The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-14


meeting of the shareholders was held recent V
when the Directors owing to the fact that "diversi
tv of opinion and much dissatisfaction" existed il
, the minds of the prOprietors, intimated their in
tention of resigning Mr.. Campbell, the chairman
IN moving the adoption of the report, defended
himself and his colleagues from the charges which
had been made against them, and promised that
: on some more favorable opportunity, he should be
prepared with a complete vndication of their con-
duct Mr.. W. Hawes moved an amendment for
, the appointment of committee of Investigation
the Directors being in the meantime requested to
retain office. This proposition was received with
marked disapprobation, several speakers denounc-
ing 1t as an attempt to save the Board. The show
: OF hands Enthusiastically condemned the amendment,
but poll was demanded, and the meeting was
therefore adjourned. Mr.. Scott Russell has at
tempted to appease the wrath of the indignant
shareholders; in long report he contends that the
Great Eastern during the trial trips realized the speed
Tor winch she was designed, and showed sea-going
qualities of the highest order. With respect to
the non-completion OF the ship he says it was not
intended to place her in entirely complete con-
dltion until after her return from America, and he
calls upon the shareholders ''not to allow the pro-
perty to be deprecated by the exaggeration of
small faults over great merits" He is ''proud of
her general structure, design, and performance"
and, as regards the paddle-engines, he is ''pre-
pared to allow his reputation an engine-builder
to stand or fall by them" He is satisfied with the
work generally, and he expects "yet to earn great
reputation by her." ''What is now wanted ;" he
says, sis the best possible management of the ship
but II You can agree upon men of ability, expert
ence, and success in the management Of steam
property, to take the entire practical control of
the executive part of your business you will not
be dissatisfied with the result"
THE Protective SYSTEM OF FRANoE-This sys-
TEN, which in fact is prohibtory rather than mere
ly protective, the burden of which the Emperor
proposes to tighten, has been the most severe of
any in the world. 1t originated by the first
Napoleon, who sought to make France indepen-
dent OF all other nations
As a specimen of this system, we note the follow
ing articles, the Importation of which into France
for long series of years. has been entirely prohb-
| tied, namely:-
Cotton manufactures of all kinds; boots and
Shoes glass, soap, carriages, cambrics, &c.
Nearly all manufactures of iron are prohibited
| cotton duck is entirely prohibited, but hemp or
fax duck is admitted, under duty of Sls per 100
| pounds.
Upon sperm candles a duty of 20 cents per
pound is imposed, and upon stearine 81 cents per
| pound
Carpets pay duties of $40 to S27 per 100 Ibs; ;
coffee cents a pound; cotton warn cents h.
raw cotton ! cent mills pound; rosn 81 per
DBL; tar aud pitch Ga cents to 81 per bbl; leaf to-
| bacco is in its importation and sale government
monopoly, no person being allowed to import it,
and none to sell it, except those who purchase the
| article from the agents of the government.
Unmanufactured wool pays duty of 20 per cent
ad valorem, only, but woolen manufactures are re-
quired to pay $3.50 to $3.50 per 100 lbs.-in eff
feet prohibited as wooden hosiery is positively.
policy, which it is now proposed to meliorate by
changing prohibitions to specific duties, and by
| admitting materials at lower rates. There are
many items still more restrictive on articles, the
products of other countries.
LATER FROM KANsAs.--The Kansas correspondent
of the New York Times, writing from Leavenworth
under date of the Sd instant says:
Some three days ago, the House had under con-
sideration. a bill to prohibit slavery in Kansas.
Yesterday, the bill upon its third reading
when the whole afternoon spent in the most
able debate of the session. About an equal number
spoke upon each side, and the vote its final pass
age stood 30 yeas to nays. 1t takes effect imme-
diately. So from the hour of its approval, slavery
is prohibited in Kansas, by ''unfriendly legisla-
ton" 1t was like drawing teeth to bring the
but at last were compelled to face the music, when
only six dared to vote against the bill
The Territorial Census, provided for by law of
last winter, is just published. 1t is far from
pete, several counties have failed to observe the
| law, and make no returns. Those counties making
returns show population of between 10000 and
| 10000. The number of blacks reported is 4O6 The
number of voters about q, 900. By this partial
| showing doubt that we have to-day
| more than the Congressional ratio, and honest
man should use the fimsy argument again that we
have not the population to entite us to admission.
| should have said that another bill is before the
| House, similar to the Vermont and Wisconsin Per-
sonal Liberty bill, making it penal offence TO aid
IN the arrest OF person claimed a slave, to
claim property in one. There is doubt of its
passage but if that fails another will be introduced
to prevent kidnapping in Kansas, which will un-
doubedly pass.
