Baro Leen
hul the matter sentence any offender, natire of Hongkong 2017ch punishment in zes of Balan, as has hitherto on natives of China conuiuing ology. London Tues.
THE FRIEND OF CINNA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.
whole fices to the lowest obl; production in America has heen materially checked, and importation from Korone has been less than for several years. The orders from America which have recently been re ceised in this country, are on a very insignificant scale. As with the farmers in England in 1849, so with the manufacturers and dealers in America at this time; they are att influenced by the same panic and alarm; and this cannot fail to be sup ported and continned by the renewed attempts of the Protectionists in Congress, to regain spine of the ground they have lost. But, as war the case in England, in 1843, so will be in Amerion early in 1847. The stocks of goods affected by the tarill, exhausted by ancrifices, and not rented from fear, mual, before long, produce so great a scarcity and demand, that not only will the import of goods from this market bo upon a larger scale than at any former time, but the manufactories in America will experience à demand more than equal to their lar- gest power of prodnation.
And this effect, which will be experienced in the first place from apparently accidental circumstances is likely to be continued from other causes, of a
THE UNITED STATES. THE TARIFS. By the time this paper reaches the United States, Congrem will have been more than a month in ses- tion and if we are to judge by the private com. musicstions which we have received, as well as by the salle accounts, a large portion of its time will Leen engaged in again discussing the subject of the Tarif. The policy of the Protectionists, in now reviving these discussions, la not prompted by any hope which they have of reversing the decision last year, in the present session; but, encouraged by the large majority which they have obtained to iba recent elections for the Congress, which will sasume its duties in March next, it is deemed pr-permanent character, deat by the pany, to keep alive the contest for prozaciica asil House of Representatives, more frosmble to their cause, shall assemble in the po
ang year. Of the ultimate success of these at- Tempur of the Whig party to revive a high protec tine aratam, we hare no fear; for though the House of Representatives elect, is composed of a large pamber of members pledged in the protective gym, than that now in its last session, yet the Tecent change in the senate, by the new election, of gae third of its number, has given & more decided majority in favour of the liberal commercial policy of Mr Polk's government, than it possessed when the Tariff was dischased in the last session.
Bu, whatever way be the ultimate result of these discussions, the ineotvenience and actual mischief which they are likely to produce in the meantime, as well to the political as the commercial interests of the Colon, are too obvions to be overlooked. The experience of this country has afforded exam- pies too recent and too important to bave escaped the observation of the leading men in all the coun. tries with which we are connected in commerce, of the danger and real loss which arise from Lie- plag questions affecting great and important interesta in a state of suspense. In the struggle for tree- trade for the emancipation of manufacturers in the States from the trainmelt in which they have been entangled by the protective sys em--and of the majority of the community from the eas entail. ed upon them by a misdirection of their industry and capital. America has much-and especially at the present crisis-to learn from the recent ex- perience of England; which while it cannot fail to Encourage free tradere in their present struggle, should teach their opponents the folly and hope- lessness of their efforia. But there is one passage in the ercuts of the seven years! struggle of inny country, peculiarly appropriate in the present crisis in America. The changes in our Tariff in 1842 which were the commencement of that policy. which was brought to a triumphoca en:lusion in the last session of Parliament, and the circumsta za ces which attended those changes, are yet fresh in the recollection of all. The unrends made upon the protective system in that year, soll as they werd of bemantres, were produrnce of a panin, More serious and more flal to the roletests of the farmers, then at the mare maport but changes which have been made since. The medication of the corn laws; the admission, ale inderste day of live cattle, and the passing of the Canala corn Bill; were productive of more serious losses to the i farmers of Great Britain than the ultimate entire repeal of the corn law, and the free admission of catile and provisions of all kinda.
