Smyrna times., 1860-02-16
Napoleon's Last Move-Its Bearings on
the World of Trade.

the World of Trade.
The most important State paper that ha
been put forth by any European government fo
long time is the late letter of the Emperor
Napoleon to his Minister of State, on the com
mercal affairs of the empire. 1t will effect
perfect revolution in the manufactures, indus
trial pursuits and commerce of France. The
Emperor recommends the suppression of all
restrictions" that weigh on the industrial pur.
suits of France, the abolition of the duty on
wool, cotton and other raw materials, an ex-
change of products by the encouragement of
foreign trade, loans of money to agriculture and
industry, clearing of fertile plains, and the
planting of hills, and, in short, the inaugura ton
of an enlarged and enlightened public and
commercial policy. We SHALL no doubt, soon
see the establishment of line of first class
mail steamers, or more than one, between
France and America. This new policy of the
Emperor has real interest for Americans, in
both political and a commercial sense, and if
carried out according to the programme will
quadruple the trade between France and the
United States in less than ten years.
Whatever else may be said of Ma poleon, his
decision of character certainly cannot be ques-
toned. Confidently prophesyng that an era
of peace had begun, he announces that the time
has arrived to give great stimulus to the ma
tlonal wealth. The means for this vast UNDER
taking be finds in II abandonment of all the
old fiscal theories of France, and adopting the
same general policy that was adopted by Sir
Robert Peel for the fiscal government of Eng
land. Prohibitions are to be suppressed, raw
eriaIs are to be introduced free.
The English journals are already congratu-
latlng their readers upon the commercial bene-
fits that must accrue to England from this po-
litico-ecOnomcal system of France. COM
merce which shows to-day sixty millions of im-
ports and twenty OF exports, they unhesitalng-
ly believe will soon advance to the exchange of
Two hundred millions Of dollars in value from
each nation, and then, snys one of the Journals,
t Iere will be an alliance between England and
France which nothing can creak The effect
VIII ch such an increase Of commerce betw cell
England and France would have upon the
trade OF each Of those countries with the rest Of
the world can be readily conceived. They
would each demand more raw material, more
OF the thousand ingredients that enter into tie
arts and trades of each, and thus produce a re.
ciprocal glow of healthy trade everywhere.
But it is the direct effects Of this new fiscal
policy Of France upon its trade with other ma
tlons, rather than its collateral operations, that
will form the chief object of contemplation
everywhere Upon our own trade the results
will be more palpable. We export chiefly cot
ton and tobacco TO the French markets. On to-
bacco there is an absolute prohibition 10 private
enterprise, and a government duty of approx
matey $50 per cent to the consumer. Cotton
pays duty Of two cents q pound nearly, For
long years we have tried to obtain some reduc-
tion of these preYentives to increased consump-
tion. Mr.. Mason was laboring to get, by treaty,
the duty taken off of cotton when he died. 1t
forms the chief point Of the instructions TO our
new Minister who sailed on Saturday for Paris.
The new programme of Louis Napoleon sweeps
away the duty, and perhaps the prohibition. =
Lancaster E1pr reSS.
On this subject the Pennsylvania says
1t has somewhat surprised US to find many Jour
malls, and some of them in the Tariff interest,
taking free trade view of NapoIeon's late &C.
tlon with regard to the French system. Up to
the present time, the French people have lived
under 4 system of almost prohibition; their in
dustry (with the exception of that engaged in
manufacturing fancy goods, which had almost
no competition in foreign rnarkets,) was dirsc.
ted to the supply OF home consumption. In this
way it became possible for the French to pay
high duty for imported raw material, such as
cotton, wool, iron, coal. OF coal and iron
France has but small native supply. But now
that her industry has grown strong under a
system of absolute protection, it is prepared to
go out and to compete with the English in all
the markets of the word. Hence it is important
for France to procure raw material as cheap as
England. And in bringing about this policy
the advantage falls to France.
NapOleon's step, therefore, is directed to the
protection of French industry in the markets of
the world and this step has been taken only
after sufficient strength had been obtained from
prohlbnlVe policy at home.
ACCIDENT TO THE STEAMER MAJOR REYBoLD.
On Friday morning last, the steamer Major
Reybold, owing to the low stage of the water
in aI,