Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-22
The Frcnch CommrrciaI Treaty.

"Why vas not bred to business" is the exclamation
which according to the London Times, many an hnglsn
professional man must make as be regards the present
condition and destnies Of British commerce The ira
ding aud manufacturing classes have already ousupped
wealth and consideration the old country families ouI
This is nothing to what they viii DO with ten years peace
aud free trade OF course, all this is but prelude 10 a
defence OF the French commercial treaty, and an anue
patton Of the immense advantages which England Is 10
derive from that measure. The course OF reasoning
however is such to have some significance Tor US as
well for the French for it points as its sole OBJECT 70
the extension of British manufacture to British wealth.
and to British supremacy.
The English journal proceeds to examine the opera
ton Of few articles of the treaty with reference 10
particular classes Of merchandise In coal II Is anuc'
pstcd that there viii be greatly increased trade
Paris is already beginning to assume the dinsy nue. OIL
London and in spite of heremonsranees OF architects
the Times looks for vast increase in the consumption
Of coal which causes this uuwelcome phenomenon Bar
iron, paying 20 per cent is to pay but 80 after
next October and the English journal looks forward TO
a monopoly of the French market 1--WE may take II
for granted that the facilities for production IN England
are such as cannot be ryaed in France, and thar our
rich iroumasters win grow richer by supplying SSoooooo
people with iron and every description Of metal wares
Heucefora, French railways and manufactures OF all
knds are 90 be dependent upon England for their iFon
and England is to md her profit in this relation.
The essentially selfish and monOpolzing character oil
the policy Of England is fully disclosed in the specuauons
OF the English economists on the subject Of this treaty,
and this alone should be warning to this country how
it suffers ielfto fab in with course Of policy based upon
such an adverse interest That We not left out Of
view in these specuaous may be by reference in
the concluding paragraph of the article in the Times
which is as follows
What shall we say of the great field of the cotton
trade where prohibition viii be succeeded by moderate
dufi,sg Why. if France De inflated by Germany and
Itly II America be shamed iuto following their exam
M there is no reason why Lancashire should not double
ia number OF looms within the next five years Then
there are the Poter,s The duer kinds of porcelain
now absolutely prohibited from entering France, but I'M
Der dc new duties our great manufacturers may cover
me tables OF every family In France with plates aud cups
bearing their velSa0wu names. The cutters have the
same brilliant prospect before them. Who has piticd
re rulorraates VINO are compelled 70 with French
knives and French scissors But now Sheffield will have
s near an approach 20 Free Trade be expected
when the two nations must continue to raise something
bv indirect taxation In short there is hardly branch
Of manufacture which will not receive an impetus from
the new tariff Tee stream Of prosperity, however pass
Is bv and leaves the uOu-trajng classes comparatively
uu5euef.ted What viii be the social effect OF these
great temptations commercial career the next twenty
wears VIII determine.