The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1840-09-05


only obvious upon its face, but confirmed by
circumstances as the following brief sketch
of the French protective policy will show.
The total amount of impost, viz. entrance
duties, commission, sc. on French colonial
sugar is 1862 per cent upon the prime cost in
the colonies. This enormous duty is laid
to protect the beet sugar manufacturers, the
primitive cost of whose sugar is about sc per
cent. more than the colonial Upon this there
is a duty of about 90 per cent, but still en-
abling the beet manufacturer to undcrsell
the colonial dealers by heavy per centage.
The French Chambers of Commerce estab-
lishcd in the different cities of Toulon, Mar
SELLS, Bordeaux, &C., have for many years
used all their influence with the French
Legislature to get the colonial and native
sugar put upon the same footing, but with
out success.
Forty three railroads have been dscon-
tinued for want of iron, the duty upon which
is 200 per cent
The same duty is also levied upon coal.
This indeed seems singular, as the country
is said to be unprovided with a sufficient
supply of the two latter indispensable arti-
cles to meet the demand. Says writer,
owe find recently, by a comparison of the
French commercial returns for 1886 and
1887, that the commercial intercourse of
France has remained stationary with Belgi-
UNI; diminished per cent. with England;
II per cent. with Switzerland; 90 per cent
with Spain; and q per cent. with Germany"
This diminution of trade is doubtless chiefly
if not wholly owing to the high tariff imposed
on foreign merchandise by. the French Coy
ernmcnt.' With the above facts before US,
is there probability, or we might say pos
sibiHiy that the French government would
authorize any of its agents to negotiate a
commercial treaty granting immunitics to "A
foreign government far greater than those
which had been perscveringIy prayed for by
its own subjects, for years in succession, but
had been as steadily withheld. We think
not, and if any of its agents has negotiated
such Il treaty, he has doubtless exceeded his
powers, and the treaty would only be remit
ted to France for rejection.
The communication of "A Resident"
seems to be chiefly made pof differences
drawn from "A Merchants" Interpretation.
We think the differences are correct The
treaty to a rejecting mind carries its own con-
dcmnation along with it. No person of even
the most ordinary degree of intelligence, and
the most limited observation, need be told
of the existence of that principle in human
nature, which leads all individuals, collec-
tive bodies, and governments, when acting
freely, to seek the advancement of their own
best interests When we see treaty then
make its appearance negotiated by two SOW
ereign powers, by the conditions of which,
one, and that the weaker of the two, yields
up rights, either ostensiby or virtually, which
are the exclusive prerogatves of independ-
ent governments, without any equivalent,
the conclusion irresistably forces itself upon
us, that it is the offspring of fear on the part
of the weaker power; that it is only choice
of evils, the evil Of yielding assent, great as
1t may be, being considered inferior TO that
See French colonial duties and German commercial
league, IN the FoieIgn Quarterly Review ol Jan 1859