The Press. — London, England, 1854-05-20 00:00:00

....~.~---'.r MAY 20, 1854. TO CORRESPONDENTS. It is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive• Their insertion is often delayed, owing to a press of matter ; and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. We cannot undertake to return communications of which we do not avail ourselves. Communications should always be legibly written, and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica tion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment in town. TEEMS OF 1317] NOE :ON Ebe girtos: Per Annum .. .. .. .. 11 8 0 Belt-Yearly .. .. .. 013 0 Quarterly .. .. .. .. 0 6 6 Payable in advance. Subscribers are requested to send their Orders through their News Agent; if direct to the Office, accompanied by a Remit tance. Money Orders to be made payable to Mr. ALTRED 110, Strand, London. nT :I.Tirgg+ LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1854. POSTSCRIPT. HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY. A question from the Earl of MALMESBURY respecting the alleged loss of the Tiger received from the Duke of NEWCASTLE a similar answer to that given by the Government in the Commons. Lord MALMESBURY having further inquired under what circumstances certain prisoners had been released by the admirals in the Black Sea, the Duke of NEWCASTLE said that these sailors were not in the pay of the Russian Government, but taken on private vessels. The Railway and Canal Traffic Regulation Bill was read a second time. The Boundary Survey (Ireland) Bill passed through committee. Their lordships adjourned at a quarter to eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY. In reply to Mr. Hume, Sir J. GRAHAM said that no official intelligence had reached the Government respecting the loss of the Tiger. The sole foundation for the report was a telegraphic despatch received by a Greek house in the City, which stated that the screw steamer Tiger had gone ashore at Odessa, and been taken by the Russians. As the Tiger was a paddlewheel steamer, he trusted that the information, false in one part, was false in the rest, the more so as a similar report had been prevalent some time ago respecting the Amphion in the Baltic, which turned out to be t tally unfounded. In reply to Mr. Hutchins, Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Government had received information respecting the affair of the Black Warrior simply as a friendly nation with those more nearly concerned. He believed that it was in a fair way of settlement. The house went into committee on the Excise Duties Bill, the clauses of which were agreed to without alteration, after some discussion as to the date of the expiration of the increased duty on malt. The house then went into committee of ways and means, when various resolutions were agreed to respecting the sugar duties. The second, defining the duties on refined, sugar being opposed, as con trary to previous assurances, was postponed by the Government _ _ The resolution embodying the increase of the in come tax being moved, Mr. WILLIAMS moved an amendment equalising the probate duty on real corporate and ecclesiastical property with that on real property. He went into the inequalities of the existing law, and enlarged on the enormous amount of corporate and ecclesiastical properties, all which escaped their proper taxation, and should be rated according to an average valuation of life. Mr. WILSON, without disputing the justice of the ground of the amendment, begged that the supplies for the war might not be suspended while the house was disposing of knotty questions. He defended the present probate duty as a stamp duty, real property, )n other things, paying more than its proportion of stamps. A bill on the subject of taxing corporate and ecclesiastical property had been under the con sideration of the Government, and had only been postponed by the necessities of the time. Sir J. WALMESLEY, while recommending the with drawal of the bill for the present, thought that a very strong case had been made out. I~~~i+K.