PROTECTION IN FRANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1870, 18 June 1888, Page 3

PROTECTION IN FRANCE

The Commercial Treaty that has been m operation between Italy and Fran o a recently expired. The efforts made to secure a renewal have bo fur failed. This, br. ujjht; on a contest m the French: Charnbora. Under the expired treaty, raw silk wae admitted at a vary low duty. An effort was tnado by tho mannfaotnrers of Lyona to have it placed on the Free iis f . The course they pursaed la sirlklDgly Bimilar to that of aome of the woollen manufacturers m tbia country. It transpired during the debate . th*t 24,000,060 poands of raw silk wore used by the mannfaoturera m a year, of which 2 000/00 F»un ] p, cr ab ut one-twelfth, were produced from the cccoono of tho Ardeoho, m Southern France,, The figures come to us through Freetrade Bouroeß, and should nof, perhaps, be uareeervodly accepted. Bat whatever the exeat of tho prodnction of the raw" material at home and Ita probable future, the French Chambers, by a large vote, dcoided to protect bb well the growers of tho raw material as tho manufacturers. Thr j- would not conßent to the destruction cf one Industry for the benefit of another. A Bill wf b, therefore, passed by both Chambers, levying s> doty tjhat will give the ellk growera of the Ardeohe a ohacoa. The fact that Fraooe Ib now a large exporter of angsr, though m the early years of tho century she did ,not produce a pound, and that this wonderful change is due to the system of Protection la evldect'y comprehended m all its grand proportions by French statesmen.