The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-21 00:00:00

CUSTOMS DUTIES.
WEST INDIAN AND NORTH AMERICAN
COLONIES.

The following resolutions were agreed to in Com-
mittee on Friday night :—" 1. That, from and after a day
or days to be named, the duties chargeable upon goods,
wares, or merchandise, imported or brought into any of
the British Possessions in America or the Mauritius,
under or by virtue of the following Acts respectively,
namely : Act 4 Geo. 3, c. 15, imposing certain duties on
wines imported into the British possessions in America ;
Act 6 Geo. 3, c. 52, imposing certain duties on Molasses,
Syrup., and Pimento, imported into the British pos-
sessions in America ; Act 14 Geo. 3, c. 88, imposing
certain duties on spirits imported into Canada ; Act 3
and 4, William 4, c. 59, for regulating the trade of
the British possessions abroad; shall cease and be
repealed. " 2. That, in lieu of the aforesaid duties,
there shall be payable upon goods, wares, and
merchandise not being the growth, production, or
manufacture of the United Kingdom, or any of the
British possessions in America, or of any of the British
possessions within the limits of the East India Comparci 's
Charter, imported or brought into any of the British
possessions in America or the Mauritius, by sea or in-
land carriage or navigation, the following duties ; that
is to say : s. d.
Wheat-flour the barrel of 1961b5. 2 0

Fish of foreign tak- Z, d vied or salted the cwt..
ing or curing ... S- pickled the barrel
Meat, salted or cured
Butter
Cheese .
Coffee
,4
Cocoa ft 3 0
Molasses
Sugar, Unrefined
Refined Sugar, the produce of and re- 1 20 per cent. ad
fined in foreign countries S valorem.
Tea, unless imported direct from China, ,
or unless imported from the United
Kingdorb, or from any of the Bri-
tish possessions
SPIRITS :
Ru .
in

Other Spirits - -
,I 1 0
Glass manufactures
Silk manufactures
Wine, whether bottled or not
•
Cotton manufactures
Linen ditto
Woollen ditto
Leather ditto

Paper

ditto

Hardware
Clocks and watches

Manufactured tobacco

Soap.

Corks, cordage, and oakum.

Oil, blubber, fins, and ski;

creatures living in the sea,
cent. ad valorem.

7 per cent. ad vabrem

Articles not enumerated, ex-

cept such as are comprised
or referred to in the sub-
joined table of exemptions.
And if any of the goods

is, the produce of fish and
of foreign fishing, 15 per

herein-be-fore proposed to
be charged with duty, ex-
cept sugar and tea, shall
be imported through the
United Kingdom (having
been warehoused therein,
and being exported from
the warehouse), or the
duties thereon, if there

4 per cent. arl valorem.

Such goods shall only be
charged with three-fourths
of the duties hereinbefore
proposed.

paid, having been drawn
back

On the part of the resorution, which declared that
" there shall be payable a duty of ten per cent. ad valo-
rem upon sugars refined in bond in the United Kingdom,
not being the produce of any of the British possessions
in America, or of any of the British possessions within
the limits of the East India Company's charter, imported
or brought into any of the British possessions in America
or the Mauritius," being put, this part of the resolution
WRS then agreed to, as was the remainder.

of Sir Lionel Smith gave at first great satisfaction in Jamaica.
The apprenticeship system, hitherto so troublesome, worked in
quiet ; though the negroes refused to work extra-time in
raising vegetables ; yet even this was reckoned a symptom of a
very improved state of things ; the chief embarrassment he
had to contend with was in the debased state of the currency,
which was no longer adequate to the erearged and improved
circulation of the country.