~:p.. THE PRESS. Captain SCOBELL thought that this was just the time for considering the subject, wheli we were under the necessity of raising new taxes. Mr. WILKINSON said a few words. Mr. HADFIELD denied that the land, in any point of view, paid more than its proportion of stamp duties. The amendment was not pressed to a division, and the resolution passed without modification. On the motion of Mr. WiLsow, a resolution was agreed to granting 8,000,0001. out of the Consolidated Fund towards making good the supply granted to her Mikjesty. The house having gone into committee on the stamp duties, Mr. WirsoN moved a series of resolutions pre scribing the new tariff of stamp duties on bills of ex change and promissory notes. A long conversation took place on these resolutions, and some amendments were moved, but ultimately withdrawn, and the whole series were agreed to. Mr. PuiNN, in the absence of Mr. Oliveira, moved a resolution rendering all bankers' cheques liable to a penny stamp. Mr. Glyn, Sir J. Trollope, Mr. Masterman, Mr. Gem'', and other members, opposed the motion, which was supported by Mr. Bright, Mr. Scully, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Cobden. Mr. WILSON remarked that the banking system had very lately attained its useful development, which it would be most unadvisable to check by the imposi tion of a tax. The motion was then withdrawn, and the house resumed. CHIMNEYSWEEPERS' BILL. The second reading of this bill was moved by Mr. Mr. J. G. PHILIIMORE, and seconded by Mr. LIDDELL. After considerable discussion the second reading was negatived by 112 to 39. The Public Statues Bill was read a second time. Mr. Mumws obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the acts passed for prevent►ng cruelty to animals. Adjourned at ten minutes to twelve o'clock. • - • ALLEGED LOSS OF THE TIGER. Reports that the Tiger steamer had been lost in the Black Sea, having got on shore near Odessa, and been forced to surrender to the Russians, have been received. The announcements of this event have reached more than one firm in the city of:London from their correspondents in Odessa, but, are all transmitted by the telegraph from Vienna, and owe their origin to Russian sources. One of their despatches runs as follows : " ODESSA, May 12.—An English screw-frigate of thirtytwo guns was wrecked this morning at Little Fontaine, close to Odessa, and surrendered, with her crew. Two other steamers, which reached the place later, opened fire against the land batteries, which continued when the advices left."_ Another account mentions the Tiger by name, but also characterises the vessel as a screw-steamer, while H.M.S. Tiger, whose armament is only 16 guns, is a padlle-wheel steamer. These discrepancies leave room to hope that the report is only another Russian invention, and were mentioned in that light by the Duke of Newcastle and Sir J. Graham in Parliament last night. The following is the official list of officers on board the Tiger :—Captain Henry W. Giffard. Lieutenants Alfred Royer, Alex. Hamilton, and W. E. Stone. Master Fras. Edington. First Lieutenant Marine Artillery R. T. Anse 1. Surgeon H. J. Domville. Pay master Geo. A. Lance. Mate C. H. Wilkinson (acting). Assistant-Surgeon Edm. Lawless. Second Master John C. Solfleet. Clerks John G. Barnes and N. G. Simmonds. The steameris of 1,220 tons, with a crew of 200 men. It is added that a gallant re sistance was made by the British crew, and that Cap tain Giffard was wounded in defence of his ship. The news from St. Petersburg comes down to the 12th. An extraordinary levy of troops for the fleet and army had just been ordered in all the provinces of the empire. This levy was to be terminated in four weeks. The Cologne Gazette affirms that the Emperor Nicholas had had a relapse of illness. A despatch from Stettin, of the 15th, says that the Russian fleet had left Ilelsingfors, in order to join the division of the grand fleet now lying at Cronstadt. Rumours reached Paris on Thursday that a tele graphic despatch had been received announcing the bombardment of Revel. At Constantinople the ratifications of the triple treaty of alliance were exchanged on the Bth inst. Vely I'acha, Ambassador at Faris, is to remain at his post. Advice! from Cracow state that a corps of 20,000 Russians, with artillery and provisions, is on its march towards the Austrian Galician frontier, so that the roads between Warsaw and Kielco are much .r' .. encumbered. On the Austrian side there are stated to be 100,000 men already concentrated in Galicia, together with 150,000 men in South Hungary, part of whom are directed on Transylvania. Vienna despatches of the 18th state that a general rising was expected in Montenegro in favour of Russia, but that Austria was fully prepared to op pose it. Six hundred of the Montenegrins had made a foray into the Herzegovina, and killed several of the Turkish inhabitants. A report was yesterday circulated in Liverpool that the long-missing City of Glasgow steamer had foundered at sea, but that the crew and passengers were saved, and bad