But now that we are enabled to book back upon these events as matter of history, there are unt pwo
opinions as to the true cause of the losses the
ustained by our farmers. It had so long been the practice of a large political party to exaggerate the advantages of protection, and in dangers of fres competition, for their own purposes, that the slighe test change was productive of a panic, in which the property of the farmer, who had long been taught only upon those false friends, was sacrifieed to sheer iguorange and miscalculation. A year had not passed away before the great error was disco. rered, when the farmar found that he had to replace his stock at prices one half higher than be bad, under the panin of the crisis, sold his owa,
Every calculation while he had made was reversed. Tha time which he seized as the best for selling his sock turned out to be the worst; and when he looked far an opportunity, from the threatened foreign foundations, to replace them some months after- Rardz be found that he could only do so by paying a great advance in price. From that moment the farmers of England mistrusted the principles and predictions of the Protectionists, and from that ex- perience all farther and more important changes in our tarif have been unattended by either panic or
The situation of the United States at this moment Ja very similar to that of Great Britain in 1842. he first modification in their tarif has just come jato operation. The exaggerations of the suppor jers of the protective, system, for were political have had their full effect upon the manu
Ever since the law was passed on of Cangres the period of reapite. at the present mannih, when it came
ion, has been used for the purpose of rocaba, the clocks actions have been sled cloths woollens. 20 1800
The eoormous domas
which exista in Earopa for American produca, nud the high price which it consequently commands, must create an entirely new market for manufac tured goods, by which the manufacturers, both in Uns country and in New England, will be mate ially benefited. By the time, therefore, that the new house of representatives is assembled for the dispatch of business, we entertain little doubt that much of the fear now entertained as to the effect of the recent modificatione of the tariff will have sub- sided, unless, indeed, mere party and political objects shall prove more powerful than private interesta
Cape of Good Hope India China Canada. West Indies Hayti Cube, &c. Nery (Franadia Brazil
States of La Plata United States of America
Total.
2
16,869 2
5.811 3,039 24,520 217,260 417,443 77,104 3,881 30.616,085,
37.510,567
So that, while we import about 1,000,000 lbs. of tobacco from all other parts of the world, in- cluding our own colonies, we tako mo less than 30,615,955 lbs. from the United States of America.
Whatever, therefore, my be the defect of our laws relating to the import of tobacco, the Ameri- can planter cannot but recoguise in them the must iberal consideration for the 'commerce between this country and the Southern States. Nor can be fail to are that we have done all that is in our power to render a free intercourse between England and
aceing this, the Protectionists of the North may America a great source of mutual advantage; and, rest assured that the cotton planters, and the corn growers of the South and the West will not long submit to a system which subjects them to heavy taxes which do not in the same degree enrich the state.--Economist, December 28.
THE NAVY.
So long as there is any room for inprovement in the Navy we ought not to be satisfied with its state. her nations, we have to remember, have been making their advances too; and it is only by well- directed and persevering exersions that we can re-
our superiority, Superiority we possess still, bi to preserve it we must not be idle, and great de- frets still remain to be amended.
But most of our naval reformers commit the mis- take of deceying and disparaging the existing state of the Navy, instead of directing their arguments to the opportunities for improvement; and in order to depress the estimate of our naval forces, they enormously and ridiculously exaggerate those of tival powers. This double misrepresentation does not at all serve to advance naval improvement. The knowledge of what is false in the argument destroys the effect of what is trun.
1But, in a political point of view, it is difficult to conceive any greater danger to which the unity of the Liated States could be exposed, than by au effort on the part of the Northern States--and especially should that efort provo successful-to retain a high a tariff as prasucatly to interfere with the mercourse between the Southern States and Eng land. The Southern States have long shown a strong sense of the injustice to which they are ex- pose, for the avowed object of protecting the ma nalacturing corporations in the North. They have not only felt that they have been unjustly taxed in the articles which they chiefly purchase, but that the dounad for their produce has bean materially checked by the restrictions thus imposed on their
Seeing what the efficiency of the Navy actually power to exchange. When Mc M'Duffin, in his
is, however still short of aulainable excellence, it is memorable speech, threatened a separation between satisfactiory to survey the grat field for improve- Buthern and the Northern States of the Union,ment which lies before us, almost untouched, in the of the protective sy stera were perserved in, the deep system of manning, owing to the defects in which, ethet which he produced upon Congress arose only there are now at the most moderate calculation from the conciousness that he was supported by the 40.000 British Beamen in the American service, who, great mass of the people whore cause he pleaded under juster and more liberal treatment, would be If that determination has not of late years evinced sailing under their own loved flag. To prevent this nadivo strongly, it has been attributable only to a counter feeling which the Protectionists in America impressment must be abolished, the pay and other loss of the life-blood of the naval power of England, have been able to raise against England, on ac-
motives for engaging in the Navy increased, and coun: of the exclusive character of our tarifl, with short terms of service established. This last is as respect to the corn and provisions of the Southern important a point as any of the others; for there is and Western States. The repeal of our corn laws, nothing that a seanien hates more than long or in and the free admission of provisions, in the last definite engagements. Ele is the most restless of session of Parliament, have, however, effectually
creatures when he is at sea, wanting to be ashore removed the only real obstacle which our and presented to our trade with that division of the United States. And after he experience of the present souson, when these States will have known the fall advantages of a free trade with England, as fits me are concerned, it la impossible to concer wo the they will quielly submit to the one sided syston by which their countrymen in the Northhment. sem determined to rule the Union.
