, though
the Custom-house returns did not show that there had
been any large importation of that article.—(Hear.)
This was hard upon the poor operatives, who were
thus deprived of employment; and it was well known
by the journeymen silk-weavers, who had looms for
making figured silk velvets. It was thus that so much
distress prevailed among them. He hoped that the
Government would take some steps to protect the trade.

Mr. PATERNOSTER remarked that the fact which
had been disclosed sufficiently explained why the value
of their labour was so low. If the duty were paid
there would be protection for those in the country
working in the silk trade. He had seen silk goods at
the Custom-house sufficient for the supply of the
whole country.
The CHAIRMAN said, it appeared that silks had been.
entered in the books of the Custom-house as toys.
The boxes, on being opened, were found to be ap-
parently filled with toys, when they were registered
as such, and re-shipped for the purpose of being taken
to be sold for toys. It had been ascertained that the
boxes had but few toys in them, the contents chiefly
consisting of silks. The consequence was, that while
the duty on silks was about 301. per cent., and that
on toys about one per cent., that the Government had
been defrauded of the difference.

The CHAIRMAN remarked that they ought to me-
morialise the Government to let them see that their
proceedings were not so secret as they imagined, and
that they should call together the whole of the trade,
and lay the circumstances before their fellow-workmen.
Several weavers having addressed the chair, it was
resolved that the Committee should ascertain what
steps the masters intended to pursue, and that they
should call a meeting of the trade.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
meeting broke up.

CHIEF JUSTICE TINDAL'S AD-
DRESS AT SrAFFORD.

We think it might be productive of great good
if the Government would print, upon a broad
sheet, and circulate as widely as possible in every
part of the manufacturing districts, tire address
of Lord Chief Justice Tindal at the opening of
the Stafford Special Commission. So far as the
Government could diffuse that address among
the people, it would be really diffusing useful
knowledge. We think, too, that it would pro-
bably be received with reverence, because it was
spoken by the Chief Justice upon such an occa-
sion. The great difficulty with the English com-
mon people is to make them receive any advice
with reverence. There is more chance of that
reverence in the case of an address spoken by a
Judge than in any other. The virulence
of Dissent- has made such progress among
them, that any advice from the authorities
of the Church might, perhaps, be treated with
little respect. Indeed, it is to be feared that
they would be taught and exhorted not to regard
any such advice, because the Church had sent it
limb. But the power and authority of a great
criminal Judge is a palpable thing, of which
they are all conscious, and what he said was so
extremely applicable to the mischief' existing
amongst them, that we think his advice, and
information, and warning, might have a great
effect.

Would not such a passage as the following,
for instance (immediately after the admission
that workpeople possessed the right of withhold-
ing their own labour, if discontented), be likely
to produce a strong impression ?
" You will have many cases where large bodies or
discontented workmen, by personal violence and
threats, and intimidation, compelled others who were
content with their callings, and willing to work for
their rate of wages, to leave their work against their
own will, and add to the number of discontented. A
more glaring act of despotic tyranny one man or set
of men cannot perpetrate against others. If there is
one right to which a man is entitled, it is the right of
exercising his own skill, knowledge, and labour, with
a will free and unshackled by any control or dicta-
tion ; yet, strange to say, this right, which the dis-
contented claim for themselves to the fullest extent,
they, by a stranger perversity and unmeaning sel-
fishness, refuse to others. Such proceedings, so un-
reasonable as they are—so injurious as they are to the
interests of society—so detrimental as they are to the
rights of trade—so oppressive against the rights of
the poor—and which are such gross, flagitious, viola-
tions of the law—must be put down by prompt mea-
sures, and severely punished as soon as the guilt of the
parties practising it is established."
Such a lesson as this might be most useful, amid
not the less so the strong warning against the
selfish miscreants who, for the promotion of
their own vile purposes, go about inflaming the
minds of the common people, and teaching them
irreverence for religion, and disregard of the
laws:—

" Ile who delivers addresses to the poor working
classes, or to the unemployed, brooding over real or
imaginary wrongs, will soon have a crowded auditory,
and shall not want hearers ready to perform any acts
of mischief. You will, in such cases, consider the
language used on that occasion. If it consist in
broad assertions, unfounded in facts—if, in speaking
on religious topics you find him sprightly and face-
tious on subjects which make good and wise men
serious; and it, instead of arguments, you find him to
deal in sneers and sarcasms, it will be for you to con-
sider whether he be an honest but mistaken man, or
whether he is wickedly intent to bring into contempt
the Government, the laws, and the religion of the
country, and all that honest men hold in• respect and
veneration."
Such sentiments as these would probably pro-
duce a strong impression when read as the words
of the Chief Justice. And his concluding sug-
gestion that the only effectual method of con-
quering the wicked attempts of designing men
to undermine the principles of the working
people, is the diffusion of a sound religious
knowledge, in which there can 11 no excess,
might, under the blessing of •Providence, have
the effect of sending many deluded people to
seek for that knowledge, and so to become peace-
able, well-disposed members of society.—Post.

