The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-27

prosperity are too sod ana 70 inherent In the actual
state Of the civilized world, for the welfare OF
try so powerful, and 80 happily circninstsnced as
England is at the present moment, ~ depend upon
the caprices Of princes, however powerful the par
s'ons Of people, however turbulent.
The American Ambassadors TO EaroIe.
trrom the London Tunes Jan. 3.
All Engishmen, and Londoners in particular,
may draw, we think, satisfactory kind OF moral
from certain remarkable documents which we
published Wednesday. The United states OF
America, Ike more ancient republic, appears 10 be
bent upon getting the greatest possible amount OF
information from their ministers in foreign parts, and
the relations OF these gentlemen may De Almost
matched with those Of the old Venetian ambassadors
for characteristic interest and exact ness Not long
ago the State Department of the American govern
ment addressed circular inquiries to the representa-
tves Of the Union IN foreign capitals as TO the cost OF
living at their respective stations. These questions
were Of course framed with view to the proper
regulations OF diplomatic expenditure; but the replies
put on record in the correspondence to which
fer present comparative survey OF national advan-
tages so very intehigible and amusing, that we
think il will consist both with our own duty and the
readers qualification IL we revive the subject for
little further remark.
1t will be readily understood that the position Of
foreign minister Is peculiarly unavorable to expert
mens in domestic economy snd it was the effect, per-
haps, Of these nvarable conditions which appears u
have impressed every American Envoy with the not
unnatural conviction that his own station must inc
vitality be the very dearest spot of the habtabc globe
Still the very universally Of this impression enables
to deal with it, for though every foreign minister
may doubtless live at higher charges than any native
resident yet, as the ministers in every CAPT
tai fare alike in this particular, the general ex-
pensveIess of their respective locations may he
ascertaiued easily from these returns from those
of any other class, the only difference being that
the scale is somewhat higher throughout. From
London, then, We find Mr. Abbott Lawrence
writing that house betting the position Of q
AypAr AinSf frtVp IN
year, and that carriages and horses would require
from s225 to e250 more These are the only items
which il was thought necessary to specify in the
British return. On turning, however to Paris, we
observe that Mr.. Rves after ennmerating very nearly
the same charges in respect to house rent and equip
ages, proceeds Immediately 70 recaptuate certain
other items OF expenditure almost serious as the
former. Fuel, for household of half dozen persons
and their servants, averages in Paris from EGO to
$500 yeara fact not perhaps astonishing 10 those
who recollect what they have paid for few days
firing at a Partisan hotel. but which will promptly
suggest to the nEtraveled reader very sufficing
explanation OF the yaiue of woods and forests in
France. BE it remembered too that the country
thus enormousi " taxed for of the chief neces-
sares of life is within an hour twO's voyage of
another country where the best Goals may be had at
less thar 81 per ton Passing from fuel, Mr.. RVes
next reports the extraordinary price of eatables and
remarks, with the true emphasis of an American,
that ham, which MS country,nen would probably be
glad to send into France at I'D or sd. pound is
charged in Paris at Is. I'd. rs. Fowls, too, al S.
cd. couple, are very properly recorded for the
der OF posterity, though that point we have not
much to boast OF ut home for all the poultry mania
10 which the coming week will testify, has not yet
resulted in bringing 10 London markets at less than
81. or Gs pair, chickens which certainly raised
in the country Tor less than half crown. In com
mon groceries, indeed, the contrast would have
been surprising but Mr.. Rves is content TO aude to
this charge upon French residents without entering
into particulars.
From Vienna We get but few details, as Mr.. INCUR
dy does not yet know much personally abou3 the
expenses incident to his residence From St. Pc
tersburg. Mr. Brown reports thBt the Russion CAPT
tol us empbaticay and in every respect an artifi-
cial cityart6ciay built and artifically sustained.
il Is dependent oI all ts supplies distaat regions;
the Decessaries Of life are extraordinarily high, while
the tastes and habits of the place are extrava-
CANT" Nevertheless, Russia possesses some rail
way communication, and is in the way Of getting
more, st. Petersbnrgb notwithstanding this charac
ter, must be largely in advance of more ancient
capitols. The description given Of Madrid il
in the highest degree instructive. " The great
distance" writes Mr.. Barringer, "of this
capital from the coast, the universal want Of good
internal communication the barrenness of the nme-
date locality the peculiar habits Of the nation their
general prejudice against everything foreign, their
indifference, and even content, with the stationary
condition of their country, have all had most per
nicious influence Water which is brought to the
horse-doors on mems shoulders, Is exceedingly ex-
pensve: wood when it can be procured at all is
sold by the pound coal, OIL and other articles Of
daily consumption, first carried over hundreds of
miles mules backs and then burdened with crush
ing duties at the very gate 0fthe city whose wants they
arrive TO supply As an example 0ftbe state Oftbngs,
Mr. Barringer mentions that Of his carTa which
was brought for fl2 from New York to CadM cost e72
! II coming from Cudz to Madrid. II Is amusing 20
observe how closely the metropolis Of Turkey con-
responds in these respects with the metropolis Of
Spain. The same total want Of internal communi-
cations the same uncertainty Of supplies, and the
same extravaganza Of prices arc reported from Con-
frvAyn Mldr md
either account wOnld nearly serve for description
OF Bur7nah or Afghanistan. Civilized capitals have
al least this advantage, that their resources are
known and uniai.ing ut a current rate Of charge:
but at Madrid no less than at Constantinople, the
latitndes Of which politically as well as geogra-
phcaly the same, no supplies can be reckoned upon
with certainty at any price at all.
We have not yet exhausted the list before Us, hut
we have probably said enough to make Londoners
toersbly content with their lot To grumble is not
only an Englishman privilege but, so long as OBJ
yous improvements are wilfnlly neglected his duty,
too. Nevertheless We may think more comfortably
even Of our sewers and otn watcr-rates-of our mar
row streets and our national " embellishments"
when we compare our institutions with those of other
capitals. Free trade has already accomplished for
US what sir Robert Pei predicted, in making Lon
don the cheapest metropolis in Europe. The tastes
and habits Of fashionable society still impose heavy
charges upon such residents foreign minis
ters but even these visittTs exempted
IRON all those domestic and daily taxes which per
versity OF ignorance maintain elsewhere. All tn.
necessaries Of life are brought to our doors, both
from foreign and home markets, at price really
regulated by the expense Of production, and in
creased only by the very cheapest cost Of transport.
Bread meat. butter, poultry, eggs, sugar. salt fuel
and water, are cheaper here than in any other Eu-
ropean capital; and, ii the expenses Of foreign am
bassadors are not proportonatey diminished that is
because -uch charges in reality constitute only by
small portion Of their expenditure We may learn
70 value our own clothes markets by hear
ing that in Holland that land of thrift and eco
nUuly-"every article il dear, but clothing par
ticularly 30 " and though to be sure it seems hard
lust now to say syllable for London weather,
We may console Ourselves by rejecting on what Mr..
Bayard reports from Brussels, that though in that
capital 1T rains less, every day for $40 days
ont OF the 3GJ, there are few side pavenents IN
serve causegays in the deluge- Altogether, then,
We have fair reason for selfgIauiation. We cannot
beip our atmosphere entirely neuralize the natu-
raj conditions OF population OF 2250 0c0: but
can take care tht no restrictions are placed upon
tied trade which brings the produce Of the country
IIpe