Those are consulerations which cannot be over-
mere zominal rates.
lonked by the politicians in exery part of America, who dosare still to see the States remain united; and there is every evidence that the full force of these new circumstances is felt by the advocates of pro. tection. In the Southern States, the Protectionista party no longer refer to the Corn Laws of England as a portication for their support of a high tariff ia America. The duty upon cotton, small as it was, his been entirely repealed. The daties upon grain, four, provisions, and rice, have been all reduced to The Southern States feel the full advantages of these reductions, and already begin to show their sense of the injustice towards them, and their trade with us, that daties varying from dirty to fifty per cent, should be retained for the sake of protection, upon the goods imported for their consumption from Eagland. There is, how ever, one article, the produce of the Southern States, the duty on the admission of which, into this country, stili adlards some pretence for the Protectionists to appeal to that part of the union in favour of a high tariff, and, we observe, they are making the most of it. The duty to which we allude is that char- ged en tobacco. Now, while we cannot deny that this day is much higher than sound fiscal consi- decations would dictate, yet we entirely deny that it is one against which the American people have any right to complain, inasmuch as we do not sub ject their tobacco to any higher duty than that grown in our own colonies, while we actually pro- hibit its growth at home altogether. The duty is one, therefore, exclusively for revenue, to which protection to any extent whatever is not even ab
incident. The Americans are placed on precisely the same footing as our own colonies, and to a great advantage, compared with such farmers in England or Ireland, who, if permitted, would grow Tobacco,
It requires only that we should turn to the sta tistics of our imports of tobacco, in order to see with how little reason the Protectionists of North America are attempting to prejudice the public in the Benthem States against this country, on account of our high tobacco dužina
The following were the quantities of Tonação IMPORTED TOm each country in 1844.
Frisa
Termany
Holland
720 56.532 83 538
when he is ashore, pining for tho sen, hating to be long bound to either. Give him short terms of ser- vice, and you will be sure to have him soon back at sea again.
The seamen who are disgusted, and tempted or diriven into foreign service, would suffice to man two navics on the scale of our existing establis
This is the great waste in our system, in which so large is the scope for reform that what hins yet been done can hardly be called the cominence-
ment of it.
In some remarks in the Times on manning, Captain Plunkett seems to us to commit the mistake we have mentioned of exaggerating the state and resources of foreign navies, instead of confining himself strictly to the proof of how much mare
efficient our own can be rendered.
defect of organization which leaves England It camot be too seriously considered that the without those resources for any sudden emergency which other Powers possess is no longer a secret."
Now, what are the superior resources for manning of other Powers? Russia may put soldie- rs on board ship by the thousands of tens of thou sands to lumber their decke, and present marks for shot. France is worse off for seamen than she was half a century ago, her commercial navy having been dwindling away dwindling away. All she has she may command, but the all would only serve, and sparingly enough, for one manning of her feets. So has ships without men, the Americans have men without ships--and the men at her com- mand are, to the reproach of our system of discoura- gements, British seamen.“
But we may be told that though the nautical re. sources of France went depth, as it were, yet to their extent they are promptly available; and that though they could not feed a long naval war, they would throw into sudden action a large force for the outbreak. But are our preparations so deficient as Capt. Plunkett supposess in this respect : We have reason to believe not. We have reason, to believe that the present Board of Admiralty is making or has made an arrangement, by which a large force of able seamen can upon emergency be drafted into our ships in a few hours.
This resource, however, should not dispense with other measures for recruiting the navy No expe dient abould be neglected, and no expense spared, to render the service attractive and popular; and we say this in the thorough conviction that the awe of the British Navy is the great security for the peace of Europe, and that the best national economy is to grudge nothing necessary to its efficiency.
The Tuner has some suggestions as to the neces sity of having the command of crews trained to fighting, besides the reserve of able seamen not skilled int
In stmas, which deserve attention
ared with lighting crews at one come from a lément le volunteers
an hour a OUDE:
of the war. As no doubs can be entertained of the necessity of this provision, so few differences can exist upon the anode of ensuring it. The men must have served as man-of-war's men, for in no ather school can they learn their duty; and they must be kept aither allont or ashore, either in marine bar. racks or additional guardships. The only difficul ty on this point would be found in the repugnanco felt by seamen to enter for any but a partientar ship or under a particular captain; but the loss of this freedom of eleciton might be comper-sated by a emall improvement in pay, pension, or prospect of ratings, even if it were not thought in be fairly met by the advantage of continuous instead of impóng employment."
