Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-09-16

country, to manage such affairs as have now de-
volved on that gentleman. Nor does the army
embrace an officer better suited through his
Judgment, knowledge of men and affairs of
civil life, and unvarying command over himself,
than Col. Sidney johnson. We predict that
on their arrival out, Brigham Young will i'm
stantly change his tone Of defiance, into one of
protestation that he has no thought of setting
up kingdom (of this or any other world) with
in the jurisdiction of the Government of the
FROM THE SLooP-oF-WAR PLYMoUTH-Ths
Navy Department have dispatches from Com
mander Foote, in command Of this ship, dated
"Of Merriam River, SIAM" June 10th, last
The Plymouth reached Siam, from Singapore,
on the I'd of May last, six days from that port
Com'r Foote, and all the officers to be spared
for such an expedition, accompanied Mr.. Con-
| sui Bradley, the bearer of the treaty in the
Kings steamer to Bangkok where they found
ample accommodations provided for them by
the Kings directions. Com'r Foote was pres
ent at the first interview between Mr.. Bradley
and the Siam Commissioners, where the treaty
was first discussed, relative particularly to our
|
During their stay at Bangkok they (the off,
cers) were presented to both Kings, and were
treated with distinguished consideration.
| The second King having manifested much
interest in the ship, her armament, &c, was
invited to 60 on board, which he did-his visit
being the first royal Siam visit to ship of any
foreign nation. He was accompanied by suite
of twenty princes and mobiles, and spent the
greater part of two days on board, going on
shore at night A royal salute was fired in
his honor the battery was exercised, and tie
ship maneuvred for his entertainment, &c. lie
sent presents of food and other necessary arti-
Giles on board, for which payment was positively
declined.
The treaties of Siam with the United States
and the Western European nations are doing
much for the development Of the commercial
resources Of the nation. Sugar and rice are the
principal exports, and, though the Siam ma
chinery for the manufacture of the former is
most imperfect, it is very abundant and cheap
81 or 81 per hundred Several vessels were
then loading it for the United States The ex-
port Of rice to China is great, and there were
then in port there six American vessels besides
many of other nations, loading it for Hong Kong
The Chinese are their agriculturists, mechanics
and laborers.
Com. FOote attributes to the influence of the
American missionaries the formation of most of
the late treaties of Siam with western nations
which, he thinks, are already enabling that
country to progress so rapidly.
The DUTIES ON IROS.-The Pennsylran,an,
in an able though brief article, on the day be-
fore yesterday, advocated change in the pres
ent system of levying duties on foreign iron
1t claims that the ad valorem system, as ap-
piled to iron, is most unfortunate one for the
American iron interest, giving it least protec
ton when it requires it most. That is, when
the iron market is lowest abroad There is
truth in its position, we are compelled to admit
however much we are opposed to the continr-
ance of the custom of supporting the General
Government by indirect Custom house, taxa
ton. Our theory maintains the entire impro-
priety of protection" direct or indirect, for
any one domestic interest at the expense of one
or all other American domestic interests. In
the course Of its remarks On the subject, the
Pennsylram'am presents the following inter-
esting statistics:
| since leis the consumption of that article in
| the Cnlted States has augmented in an unprece-
dented manner. The consumption of foreign iron
and manufactures Of iron, which previous to 1915
ssaGnea IN any , one year. the value Of
TO S27 ,OOO,O GOO; in 1856 to nearly $50 600 600 On
the other hand the domestic production of pig
IRON Ine, made very considerable progress. From
| lUO,OOO tons In 1856. The domestic manufacture
OF railroad iron has yet only reached about one
haif OF our annual requirements. But, consider
% QaYnE ia r~;I.
this result must be regarded as exceedingly en-
couraging. The value Of domestic manufactures
OF wrought iron OF every description amounted in
1910 to s2 ,OOO in iS5O to SO 600 600; i'm Iss5
| to SIS ,3OO, co.,
Ii greatly increased productions and greatly
| increased sales embrace evidence that the
American iron interest is in Furnishing condi
| ton, then the statistics quoted above show that
hardly any other American interest has so in
creased in importance Of late years That the
| production Of American iron has not kept pace
Notwithstanding its so remarkable increase
with the demand for iron in this country, only
proves thatwe have advanced we'll nigh as rapid
lyin nearly all other arts and sciences, and in
the work OF national development, as in the pro-
| duction of iron; thus compelling US to continue
to rely more or less upon foreign supplies to meet
| portion of the wants Of our 30 constantly al
| tering national circumstances. To comprehend
what that demand for iron really is, one must
note the aggregate annual increase in the mum.
| Der OF acres Of land brought into cultivation,
the number of ships built, steam engines con-
structed, tools, implements, wares, &C., of
every description turned out, and indeed of
every element going to make us more popu-
lous, greater and better furnished (equipped)
nation, day by day. To expect the manufac-
ture of American iron to keep pace with the ma
tons necessity for the iron, in these times
strikes US as preposterous. 1t could only do
| 80, if at all, under the stimulus of a positive
and entire monopoly by Congressional enact
ment; by which hot-bed system it might be pos
sible to divert speedily capital and labor enough
into the iron trade, to secure a full supply of
home made iron in q few years hence The