GROWING DISQUIETUDES.—The posture of affairs in
Jamaica, however, soon became serious, and involved Sir
Lionel in imminent troubles. He was charged, in the adminis-
tration of his Government, with acting in the spirit of a decided
partisan, and lending on all occasions, a credulous ear to the
false and highly-coloured statements of the s ipendi;ry Msgis•
trates. It was also charged against him that he was in the
practice of transmitting to the Colonial-office all the statements
he received from these functionaries, without accompanying his
ex parte communications by any of the numerous representa-
tions which had been delivered to him from other quarters.
LORD GLENELG ♦ND Slit LIONEL'S EXPLANATIONS.—
Despatches accordingly passed between Sir Lionel and the
head of the Colonial-office at home, when the former gave an
account of his administration, and the difficulties attending it :
from those despatches we give the following summary account:—
It would appear that affairs were improving in Jamaica, when
the proceedings at home, and particularly the interference of
the Imperial Parliament, by the Slavery Abolition Amend-
ment, and the West India Prisons Bills, created an angry spirit
throughout the island. Sir Lionel,being the proposer of these
measures in the Assembly-house, as the organ of the Home
Government, at the Convention of the Legislature. June 5,
1838, advanced these measures for the abolition of apprentice-
ship. The answer of the Assembly was significant of its tem-
per. "Jamaica," they observed, " does indeed require repose ;
and we anxiously hope that should we determine to remove an
unnatural servitude, we shall be left in the exercise of our con-
stitutional privileges to legislate for the benefit of all classes,
without any further Parliamentary interference. On the 16th of
June, however, Sir Lionel Smith had the satisfaction of giving
the Royal Assent to an Act for the total abolition of pmdial
apprenticeship from the ensuing Ist of August. But it was
with no cordial rpirit that the Assembly lent themselves to this
measure. It was wrung from them by the necessity of the
ease, and the language of sullen discontent formed their Ad-
dress to the Queen shortly after.
On the promulgation of the Act, however, Sir Lionel trans-
mitted a cheering picture to Lord Glenelg, in these words :
" There has hardly been time to hear generally of the effects of
the Act on the labouring population, except that they are uni •
vernally quiet and happy . . . The sugar-crop is getting
on as usual . . . . Proprietors are everywhere engaged in
making bargains for wo k . . The country is deriving
infinite benefit from the influence of the missionaries, who im-
press the negroes with moral obligations, and the just remune-
ration of their labours."
The important Ist of August arrived at length, and the negro
population of Jamaica came into the full enjoyment of their
freedom. The day was observed by proclamation as one of
thanksgiving and prayer. Sir Lionel writes enthusiastically of
the prevailing happiness and quiet.
Two months, however, had not elapsed from the Ist of
August, before we find Sir Lionel Smith's despatches beginning
to lose their cheerful and encouraging tone. He writes of
"the most unfortunate state of excitement throughout the
island," created by 'the practice of demanding exorbitant
rents :" and on taking the part of the negroes he writes that
under the oppressions which bear upon them they are " pa-
tient and submissive beyond all praise ; while, however, 1 am
under no uneasiness for the peace of the island, I am powerl ass
to remedy the cruel wrongs imposed upon them."
But new troubles were now in store. The Act which in the
course of the session passed the Imperial Parliament, for re-
gulating the prisons, in the West Indies, which we have before
adverted to, was no sooner proclaimed in Jamaica by the Go-
vernor, than it aroused a violent storm of indignation. Reso-
lutions were passed by a majority of 24 to 5 in the House of
Assembly against this Act, as a violation of all their rights as
British subjects. Upon this, Sir Lionel Smith prorogued the
Assembly for a few days, to give them time to reconsider their
decision. Again they re-assembled, when by a majority of •21
to 3, their resolutions were more determined still. The Go-
vernor, having no other resource, at once dissolved this inflam-
mable and angry assembly. "No House of Assembly," writes
the Governor, " can now be found .that will acknowledge the
authority of Queen, Lords, and Commons, to enact laws for
Jamaica."