The new plan in arrangement at the Admiraly to which we have adverted would furash crows practised in arms, and in considerable force- enough certainly to meet any probable sudden er gency.
We quote from our contemporary another gestion deserving of consideration:
age.
sy,
sug-
Next, then, there arises the question, how the bulk of our sailors are to be obtained without recom se to impressment when necessity requires. One of the schemes for this purpose which has obtained the attention of two successive Administrations is that of Lieutenant Bowden, of which the following is an outline, Every merchant veesel is to eary, for every 150 tons of het register, one Quech man' and one ' Queen's boy,' the first to be on able eruman, and the second not under fifteen years of The former is to be liable at any time and under any circumstances to serve in the Royal Na
and the latter is to step into his full rank at the age of twenty. The term of the Queen's man's an gagement is to be five years, renewable at its ex- piration for a like term, and then emilling him to a pension; and both he and the boy, in addition to their regular wages, ate to receive a small monthly allowance from Government, It is calculated that from London and Liverpool alone some 18,000 or 14,000 able seamen could thus be procured at a few days' notice, even if only one quarter of the vessels had been enabled to enter the prescribed number et Queen's men. The readiness of the men to accept these terms is presumed from the considerations that their wages would be increased, their time of servi tude defined, their pension certain, and their chance very good of enjoying the advantages of the Royal service without ever
conceived that the netually serving. Nor
the masters of merchant vessels would be otherwise than consenting parties, inasmuch as they are not required to enter these men over and above their proper complements, but only as part of them, and since these men, and these only, would be liable to be taken away from their ships by any of her Majesty's vessels, a regu lation which would inform them of the precise extent of their liability in the event of any sudden demand The possible efficiency of merchant sea- men for the higher duties to which they may be rendered hable, is a consideration only second m importance to the regulations for securing their ser vices by an equitable ooptract; and a former sug gestion of our correspondent'e deserves attention as well as the hints thrown out in his present letter, It is to the effect that as this class of persons are exempt from the militia ballot, they should be re- quired to attend a drill of their own on board an exercising ship at certain periods while within certain limits of a port; and we are entirely of the gallant author's opinion, that a few trifling prizes and a little fact in the captain superintendent would soon make this exercise a great deal more popular than skittles or nineping
There can be no doubt that the nautical resources of Great Britain are ample, if the right usea be made of them, and in that is our immense superio tity over our neighbours Bacon sage of minds, that there are some like milk, which will only bear one skimming. And so it is with the French marine it only bears one skimming, its cream is exhausted in the first brush of a war, and there an end. Examiner, January 9,
A fatal pettiness of action in the English Pro- tectionist Societies evinces the actual decay of the party. The schism on the question of the Malt- tax is not only suffered to be visible, but inenbors of the party have fallen to bickering about it among themselves. We noted, last week the difference of opinion between the few leading statesmen and the great body of the Protectionists alive to the danger of a rupture-unable, we preaute, to win over Lord Stanley and other chiefs the "Central Society" bas adopted the mortal expedient of trim- ming: it has modified its declaration for repoal into a demand for total repeal as soon as it shall appear practicable. Already we perceive signs that such a confession of weaknese provokes con- tempt on the part of the main body, the vacillat- ing mediation of the Richmond section is likely to prove no effectual shidid between the displeasure of the ardent Protectionists in the ranke and the aristocratic self-will of the commandera. Mess wile, attention is divided between public policy and a project for commemorating the victories which the Duke of Richmond would have achieved, if he could the mentorial is to consist of a fund for the relief of decayed farmers, over which le is to preside. The tenant farmers are going 10 immortalize the Duke of Richmond, at his request, by establishing a benefit society for the advantage of their own class. There is a sort of mutual self munificence is this plan, at once-ingenious and satisfactory. It is a kind of interchange of pre- sents on the principle of the Clearing bose in the City, where mutual cridits are set nite eguinst the other without the trouble of passing the cash. If has its precedent in any public dinner, which is said to be "given" to such a one, though it is really eaten up by the givers, pampering themsel ves to bis humour. Whilst Protectionists are di vided between the Militar and Lord Stanley the Duke of Richorood between drals and his ow memorialBord Clearre Bouinck between Pro-
Leclion Buenc
DOBE