The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-27 00:00:00

we have hitherto seen and felt of Tory legislation
—that unless we resolutely declare our minds on
the subject, and convince Sir ROBERT, by a strong
popular demonstration, that the Income-tax is by
no means a Christmas-box after our own hearts
—unless we do something of this sort, we should
imagine that the Income-tax will not only be
continued for the full term of five years, but much
beyond it.

The intelligence from Madrid is to the 17th
inst. General VAN HLLEN has been superseded
in the post of :Captain-General of Catalonia by
General SOANE, and General FERRAZ, Inspector
of Cavalry and of the National Guard, had suc-
ceeded the latter as Captain-General of Madrid.
The Eco del Commercio states that GUTIERREZ
was to be removed, and M. INIGO, the Political
Chief of Valencia, was to be appointed in his
place as Political Chief of Barcelona. The
REGENT was expected towards the end of the
month.

The Three per Cents, were done on the 16th
at 211 at 60 days, with the Coupons, and 201
without them, and the Five per Cents. at 26 for
cash, and 261 7.161 lat 60 days. On the 17th
the Three per Cents sold for 211 at 30 days, the
Five per Cents. at 26k for cash, and 261 1 & 11-16
at GO days, and the Certificates of the Debt
bearing no interest for 51 at 60 days.

We have intelligence from Lisbon to the 10th
brought by the Iberia steamer, which reached
Falmouth on Saturday. She left Gibraltar on the
15th, Oporto on the 20th, and Vigo on the 21st
inst. It is stated that the Government, by
adopting a system of strict economy, will be
able to make a reduction in the public expendi-
ture of 40,0001. a-year. The floating debt was
to be reduced, and the payment to sinecurists
diminished obout one-half. It was understood
that their MAJESTIES would participate in the
general views of economy, by voluntarily fore-
going 100 contos per annum. The Government
was very strong, as nearly all the late elections
had gone in their favour.

The only article of interest in the Paris papers
relates to the occupation of the Marquesas
Islands, by Admiral THOUARS. It appears in the
Presse, and as it points out the object of the Go-
vernment in making a settlement in the Pacific,
as well as in other quarters, we give it at length.
"We perceive with regret," says the Govern-
ment journal, "in several journals a tendency to
depreciate the importance of the new possession
acquired by France in Polynesia. Some persist
in stating falsely that it is intended to form a
penal colony there ; others state, what is known
to all the world, viz. that the islands on which
M. DUPETIT THOUARS has planted our flag are
neither very large nor very thickly populated.
To the first we reply, that their supposition is
altogether gratuitous, and that the projects which
led to the occupation of the Marquesas are very
different from those of which they speak. To
the second we would observe, that the impor-
tance of a maritime and commercial position
does not depend on the extent of territory or the
number of inhabitants, When Sir THOMAS
RAFFLES thought of creating the establish-
ment of Singapore, that island was scarcely
inhabited, and half under water. The enter-
prise was thought ridiculous by some beaux esprits
of journalists even in England, where questions
of this nature are generally better understood
than elsewhere. These sarcasms, however, did
not prevent the establishment of Singapore from
becoming in a few years one of the most magni-
ficent entrepots of commerce, and from rivalling
with the finest ports' of India. In the present
day, the finest productions of the world are to be
found there; all nations have their interests and
their representatives in that place. It is one of
the most solid elements of the commercial power
of England, which has not to repent of having
regarded as serious the colonisation of a patch of
land which had served only as the nest of about
a hundred Malay pirates. An equally brilliant.
destiny awaits the Marquesas, if it be known how
to profit by the possession of them. They
will infallibly become one day the entrepot and
market of all Polynesia. As a maritime station
they have a value which has been appreciated
by the numerous navigators who have visited
them. Far from seeking to discourage the Go-
vernment in its efforts at maritime exploration
and colonisation, we shall allow no opportunity to
escape of urging it to continue them, and of
offering our assistance. If it be true, as is stated,
that seven Government vessels, two of which are
from the island of Bourbon, are at this moment
engaged in forming the bases of a great establish-
ment at Madagascar, we sincerely approve of the
project. Madagascar may become an admirable
colony. The resources offered by that country
are immense. The island is 350 leagues in length,
and 110 in breadth. It contains six millions of
inhabitants, and is separated from the African
continent only by an arm of the sea. It is
certainly one of the most important parts of the
globe. Now that the route of Suez is generally
preferred to that of the Cape of Good Hope,
the relations between Europe and Madagascar
would be easy and prompt. This island pos-
sesses the finest port in the world, viz.,
that of Diego-Swarez, which is situated

at the north, and is capable of containing thou-
sands of vessels, and would be more easy of
defence than the port of Brest. As to its pro.
ductions, everybody knows that they are varied
and abundant. All vegetables common to warm
and temperate climates flourish there; the
sugar-cane grows in a natural state, the vine
yields excellent grapes, and timber is abundant.

If we had an establishment on this point, Bour-
bon would no longer be to us a lost island in the
Indian ocean, and our trading vessels which
visit that colony would not be compelled,
during five or six months of the year, to seek at
the Mauritius, which is now an English posses-
sion, a refuge from the tempests which lash the
rock of Bourbon. Three French factories al-
ready exist in a corner of the island of Mada-
gascar. In 1820, M. FORTUNE ALBRAND founded
a new establishment on a small island at. a dis-
tance of three leagues from the eastern coast of
Madagascar. With the aid of a single companion
he achieved wonders. He cleared, planted, and cul-
tivated such a vast extent of ground, that, in 1822,
the French Government felt it right to send assist-
ance to this now colony. Unfortunately, these
efforts have been too isolated for serious results
to be expected from them. It is time to act with
more energy. If the reports in circulation as to
Madagascar, therefore, be true, we must congra-
tulate the Ministry ; for the affair will show that
they have the maritime and commercial interests
of the country at heart. On the other hand, we
know that at this moment there is organising at
Nantes, thanks to the zeal of a few good citizens
who have recently visited Madagascar, and ac-
quainted themselves with all its resources, a colo-
nis:io cannot n companywhich will be on a large scale.
W
Warmly approve of this project.
If, as we have reason to think will be the case,
t too
the concurrence of the Government and the
Chamber should be applied for, it will doubtlessly
be liberally granted. People in France are be-
ginning to corn
which can al prebend what are the means
one create and maintain a great
maritime power.”

- The Chamber of Commerce of Marseilles, after
long deliberation oti the
between projected customs union
France and Belgium, has come to the
following conclusions :

The Chamber is of opinion that a customs union
between France and Belgium can only turn to the
profit and aggrandisement of both contracting parties,
and must be particularly favourable to France. It,
nevertheless, expresses its wish that the union may be
attended IN
also•th
specially matured measures relating to the transit
of merchandise
through the two countries. The
Chamber recommends to the solicitude
i,
ture of steam-engines.
The COurrier de la Gironde announces a fact
of the Government the iron works and the manufac-
which demonstrates to what distress the mer-

chant navy of Prance is reduced.
"The Navy
Board of Bourdeaux having occasion to forward
215. tons of
Provisions to eoree, advertised to
were
tenders for that purpose, when five offers
made at an average of from 19 to 25 francs
a ton. None of those offers having been ac-

cepted, fresh proposals were made, and the COll.