The Sun. — London, England, 1853-05-14 00:00:00

thority of Adam Smith and other great political econo mil* was opposed to the imposition of a tax on successions. N o w the very reverse of this was t he fact, for the doctrine of Adam Smith was that every subject of the State ought to be made to contribute towards the support of the Go vernmeat in propo rtion to his ability and to the amount of the re-renew he enjoyed under its protection ; and that in the observance or the neglect of that maxim consisted what leas called equality or inequality of taxation. Now, what would be the amount of the burden of this tax upon land? Take an estate yielding 1001. a-year. This at 33 years' pur chase would give a capital worth 3,3001. A suc cession tax of 1 per cent. upon that estate of 3,300/. would amou nt to 331., or something le ss that one-third of the first ye ars ' rental • - w hilst for all the remainder of h is life the owner wonial 'be secured by the State in the enjoymentof industry or bt a i n ed without the least exercise 410100 0 of an in skill. That being the amount of the burden in the ease of a small estate, the position of th4liaarigneopfrpsrioetofarr would be one that he could not justl y =Saying the Chancellor of the E c x ° che hbours he should quer to exempt from a tax paid by his ne be inclined to pray him 'to add the r_Olc duties to those already existing. Ho feared that Putthtehishmaneasceorlloor sooffullthye Exchequer was not going to oarri" as la* speech had seem ed to in o dicate, and that he was go i ng t o p l ace th e g entle man who succeeded to a landed estate in a better position than the labourer who received a legacy of 101. No poor p erso n could now escape without paying at the lowest two a nd a half per cent. probate duty, and oafs per cent. legacy duty. A difference of one degree ' 'ty further off would increase the legacy duty -1).! cons angui nity Now in the case of rea l . estate, the Chan cellorPe of the Exchequer proposed to impose on the first degree of consanguinity only 1 per cent.-1,0001., viz., on succession to 100,000/. ; and for the payment of this paltry sum be gave a period of five years, which he considered equivalent to taking 20 per cent. off the amount. But he wou ld advise the right hon. gentleman to take half per coils., for ready money, because, before the first five years were expired, there would in all probability be one hun dred thousand accounts to keep against the landed estates of the kingdom, and the expense attaching to such arrange ment would be inordinate. Besides, he did not see the morality of giving five years' credit to a rich man, and to a poor man not a single day. It was also a very extraor dinary thing that only poor people could be got hold of for the payment of these duties ; but the registers demon strated the fact. Mr. AGLIONBY had no inter Lion to oppose the proposal of the Chancellor of the Excha luer. He did not always agree with the present Government, but he would support them on this occasion, because lie could see no possibility of forming a Government to rep lace them with advantage to the country. The honourable. member who had just sat down proposed to go beyond the proposition of the right hon. gentleman, and he inclined to agree with him : lbr the same reason which convinsced him of the propriety of extending the legacy duty to land would induce him to impose the probate duties also. If there existed any in equality at all between the real sand personal property in respect of nixes, that inequality ought to be removed. But there were peculiar burdens .on land which he thought ought to be removed before the measure was carried. The poor rates he believed to jcipppressive upon landed pro perty, and he wished to - MPFert to the principle of the statute of Elisabeth, which decreed that the poor of the country should be maintained by the wealth of the country, and bring in personal property for a share of the local burdens. Mr. LIDDELL wadi - apposed to the addition of any new burden en the already heavily-burdened landed interests of the country. He looked upon t lie retention of the income tax as a great injustice. It was; originally imposed for the especial purpose of providing th .e means by which indirect taxation might be remitted for the benefit of the labouring classes. These rereissionkhad doubtlessly fulfilled the ob ject for which they were pros td, but the landed interest had derived no benefit whatever from them, and it was a great injustice to make still furtinir remissions now, and to call upon the real property of the country to make good the deficit is more wsys than one. He believed, too, that this addition to the taxation on real p roperty must eventually work disadvantageously to the b ibouring classes, since it would cripple the means at the ce amend of the landowner for the employment of labour. It was stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the tax on succession would be equivalent for the inepa alities of the income tax; but in his opinion it would operate still more unequally than the latter. With regard to the probable amount which it would produce, he had:the authority of persons well able to judge for believing that ib Would produce very much more than 400,0001. IL should resist this tax, be cause he thought it had bee in brought forward in a spirit—a spirit with which t he First Commission& of Works (Sir W. Molesworth) c.arfessed he sympathised— agrinst which it would ever be his duty and his pride, as a member of the great party to wi dch he belonged, invariably and strenuously, though he fezzes I successfully, to contend. (Hear, hear.) Lord GODERICFI said, as the chief ground of objection to the proposition to the Chancel for of the Exchequer had been that it would bear with pea iliar pressure on the land, and as hon. gentlemen on the all er (the Opposition) side of the house were net, the only per' ens whose interests were entirely bound up in idle land, he was anxious to state the reasoss why ho should vote to-ru ;ht in favour of the motion of the Chancelior of the Exche p ter. His hon. friend who bed just sat clown must admit: that, in principle and in theory, there could be no ob j action to that proposition, because decidedly it Was desire ble that every tax should be levied, as far as possible, equall y upon all ; and that, unless some special case could be shoe rn to justify an exception, such exception would be unjust . The noble lord. the mem ber for Northumberland, tire o ther night, 'when 'speaking of the budget, warned the coin. nittee how they proceeded to break down the aristocracy cf the country ; and called upon hon. ioembora to look to Cie history of Franco before the first revolution He told the house it was by the im position of taxes of this nature tli at the French aristocracy fell to the ground. But he (Lori I Goderich) ventured to come to a different conclusion. :If he read history aright, the fall of the nobility of Franca was from other causes; it was, that they claimed for themes Ives exemptions from au equal share in the burdens which were imposed upon their countrymen, and resisted the tiro sly and salutary measures °commended by the wisest t,nd best men of their age—by Turgot, Necker, and[c ilers of equal eminence. He -would, therefore, ask the c ommitteo to pause before they rejected - this resolution in aon the special ground on which it had as yet been argued, and thereby strengthened the feeling already prevailing in the minds of the people, that the landed proprietors of E ngland were desirous of shielding themselves from the bui:e ens which were imposed upon their fellow-countrymen. (Cheers.) Mr. CAYLEY said he had b card with satisfaction, which he was sure was also felt by the house, the speech of the noble lord who had just doe in—a speech so full of promise and ability, and so worthy of the distinguished name he bore. (Hear, hear.) The noble lord, however, seemed to imagine that the land ed interest of the country desired to shelter itself from ti se due weight of taxation ; but if he had considered for a en oment ho would have seen that the landed interest was jilt it the property that could not so shield itself, for it was al w aye there, open to taxa tion, while personal property was only evanescent. (Hear, hear.) One of the great difficulti