The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-24
An English Treaty OF Commerce witt
spaln-nIinclog Lans Against Major Cen
ernl SickIos.

that the British government ia engaged In the
negotiation Of a new treaty Of commerce with
Spain, and that the instrument will soon be
completed. The republican constitution of
Spain recognizes the principle of free trade,
aud the British diplomatic movement now
undertaken may be regarded pretty generally,
particularly on the other side of the water, a.
an expression of the present desire of the
Cabinet of St. James to keep the people in free
accord with the international trade spirit of
the age, as evolved and elaborated by their
years since by the conclusion of the Golden
Bonaparte paper in Paris 1t may be inferred,
however, and with much probability of accu-
racy in the deduction, that the English idea is
not quite 30 broad and comprehensive. The
Cabinet In Madrid has plenty of trouble on
hand without entering on the work of intricate
calculations as to port duties, freights, money
averages the rates of exchange, with the diff
ferences between graduated and raw sugar,
and syrup and molasses, or about canes and
coolies, and white labor and the rest.
Modern Spain has not been much at figures,
to return to the simple rule of profit and
loss observed by her early explorers from
Cortez down, of take all you can carry away
and count the sum total when you get home.
On the other hand, John Bull is a most accr-
rate arlthmetician. John takes care of the
farthings, resting assured that by his so doing
the pounds sterling will take care of them
selves, and has always endeavorcd to impress
the value Of this maxim upon the peoples of
the world-in Europe, Asia, Africa and
misunderstanding them at the highest
rates for his tuition, even when he found
them inapt or unwilling to learn Of him. The
truth Is Mincing lane wants sugar--a steady
supply and cheap-and as Mincing lane is an
exceedingly powerful interest in Britain Mine
ing lane has advised old John, 'sper circular
of this date" that Spain is about to lose Cuba,
and that the loss of Cuba TO Spain will terribly
derange all the system of bookkeeping now
practised in ''the Lane" set up the prices Of
sugar, make the great quotations irregular"
and thus interfere with wages, family jolntures,
the rate of interest in Threadneedle street. and
be made very dear, and who can say but that
the men of Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham
Liverpool aud the other centres of nanufac-
ture will demand an increase of wages so as to
secure little sweetening for their tea with
plenty of sugar for the Sunday plum pudding :?
Such are the moving causes in Minciug lane,
and hence, to very great extent, the British
outcry relative to the Sickles note, with the
British desire to stand behind Spain and
against the Cubans if she can.
England has another object in view. Her con-
Germ for Cuba is prompted by desire to--if she
may-hedge round the United States in the Gulf
| of Mexico, and also to ''head Off, the coming
interests of the American people in that quarter.
| The acquisition of Cuba is with Britain ter
ritorial prompting old as the time of Elizabeth.
When Drake buccaneered in the Spanish Main
| he ascertained the value of the ''gem," as il
| was at that day, and after his return home bis
advice to the ''maiden" Queen to send out and
take it, with the present Of few small boxes OF
| Spanish specie, brought him royal condona-
| ton for his pracies, With the commission OF
! admiral royal navy. England did send out to
| Cuba, but failed to take 1t then. In 1852
Earl Albemarle, with thirty-two men-of-war
and twenty thousand troops, took Havana,
held it for short time and restored it to Spain
after carrying away from the city three million
pounds in gold. England has had an eye in the
same direction, more or less, since, and, very
naturally, does not wish that the notes Of
Mincing lane shall be deprecated in value by
the notes of Major General Daniel Il. Sickles
| John Bull does not care either for the Cubans
or Spaniards, but be is deeply concerned ir
behalf of Minoing lane and the sugar averages
A CUTE YANKEE TRIoK-That of the
Massachusetts republicans in lodging the
rum question. They say they are natlona
party and fight upon national issues, and cam
be diverted from them to such local questions
as prohibitory liquor laws on rum, whiskey
lager beer and hard cider. AS in Maine, The
nigger in Massachusetts, is stronger than rum.
AT IT AeAIN.-Spain, says the Londor
Times. has met an imagined affront will
immediate defiance" Of course she has. Blu
is that anything new? What else has she beer
doing since she has been Spain? Is not this he
most natural impulse, to imagine afronts ant
defy them-the very thing that has made he
contemplate and ridiculous in every emergency
of national affairs that required some sense o
the plain and practical? spray, look better
sir" quoth Sancho; ''those things yonder arr
no giants, but windmls." But the knigh
was resolved to see something else, just as hi
countrymen ofto-day are resolved to see wha
they please in the plain windmills of diplomati
note for should they see only windmis the.
must perforce forego the desperate resolve t.
s'engage in dreadful unequal combat agains
them all.