The Sun. — 1845-03-31 (London, England)

MEHEMET ALT. The same feeling prevailed in reference to duties on foreign machinery, which were raised on several articles. The Member for Rouen moved an amendment to raise the amount of duty paid on foreign linen and cotton threads, and that, probably, would have been carried but, for the interposition of the Minister of Commerce, who requested the Chamber to postpone their decision till the tulle manufacturers were consulted. The tax on Swedish iron amounts nearly to prohibition, and it was proposed to modify the duties, as French iron is badly fitted for machinery, but the patriotic motion was rejected, and France, therefore, must rest satisfied with machinery for her steamvessels and carrying on her manufactures inferior to those used in every part of the world, solely for the advantage of a small portion of the population. This is actual suicide, and precisely what the enemies of France wish. England may well be proud of the vast step towards free trade and the total abolition of useless restriction, which has been almost unanimously sanctioned by her representatives this session. In the Chamber of Peers the discussion on Count DARE'S motion, relative to jobbing in railway companies, was renewed on Friday, and ultimately rejected. Ministers have been more lucky than usual in the appointment of Committees for the month of April, having obtained eight members out of the nine. This result is considered of vast importance, as these Committees have to report on the vote of 17,500,000 f. for arming the fortifications of Paris. The Opposition journals are highly incensed against the vote, and openly assert that the " Chateau" is the sole cause of this inroad upon liberty. The Reform thus writes on the subject : " The fortifications of Paris have been erected against the liberties of France, and not against foreigners. This is a fact so obvious, that it would be losing one's time to attempt to demonstrate it to those who still affect to doubt it. The fortifications of Paris are menacing Paris, but once armed, Paris is enslaved, In proposing,to arm the forts our rulers call on France to declare if she is tired of the representative government, and ready to bow to an ignominieus despotism. The Ministry, we are told, has lost its senses, arid the Chamber has only to pronounce its interdiction. The Ministry, we maintain, is fully conscious of its acts—it is the system that is preparing to pronounce the interdiction of its adversaries. Ministers obey the dictates of him who fostered them, and directed their entire conduct during the last four years. Supported by a doubtful majority, placed in presence of an assembly in which there is no majority certain for anybody, the Cabinet wishes to obtain from a Chamber whose fate was sealed by the vote on the Address, an act of extreme weakness ; they think they may expect anything from those who granted an indemnity to Mr. Pritchard. It is their last obsession at the bedside of a dying power, it is a will extorted in extremis. We are told that the Ministry hesitated a long time before embarking in an undertaking so difficult ; after sustaining so many defeats on secondary questions, to raise one that may prove their destruction, is, it is alleged, the height of imprudence. We say that they are obeying an imperious necessity." Some of the other journals use the same strong language. The Courrier Francais thus deseribes the extent of the fortifications, and the enormous number of guns required to mount them : " The continuous line of the fortifications contains 94 fronts and the detached forts 93, in all 178 fronts. Each front, consisting of two half curtains and a bastion, requires for its defence twenty pieces of artillery, or for the 187 fronts 3,640 guns. As each gun is to be supplied with ammunition for 600 rounds, the war department will have to provide 2,184,000 cannon balls and upwards of 25,000,000 killograrnmes (25,000 tons) of gun • powder. The 17,000,000 f. demanded by Marshal Soult will consequently comprise but a portion of the expense necessary for the complete armament of the fortifications of Paris:" The following telegraphic dispatch had been received by the French Government :--"