es of the income tax, as was stated by the Chancellor of t he Exchequer, was that although it was laid equally on Is! ersonalty as upon realty, yet, in nine cases out of ten, it (Lid not only not pay its full share, but, in fact, did not pa y more than one-sixth as compared with land. The right 1 son. gentleman the Chan cellor of the Exchequer had enite srrassed the question be fore the house, which was ludo el, not one as between skill and intelligence and proierty, but as between realty and personalty. Skill and intelligence escaped taxation, and in that way trades and professions paid lees than land. The noble lord had referred to a tax which had been very much alluded to in the course of th Brae debates—the land-tax. That was one of the grievances under which they really suffered, as compared with personalty. It was not im pose/ as the noble lord supposed ; it was a tax upon land, and upon all other kinds of property—upon means and substance, and that was what those who were connected with land complained of. Both tleat tax and the poor-rates oiliest to fall equally on persons - slay, and it was only be cause they did not do so that t:e. legacy duty had been im pesed on that description of property ; whereas now, in consequence of clamour, not ions its injustice, but as he feared from some other peculiar motive, because that tax new rested son personalty, whiilla had for so many years evaded the land tax and the poor • rates, it was to be im posed upon land. Before this oo - entry was more accommo dated to the change in our comet ercial policy, he was not prepared to assent to the imposition of any more taxes. He had given his support to the budget of the right hon. gentleman the member for Buclkinghamshire, because he thought the right hon. gentlem ar a had entered into a com prehensive view of the wants of the community as re garded taxation, and that the priaciple of his budget was founded upon financial justice- - justice to all persons, not only to the landed interest, but to shareholders, traders, and professional men. He had no strata g personal feeling, but was determined, as far as he could, tc s see justice done to those interests which he thought had. 'been hardly dealt with in Vie changes that had taken plea" :; and, thinking there was still a very undue share of burdens upon land—that virtu ally it paid four or five income-taxes or legacy taxes for one paid by personalty—he would riot give his assent to the imposition of the legacy tax on land. All he asked was, that the landed interest should be put in the same cate gory with that the manufactoalteee - (Hear, hear.) If li giantess were good for malt and Naps; they were as good for calicoes and yarns ; if Excise del •les were good for malt and hops, they were just as good fo r hardwares and cottons. He asked for nothing more th an justice to the interest with which he was connected. Mr. PETO, after adverting to the advantages which the holders of land had gained from the new finyncial sys tem of the country in conseqw 'ewe of its having raised the wages of the poor man, made labour more abundant, and emptied the workhouses, obser r d, with respect to the pre sent budget, that it would rec (vivo his support because it appeared to him to deal more equally and fairly with all the interests of the nation, as a wbx de, than any other scheme that he had heard suggested. 7 'hey had been told a good deal about land being encumber ed ; but the house had no thing to do with that, its sole duty being to see that there was no inequality in the taxation of the country. (Hear.) The hon. member for E;outh Northumberland had referred to the impolicy of frir.ther dealing with indirect taxation, and regarded the land as injured by any tax being p laced on it in order to diminish the former. Had the hon, gentleman ever made a calculation of the taxes paidby the labourer as com pared with the landowner ? -11 (Mr. Peto) knew thousands of men who had—and it would be wise i n th a t h ouse n o f t o g i ve th em groun d t o point out anything clone for th e protection of the rich to the injury of the poor. (Hear,, hear.) The general feeling ithnotughehclu e nt in ryz n ith regard to the present budget was that, endured for the saekt:mo was not liked, that evil would be and it was f the good which accompanied it ; scatter of rejoiein t t in the country that the taxes OH soap, tea —on Let neee tahsa:ies and comforts of life— were to be xeduceel.landowners bear in mind that every comfor£ they gave th those already enjoyed, rend ered man, in addition t o mo re secure. (Hear, hear.) a their own p ossess i ons Mr. NEWDEGATE said, that as th e Chanc e ll or o f th e Exchequer had sallied his resol cation for the income tax, he was, therefore, insured A tho ficiency, if he managed the iiiances any passibility r o u f d e a n c d e o co neeetnently the right hon. gentleman had no right to ex pect those sitting in his (Mr. Newdegate's) art of th e house, who, in some degree represented realised) to consent to the imp osition of a nother tax, which , y, all the exigencies of th e war, had nev er yet been saucti n on ed as extended to real property. The tax might be moderato now, but, onto placed on, who could say it would remain moderate, especiitlly as, by the redaction of indirect taxes, they narrowed the sphere of taxation, while by a new Re form Bill they proposed to extend the political franchise, thus diminishing the power of those paying the taxes t, O protect their property? This he declared, was a p o li c y tending rapidly towards confiscation. (lEar.) Mr. BRIGHT referred to the speech of the hon.mtehmat ber for tho North Riding (Mr. Cayley), and observed his opinion ought to be regarded with a g ood deal o f sus icion on matters like the one under consideration, as the n .member had held some very heterodox notions on the estion of land, and what ought to done by Parliament for eland. It appeared from a statement which appeared some years ago in Mr. Dod's Parliamentary Companion, informat ion that house, with that respectthe hon.t o whicht he opini o ns fu r n i she d o f v e r y members valuab l e _ o f of such a coarse of legislation with „, gentleman held opinions fothisnatreur,e—ardhetowariaseinniftanrevouras e fts t .. ,per woolq u a a n r r t i e r, batternew milka a t i s c . h par e ee l a h t . would keep wheat pe a r t in proportion. With respect to the from eae h, B a l l s a . to ot h 62; produce. , ma in proposition of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of ex- I te nding the succession-tax to all descriptions of properl y, he believed to be wise, just, and beneficial. There was probably no matter of taxation in, which the people of this country, especially the town population, were so much interested as i n this question of the legacy duty ; and the Chancellor of the Exchequer had adopted a very sagacious mode of carry iniF the unpalateable income tax through Parliament by tying it up with this proposition of the legacy duty. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Though he agreed in the proposal to extend the legacy duty, yet he thought the right hon. gentleman was in danger of introducing a prin ciple almost as unjust and difficult to defend as that which he had undertaken to overthrow, for he proposed to extend the legacy duty in such a manner as afforded a confirmation which he (Mr. Bright) never expected to come from that (the Ministerial) side of the house, to all the statements made on the other side with respe ct to the excessive bur dens on land. As to the income tax, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had not exerted his powers of mind to carry out some discriminating mode of assessment such as the coun try required ; but when he came to the legacy duty, all the powers of his mind were bent in that direction, to show that, while the country was in the expectation of seeing all kinds of property equally subjected to the duty, one-half of the land ought to be, and was to be, exempted. The right hon. gentleman had not ventured to touch the probate duty, and he (Mr. Bright) did not blame him for that, be cause he knew a Chancellor of the Exchequer could not do everything at once ; but he took it for granted that at some future time the probate duty must either be taken off the property that now