, 1875-10-09
The "Av s"
THE WEST INDIAN IN LONDON.
Is PUBLISHED
~ WEDNESDAY AND SATUR

IL certainly the greatest triumph yoC ACul"FcO
in telegraphio enterprise. Whether the Anglo
American Company have been Influenced by
the competition of another line, or whatever
may have induced them to adopt the shilling
rate, they certainly show a regard for the
public interest which is worthy of all COM
mendatiOn. But this reduction is not a very
great alleviatiOn of the heavy rates 30 the
West Indies. The West India Telegraph
Company complain that their present amount
of business is not sufficiently profitable, and
after the example which has been set by the
Anglo-American Company, it really becomes
an important question whether the West
India Company might not reduce their rates
with advantage. The present rates are almost
exclusive, and the use of the cable is confined
to the most important business. It cannot
be said that the public generally in the West
Indies or at home take any advantage Of this
means of communication. A frank appeal to
the public by the adoption of a wOrd-rate and
a popular tariff would probably be justified
by its results. Mr., Gladstone once advised
the Directors Of the Metropolitan Railway to
reduce their fares aud "rely upon the demoora-
cy," and it is a rule with but few, if any, excep-
tons that a popular scale of charges, in COM
pariSon with an exclusive one, pays best.
1t need hardly be said that these remarks
are made entirely in the interest of the COM
pany, which has always been supported in this
column on the ground that the company have
done, at much cost and through many Difficult
ties, u great work that must tend to the advan.
tage of the colonies. They have in fact done
sufficient to justify the utmost support that
can be given to them by way of colonial sub
sides, and to justify also q little self-reliauce
on their own part, and confidence in the
paying capabilities of their property.
A beetroot circular, dated a fortnight ago,
reports that great confusion has existed in
French markets in consequence Of the conflict
ing interpretations of Article 3 of the new
Sugar Law. AS the law is very short, it
might be useful for reference if it is quoted
entire, cart. l. Refining in Bond, as ordered
by the law of March 81, 1874, shall not take
place till March l, 1876. Art. 2. The actual
Legislation affecting sugar according to the
laws of May 7, 1864, July s, 1871, January
90, 1872, December 80, 1873, and to the
Convention of November 8, 1864, with the
notifications introduced into same, to be
maintained up to March /, 1876 Art. 8. In
case the colour of any sugar should not seem
to correspond with its saccharine contents, the
excise officers shall order a survey to be held,
and the surveyors shall finally determine the
class of the sugar by the sa~ccharimetric pro-
cess. On the other hand, the manufacturer
or the importer shall have the right to declare
the class to which the sugar belongs accord
ing to its saccharine contents, whenever such
contents do not correspond to its colour
The general construction of Art. 8 was, that
colour was no longer to be a guide for classif-
cation of duty, but that all sugars should De
subject to the saccharimetrio process-that
sugar under 800 was to be classed in the
Dutch numbers 5 to 7, under $50 in Z to 9,
and under 92o in 10 to Is. But it is not
stated how this classification is arrived at.
If it were acted upon it would involve an
enormous loss to the Government. The idea
of sugar yielding SO per cent. paying duty
under the Dutch numbers Of to 9 is ridicu-
lous. and the French Government, as the
nominal guardians of the revenues of the
country, fastened to put the matter right.
A circular was issued fixing the limits of the
degrees, Irrespective of colour, much lower
for instance sugars to be classed from 5 to 2
were net to exceed 81 dogs, and so on. It
viii be seen at once how important this re.
duction1 Of quality in. certain. classes becomes
to the revenue, and the French manufacturers,
of courses do not like it. They have always
been accustomed to receive a large bonus in
the assessment of the duty upon their material,
And they have q natural objection to fair and pro-
portionate taxation. They feel that their inter
ests will suffer SO much from the action Of their