Star.
London, England, 1818-01-26 00:00:00

FLANDERS MAIL.

GHENT, JANUARY 21.
The news ,of the deaths of Messrs. Lalapie and
Ponticottlant• is absolutely false—these Gentlannen
in the Brazils, to which they
have' not been hung
have not gone...
Our manufactories are still languishing, notwith-
standing some assistance, owing to the munificence
of the Sovereign. The worm which corrodes our in-
dustry is in the legislation, and it must necessarily
sink, notwithstanding all the succours which a pro-
tecting but too powerless hind might bestow upon it.
There is no question better decided by the national
unanimity than that relative to foreign manufactures,
which the whole nation rejects with a kind of horror.
If we except some individual speculators, Strangers
to every passion but the love of gold, we have beheld
the noble spectacle of the flower of our fellow-citizens
proclaim.in the midst of universal applause, that the
preference which we owe to the productions of our
own country is one of the first principles of our poli-
tical creed.
The National Tribune has re-echoed the same
cries ; and if, notwithstanding the public hopes, our
legislation did not receive already in the last Session
the change called for by public opinion, and by our
wants, it is because the legislator wished to orrobo:
rate his conviction by. the experience of a year. This
fatal experience has been acquired, and if nothing is
now known, it is because there is a determination to
Juiny nothing.
• The Chambers of Commerce renew their com-
plaints ; numerous memorials addressed to the re-
presentatives express the complaints and the hopes of
the nation. _ _

The Chamber of Commerce of Namur has just
entered the lists. The following are some passages
1-'"Of the Memorial which it has just addressed to the
States-General, on the deplorable situation of the
manufactures and commerce of a great part of the
kingdom' • and on the causes of the ruin of our in-
dustry. It proves incontestably the causes of the
rapid decline of commerce, and points out the means
of restoring it to that activity which but lately was
the admiration of our neighbours, who now rejoice
at its inactivity, by which they profit.
" The Chamber does not enter upon the question, whether
the fetters imposed on commerce both by the vices of our sys-
tem of customs, and by the fact of a general Treaty of Com-
merce with the neighbouring countries, are the result of policy ?
it is a diplomatic question which it does not pretend to fathom.
" It confines itself wholly within the sphere of its duties,
which consists in laying before the eyes of the King the despe-
rate condition of our manufacturing industry, which the prospe.
thy or the State and the happiness of the Citizens would lead
bins to protect, if his generous heart and benrolent views did
not induce him to it-
" Commerce and industry are the riches of nations. Without
riches a people is not strong, and without strencii in the people
the throne has no splendour.
" In a state of war, a courageous and intrepid nation may
maintain itself, and even prosper by the power of its arms alone;
but the experience of ages teaches us, that in a state of peace it
can do nothing without commerce and industry.
" Every nation has its peculiar species of commerce, which is
determined Sy its locality, and even by nature. The inhabitants
of the coasts have the country trade (calvtage), exchange and
commission. The inhabitants of the interior do not enjoy these
advantages • but they have in their stead, either the products of
a soil fruitful, or agricultural riches, or by those mineral trea-
sures with which the province of Samur is amply provided. It
contains more than 300 manufactories, which maintained them-
selves in the most flourishing condition, as long as commerce
was favoured by a protecting hand ; but now that the manufac-
tories are in a state of the most complete ruin, what fruit can
the merchant derive from the innumerable efforts which he
had to make, to raise these fine monuments of his genius and
his glory?
" What, however, happens when an intelligent, an industrious
people, who have attained a superior degree of perfection in the
productions of its manufactories, is obliged by circumstances to
abandon them all at once? What happens ? It depends upon
others, it is chsoooraged ; then the State is endangered, for dis-
couragement produces idleness, and idleness produces demorali.
sation ; as many empires have been extinguished by their com-
mercial inattention, as by the reverses of their arms.
" The extraordinary successes which at this day place Eng-
land at the head of nations, are less owing to the fortune of her
arms, than to the powerful protection which her Government
gives to her commerce.
" From all quarters the same cry arises against the dangers
which threaten our commercial independence. Belgium awaits
with anxiety a decision, which may at length fix the fate of its
manufactories.
" It is fur you, High and Mighty Lords, whose most constant
solicitude ought to be directed to whatever can contribute to the
prospority of the country ; you who ought not to confound the
interests of the Monarch and the nation ; you, the representatives
of this nation, whom you have sworn to defend against the
attacks of all that is arbitrary, it is to yon that it belongs to re-
store to commerce and industry the splendour and activity of
which we have nothing left but the remembrance."
A Ghent Paper says, " A Russian biographical
account of Suwarrow contains some singular and
curious details. Though the general cruelty of his
disposition was evinced by the horrible massacres of
Qczacoff, Ismailoff, and Praga (where 60,000 Poles
are 31111 to have been sacrificed to his vengeance);
yet he sometimes shewed a more peculiar ardour of
ferocity. To the French, in particular, he bore a sort
of fanatical hatred—a rage of detestation. A proof
of this passion was even exhibited in exercising his
men. In commanding them to make a charge with
the bayonet, they were to understand his directions in
three different ways, according to the nation which
they were supposed to combat. When' he gave the
word march against the • Prussians, they charged
straight forward with the point of the bayonet—
against the Poles, they rapidly repeated the thrust
—against the execrable French, they turned round
their bayonets after the second thrust, to enlarge the
wound. Original in every thing, and even affecting
originality, this semi-barbarian sometimes appeared
wrapped up in sheep's skin,- like a Cossack, and at
other times covered with crosses, with badges of or-
ders, and portraits, which he had received. These
latter ornaments, joined to his little grim countenance
and his lank figure, gave him more to appearance of
an Italian charlatan, than the General of an army.—
Although he gave the world reason to suspect his,
sanity, yet, from sharing their dangers, their fatigues
and their frugal fare, he was always the idol of his,
soldiers. The anecdote of his quelling a mutiny i
among hiStroops in crossing the Alps is well known;
His soldiers, overwhelmed with fatigues. and dispi-,
sited with hardships, no longer obeyed his voice, or
observed their usual discipline. He ordered a ditch
to be dug, and stretching himself in it, cried out—
' Cover me up with earth, your General desires here
to be interred since you abandon him: They all
threw thou/elves at his feet, and followed him with
ck.vatiop mil enthusiasm. The Emperor Alexander
has caused a Statue be erected to his name, and the
Grand Duke tine has pronounced a public
eulogium on tilmemory ; but such honours will not