paid it, or be extended to that class of property which was now exempted from it. (Hear, hear.) He rose, principally, however, to enter h is p rotest against the general principle of the Chancellor of the Ex chequer in charging rateable property only one-half of the legacy duty ; and he wished it to be distinctly understood that he was not to be foreclosed in future from urging his views upon that subject. He had asked a question last night as to which side of the line, with regard to this tax, railway property would be ranked—whether it would be taken as rateable or non-rateable property ; and, though the Chancellor of the Exchequer could not at the time answer the question, he thought he rather intimated that it was a description of property which should be charged with the whole duty and not one-half only. Now, railways paid a larger share of local burdens than any other description of property in the country, and it would be scan dalously unjust to say that railway property should pay a larger sum to the succession tax than rateable property. (Hear, hear.) The Chancellor of the Exchequer said nothing about mines. He believed mining property was not rated to the poor, and they would require to know on which side of the line that property was to be placed. There was also the property of growing timber. On which side of the line would that be placed ? He mentioned these things, first, to call the attention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to them ; and second, to show him the line he proposed to draw between rateable and non-rate able property was one that would involve him in consider able difficulty. (Hear.) The principle of a life interest adopted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer did not seem to him to be just, because he thought the amount only of the property, and not the age of the person succeeding to it, should be taken in the imposition of the tax. (Hear.) He might refer to the property of corporations as also bear ing upon this question. There was the property of the London companies in the north of Ireland ; there was also the property of the Church, and various others that might be named. They paid income tax, and were secured by law and rendered safe by the protection of the State, and it ap peared to him that, unless they adopted the monstrous principle that they should pay no tax whatever, they had no excuse for exempting them from the tax en successions. (Hear.) It might be said that property of this kind did not pass iato new possession by death. In one sense this was true; but last night the Chancellor of the Exchequer took 30 years as the time at which property was, generally speaking, in the hand of one 1 g eneration ; and, upon that principle, he (Mr. Bright) did nob see why, every 25 or 30 years, a cer tain percentage should not be taken from this description of property for the purposes of the State. (Hear, hear.) In the case of bishops and rectors succession really came by r ,death. The property went into the hands of the state, and the state, through the Lord Chancellor or the Prime Mi nister, put some bishop or rector in possession of the pro perty for life. Now, that was a property which ought to pay its fair share of taxation. (Hear, hear.) There was no property which required, more the defence of statute law to maintain it in its present position than that pro perty. (Hear, hear.) The hon. baronet below him (Sir R. Inglis) would not object, he was sure, to his referring to the opinions of Vattel on this subject, who observed that there was no property which could be more fitly de voted to the service of the State than church property, because such an appropriation must be highly acceptable to God. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he gave the Chan cellor of the Exchequer credit fur the courage he had manifested, but, at the same time, he believed that the country, from one end to the other, was of opinion that this tax on succession should be imposed equally on every description of property. (Hear.) There were loud calls of " Withdraw," and the gallery was cleared, but no division took place. Mr.• DISRAELI said, it was of the utmost importance that the subjecs matter of this resolution should be fully discussed, and be wished it to be understood that the dis cussion had only as yet commenced. At the same time he should be sorry to move the adjournment of the debate, and had therefore advised his friends not to oppose the resolution, in order that the Government might be enabled to bring in their bill. His object in doing so was, that an ample discussion might be taken on thu second reading of tho bill. (Hear, hear.) . . The resolution was then agreed to, and the house resumed. - - CIVIL CONTINGENCIES. The house then went into Committee of Supply, when a vote of 50,0001. was taken on account of civil contingen cies, and the house again resumed. CUSTOMS, tic., ACTS. The .CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he wished the house to go into committee on the Customs as well as tin. Assessed Duties Act. His object was to give effect to the intention he had stated of passing the resolu tions relating to the assessed taxes in a general form, in order that he might be enabled to bring in a bill and place the plan befere the house in a more complete shape than could be done in the form of resolutions. Tho resolutions having been put from the chair, Mr. C. BERKELEY wished the Chancellor of the Ex chequer to explain the manner in which the clog tax was to apply to packs of hounds. (Laughter.) Would a master of hounds be assessed 12s. for each hound, or would he be permitted to compound for his pack, as heretofore? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated, in reply, that when the bill came before the house, the hon. gentleman would find that it did not alter the existing system as regarded the assessments for packs of hounds. (Hear, hear.) Sir F. KELLY wished it to be distinctly understood, that members on the Opposition side allowed the resolu tions to pass unquestioned merely to facilitate the progress of public business, and that they would feel themselves at liberty to oppose the bills founded upon them when they should be introduced. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER took that opportunity of stating that he had that evening placed on the table an amended copy of the Customs resolutions, which would be printed and circulated to-morrow. Mr. BRIGHT hoped the right hon. gentleman would consider the propriety of getting rid of the absurd duties upon armorial bearings and hair powder. (Laughter.) Of course, he could have no personal interest in the matter — (a laugh)—but the duties in question were not unfrequently the .cause !of annoyance and vexation to individuals. A person would sometimes seal a letter with a seal bearing the impress of some animal which could not be found in the earth or out of the earth, and forthwith he was called on by the surveyor to pay the tax on armorial bearings. When we were levying taxes to the amount of 50,000,000 1 . or 60,000,0001. a-year we ought to discard paltry items, which tended to make our financial system ridiculous. (Hear.) Colonel SIBTHORP rose from the front Opposition bench, and was received with cheers. He rose to suggest to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that he might confer great benefit upon native industry by imposing a heavy duty on foreigners. (Great laughter.) It was lamentable to see the large sums of money which were carried out of this country by opera dancers and opera singers. These persons were encouraged too mih to the great detriment of native talent. (Laughter, and hear, hear.) It mattered little whether these foreigners had characters or not, they obtained large sums of money, which they carried home with them, and then they laughed at the English for being such fools. (Hear, hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER hoped he might be excused for abstaining at present from stating anything definite with respect to the suggestions which had proceeded from tho hon. member for Manchester and the gallant colonel. The resolutions were agreed to. The house then resumed. The Whichwood Forest Bill was read a third time and passed. EXPENSES OF ELECTIONS BILL. Mr. C. BERKELEY Moved the second