17 AUGUST 1839, Page 15

COMMERCIAL RELATIONS OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE.

AT different periods since the peace of 1815, attempts have been made to extend commerce between the two nations Of Europe fbremost in arts as in arms, and formed by naturc for the closest intercourse. Both the Governments have been desirous of removing some of the restrictions which fetter time trade of their subjects; and when Ducli t-rm, was Minister of Commerce in France, and Al r. VILLIERS, now Earl of CLARENDON, with Dr. &maim:, acted on behalf of the British Government, there were hopes of practical success. But powerful "interests" in both countries thwarted the efforts of their respective rulers; and the proposed changes were too limited its their nature to command time support of time great body of C011■ sinners. For instance, the British Commissioners could not offer the repeal of the Corn-laws ; and DueunTst, durst not provoke the hostility of linen-manutheturers, iron-masters, and the owners of forests. So the negotiations resulted in failure.

It appears, however, that the need of fresh markets has become

so pressing in France, that the Government of that country is again compelled to make an effort to extend the trade with Eng- land. The Journal du Commerce says- " The national energies must have more air and space fur action : they suffocate in the narrow circle in which they are compelled to move ; and they will have no regular development until the Government shall have reformed a system whose object is to exclude foreign products, but the result of which is to prevent the sale of French products in foreign countries."

The Courrier Francais asks- " Shall we then never be delivered from that absurd system of customs which since the Restoration has guided France, in order to isolate it from the rest of the world ? At a period when commerce and industry are the law of nations, shall we persist in producing only fur ourselves, that is to say, without competition or emulation ? We act as if one country of the globe could yield all sorts of productions and manufactures. We prohibit alike raw material, objects of consumption, and manuthetured products."

The Temps speaks in the same tone— We cannot refuse to acknowledge the existence of abuse in the restrictive system which is obstinately maintained by our rulers. It would appear that the Continental blockade is still the supreme law of Ministerial economists. it is, however, very natural that we should give something in return for the concessions which we obtain. Exchange is the soul of commerce, audit cannot be multiplied too much. The great point is certainly not to allow ourselves to be duped ; but are we, in order to prevent the risk of being duped, to adopt the sad alternative of folding our arms and shutting up shop?"

It has come to something like " shutting up shop" at Bordeaux. Ships from the Colonies return in ballast ; and unless the loss of the valuable trade in sugar be compensated by an additional ex- port of wines and brandies, one of the chief commercial cities in France will fall into decay like another Venice.

Under this system of " protection," the mass of the people live in a state of privation. According to the Paris correspondent of the Times, it has been ascertained that the stature of Frenchmen of the present generation is below that of their ffireffithers ; a con- sequence of deterioration in the quality and deficiency in the quantity of their food! It is not pretended that Frenchmen are less industrious or more immoral than their progenitors—the re- verse being generally admitted; but they experience extreme dif- ficulty in procuring the necessaries of life, without any prospect of bettering their lot, under a system which closes markets against the products of their labour, while it cannot cheek the growth of population. In short, France is distressed by the operation of the sante causes which keep the mass of our own countrymen in po- verty and discontent. The Government is perplexed by memo- rials from various classes demanding relief. The protected inte- rests are not flourishing ; while the millions of consumers suffer injury from prohibitions which these interests are resolved to main lain. But a struggle has commenced which may cud itrthe demo- lition of restrictive duties. The sturdy old soldier at the head of the French Government has been fbrced to reopen the negotiation with England for a more liberal commercial arrangement. We wish it success, and shall watch its progress.