The Sun.
London, England, 1829-09-30 00:00:00

:hese countries and us, and call millions into the

market as consumers of our wares, and employers
of our home labour, who are now coarsely supplied
with only their own productions. We shall not,
however, insist farther on these points at presents
nor stop to inquire how far the conclusions thus
pointed at may lead, or to what extent they may be
also subject to modification; but shall pass rather to
another, which seems to us scarcely less important
than them all.

------ --
There is- no branch of science more interesting at '
this moment than that which bears on commercial
regulation ;—nor any mere important,—or more vs*
ried,—or complicated by so many different inte-
rests, which having grown up for the most part
since the establishment of the system by which they
are regulated, are in no degree studied by it, but are
opposed to it and to each other, and are thus kept
constantly struggling, and at present ineffectually
struggling, with difficulties not merely caused by
necessary taxation and competition, but by a mass
of obstacles of pure invention, and which could
consequently be removed instantly were their ope"
ration distinctly perceived. There is thus no sub'
ject in which it might be pronounced, prima facie,
that there was so much ro )m for discovery and ire.
provement, or in which, accordingly, opinions will '
be found so widely to differ, or where right con'
elusions would seem to depend so much on a large
examination of isolated facts and views, each cos'
tributing its quota. And yet it is remarkable
enough, that, in a commercial country like ours'
and at a time of such peculiar difficulty as the pre'
sent, there is no periodical work specially set spot
to collect these facts and suggestions. And the
omission is perhaps the more extraordinary, because
the acquisition of recent commercial intelligence bas
another, a lower, but still most important interest
at the present moment ; inasmuch as there is ne
regular course in trade, but on the contrary a utile
versa) tendency to glut,--and it would guide indivi'
dual speculation,—and the most ruinous sacrifices
Nould thus often be avoided*. But again too, there is
at present no interest more important than 110
commercial interest—none on whose return to pros;
perity the return of the whole nation to ease se'
comfort more essentially depends—none better ery
titled consequently to be heard in all matters besr;
ing on its concerns ; and yet, it is odd enough, an
much to be lamented, that it has no special orgee
by which to raise its voice, or make its collected °,
individual appeal to public consideration, as ne"
one portion, now another, of its interests may b:
overborne, and its representations forgotten, eyelid
Parliament, amid the pressure of other business, 0,1,
of concerns more generally interesting. The srd
cultural interest has been long better provided, 11°.1
the benefit to it has been two-fold. In its sever;
journals, a mass of information and authority I°o
been gradually brought together, which has groSt
into a system now admitted by all—a system
be it observed also, the dictum of pure theory'!"
indeed of any one party in the original differences'
opinion which prevailed as to good husbandry,"
but a modification of many theories, in which pil;
tice has been enlightened by science, and abstfoc
science has been bent and instructed by practical er
perience. And the interchange of ideas among
agriculturists, by means of these same journals, s,
the common consent to which they thus gradus"l
come on subjects connected with their intereotof
give them a unity of purpose, and concentration r
effort, where these are concerned, not greater 01
tainly than they ought to have (for all classes,
men are entitled to band together in the peaceevei
pursuit of their peculiar objects), but to an equog
amount of which, others, whose interests are 13
less important, may reasonably aspire. 101
It may be most confidently maintained, then, t r
nothing would more eminently conduce to the re,
storation of commercial prosperity, by the introdild
tion of right principles into commercial practice and
regulation,—nor more fairly and legitimately elit„„e.r
the influence of commercial men as a body, by. trj,
ing them an audible voice in arrangements reed
ing their own concerns,—than the establishmentieh
an exclusively Commercial Periodical work ; o,llo§,
by bringing together all kinds of facts, suggest° le