reading of this bill. Colonel SIBTHORP thought that this measure partook of a low and mean character. It was a portion of the " cheap and nasty" system, so much in vogue at present. (A laugh.) All these so-called reform measures were brought forward from a professed regard to purity ; but he believed, if the truth could be known, that they originated in a desire on the part of hon. members to save their own pockets. Expenses at elections! He wished elections wero more expensive, and then there would be better company in the house. (Cheers and laughter.) Pass what bills they pleased, he would not be deterred from exercising old English hospitality. There was much truth in the old saying, in vino veritas, for when a man opened a bottle he usually opened his heart along with it. (Laughter and hear.) The bill was then read a second time. RYE ELECTION WRIT. The adjourned debate upon the issue of the writ for a new election for the borough of Rye was then resumed. To the question that the writ be issued, an amendment had been moved for postponing the writ to the 27th of Ma. Lo y rd PALMERSTON said, there was no objection on the part of the Government to the issue of the writ, but it was for the house to decide. The evidence did not appear sufficient to lead to the disfranchisement of the borough, and if the writ were further postponed it must be with the view of bringing in some measure for that purpose. There had been no notice of any such intention on the part of any hon. momber, and he should accordingly offer no op. position to the issue of the writ. Mr. BASS rose, amid loud cries of " Spoke !" and " Chair." The SPEAKER asked if the hon. member bad moved the adjournment of the debate when the debate was last ad j ourned ? Mr. BASS replied in the negative. point at issue, The SPEAKER, thereupon stated that the hon. mem ber, havi ng b e f ore a dd resse d th e house u issue, was not now entitled to speak. Mr. BASS aga i n rose f or th e purpose o f .making a re mark, but w as me t b y l ou d cries of " Chair," .and resumed his seat. Sir J. V. SHELLEY, in order to give fam • • - piny to the hon. m em b er for Derby, moved that the house do now adjourn. (Oh!) Mr. BASS, rising, said—" I second the , motion," and immediately iesumed his seat amid the 1 Mlghter of the house. Being apparently reminded by sot ue hon. friend near him that motion was made to enab In him to make his statement, iilte hon. member sprung to its legs ; but-- Mr. GOULBL-RN said, the hou. gentles nau having se conded the motial, and ha v i ng resumed his seat, was not now aptitled to rise and address the house ;again. (Much laughter.) Mr.: BASS, who again rose amid cries of `!Spoke , "- it m a w) and laughter, said th a t a ll he desired was to THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 14, 18g. give notice that he should ask for leave to introduce a bill ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL for the disfranchisement of the borough of Rye. (Hear.) GARDENS. —Open for the season Whit-Monday and four Sir J. V. SHE LLEY—I withdraw my amendment for following days.—The Zoological Collection contains a variety of in the adjournment of the house. teresting specimens, and the Gardens throughout have been improved (Cries of " No r and and beautified. The Pictorial Representation is an extensive VIEW " Divide !") of the BAY and FORTS of CRUSAN, painted by Messrs. Denson, The house divided— aid at dusk is represented the attack of the Chinese fire-rafts on tho For the adjournment of the hduse 52 Br.tish fleet, explosion-ships, &e. —Grand Vocal and Instrumental Against it 193 Concert. Engagement of the eminent vocalist, Miss Cicely Nott. Conductor, Mr. Godfrey.—May-day Games and Rustic Sports, May pole and Morris Dances. " Pop goes the Weasel," by 25 couple, con ducted by Mr. Flexmore.—An extra Military Baud daring the day time ; and at dusk a grand display of Fireworks, combined with the Feast of Lanterns and other displays.—Doors open from 9 in the morning. Admission, Is. Majority against the adjournment... 141 On our readmission to the gallery, we found Mr. FREWEN addressing the house. He said the evi dence taken before the committee was very voluminous, and hon. members had not yet had an opportunity of read ing it. He was therefore in favour of the postponement of the writ. Lord PALMERSTON said, he had been misunderstood in what had fallen from him on the subject of the new writ. What he had said was that, on the part of the Go vernment, he was not prepared to oppose the issue of the writ. He had stated that, in the general course of pro ceeding, writs were not postponed, except with a view to ulterior proceedings ; but the house would recollect that all the members of the committee stated that there was no ground for disfranchisement. There appeared, therefore, no ground for postponing the writ. Mr. MILES supported the issue of the writ. Colonel KNOX, as a member of the committee which had inquired into the case, was sorry to differ from the right hon. gentleman who presided over that committee on this subject. It had been proved that a most vicious sys tem of loans had been carried on for years in the borough, and it was notorious that the borough was treated for sale in the market. If the writ were allowed to issue after the strong report of the committee, the house might as well state they would issue the writ in every case that came before them. (Hear, hear.) Mr. J. PHILLIMORE entirely concurred with the hon. and gallant member who had last spoken. If this writ were allowed to issue, the house would expose itself to the charge of hypocrisy in the measures they had taken for the repression of corrupt practices. ' Mr. TUFNELL considered that the only safe course was to go by the opinion of the committee. The majority of the constituency of Rye appeared to be as pure as any constituency could be, and, as it was idle to suppose that there was any chance of passing a bill for disfranchising the borough, he was decidedly of opinion that it was the bounden duty of the house not to keep the constituency any longer from the exercise of their electoral privileges. (Hear, hear.) Sir F. KELLY had always been of opinion, and must always act upon that opinion, that it was neither constitu tional nor just in this house to suspend the issue of a writ unless with a view to some ulterior measure, which might end in the disfranchisement of the borough. The LORD-ADVOCATE, as a, member of the committee, entirely concurred in the opinion which had been ex pressed by the right hon. gentleman who had acted as its chairman, and should support the motion for the issue of the writ. After a few words of explanation from Mr. BASS, amid loud cries of "Order" and calls for a division, _ . THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. 'Under the management of Mr. Bnekstone. THIS EVENING, MAT 14, Will be produced (first time) THE MOUSETRAP. Characters by Messrs. Tilbury, Chippendale, Rogers, Buckstone, W. Farren, and Edwards ; Mrs. Poynter. Misses A. Woulds, Louisa Howard, Mrs. Fitzwilliam, and Mrs. Stanley. After which, MR. BUCKSTONE% ASCENT OF MOUNT PAR NASSUS. To conclude with DEAF AS A POST. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. THIS EVENING, MAT 14, Will be performed the new and original Comedy, in three acts, by Douglas Jerrold, entitled ST. CUPID ; or, Dorothy's Fortune. Principal characters by Messrs. Wright, W. Lacy, Harley, J. Vin lug, Terry, F. Cooke, Everett, and Chester; Mrs. W. Lacy and Miss Murray. To conclude with the new Drama,• adapted from the French of Mons. Scribe, by Mr. Paigrave Simpson, called MARCO SPADA. Principal characters by Messrs. W. Lacy, J. Vining, Ryder, Graham, and Everett ; Misses Heath and C. Leclercq. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestrie. THIS EVENING, MAT 14, wili be performed A.S.S. Characters by Messrs. F. Mathews, Suter, and Rosiere ; Mrs. Macnamara and Miss Wyndham. After which, A FAST TRAIN —HIGH PRESSURE EXPRESS. