, 1874-12-19

brought before the Legislative Council during
its next session.
A letter has been received from a correspon-
dent in Antigua relating to some NJ
which we're made in this column upon a memo
rial signed in that colony at the time OF Cover
nor Irving's departure, That a proper view
of the memorial was then taken is proved by
the fact that the Secretary of State has adopt
ed the extreme course of returning it to the
memorialists. The letter above referred to,
and the numerous papers accompanying it,
have been read, and their contents noted but
as no Injustice has been done in the EUROPEAN
MAIL to the writer of the letter, and as at the
time the remarks he complains Of were made
his name was perfectly unknown 10 this coun-
try in connection with the memorial, there is
no necessity to dwell further upon the matter.
The correspondent does not give a cheering
account of the present state Of Antigua, and
he may rest assured that any effort he may
mako for the improvement Of the colony will
not be uuappreciatod at home.
1t is an unexpected pleasure to be able to
agree with the Produce Markets Rerdet0, but
there are certain remarks in the current mum
Der of that spicy organ which are worthy of
reproduction, The subject, of course, is that
everlasting Convention. The samples Of
French sugar referred to have been seen in
Mincing Lane during the past week, and they
certainly show the position Of the French refn-
er, and the advantage he gains, very strikingly
indeed.
"But that these or similar practices are
still going on, and to in immonse extent, there
can be little doubt, and we have this week
ourselves seen q sample of a kind Of sugar
through which, it is stated, the French Govern
ment is a loser to an unknown but probably
,ovr, io,.o -, TLo .-oII. oaoa.14Ii 10
we are told, as follows Sugar is made pre-
cisely as if the finest white crystals were about
to be turned out. When the sugar is on the
point of completion, a preparation, Of which
the base is an airline dye, is added, and in
stead of the sugar appearing of the colour of
No. 20, as it naturally would, it assumes the
appearance of No. 10 of the French standard.
The result is, that reiner in buying this sugar
would have it assessed as No. 10, and though
the strength Of tie sugar is actually 96 per
cent. "a. G. he would extract 96 kiogrammee
of loaf sugar out of every 100 kilogrammos
of raw be is released from his bond to pay
duty on 100 kilogrammes Of raw on presenting
80 kilogrammes of loaf sugar ready for eXporia-
ton. The difference of 16 kilogrammes is what
is called the extra-legal yield, and would re-
present, at the duty Of 70 francs the 100
kilogrammes, a profit or bounty of il francs
% C6lllIuG5 luC 4OO hlluSI dhlAhCSp "a 10 PGA
owt., which would be gained by the French
refner at the expense of the Treasury. This,
on a turnover of 1000 tons a week, which 10
no uncommon quantity for one refner, either
here or abroad, to melt, would represent an
annual subsidy to the refner of 260,COOl.,
apart from the vast profit indirectly gained by
the four months credit granted by the Govern
ment on all duty payments. We are told that
the aniline dye is not added 10 its pure state
to the crystals, but that a large proportion of
it is first mixed with some sugar, which then
assumes a nearly black hue, if the sample pre-
pared for the colouring process which was
shown to us be q correct one; tits added in this
state, the very transparent pretext made use
of to the revenue officer who is looking on
being that the maker has some spoilt sugar
which he desires to mix off. If we are correctly
informed, this process is carried on to a great
extent by the manufacturers by arrangement
with the refners, and such a circumstancial
statement as that which has been made to US,
corroborated not only with samples but with
names, certainly calls for prompt investigation
Oh the part of the French sugar press, which
we hope it will at once receive, either for a
complete refutation or for the removal of SO
~grevious a scandal. 1t must be clearly under
stood that the statements as to the aniline dye
are not ours, but .that we simply repeat them
as they have reached us. If such things really
4LLa So