New-York daily tribune., 1861-11-06

Again: These tariff schedules are doubled
throughout by the dIerential duties charged
upon imports in foreign vessels; but we OBJ
serve that, like the rates of duty in Belgian
vessels, the difisrential duties against imports
in foreign vessels are also inversely az the fne-
ness or value in each class of goods. The
coarsest linen and hemp yarns pay differen-
tial duty of twenty-one per cent. upon the
amount charged upon those imported in Bel
gian vessels, but only eleven per cent. on the
finest. On manufactured goods Of these mate,
rials, the diaerential duty declines from twenty
two per cent. on the same basis upon the
coarse,t to sixteen per cent. on the finest.
This rule runs through thirty descriptions Of
yarns and siIty-four qualities of piece goods,
of hemp and linen material only.
But this principle of protection, as distin.
guished from revenue, in their customs, appears
even more strongly in the discrimination in
favor of French yarns and linens, according
to treaty of commercial reciprocity existing
between the two countries. For example,
French yarns of the coarsest quality are ad-
mitted at three e-eighths of the duty levied upon
those imported in '' foreign vessels" up TO the
quantity of 80, ,2o6 cwt. The same quality OF
yarns above this quantity, but less than 55,94o
cwt., pay little more than one-balf the duty
in foreign vessels; and any quantity above tnis
is charged four-iiths of such duty. On manu-
factures Of these yarns. the relative rates are
respectively two-ihirds, ten-thirteenths. and
eighteen-twentieths upon the several quantities
limited. Here We have the scale OF duties,
arranged by treaty with the most favored ma
ton, standing guard against quantity OF imports
as well as against competing prices. These
people, it is clear, not only intend protection,
but they also understand it.
The diGerebtial duties on all imports in favor
of their own shipping interest is 0! the exact
est and severest type. We have given some
instances in the foregoing tablesuch as fairly
exhibit tie policy that rules their whole tariff
system. Belgium, small as her territory is,
combines in remarkable degree capabIi'
ties for agricultural, manufacturing, and COM
mercial industry. Her customs system shove
how wisely she guards all these interests. She
secures home market for her own raw
materials, by defending and maintaining her
manufacturers carefully and adequately. She
finds a home market for her own breadstufis
and provisions by employing all ler hands
busily in every form Of converting industry.
She fosters her skilled industry, by barring out
al foreign competition in her own market for
ts products. BY this policy, as we have seen,
she can sell her woolens in England, and
undersell England in the market Of the United
states. But how does this restrictive
system" this protective system" affect her
foreign commerccl She begins by taking
care Of her own shipping, securing to
il the trade that goes into her own
consumption BY means OF dferential duties
always to its Advantage, and often to the ex-
clusion Of importation by foreign vessels. And
she makes her ports thoroughfare for all na-
tons, by exempting all goods from duty In
tended for re.exportation. The results 10 her
commerce are, first: She is her own common
carrier, both by sea and land, aud the tunnage
Of foreign vessels entering her ports amounts
to one e.fOurth the foreign tunnagc that enters
the ports Of the United States, although her
population is no more than one-seyenth. Our
reciprocities and tariffs have given our COM
merce awny to tho foreigner; hers has built
up her mercantile marine, and put the shipping
of the nations into her service. She does her
own work OF every kiud and keeps q hotel for
strangers beside. The consequence is, that,
with population the densest in the world,
China not excepted, and England included, her
lands are cultivated like market gardens, her
factories are alive with industry, and her for
eign commerce has grown, since it was liberia
ted in 1880 from the dominion Of Holland and
Spain by the French to double its due proper
tion to ours. Belgium finely illustrates Count
Morpy's idea, that tho route to free foreign
trade is through free home industry, well
protected against all foreign rivals.