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, Baker, and Suter. To be followed by TRYING IT ON. Principal character by Mr. C. Mathews. . _ — To - whlch will be added a DIVERTISSEMENT, in which Miss Rosina Wright will appear. Lord A. VANE must say that a great many debates on these subjects might have been avoided if the Government had brought forward a measure laying down some rule upon which the house might proceed upon these occasions. (Hear, hear, and cries of " Divide.") He meant to move the adjournment of the debate. (Oh, oh !) He thought it was too late an hour to discuss the question of the issue of the writ. He considered this was a case in which the writ ought not to issue, for the evidence of corrupt prac tices taken before the committee had been as strong, if not stronger than in any other case which had been inquired into. (Hear, hear.) He begged to move the adjournment of the debate. (Oh, oh !) On the question that this debate be now adjourned, Sir J. PAKINGTON expressed a hope that the noble lord would not divide the house. (Hear, hear.) He looked on it as a simple question of justice ; and as he thought there were no grounds for disfranchising the borough he must vote for issuing the writ. Lord SEAHAM always made it a point on former occa sions to vote with the chairman of the committee reporting the case to the house, but on this occasion he must vote on a different principle. Mr. BASS was authorised to state, that not only had Mr.. Jeremiah Smith the borough of Rye in his hands, but that he had offered it for sale on several occasions. To conclude with THE CRITIC. Characters by Messrs. C. Ma thews, F. Matthews, and R. Roxby ; Miss St. George, and Mrs. Maenamara. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, MAY 14, Will be performed MASKS AND FACES ; or, Before and Behind tha Curtain—by Messrs. B. Webster, L. Murray, Honey, P. Bedford, and Cullenford ; Madame Celeste, and Miss Woolgar. After which, A DESPERATE GAME. To be followed by THE PRETTY GIRLS OF STILSBERG. To conclude with THE DANCING SCOTCHMAN. ROYAL OLYMPIC: THEATRE. Lessee and Manager Mr. Farren. THIS EVENING, May 14, Will be performed THE MILLER OF DERWENT WATEIt. Characters by Messrs. 11. Farren, F. Robson, Shalders, G. Cooke, and Charles; Mesdames Anderton and E. Turner. After which, UNCLE! CROTCHET. Supported by Mr. Far m, Ike. The house divided — For the motion Against it Majority The writ was accordingly ordered to be issued. MERCHANT SHIPPING BILL. On the motion of Mr. CARD WELL, the house went into committee on this bill. Mr. CARDWELL stated that his object was to get that portion of the bill through committee to which no objec tion was to be made, in order that public business might advance. . . - ---- Sir F. KELLY was quite willing to assent to the pro posal of the right honourable gentleman by allowing the bill to be committed pro formil, that it might facilitate the dispatch of public business. Captain SCOBELL said, he had an amendment to pro pose which would take much time to explain, and he con sidered the bill of too much importance to begin a dis cussion upon it at half-past twelve o'clock ; he, therefore, moved that the honk adjourn. Mr. CARDWELL thought it would be for the conve nience of honourable members who had amendments to propose that those portions of the bill which were not objected to should pass through committee. Mr. DIGBY SEYMOUR had amendments to propose, and objected to the bill being proceeded with ; he, there fore, moved that the chairman report progress, and ask leave to sit again on Thursday next. After a short conversation between Mr. CARDWELL and Mr. HuDsoli, The House resumed, the Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Thursday. BOROUGH OF MALDON. . - . Mr. T. CHAMBERS — moved that the Speaker do issue his warrant to make out a new writ for the electing of two burgesses to serve the present Parliament for the bo rough of Mallon, in the room of Charles Ducane, Esq., and Taverner John Miller, Esq., whose election had been determined to be void. Lord R. GROSVENOR said, that an address to her Majesty praying that a commission should be issued to inquire into the proceedings at the late election for Maldon having been agreed to by the House of Commons, and having been sent up to the House of Lords, he thought it would not be right that the house should agree to issue a new writ for that borough. Lord PALMERSTON thought that, under the circum stances, it was impossible for the house to agree to the motion for the issuing of a writ, there being an address to her Majesty at this moment before the other House of Parliament on the subject of the election at this borough. l!Jr. T. CHAMBERS consented to withdraw the motion. The motion was withdrawn. INCOME TAX BILL. The bill was brought up and read a first time. Second reading on Friday. CUSTOMS' DUTIES BILL. This bill was read a first time. Second reading on Thursday. PLYMOUTH ELECTION. _ _ On the motion of Mr. AGLIONBY, the evidence taken before the committee was ordered to be printed. The house adjourned at a quarter to 1 o'clock. PARLIA ALENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MAY 13. ( From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of • Commons. ) RYE. WRIT. Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the electing of a Baron to serve in this present Parlia ment for the town and port of Rye, in the room of Win. Alexander Mackinnon, Esq., whose election has been de termined to be void." Amendment put, " To leave out from the word That' to the end of the question, in order add the words no new writ be issued for the town and port of Rye until Friday, the 27th of May,' instead thereof." Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question." Ayes, 118; Noes, 99. To be followtd by MACBETH. Supported by Mr. Samuel Mac beth and Mr. F. Robson ; Mrs. Sarah Macbeth and Mrs. A. Phillips. To conclude with THE SWISS COTTAGE. Lisette, Miss H. ♦STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. ' In continence with a generally expressed wish, Mr. W. Cooke has the honour of announcing that A GRAND JUVENILE MORNING PERFORMANCE ill take place on WHIT-TUESDAY, May 17, commencing at Two o'clock. By Permission of the Commandant Col. Clark, R IL, and by special Invitation from Ifr. W. Cooke, the Boys of the Duke 1 York's t , chool, with their Band, will attend. LA ST FIVE NIGHTS of THE KAFIR WARFARE, which must De withdrawn for the entirely new sporting Hippo Drama, illustrat ing LIFE. ON THE TURF, to be produced tor the WHITSUN HOLIDAYS. THIS EVENING, MAY 14, The entertainments will, as during the week, commence with the grand spectacle of AMAKOSA ; or, Scenes of Kafir Warfare. To be followed by a display of Equestrian Scenes in the ARENA, inroducing Mr. Cooke's highly-trained steeds. The infant Victor Claude Cooke end his pet Drawing-room Pony. The Entertain menti supported by the eminent A rtistes of the Establishment. To conclude with Hugo Vamp, Esq.'s, new Comic Drama, entitled IN FOR A DIG; or, Life at the Diggings. 11.,%-otllce open daily from Eleven to Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tara DAY —Morning 22 min. after 5 f Evening 45 min.aft. 5 To-Monitow—Morning 7 min. after 6 f Evening 33 min.aft. 6 THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, MAY 14. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 57—highest since noon yesterday. 47—lowest this morning and during the night. 59 this day at noun. BARO3IETER, 30 . 10. WIND, E,—Light, pleasant breeze, and fine, clear weather. ttg, MAJORITY-AYES, 118 A'Court, C. Gladstone, William Palmerston, Viscount Adair, 11. Gladstone, Captain Pechell, Sir George Aglionby, H. A. Goodman, Sir G. Peel, F. Atherton, Wm. Goulburn, H.. Pennant, Col. Baring, Sir F. Gregson, Samuel Phillips, John Henry Berkeley, Hon. C. F. Grenfell, C. Phinn, Thomas Boyle, col. Grosvenor, Lord R. Pizott, Francis Bramaton, T. W. Hayter, W. G. Pilkington, James Brand, H. Herbert, H. A. Ponsonby, Hn.A.G J. Brocklehurst, John Hervey, Lord Alfred Power, N. Brockman, E. D. • Heywood, James Price, Sir R. Browne, V. Hiudley, Charles Price, W. P. Bruce, Lord E. Hughes, W. B. Russell, F. C. Buller, Sir J. Y. Ingham, Robert Russell, F. W . Itturell, Sir C. M. Keating, Robert Sadleir, J. Cairns, H. M'Calmont Kelly, Sir F. Sawle, C. B. G. Cardwell, E. Kingscote, R. N. F. Smith, Rt. Hn. R. Cavendish, C. C. Langston, J. B. Smith. J. , . Chambers, Thomas Langton, G. Smollett, A Charteris, F. Lowe, R. Stafford, Marquis Clinton, Lord B. Macgregor, James Strutt, Edward Cobbett, J M. M'Taggart, Sir J. Tancred, H. W. Cockburn. Sir Alex. Malins, Richard : Towneley, C. Collier, Robert P. Manners, Lord G. Tudway, R. Corry, H. L. 3lasterrnan, John Turner, C. Cowper, W. Miles, W. Tyler, Sir George Crook, J, Mills, T. Vernon.G. E. H. Crowder, R. Michell, W. Wells, W. pa.