been conveyed to the coast of Africa. It is expected that, on the occasion of the cele bration of Queen Victoria's birthday in Paris, the Emperor and Empress will accept au invitation from Lord and Lady Cowley to a ball at the British Em bassy, by way of returning the Queen's condescension in visiting Count Walewski. The Chelsea out pensioners will shortly be called into active home service. On the 30th inst. they will be reviewed in Hyde-park by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, the Commander of the Forces, the Secretary at War, Scc. The division will include all the out-pensioners in the metropolitan district. THE MALT TAX. TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS." Sir,—The Chancellor of the Exchequer will find himself as much mistaken in bib calculations about the malt tax as he has been in all his other financial measures. Instead of allowing " five per cent. for loss on diminished consumption,' I believe it would be nearer the mark to say five-and twenty per cent. In consequence of the high rate of wages, farmers will be unable to give beer to their labourers at its increased price, during hay time and harvest, as usual. They must save somewhere to meet the double income tax.—l am, sir, your obediently, FAIR PLAY. May 16, 1854. Sir,—l am a plain man, drinking malt liejuor— and a poor one, living in lodgings—and find it con venient to send for it as I want it. I will suppose the quality usually called old ale to be brewed at the rate of ten strikes of malt to the hogshead, which I know to be above the mark ; the additional duty on the hogshead, therefore, at Is. 3d. per bushel, is 12s. 6d. But an additional price of 4d. per gallon, or 11. 4s. on the hogshead, is now charged to the consumer, of which Ils. 6d. never reaches the Ex chequer, but remains in the shape of additional profit to the maltstzr, brewer, or publican. In short, to the consumer the duty is raised, not 50, but nearly 100 per cent. Perhaps, according to Mr. Gladstone's somewhat eccentric financial ideas, this may be a further motive for imposing the extra duty. To judge from the complaints, which are general, the consumption will be diminished con siderably, and the additional tax prove compara tively unproductive.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, P. THE DANISH SUCCESSION. Tar. importance of Denmark in a geographical point of view during the pending war, and the singular mode in which the future destinies of that country have been bound up with the fortunes of the Russian Emperor, render the question of the Danish succession not a little interesting at the present moment. That question is one on which di plomacy has long revelled in the exercise of its ingenuity, and from which the astute negotiators on behalf of Rus sian interests appear to have obtained a memorable ad vantage. It is for the Western powers to provide that this advantage shall not add another serious embroilment to the dispute with which Europe is now rife. The kingdom of Denmark consists of Denmark, Sleswig, and Holstein. To the Duchy of Holstein the succession is confined strictly to males. To Denmark and Sleswig, until the 81st of July, 1853, females were not debarred the succession. The present King has no children. The He reditary Prince, who is his heir and his uncle, is also child less. The next heir to Denmark and Sleswig is the l'rincess Charlotte, who cannot inherit Holstein. There appeared such imminent danger that the kingdom of Den mark would he dismembered and divided—the succession to Holsteinbeing claimed by the Emperor of Russia, and Denmark and Sleswig being the inheritance of the Princess Charlotte—that the great powers endeavoured to meet the political difficulty by the treaty of London of May 8, 1852. By this treaty, to which Denmark was a subscribing and consenting party, it was declared that Denmark, Sleswig, and Holstein should not be disunited, hut should be trans mitted as one inheritance to the male heirs of the Princess Louise and Prince Christian of Glucksberg. The Em peror of Russia, the Princess Charlotte, the Princess Marie, and the Prince Frederick, all severally renounced their claim to any part of Sleswig, Denmark, and Holstein in favour of the heirs male of this couple. The failure of issue mail by this marriage was an eventuality to be met as soon as it should seem likely to occur, by the considera tion of the great powers. Stich is the treaty of London of May, 1852, which does not preclude the great powers from selecting, as successor to the throne of Denmark, any one 'I < LL i 1 J