and representations connected with trade, Wite,
gradually exhibit order among their confusion, geviil,
rid principles amid their details, and harmony $lll,l/
their conflicting claims. It would thus not lee D'
pioneer the way to improvement, but be in fo'd ,
fore-horse in the team, dragging the others foreloij
And the following, subject to amendment, 11°
seem not unsuitable as the plan of such a work. id
It would be published monthly, a shorter Per,.
scarcely admitting of sufficient consideration efse oot
terials; and a longer, losing for them that redid
and immediate interest which, to be useful, tvio
should possess : and it ought to be divided int°,rbe
departments,—reasoning and matter of fact. 0
first should consist of original papers, embracielteir
wide a range of subjects as possible; and
tn, oils
selection the influence of whatever peculiar eV glti
the Editor may entertain, should be very littlehor
for the object of the work is to give all parties' fore
ing ; and ingenious reasonings should be thereer of
admitted from all quarters. Some little palott
selection, and in particular, perhaps, of compre,s,eor;
must, however, be vested in a responsible Pt! by
and the right of temperate comment, guideie 0
what he may consider sound general pall-idyl be
inseparable from such an office. But it sliglitilalf
really temperate, and the editorial tone esseutbere
conciliatory, for several reasons. On principles thse
are fewer real grounds of dispute among tlie°,oo
is generally supposed ; and in verbal contlioietlt
when the terms employed are mutually OP ore 3
there is frequently agreement where there eli4efsll
dissent ;—and when the object is truth not
..„„eu
this ought to be pointed out, and both parties:Vl
with. It is also a mistake to suppose thr'noed! '
competing interests are always essentially eProili
for, " to live and let live," is the maxim frets, lid
of prudence as well as morality ;—and
should be pointed out wherever possible'tioei°
besides all, upon this condition of moderate
general tone, and many sources of intelligeutip
rfa
be opened, which would otherwise be shu gditat
sonable displeasure. And whatever value 011000
may place on his own speculations, he
altogether inexcusable if, for their sake,
hr:
this dis
any channel of correspondence; for it,i)o-ok, and
partment that he should himself special*?ll e oriel',
sefui
which his services would be most u Y
cQngltli
This portion of the work, then,-should
digests of recently:published travels or 0111tbf.!
journals, extracting the commercial cream ffel;ohird
—of views, indeed, of whatever new get* In o°lf'
and statistical information can be procured. Leo,!
way—of analyses of papers laid before Par',ooco,l,l
dil 0
compressing, but yet exhibiting, the informs" etits,l,
tained in them—of heads of bills passing. orl
04
passed, bearing on commercial interests, er
should occasionally also be subjected to rev!! and r+
of reports (arranged, perhaps, alphabetical:l;o6,l
much as possible raisonnes) of markets, el qttritied
ing to trace the causes of their passing ii°°oo,Dernee
to indicate stocks in hand, as well as the tbe.o
vessels known to be proceeding to them, ir!pere,,
to catch the first appearance of gluts, or .oritCool
demands. f We are persuaded that no& gi is
* As an example in point, a letter lately cioryc::,0011.;
the news p liters, stating that there was 84. yeiP w
goods in Van Diemen's Land for the pet pt 10;pp
that they were selling under cost, We Pura, the %o!
what authority this rests, but supposing it pr°lforl
might have been checked, had the state a. 003 oile d
the market, and the number of vessels o'l, ,e, A° 01
each previous mor tit, been easily ascertainlul4, the reg
first of the arts of distribution would be, anon,
• distribution of early and important informer by aeillp
t Gluts may be caused in two ways, °Tat ',hp feed
excess in the supply of imports, above
oe, can r
population, or their means of ForniPlinir'3l oty, °.°
and dispose of; or, by a failure in the sul'ato'd, are t'w
depreciation in the value of exports. DI way he y
by the same circutnstances reversed. It't_no.o in tit! ,
ob. a .01, shuttoili
gwonznnamn
ne commanded, , forexpenditure, e mpl ,bbyythe
seus
bl h
locg
non
usicaf
of a bank, by cutting roads and facilitatiog usa. ; and
11'the c°114:61
• oprreblictjeuddicious ,
trie,setsreicvtaiorinsousiemkprnedeinatgs
inkae
with those of tt-e harvest and foreign supplYrare