•rymple, Vie. Moffatt, G. Whitbread, Samuel navies, D. Monck, Lord Williams, W. D ,,,kworth,SirJ. Moncrieff, J. Wilson, James D um...up be• Hn. A. Monsell, W. Winnington, Sir T. E •. Edward Mostyn, E. M. Wise, A. Egertob,• ~,, Millirave, Earl Woodd, B. Elliot, Jo. ".'.' , Norreys, Lord Wynne, W. Es lot, 0. • _ Norreys, Sir D. J. Young, Six T. Ewart, Willie. ' O'Brien, Cornelius Fagan, W. Oliveira, Benjamin TELLERS. Fa g an, M Paget, Lord Alfred Fitzroy, Hon. H. Paget Lord George Berkeley, Grenville Fr Forster, C. eestun, Colonel J'akington, Sir J. Tuthell, H. l (INORITY—NOES, 99. k , '•tr y.g gu e s r o a n id , , J i ti v s . ep ß h . S. Ricardo, O. J. Alcock, Thomas Anson, General Sandars, G. Col. Seobell, Capt. Archdall, Captain M. F F F l o o t r r e b:,:7 , . .Bagge, W. Baines, M. T. Fox, R. Seaham, lord Baldock, E. H. Geach, C arl Seymour, W. D. Barrington, Viscount Oreene, Jobn Shelley, Sir J. V. Bass, M. T. Gwyn, - Hovel Sheridan, R. B. Bellew, Captain Hall, S i r ykniamin Smijth, Sir W. Bentinck, Geo. P. Thistle, A le:Sender Somerset,Captain Biddulph, R. M. Heard, J . r. Stafford, A. Biggs. William Heys orth, L. Stanhope, James B Blair, Colonel Hudson, George Stuart, Lord D. Booth, Sir R. Jackson, 'William Start, H. G. Bi otherton, Joseph Keating, l i. S. Sullivan, M. Burghley, Lord Kershaw, . James Talbot, C. R. M. Byng, G. H. C. Kinnaird, , 1.. F. Thicknesse, It. A. Cavendish, George Knatchbull; W. F. Thornely.T. Chambers, M. Knox, Col.. Trollope. Sir J. Cbeetham, John Knox, W. l?. Tyrell, Sir J. T. Christy, samuel Langton, 11. G. Vane, Loi d A. Clinton, Lord C. Lowther, ( 1.-Aptain Vanslttart, G. 11. Coles. H. Beaumont liaearteneyi, G. Whalley, G. 11. Colville, C. R. March, Earl of Wliatman, J. Cowan, Charles Massey, W. ' N. Whitmore, H. Cranfurd, E. Maxwell, II lii J. P. Wyndham, '-en. Crossley, F. Milligan, Robert Wynn, Sir W. Davie, Sir H. MI crier, W.l ,I. E. Wyvill, M. Drax, J. S. W. S. E. Morris, D. Yorke, Eliot T. Duncan, G. Mullin,gs J. Randolph Dandas, F. Mundy, W, Dunne, Col. Mu' rough, J . P. TELLERS. .E.: , ,st, Sir J. B. Neeld, Joit: Evans, W. Oakes, J. H. P. Vyse , Capt. Ferrer, James Pellatt, A Frewen, Charles Hay A letter from Copenhagen of the Bth say :—" A seri ous conflict has just taken place between the workmen an the works of the railway .of Roeskild in consequence of one of the contractors hro ring engaged about a hun dred German labourers, all hough a great number of labourers, Danes and others,. had been waiting fo r some time without being able to g •et occupation. The civic guard interfered, but were no , t able to quell the disturb ance. Detachments of hussy ors have been sent oft from Copenhagen to restore order, LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1853. Mr. GLADSTONE bas raised a perfectly distinct and intelligible issue. He has fairly and explicitly placed before Parliament the questions that must be decided. He has proved clearly and unanswer ably that it is impossible to maintain the Probate and Legacy Duties in their present condition, that the removal of " an ' anomaly, which is un just in its nature, which is galling to the public feeling, and which becomes more and more gall ing from year to year," has become imperative— land that real estate, settled or unsettled, and also unsettled personalty, must for fiscal purposes be placed on the same foundation as unsettled per sonalty. The duties on all these descriptions of property must be equalised, and, as the Right Hon. Gentleman truly stated, the question is whether " that Equality is to be established by exempting from the tax the property that now pays it, or by subjecting to the tax property which is now exempted." If the former branch of the alternative were adopted, a substitute should be provided for the 2,500,0001. of direct taxa tion that would be lost to the Exchequer, and that serious deficiency would render essential the perpetuation, and probably the increase, of the Property and Income Tax. The option—if in deed there be any option, and that there is a reasonable prospect of the abolition of the Income Tax in 1860, of the too-flattering tale of the Chancellor of the Exchequer being realised—lies between a Property and Income Tax on the one hand, and Probate Duties and Legacy Duties—or rather duties on succession, on a very enlarged foundation, pressing much more severely on every description of property than they have hitherto done—on the other. At present the option is even less favourable,—it is between the certainty of these additional duties imposed immediately on the one side, and the more than doubtful contin gency that the Financial Minister in 1860 may find himself unable or indisposed to part with so productive a source of revenue as the Property and Income Tax. There is this in addition, that for seven years certainly both burdens must be sustained, and that no compensation will be afforded to those who succeed to settled or real property previously to 1860. These considera tions may be of some importance in determining the branch of the alternative finally to be adopted. Mr. GLADSTONE lays down the rule broadly in favour of the duty on successions as opposed to a fixed tax on property. He declares his opinion, that " there are objections to taxes on property ; but he does not consider that they are so likely to attach to a tax upon successions, occurring once in a generation, as they would if we were to attempt to lay a tax upon property, which was to recur again and again upon the same property from year to year." Now, on this we join issue with the Right Hon. Gentleman. We disput e the principle he has so fairly and unequivocally put forward. We conceive that if the national exigencies require that a certain sum should be annually contributed by the owners of accumu lated and realised property, that it would be far more equitable, and far more expedient, to levy the amount by small annual payments charged upon all kinds of property without exception, according to its capitalised value, than by com paratively large and uncertain payments, which may fall ten times more heavily on one estate than on another, and five or six times as often. But this great and striking inequality consti tutes by no means the worst feature of the case. The Constitutional principle is, that every man should contribute according to his means. Any degree of inequality of charge, particularly so great as between one and ten per cent. on the capitalised property, and that probably recurring much cftener, would alone furnish an unanswerable argument against the impost. But this tax, so heavy in amount, is a tax on capital that must pro tante diminish the amount of the inheritance. An annual charge will be paid out of income. One falling every ten, twenty, or thirty years, will be paid out of capital, inasmuch as few, if any, will have the prudence to lay by a certain sum annu ally to meet the charge. In case of land, a mortgage must probably be executed, for few will be able, out of the rents, to appropriate the sums required for the liquidation of the amount by half-yearly instalments. This will create a necessity for a tedious and expensive investigation of title ; and, as it is by no means impossible that the inheritor may require further money, he will encumber his estate for a still larger sum than would be required to liquidate the new duties on successions. This encourage ment to mortgagees is very unwise and impolitic. It will speedily reduce England to the condition of Ireland, and render the introduction of an Encumbered Estates Court, or some analogous tribunal, into England an imperative necessity, and occasion the most serious embarrassment to families, the demands coming at the most incon venient times. We have not as yet touched on the many ob jections to the details of the proposition —some of which were alluded to in the discussion last night. At present we have merely attempted to show the superiority of a direct annual tax on property according to its value to an unequal and uncertain amount falling at unknown inter vals. There is another and no les, cogent objection to the charge, viz., that it is an attempt to