The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-14 00:00:00

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SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

RONI THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAN.
STANDARD.—We hope that some Member of the House
of Commons will move that the petition presented last night
by Mr. Sheil, on the part of certain Italian refugees, be
printed. We do not express this wish from any respectful
feeling to the pe:ition or the petitioners. but from an opposite
feeling. We look upon the whole proceeding as one of most
unjustifiable impertinence on the part of the petitioners,
and of indiscretion at least on the part of the
Right Honourable Gentleman who presented such
a petition from such persons. The petition, as far as we can
understand it front the account given by the reporters, im-
peaches the veracity of Lord Aberdeen or Lord Seaton, or
both. Now, such a mode of replying to a Minister, even on
the part of Englishmen, would be held to be unceurteons.
An Englishman, wronged by a mie-statement, would
be expected to state the wrong to some Member of Par-
liament, and leave the subject to his management and
discretion ; he would not dare to offer an insolent libel to
either House of Parliament under the pretext of a petition,
even were he himself concerned, much less where he had no
personal interest whatever in the matter. But here are a
knot of Italian fugitives, living on sufferance in this country,
about whom nobody knows anything, and whom, therefore,
We will not call vagabonds any more than we will
admit them to be necessarily respectable. persons.
Here are these persons, presuming to fake liberties with the
character of the public servants of the conntry, such as no
Englishman would take, and such as no Member of Parlia-
ment would aid an Englishman in taking. Surely the House
of Commons ought, for the sake of its own cfiaracter, to
look carefully into the affair—let the petition be printed—
let the petitioners be ascertained to exist (for even this
is doubtful ) —let their character and original status be
inquired into, and the nature of the crime for which
they were driven from their own country, and then let them
be required to support the allegations of their petition at the
bar of the House. It may be relied upon that we shall have
plenty more such petitions, if the House does not take some
order in the affair.
GLOBE.—The Customs Duties Bill will be proceeded with
this evening; in the order in which each item is found in the
list the entire removal or modification of the import duty
upon the respective articles included in the Bill will be brought
under the consideration of the House. In connexion with the
reduction in the sugar duties, the appeal of the sugar re-
finers for a drawback on so much of their stock in hand as
shall be remaining in their sugar houses at the time
the reduced duties come into operation, will be brought, by
petition, before the House of Commons. A copy of the case
and of' the petition founded on it are before us. If the facts
stated be, supported by evidence—and the sugar refiners offer
to adduce evidence to substantiate their statements either
before a Committee or at the bar of the House—there is a
case embodying serious loss and positive injury to the parties.
which the House of Commons is called upon to prevent; and
which, if not averted, will render the houses engaged in the
sugar-refining trade victims to the financial policy of the
Government. The grounds en which the sugar refiners rest
Vieir case are, generally, these :-1. The operations of sugar
refining are slow; the refiners are theretbre compelled to
hold large quantities of duty-paid goods in process. The
ace( in hand will be depr ci .te f to the extent of one-fifth;
and this diminution in the value of the stock of refined
sugar in the several stages of refining, will, if the draw,
back be not allowed, inflict upon a comparatively few indi-
viduals an aggregate loss of many thousand pounds.
Two members of the deputation who •recently waited on Sir
