26 OCTOBER 1872, Page 3

The Times calls attention to a real grievance which Spain

has against us. We cannot surrender Gibraltar, because Spain being weak France might seize it, and close the gates of the Mediter- ranean, but we can abolish the smuggling which makes it so great a nuisance to the Spanish territory. To begin with, let us put Spanish duties upon tobacco, which is now imported duty free, and renders the monopoly one-third leas valuable than it would other- wise be. A pledge to that effect would be a heavy make-weight in a commercial treaty with Spain, and might induce the Madrid Treasury to promise not to tax esparto grass, which has become the very sheet-anchor of the paper trade. At all events, the free admission of tobacco in defiance of our own fiscal system, merely to injure Spain, is a gross injustice.