transfer the burdens from our own shoulders to those of our children, to get rid of a tax which we ourselves should liquidate, by compelling our successors to pay a very large sum together, equi valent to the value of the average payments that would otherwise have been made. This is directly in opposition to the provident habits which it is the duty of the State to encourage by every pos sible means, but which our fiscal system is calcu lated to repress. Let both imposts be fairly weighed in the balance, and we venture to assert, that on every principle of justice and expediency, of equity and sound policy, the preference will be given to a judicious and fairly apportioned Pro perty Tax, freed from the objections that can so justly be preferred against the existing system. And that such an arrangement is practicable is apparent from the mode by which it is shown that 1 the duties on successions may be equitably assessed. As will have been perceived from yesterday's report of the proceedings of the Court of Common Council on Thursday, the settlement of the long vexed question of the bridge accommodation over the Thames, between London-bridge and the Houses of Parliament, at Westminster, has again been adjourned. Extraordinary differences of opinion are still observable among the members of the Corporation. Several are in favour of simply purchasing and throwing open the iron bridge at Southwark, regarding that as all that is requisite under the circumstances. Several others, on the contrary dissenting from the views entertained upon the subject by Alder man SALOMONS, and agreeing with those cherished by Deputy BENNOCH—continue to insist upon the advisability of building one new bridge, if not a series of new bridges, at points of the river which we ourselves have before now more than once indicated. Between these two propositions we do not waver for one moment in a state of indecision or embarrassment. Like the ambitious ecclesiastic, who, according to the old " Joe Miller," obtained two bishoprics instead of one, because when asked which he would prefer, " Bath or Wells ?" he answered, " Both" (whether from thickness of utterance, or from greed, or from drollery, de ponent saith not) we, too, would welcome both, instead of having any preference, or making any selection. We would say " ditto" to Alderman SALomoNs, when he proposes that the iron bridge at Southwark should be purchased and . thrown open to the public. And we would say= `ditto" likewise to Deputy BEN isrocH, when he suggests that an entirely new bridge should be constructed. Hitherto London has shown itself altogether too niggardly in regard to its bridge acommodation. Its bridges are too few, and the few there are, are either " tolled" or dilapidated. Now we maintain that every bridge, without exception, ought, in a ca ' pital like this, to be free to the whole population. We maintain that the ricketty bridges now disgracing the Thames ought to be removed and recon structed. We maintain, moreover, that additional bridges should be raised on other sites, in the intervals between those already in existence. We agree cordially with Alderman LAWRENCE, in the noble declaration made by him ou Thursday last, in the Court of Common Council, that " he should glory in seeing the City in debt five millions of money, as the municipal authorities in France were, the money having been laid out in public improvements, stretched over a period of years as to payment." Any one, indeed, who has recently traversed the French capital, must there again admit that as STERNE Said long ago, in the first paragraph of his " Sentimental Journey," "they manage these things better in France." For it is really something wonderful to observe the magnitude of the altera tions now being made in Paris, the splendour of the new streets being built, the grandeur of the palatial renovations going forward—the re sults of a daring and munificence which will be remembered among the chief glories of the reign of the Emperor NAPOLEON 111. It is true that the merit of the whole of this magnificent move ment belongs of right to his Imperial MA,TEST74 as its originator. But it is also true that the municipal authorities of Paris have nobly responded to the proposals of the Emperor from the moment of their first suggestion. Insomuch that they have not shrunk from incurring a debt of five millions of francs. Not so with our London Corporation. Its members are many of them quite alarmed at the notion of building even one more bridge ! They are half frightened out of their wits at the idea of having to pay 350,0001. for rebuilding the bridge at Blackfriars ! They don't know how to express their dismay at the notion of all the expense certain to be incurred in pulling down and building up —in remodelling and re-arranging ! And so the matter is again adjourned. Really, it is to be hoped, that when the question is brought under the notice of the Legislature by Mr. OLIVEIRA, some spur may be administered to that " galled jade," whose " withers" have long been wrung—the London Municipality. INDIA.—The General Screw Steamer Calcutta, which leaves Southampton this , day for India, rid the Cape and Mauritius, takes out about 20,000/. in specie, sixty passengers, and a full cargo. THE LATE LIEUT. - COLONEL SIR HARRY FRANCIS COLVILLE DARELL, BART.—The mortal remains of this gallant and deeply-lamented officer having arrived from Cagliari, in the island of Sardinia, where his premature death took place on the 6th o f anuary last, were yes terday consigned to their last restin g - place, at Richmond, Surrey, where many memb ers o f hislamily lie interred. The funeral, which was strictly private; was attended, by his only brother, the Rev. Sir - Lionel Darell, Bart., and other relatives and connxtions of the family: Cap tain Philip Payne Gallwey was also present. THE ALLEGED DUEL. —The account• given in the Essex Herald, and copied thence into most of the daily papers, of a duel said to have taken place a fortnight ago between Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Bernal Osborne, is, we are assured by a competent authority, entirely destitute of foundation.—Morning Advertiser. MODEL FIREARMS.—A Moulton patent rifle has ar rived from the continent, in a package directed to the' Earl of Clarendon, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. This rifle is intended for Lord Hardinge, the General Commanding-in-Chief, for the use of the public service, and has been sent to her Majesty's Government, through the Earl of Clarendon, by the British Minister at Brussels. ANOTHER SOUP KITCHEN DEFUNCT. —Yesterday, a poor woman, lately employed at the City Soup Kitchen, applied Guildhallat her st for relief, T e as thehe applicantbreakingupsaoidh f that se concern had left had been waiting in expectation of receiving another ap pointment in the Leicester-square Soup Kitchen, but that establishment was also broken up. Alderman Wilson inquired what was the cause of that place being shut up, and the woman replied that it had been closed ever since Mr. Cochrane left this country. Alderman Wilson then ordered the applicant a little temporary re lief and dismissed her. PROBATE PIITY.—A return has been made to a motion of Mr. Alcock, M.P., of the number of stamps sold since 1815 for grants of probate, charged with the high est amount of probate duty. The return is " eight.' THE GREENWICH AND NORTH KENT RAILWAY BILL. —A Parliamentary paper published yesterday contains the report of the Admiralty on the Greenwich and North Kent Railway Bill, which proposes to make a railway•from the North Kent line, near Charlton, to Blackwell Point, on the Greenwich side' of the Thames, whence it is proposed to run out a floating pier or jetty into the river. This jetty, as planned" by the company, is to extend into the river to a distance of 120 feet below high water mark, for the purpose of establishing a ferry across the river, so as to form a communication with the railways on the north side of the Thames. The Admiralty object to the plan. They believe that such a protrusion into the Thames would prove very inconve nient to small craft navigating the river, while it might ia some degree deflect the current ; but they suggest that the formation of a dock or recess in the land, cut out to receive the floating jetty, would equally serve the purpose of the company and prove unobjectionable in the eyes of the Lords of the Admiralty. MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE--(THIS DAY.) CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 7,000 bales, of which 1,500 were taken for export and on speculation. The market was flat, but at steady prices. Railway Shares were quiet at rather lower prices. The stocks of produce in the principal European cities were, on the Ist insant, as follows : SUGAR COFFEE. 