Just as the Commissioners on The Paris Exhibition are pre-
paring to lay their report before the public, harbingered by the section which Mr. Henry Cole has recently circulated, the Stafford- shire Potteries have made a demonstration in response to the movement already begun T in France, and indeed not only in France. Mr. Oliveira, Mr. Leveson Gower, and other speakers at-the Staffordshire meeting, brought a collection of reports from many of the commercial towns in France, Portugal, Spain, Ger- many, and Italy, representing the general desire of the merosn- tile community to obtain access to the English markets, with a probability that in some eases the Governments may yield to the pressure that is thus put upon them. The great object of the Staffordshire movement was to offer specific inducements. Staf- fordshire backs Mr. Oliveira in seeking to obtain a reduction of the duty on French wines, if France will lower the duty on British earthenware ; and to promote that exchange of reduc- tions, the Potteries in public meeting assembled pledge themselves to support " the Anglo-French Free-Trade Association." The French Government has already manifested an intention to earry the reductions further ; it is probable that this substantial pro- ceeding in an important province of English industry will be an additional inducement.
But we derive another moral from the demonstration. Mr. Oliveira has devoted himself with great industry to the investi- gation of the wine-duties and of the product of wines in differ- ent countries. He has fastened- upon the mission of endeavour- ing to obtain an adjustment of duties more consistent with com- mercial principles than those that still encumber our tariff; and although he has encountered many obstacles, from the interests of special trades, the observers of old fashions, and the officials who dread any loss of revenue, it is manifest that he is making way both in the wine-countries and at home. If all our public men would take up specific questions in this way, they would be of more use, and would obtain more influence for themselves, than they do by spreading their influence over things in general.