A new Assembly was nevertheless convened, and met on the
18th of December, but its proceedings too well justified Sir
Lionel's anticipations. A prorogation again ensiled, but not
unaccompanied by what Sir Lionel calls " an unpleasant cir-
cumstance ;" for the proper officer, despatched to deliver the
message was, through the tumult, forced out of the House, and
when the Provost-Marshal was sent to summon this contu-
macious body, he knocked to no purpose. By a third attempt,
how ever, he was enabled to deliver his message at the bar.
REGAL or SIR LIONEL.—It was not less evilent now to
the Government at home, than to Sir Lionel himself, that the
upshot of affairs was too serious to be tampered with. A Bill
was brought into the Imperial Pa, liament for suspending the
existing constitution of the island. But it was obvious, how-
ever, at all events, that the existing Governor, whatever
might have been the abstract merits of his administration, had
been too deeply committed in the late unhappy dissensions, for
him to carry satisfactorily into execution the conciliatory course
of policy which the Government had concerted to adopt.
Sir Lionel Smith, therefore, quitted Jamaica on the Ist of
October, 1839, and was succeeded by Sir Charles Metcalfe,
who had been lately in discharge of important functions in our
East Indian empire.
SIR LIONEL, GOVERNOR AT PORT LOUIS.--Early, we
believe, in 1840, Sir Lionel was appointed to the Governorship
of the Mauritius ; and his discharge of the Administration,
which he continued up to the moment of his death, over a po-
pulation of more than 93,624 souls, 8,111 of whom are whites,
15,444 ft ce blacks, 69,076 slaves, with troops and strangers, was
to the last satisfacto y.
Sir Lionel was in his 64th year.

" And if in any of the British possessions in America
or the Mauritius, any duty be chargeable by any colonial
law upon any articles similar to the above, but being the
growth, produce, or manufacture of the United King-
dom, or of the British possessions in America, or of the
British possessions within the limits of the East India
Company's charter, or the produce of the British
fisheries, beyond the . duty (if any) chargeable by such
colonial law upon similar foreign articles—the herein-
before• mentioned imperial duty upon such foreign
articles shall be increased by such excess or amount
(as the case may be) of the duties so charge-
able by such colonial law upon similar British articles.
" And if in any of the British possessions in America
or the Mauritius, any duty be chargeable by any colonial
law upon tea imported direct from China, or imported
from the United Kingdom, or any of the British posses-
sions, beyond the duty (if any) chargeable by such colo-
nial law upon tta not so imported—the hereinbefore-
mentioned imperial duty upon tea not so imported, shall
be increased by such excess or amount (as the case may
be) of the duties so chargeable by such colonial law upon
tea imported direct from China, or imported from the.
United Kingdom, or from any of the British possessions."
" 3. That from and after a day to be named, so
much of the said Act for regulating the trade of the
British possessions abroad, as provides that any sort
of craft, food, and victuals, except spirits, and any
sort of clothing and implements, or materials fit and
necessary for the British fisheries in America, im-
ported at the place at, or from whence, such fishery
is carried on, shall be duty free, be repealed,
except so far as regards the following articles—(that is
to say) salted or cured meat, flour, butter, cheese, mo-
lasses, corkwood, cordage, oakum, pitch, tar, and tur-
pentine, leather and leathernware, and all sorts of fish-
ing, craft and bait, fishermen's clothing and hosiery ;
which articles are only to be exempted from duty under
such rules and regulations as shall be satisfactory to the
principal officer of customs, that the articles are really
and truly intended to be applied to the purpose for which
the same .have been entered as imported."
" 4. That from and after a day to be named, goods,
the produce or manufacture of the islands of Guernsey,
Jersey, Alderney, or Sark, when imported from such
islands into the British possessions in America, or the
Mauritius, shall be admitted to entry upon payment of
the same duties as are payable upon the like goods the
produce or manufacture of the United Kingdom, or of
any of the said possessions."
" s.l(That the Chairman be instructed to move for
leave to bring in a Bill to amend the laws relating to the
trade of the British possessions abroad."

TILE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING. APRIL 21, 1842.

picion of having, in his trade of a butcher, sold meat
below the proper weight. This action, which throws'
criminality upon the Pasha instead of the accused, is in
direct contravention of the 42d article of the Convention,
and the undersigned demands, in the name of his Go-
vernment, a distinct satisfaction adequate to the injury
which has been committed in this as well as in the pre-
ceding case.
For the more complete information of the Reis Effendi,
copies are enclosed herewith of the protest given in by
the British Consul, with reference to the case of Nichol()
Sanio and Panagiotti Stathi, the two British subjects to.
whom reference has been severally made, and also of the
deposition made by the latter. The• undersigned will
not allow himself' to doubt that a sense'of that justice so
loudly proclaimed by the Porte. will induce her, in the
present instance, to offer a signal reparation for the inju-
ries complained of ; and. in this persuasion, he has the
honour to offer the Rcis Effendi the assurance of his high
consideration.
February 22.