TRADE OF CALCUTTA.

The Indian papers, among the commercial infor-
mation available for. the English reader, publish a
comparative statement of the
.imports into and ex-
ports from Calcutta, with some statistics connected
with the • shipping frequenting Bengal, all illustra-
tive of the progress of the trade ,of that part of the
world. The calculations profess to be made upon
official data, and include 1837-38 to 1841-42.
To show the traffic of the port, it will be as well,
in the first place, to give the amount of tonnage for
these respective periods, which, it will be perceived,
on imports, gives, in favour of the latter period,
taking into account the coasting trade of the country,
the great excess of 86 per cent. ; the amount being in
1837-38, 163,690 tons, by 596 vessels, and in 1841-
42, 304,977 tons, by 1,001 vessels. The export
tonnage shows an increase of 61 per cent. ; the
amount in 1837-38, by 530 vessels, being 172,111
tons ; and in 1841-42, by 885 vessels, being 277,816
tons. Prom the details of these respective returns it
is ascertained that the traffic to and from Great
Britain had increased nearly twofold.
The total value of imports general, including
treasure, in 1837-38 amounted to 4,06,99,504 Com-
pen* rupees,. and in 1841-42 to 5,42,86,722 Com-
pany s rupees, proving an increase of nearly thirty
per cent. As a commentary upon this progress of
imports, the leading articles are selected to show the
proportion. Cotton twist and yarn is the first eluci-
dation offered ; in 1837-38 the value of this import
was 51,22,564 Company's rupees ; in 1840-41 it
rose to 79,90,932 Company's rupees ; but in
1841-42 it was , only 55,27,997 Company's rupees,
the check being. _ beyond all doubt, produced
by the generally disorganised and unsettled
condition of trade there and at home. The value of
the import of salt, another article selected as illus-
trating the rise and fall of this branch of Indian
commerce, was in 1837-38 13,49,043 Company's
rupees ; in 1839-40 it rose to 18,64,340 company's
rupees, but in 1841-42 fell to 614,591 Company's
rupees. The value of coffee imported in 1837-38
amounted to 96,288 Company's rupees ; in 1840-41
it rose to 413,782 Company's rupees, but in 1841-42
it had decreased to 317,890 Company's rupees.
The article of tea, in contrary movement, shows an
increase, even in lace of the war with China—a fact
not a little remarkable, seeing how sensibly the
market in this country was affected by the antici-
pated decrease in the supply, especially at and about
the period in question. It is stated that the value
of tha import of this leaf in 1837-38 was 339,276
Company's rupees; fell in 1838-39 to 153,507 Com-
pany's rupees ; rose in 1840-41 to 619,443 Com-
pany's rupees, and was in 1841-42 398,915 Com-
pany's rupees. The import of coals in 1837-38 was
valued at 74,278 Company's rupees, and in 1841-42
358,372 Company's rupees, but how much was Eng-
lish was not stated ; and indeed, there would appear,
from the manner in which this item is dealt with,
reasonable grounds for supposing that a very small
proportion, if any, was the produce of our collieries.
The value of the imports of tobacco is stated at 6,762
Company's rupees in 1837-38, and at 95,724 Com-
pany's rupees in 1841-42 ; and the question is very
well put—why is not the tobacco of India, the plant
being indigenous to the country, improved ,by the
use of foreign seed ?
The total value of exports general, including trea-
sure, are stated at 6,50,45,959 Company's rupees
for 1837-38, and at 8,39,40,592 Company's rupees
for 1841-42, or an increase of 34 per cent. In the
same way, to exhibit the progress and fluctuations in
the export trade of Bengal, the leading articles of
produce are adduced as in the case of imports. In-
digo is stationed to take the lead ; the exports of this
article in 1837-38 valued 1,12,47,681 Company's
rupees, and in 1841-42 2,39,51,284 Company's rupees
—a good increase of 112 per cent. Opium in value.
in 1837-38 was 2,12,92,386 Company's rupees, but
in 1841-42 it was only 140,01,281 Company's rupees
—a decrease of full 52 per cent. Of sugar, the ex-
port in 1837-38 was in value 67,18,911 Company's
rupees, in 1840-41 it was 1,64,68,898 Company's
rupees, or the enormous increase of 144 per cent.,
which to a trifling 'extent was afterwards counter-
acted by the depression of the markets, in conse-
quence of the over-abundance of supply, as in
1841-42 the amount had decreased to 1,39,16,426
Company's rupees, or about 107 per cent., compared
with 1837-38. Here it may be remarked that the
astonishing progress of sugar cultivation received a
timely check by this over-supply, and in addition
curbed many proprietors who, it is stated, flushed
with'the success the sugar cultivators were acquiring,
had determined on throwing out their indigo estates
to bring them under this then considered profit-
able employment. The export of raw silk in
1837-38 was 46,54,517 Company's rupees, and in
1841-42 it increased to 85,15,404 Company's rupees.
The value of raw cotton exported in 1837-38 was
18,61,165 Company's rupees, in 1838-39 it was
22,21,889 Company's rupees, but from that point
gradually decreased, till, in 1841-42, it is noted at
12,05,347 Company's rupees, the obvious objec-
tion in all markets being its - inferior
_quality to
that of other countries' growth—. Both of sugar
and cotton, it is remarked that the Presidenciei
are capable of yielding any quantity, and when time
and management shall have afforded sufficient im-
provement, they will become formidable rivals in
these two products to the other cotton and sugar
producing countries. The value of the exports of
saltpetre, in 1837-38, was 26,32,867 Company's
rupees, and in 1841-42, 32,10,734 Company's rupees,
showing a gradual improvement. Rice is adduced
as showing a small but progressive increase ; in
1837-38 it was 24,72,283 Company's rupees, and in
1841-42, 36,21,510 Company's rupees. And wheat
concludes the category, the value of farina exported in
1837-38 being 262,914 Company's rupees ; in 1840-41
it was 599,301 Company's rupees, but in 1841-42 had
decreased to 224,010 Company's rupees.
As tending to give some idea of the positive and
successive increase of the trade of India, these figures
are entitled to consideration • and as so much import-
ance now attaches to all that takes place in that
quarter of the world, particularly in reference to the
progress of commerce, and our claims upon its ter-
ritory, other facts and figures, calculated to throw
more general light
.on its principal trading connexions
may hereafter be given .as a supplemental notice of
the subject.