| Discovery OF A New PLANET.-IU was announ-
ced by the astronomer Leverrier, about twelve
months ago, that he had discovered certain per-
| turbatons in the movement of the planet Mere ury,
near its perihelIon, which could be accounted for
| only by the existence of another body between
that planet and the sun. As the discovery of Nep-
| tune was owing to similar observation and calcu-
IpfI AnIr
| be directed to the subject, and with equally hap
| py result. On the Goth of March, DR.. Lascar-
| bault, who resided at Orgeres, near Chartres,
France, and had long been attentive observer of
the heavens saw small black round spot pass
over the suns disc He calculates that its diane
ter is 80 leagues the inclination of its orbit the
ecllptlc 10 degrees: the period OF its revolution
round the sun l9 days and II hours; while its
! greatest apparent distance from the is seven
degrees, ten millions of miles, that of Mercury
being thirty-seven millions. NJ. Leverrier accepts
this as the planet he had detected by abstract cal
| cuatons. Mr.. Benz jamin Scott, an Englishman,
! has since put in claim of previous discovery,
having observed, he says, similar phenomenon as
! long ago as lS47.
THE JAPANESE EMBAssY.-The United States ship
| Powhatan was at Hong Kong on the 9th Novem-
! Der. private letter from officer board
says the Japanese embassy business is settled and
| they were to leave Jeddo after the 23d of
January as possible in the Powhatan, to proceed
to Panama overland to Washington City. The mis-
sion, as now arranged, will consist of two Commits
sloners, two CensOrs or spies upon the conduct of
the Commissioners and others, three Lieutenant
| Governors eight Generals and COOnes, two Inter
| prefers, two Physicians and forty servants. The
Japanese dignitaries, however, seem to think there
Is no honor without a retinue, and when assured
| that train OF servants would rather be annoying
in the United States to the Commissioners than ad-
vantageous, either the score of comfort or hon
I or, they could hardly comprehend it. Still more
| amused were they, when they were assured that
the President of the United States used his own
feet when he went out in the streets of Washington
| and walked about as he pleased without a single
attendant. They must be continually startled when
they reach country whose institutions are entire
! ly, like itself, completely at the antipodes of its
own.-Shanghat Herald.
| Iron MASTERS CoNvENrIoN.-We learn from the
| Cincinnati Commercial that large convention of
| iron masters, furnace men and capitalists, met in
! Portsmouth, Ohio, on Tuesday morning. On call
of delegates, it appeared that nearly every furnace
and iron interest in Kentucky and Ohio were repre-
| sented. After organizing, statement was made
of the iron interest of the two States, from which
it appears that the yearly average produce of pig
iron from sxy-two furnaces was l55, 900 tons per
annum; value OF cold and hot blast metal, 81, $780,
900; population supported by furnaces, 81 900;
hands employed, $780, &c. la the afternoon the
committee to whom the matter was entrusted re-
ported memorial to Congress, in which they re
present that iron manufacture is in such depressed
condition to render the capital invested scarcely
remunerative, aud that relief can only be afforded
by specific duty on the import of foreign iron. A
series OF resolutions was Cnen passed, alleging,
among other things, that it is the duty of Congress
to afford such protection will infuse life and
| energy into the unprosperous iron trade of the
country.
THE LATE GALE.-The New York papers continue
to record disasters caused by the gale of Thursday
night. Al along the line of the Hudson its track
is visible in demolished buildings, unrooed edifces,
and unsteeped churches. The damage above
Peekshill is very serious scarcely village city
escaping without receiving serious injury, either
to buildings, greenhouses, or bridges. In NOrwalk
serious damage done. The new Methodist
church is a complete wreck. The chimney on the
Union School House has blown down, and the
scholars dismissed. Ely's building at South Nor
folk suffered. Several stores moved from their
foundations, and the proprietors closed them. The
pole and signal on the railroad bridge has just gone
Two men are on what is called Ground Beach,"
and it is feared that they must perish, as as
sstance can be rendered them, the surf being
ly over the beach. People are now starting from
the village with lifeboat, and will them if
possible
New Arctic EXPEDITIoNS.--It seems probable
that there will be at least two Arctic expeditions
fitted out at an early day. DR.. Hayes-so well known
from the circumstances This connection with kanes
second expeditiOn-is understood to be making
his arrangements for an expedition from this cOun-
try. Besides this, in England Mr.. William Parker
Snow, who is already known in connection with
Arctic matters, is preparing expedition, and sub
scrptions already flowing in to aid him in this
object. At a meeting of the Royal Geographical
Society, few weeks ago, Mr. Snow, in opposition
to the opinion of Captain McClintock, and other
eminent Arctic authorities avowed his belief that it
baf all &c tb