THE NEW CORN BILL AND
TARIFF.
ESSEX COUNTY MEETING.

On Tuesday, pursuant to a requisition to the High
Sheriff of Essex, signed by Lords Rayleigh and Western,
and a number of other freeholders and farmers of the
county, a meeting took place at the Shire Hall, Chelms-
ford, for the purpose of considering what steps should
be taken by the county in reference to the alterations in
the Corn-laws and the Tariff of Duties proposed by her
lajesty's Ministers.

l'he-meeting was at first fixed to take place in one of
the Assize Courts, but it was soon found that this
did not afford sufficient space, and the meeting ac-
cordingly adjourned to the open air. Before the ad-
journment took place, a letter was read from Lord
Western, apologising fbr his absence, on the ground that
the fatigues of attending the debates in the House of Lords
rendered it impossible fin• him to be at Chelmsford.
Lord Raylegh also excused himself on the same ground,
and concluded his letter an the following terms
signed the requisition because I felt that the proposed
alteration of the law was calculated to effect a great
change in the condition of the farmers, and that they
ought to have an opportunity of being heard."
J. F. Fortenue, Esq., the High Sheriff, accompanied
by Mr. Bramston, Sir J. Tyrrel, Messrs. C. G. and J.
Round, Mr. Palmer, and Major Beresford, the Members,
having opened the meeting,
Mr JoHN BAWTREY regretted that the Noble Lords,
and other distinguished persons who had signed the re-
quisition, to 'convene this meeting were, not present;
but he would not shrink from expressing his opinion.
Their property, even there very existence was endan-
gered. The Members for the county of' Essex had not
done their duty to their constituents who sent them to
Parliament, and he would ask the meeting whether as
the representatives of an agricultural county, it was not
their duty at all risks to stand forward in support of
agricui ture. Was not their watchword at the last dee-
tton " Protection to agriculture ?" Were not their
banners emblazoned with the "Farmer's friends," and
had their conduct in Parliament, he ould ask, been in
accordance with their open avowals and implied pledges?
—(Cheers, and cries of " No, no.") He would ask an
Honourable Gentleman in particular, whether having
declared his opinion that the income proposed by her
Majesty's Ministers would be ruinous to agriculture ; be
thought he was doing his duty to his constituents when
he did not offer any opposition to that measure in his place
in Parliament. Sirßobert had thrown them over.—(Cries
of "No.") He believed that he had deceived and betrayed
the farmers.—(Cheers.) Mr. Bawtrey concluded by pro-
posing a petition to the House of Lords, praying that
the proposed Corn-law and Tariff might be rejected, or
materially modified ; and at the same time expressing an
opinion that if passed in their present shape, they would
be ruinous to the interests of the agriculturists of the
country.
Mr. HOBBS seconded the motion.

Mr. TUFNELL moved an amendment to the effect, that
the meeting, viewing with regret the condition in which
the country had 'been left by the late Government, and
hoping that the proposed alteration of the Corn-laws
would have the effect of alleviating some of the distresses
which was by some attributed to those laws, con-
sented to the proposed alteration in the Corn-laws, but,
at the same time, directed the attention of the, Legisla-
ture to the proposed now tariff, and prayed that such
steps would be taken with regard to it as would give
proper protection and encouragement to agriculture.
After the Members had endeavoured to vindicate
themselves, and some. other gentlemen had addressed
the meeting, the High Sheriff put the motion and the
amendment. The motion for a. petition was carried by
a large majority. The necessary arrangements for its
presentation to the House of Lords, and a vote of
thanks having been passed to the High Sheriff, the
meeting separated.