Robert Peel are threatened with a loss of 10,0001. each. 2.
That this lons would have been prevented had the announce-
ment of the intended change been made in June when the
sugar duties are annually voted ; or in April, when the finan-
• cial measures of the year are ordinarily brought forwar'. If
the Government deemed it necessary to conceal their pans,
and this year to anticipate the period when ti•e Budget is
usually brought ferward, the sugar refiners—who were in-
duced to continue their operations, unaware of the financial
plane of Ministers—should, at least, be protected from the
serious—in 'natty instances ruinous—consequences with which
they are threatened by the large reduction in value of their
stock in hand. It appears to us that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, in his financial exposition, has conceded the very
paint on which the sugar refiners rest their case. " If,"
said Mr. Goulburn, "as in 1830, the reduction of duty
were made without notice that the duty would be altered
at an early period, the grocers and refiners would be entitled
to such redress as was then afforded to both." The refiners
deny that any such notice was given to them. They chal-
lenge the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the proof.
They are content to rest their case on the grounds
on which he has placed it. The onus pro?aeneli is with
the Minister. When ?—Where ?—How ?—By whom ?
—was the notice given. The appellants cannot be called
upon to prove the negative. They simply deny the imputed
.warning. That the notice was given is matter of official
knowledge, and is capable of official proof. The petitioners
call upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer for evidence. If
it be not forthcoming, the case of the petitioners is admitted by
the Right floe. Functionary himself. The large amount which
would be required to meet the claims for drawback has been
also adduced as a reason for rejecting the sugar refiners' appeal.
The reason assigned by the Government is manifestly an argu-
ment for the claimants. If the sum required be large, then
the refusal will involve the loss of that large sum amang the
refiners—few in number; and therefore each must suffer to an
amount which individual ability will be unable to bear. Never
before was the magnitude of a just claim converted into an
argument against doing justice. In the case of glass, Sir
Robert Peel expressed himself against allowing the draw-
back on the stock in hand. The manufacturers met,
and determined on seeking an interview wish the Right
Hon. Baronet. He heard their case ; inquiry and recon-
sideration produced a change in his opinion ; and the
manufacturers of glass will have the drawback allowed
en their stock in hand. The Government has here
conceded the principle of allowing a drawback of
the duty paid on stock in hand. The rule which is set up, in
bar of the claim made by the sugar refiners, viz. :—" It is
almost the invariable practice, with respect to Customs
Duties, not to allow a drawback on a reduction of the
duty"—implies that exceptions sometimes occur. By
allowing the drawback on glass, the Government
has placed an interpretation on its own rule favourable
to the claim of the sugar refiners. It will be for the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer to show that there is anything in
the case of the latter which can be justly and equitably
urged as a reason fur their not being dealt with on the same
principle as that applied to the glass manufacturers. The
sugar refiners ask nothing more. They ought not to
have less.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(THIS DAY.)
Sub-Committee, No. 2.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition). •
BRIGHTON AND CHICHESTER RAILWAY.
In all, thirty allegations of misdescription were gone into, and,
after very close investigation, it was decided, in twenty-one casee,
the etanding orders had not, been complied with.
The hearing of the other allegations was then adjourned till to-
morrow (saturday), Twelve o'clock.