Mns. ALFRED SHAW.—A paragraph which ap-
peared in our Monday's impression, copied from the
Dramatic and Musical Review, and alleging that this
justly celebrated vocalist had been originally a " fac-
tory girl," and proceeds to give some other particu-
lars of her progress, has sent forth several some-
what indignant contradictions from this lady's friends.
We are assured that there was no kind of foundation
for the paragraph above mentioned, that Mrs. Shaw's
friends are and have always been of the highest re-
spectability, and that so far from having received
musical instruction only when the rich quality of her
voice had attracted attention, she has had from the
first every advantage that could assist her in the
improvement of her talent.
MORE CONVICTS TRANSPORTED TO ENGLAND.—
At the sitting of the Guernsey Court, on. Saturday
last, Richard Mayne and James Dashwood, convicted
of having stolen some pears, were condemned to one
month's solitary confinement, and afterwards to be
banished to England for the term of five years. It is
generally understood that Southampton will be
favoured with these fellows.—Elizabeth Haward was
convicted of the same crime, and was condemned to
a fortnight's imprisonment, and then to be trans-
ported for three years. She will be shipped for
Southampton also, and there left to find her way to
Devonshire.—Frederick Westbrook, found guilty of
stealing a pair of boots and a shirt, was condemned
to two months' imprisonment, and five years' banish-
ment to England. Winchester will doubtless be
honoured with Mr. Westbrook's company.—Jersey
News.

- -
PRESENT FROM PRINCE ALBERT TO MR. MAULE.
We (Perthshire Advertiser) saw yesterday, in the shop
of Mr. Macgregor, jeweller and lapidary, George-
street, &beautiful silver powder flask, enclosed in a
handsome morocco case, which was presentecthy Prince
Albert to our distinguished representative, Mr. Maule,
upon his Royal Highness leaving Taymouth Castle.
Upon the one side of the flask is the letter A, with an
Imperial
Crown (and accompanying motto) very finely
executed ; and, on the other side has been engraved
the following inscription :—" The gift of H. R. H.
Prince Albert, to the Right Honourable Fox Maule,
A 1.?., Taymouth September 10, 1842."
However much the proprietors of the Lancaster
and Preston Railway may benefit by the leasing of
their line to the Lancaster Canal Company, it does
not appear; that the arrangement will contribute much
to the advantage of the public. We understand that
the cheap boat has been taken oft the canal, and that
the mode of communication in the district is now an
unmitigated monopoly.—Railway Times.
MONUMENT OF MOREAU.—Not much more than a
mile from the walls of Dresden stands the lonely mo-
nument of Moreau, on the spot where he fell. It is
merely a square block of granite, surrounded below
by large unhewn stones, and bearing on its upper
surface a helmet, a sword, and a laurel chaplet. The '
brief inscription, " The hero Moreau fell here by the
side of Alexander," is worth mentioning, merely to
notice the audacity with which some ungenerous
spirit has dared to violate it. An unknown but de-
liberate hand has tried to efface the word " hero" and
has carved above it, as regularly and deeply as the
rest of the inscription, the word traitor." So pro-
.fessionally has it been performed, that it has not
been possible to obliterate entirely this deFadin.g
exploit of cowardice and malignity.—Russell's four in
Germany.
A WELL-SEASONED OLD SMOKER.—The Castel-
lano of Madrid states that a priest of Rivadavia has
just died at the age of 112. This man, during the
.latter years of his life, made seven. meals a day,
smoked in the same period 24 cigarettes, and took half
an ounce of snuff,
•