remove the stain of capricious ferocity from his cha-
racter, or induce history to paint him in any other
colours'than those of a fortunate military madman,
or an enterprisinis savage." -

THE EVENING SfAR.

LONDON'.

MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 1818.
THE FUNDS.
PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK :

Reduced 791—Cons. 791—Cons. for Feb. 79ti

4 per Cent. 9841—Navy Annuities 104 ii
India Bonds 107 108 pr.--Exch. Bills 19 29 pr.

Considerable fluctuations have been felt this morning in the
Stock Rxchange, owing to reports of the intention of the Minister
to make up the deficiency in the sevenue by funding Exchequer
Ms. Consols, which opened at 79, fell in less than half an hoer
to 78—when sir Reporter left the City they had again rallied
to 79 3-Bths. There are various other idle reports amongst the
speculators, but as we are not disposed to give them credence,
we think it would be improper to insert them; however, we
cannot look upon so great a fall in the Funds, which have been
drooping ever since they were 84 one-hall, without supposing
that some reason exists, the secret of which a short period will
develope. One strong reason is obvious, the public are selling
their Stock to embark their money in trade and other more pro-
fitable pursuits.

A Flanders Mail arrived last night, from which
we have given extracts in another part of this Paper.
The Flemish Journalists continue to lament the dul-
ness of Trade—the languid state of Commerce, and
Ihave discovered the cause to" be a corroding worm in
thi,Legislature !" Blockheads.—lt requires something
else than the will of Rulers to create and maintain
National Manufactures.

This morning another Flemish Mail arrived. The
accounts from Hanover inform us that the Doke of
CAMBRIDGE intends soon to pay another visit to Cas-
sel, where his marriage will be celebrated in the mid-
dle of March ; after which his Royal Highness will
•isit England. The States of Hanover have resolved
to petition the PRINCE REGENT for the suppression of I
the distinction which still exists at the High Court of
Appeal at Celle, between the class of Nobles and that
of Civilians :