Sub-Com•nittee, No 4.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
SOUTHAMPTON AND DOI:SETSIIIRE RAILWAY.

This is to be a coast line from Southampton t;Dorchester, by way
of Redbrid7e, through Wareham. The length of the line is 60 miles ;
capital 500,0001. •
Mr. Vena:des appeared as agent ; Captain Moors.om Is the engineer.
The Connnlttee decided that, In some plinor poln!s, the standing
orders had not been complied with.
The Committee then adjourned at a ()garter to Five o'clock.

IVIARKET INTELLIGENCE.

(From the London New P, ice Current of March 14.)
SUGAR-The market hrs an improving appearance for all
descriptions of Colonial Sugar. To-day there was a good de-
mand for br'ght yellow descriptions which fetched fully former
rates, and of brown and gray qualities buyers were induced to
purchase on a more extended scale in consequence of rather
lower rates having been submitted to. At public sale 469
hhds, I 1 tierces, and 137 boxes of St. Lucia, subject to the
new duty of 14. per cwt were nearly all disposed of
at and af.er the pubic sale at a decline on former
rates of Is per cat, fine yellow however brought the full worth,
very low heavy brown , ent at 3.5 s to 36.. low 38s. 3Ss 65, mid
40s to 40s tid, good to fine 41s 6:1 to 42s 6ii, low yellow 42; to
43. Cd, mid 44s to 46s 6d, good 495, fine 55s tid to 565, low gray
38s 6e to 40e, mid 41s to 425, and good 431 to 41s per cwt. The
total quantity of Sugar disposed of today amounted to the large
quantity of 550, making the sales for the week 129 i hhds and trs.
Reefsren.-Te-day there was a better demand for home
trade goods in consequence of a further decline in prices having
Leen aticel•ted : brown lumps were sold at 66s to 675. and
standard lumps at 68s per cwt. For bonded crushed the de-
mand is on the increase at 31s per cwt.
Ma efts rtus.-This afternoon 242 bags of Mauritius Sugar, '
subject to the new duty of 143 per cwt were submitted to public
competition, and went at about the former value, vis., good
middling yellow at 465, middling 42s 6d to 455, good brown 39s
to 39s 6d, middling 36s tid, and low 33; lid per cwt.
EAST India.-This afternoon at public sale 59 hh,ls 417
cases Manilla were offered, admissable for home consumption at
the 23s 4d duty, and taken in above the value, that is-mid
yellow gt.od strong grain bond at 22., low 20s 6d to t-sls,
fine brown 20. to 21s, mid 18s to 19:, low rather :oft 17s to
175 fid, dabs 15s to 16s, and sound grey 19s to 20s. ; there
were buyers of the best lots at 20. per cwt. 1,097 bags of
Madras, and 518 bags of Bengal, subject to the 14s per cat
duty, were brought forward at public sale; the former sold at
the fell value, viz., good mid bright yellow at 445, mid .521 to
52s 6d, low 36. to 37, 6(1, damp and washed 36; to 441; the
Bengal was damaged. and formed no criterion of the market-
low damp white went at 45a to 46., and washed 41s 6J to 44s
6d per cast.
FOREIGN.-This afternoon there was a better demand for
most sorts of Foreign Sugar : 200 chests of white Bahia were
sold privately at 22.3 d, and 200 chests of fine white Havannall
at the high rates of 34- 6d per cert.
MoLasses. -The trawactions in all deserivions of West
India have-b-en extremely limited ; but holders refrain from
pressing sake, and in the value no variation has taken place.
The stock is a large one, and is nearly three times of what it
war last season.
Cerezr. -To-day there was no public sate of any kind of
Coffee. For good ordicary Ceylon 46; 6d to 47s were insisted
upon, by private tre,ty there was Rtle business done. Of Costa
Rica 1,200 bags were sold at 43s to 445, 400 bags good Singa-
pore Java at 391, and 1,100 bags of Manilla at 411 6d per cwt.
Cocoa.-West India purchased with caution sod prices are
Ping down ; at auction 394 bags of Trinidad went 47s to
47; lid for gr od dark red, 405 tid to 41s for good fair grey,
and 395 to 39s 6d for fair, being Is to 2s per cat under 1; liter
rates. Foreign little inquired for, but in value no variation
has occurred.
Faurr.-Purchases to a fair extent have been made in
Currants, at firm rates ; that is, Patra: at 50s to 525, Zante
and Cephalenia 49s to 50s per cwt. Valentia Raisins 47s to
48s, Dania a4s, Lexie 365, black Spume 235, and red 40s to
tbs. Figs 42s to 50s fur Turkey pulled, and 31. to 33s for
Greek.
Sescze.-This afternoon 20 boxes of Nutmegs at auction
were all sold, but at a decline of 2d per lb-Penang fine old
brown went at 3s 10,1 to 41, gnat 3s 6d to 3s 7d, good mid-
dling 31 2d to 3s 4d, middling 3s to 3s Id, rather small 2s 9d,
Ara damaged Is tad to 3s 2d, wormy 6:1 to 2s 9d ; 13 cases of
11-Lee went rather checer, and sold as follows-Penang, good
at 2s 9d, good middling 2s 64 to 2s 8d • Singapore, sea da-
maged 11d to 2s 4,1, very badly 6d, ;lightly [wormy os 6d
per lb.
Tea. -The market firm for black and green Tea. An in-
creased demand for lower kinds of Conguu, and the rates arc
rather higher, core fetching 10,1 to 101,1, and good core lOid
1" to I Id ; for fine Congou the demand has been exensive, and
7,.„,,',tifettetely are paid, large parcels have been sold at 2s 4d to
` - !rairankay a good deal doing upon former terms,
:ZTcommOn ieulN7g is 211 to Is 30. Importers of
:114-v
-firmness, and many parceels have found
loirchasers at Stiff rates, that is to say, common at
211 Od to- 2s fair to good 2. 8d to 3s per lb. In Young
' Hyson•a otui"elm,' doing rather lower rates having been taken
-for Nifieleserisiitns : fair quality at Is Bsl to 2s, and brightish
• lief tit t01f4)./ Pouchong unaltered, but at 3d to 10.1 per lb
paicelt sold. For scented Orange Pekoe a seduction
of Id to 24per lb have been taken : many parcels have been