1852. 1853. 1853. 1852. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Great Britain 85,353 114,961 16,800 15,332 Hamburgh 1,750 3,500 8,500 8,500 Bremen Holland Antwerp 4,160 1,395 4,715 5,545 Total The Bank of England weekly return to the 7th inst., shows a further reduction of bullion, proving that the Australian gold lately received has not come into its coffers. The Bank holds less specie now than for many months. Compared with the previous week, the changes are as follows : Active circulation £23,469,845 Increase 345,290 Bullion 18,225,221 Decrease 129,873 Rest Increase 25,822 Public Deposits 4,265,469 Increase 330,947 Other Deposits Decrease 721,006 Seven-day and other Bills 1,418,032 Decrease 9,705 Government Securities No change Other Securities 13,608,166 Increase 101,421 Notes unemployed 8,274,395 Decrease 410,015 The negotiation of bills of exchange was effected yesterday afternoon at rather fuller rates on Paris and Amsterdam, but Trieste was lower. Hamburgh improved a shade. The exports of gold from London direct, during the week to Thursday last, were 24,785 ounces, and of silver 32,7001. and 6,510 ounces. The official notices in last night's Gazette respect ing the period for which Exchequer Bonds are to be issued, have removed uncertainty on that head, and has so far afforded satis faction, but Stocks have not improved, and the premium on the floating debt has not risen above 2s. and 6s. Consols are mai to 100 k for Transfer, and 100/1 / for Account. The New 3/ per Cents. have been marked 1021 to .7 1 , and the 3 per Cents. 991 Bank Stock has been firm at . 228 i. South Sea New Annuities have improved to 99i I. Foreign stocks have been fluctuating. The Red Greek Bonds have advanced to 9, and the Blue to 91. Mexican have been dull at 261. Buenos Ayres are up to 72k. Peruvian Deferred, after being 65i, have declined to 61i, a preference being shown for the 4-i per Cents. Spanish 3 per Cents. have realised 48k. Dutch 2 per Cents. are at 66, being firm. Railway Shares are rather unsteady. Caledonian have been higher, and Lancashire and Yorkshire in more request. York and North Midland are firm. North-Western are heavy. French shares are dull. The Gold Mines are quite nominal ; only one bargain is officially noted. Joint-stock Banks are dull, and also Land Com panies. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY. ( From the Official List.) Business done, Bank "Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities 99i i 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities New 3 1 per Cent. Annuities - i Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 India Bonds, £lOOO Ditto, under £lOOO 3O p South Sea Old Annuities South Sea New Annuities Consols for Account Ist Juuo Exchequer Bills lid. June. March. XlOOO 2 6 p 2p £5OO — Small — PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Brazilian New Bonds, 1829 & 39, 5 per Cent. Ditto Small Ditto New, 1852, 4i per Cent lool Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 per Cent 724 Grenada Bonds, Ex. Dec., 1849, Coupon 22 Grenada Bonds, Deferred Greek Bonds, Red . 9t Ditto, Blue Mexican 3 per Cent. Ditto for the Account 26 Peruvian Deferred 3 per Cent. Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Spanish Bonds 3 per Cent 4B Spanish 3 per Cent., New Deferred 23i Ditto Passive (Converted) 54 Venezuela Bonds, 3„ 1 ,- per Cent. Dividends on the above payable in London. French Rentes, 4. per Cent. Dutch Exchange, 2}, per Cent. 12 Guil. ... 66 TWO O'CLOCK. Consols Ditto June Account 100 n 1004 g EXCHEQUER BILLS. Notice has been issued that all Exchequer bills, - whether dated in June or March, may be converted into Exchequer bonds, bearing 21 per cent. interest from the Bth of June next until the Ist September, 1864 ; and 2i per cent. thereafter until the Ist September, 1894, upon application being made on or before the 25th inst. This measure, it may be presumed, is based upon the suppo sition that only such an amount will be exchanged as will be sufficient to relieve the Exchequer bill market from its present flatness, and enable the bills falling due in June next to be renewed at the rate of those dated in March—namely one penny per day. Under any other view it would appear highly inexpe dient to offer to change the floating debt, which at its present amount is not in the slightest degree excessive, into a form of security involving a loss to the country of the difference between 11. 10s. sd. per cent., the existing rate of the March bills, and 21. 15s. per cent., the proposed rate for the Exchequer Bonds. It is true that, in the present state of the money mar ket, there might be a difficulty in keeping Exchequer Bills in circulation at a penny a-day, but at all events they would float at five farthings ; and in that case their annual interest would still be only 11. 18s. per cent. On the 18,000,0001. of Exchequer Bills in circulation the difference between this rate and 21. 15s. would amount to 153,000/. Notice has also been issued that the Exchequer Bonds to be offered to the holders of the South-Sea and other Annuities about to be paid off, as well as to the pro prietors of Consols and Reduced, are to bear interest at the rate of 21 per cent. until the Ist of September, 1864, and 2/ per cent, thereafter until Ist September 1894, when the Government are to have the power, if they shall see fit, to redeem at par. The coupons are to be payable on the Ist of March and the Ist of September in each year. _ It appears that the voluntary applications for the various new securities offered in exchange for Consols and Reduced amount at present to 29,773/. for the Three-and-a-Half per Cents., 1,135,3561. for the Two and-a-Half per Cents., and 3,5001. for the Exchequer Bonds. The closing quotations for the New Two-and-a- Half per Cent. Stock (or " Assented Threes") was 91i tQ 92 Times. THE NORTH OF SCOTLAND STEAM-PACKET COMPANY.— Tile half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of this com pany was held at Inverness on Thursday last ; George France, Esq., in the chair. The chief business before the meeting related to the proposal to purchase an , addi tional steamer for the carrying trade between the Moray Firth and Leith. The manager (Mr. Henderson) sub mitted to the meeting a balance-sheet, showing a profit for the last six months equal to a dividend of 6i per cent. ou the paid-up capital of the company. In considera tion of the dividend ordered last meeting, the whole of the sum was reserved to meet contingencies. It was intimated that a vessel admirably suited for the purpose —the " Martello," of Leith—was now in the market, and a resolution was agreed to pledging those present to use their best endeavours in procuring a subscription for new capital adequate to her purchase.—lnverness Courier, THE • MARKET GARDENERS ROUND LONDON.—The extent of gardens round London required to supply the two millions and a quarter of eaters there, will hardly be credited. Within a radius of fifteen miles of London there are 200,000 acres of land in the hands of market gardeners, all labouring for the London market. Ten thousand' loads of turnips, 100,000 sacks of peas, 20,000,000 heads of celery, 40,000,000 cabbages, and 100 tons of water- tr e s ses are sa id to be sold annually in Covent-garden market alone, to say nothing of the pota toes, carrots, beets, onions, herbs of all kinds, &c., which are sold in immense quantities. FATAL ACCIDENT AT SOMERSET-HOUSE.--Yesterday morning, a fatal accident occurred to a man of the name of William Dillon, labourer, aged 35 years, who resided in Hercules-buildings, near the Hercules Tavern, Lambeth, under the following circumstances :—lt ap pears that a heavy piece of timber was being hoisted by a crane, when the men lost control of the handle, which fell on the head of the unfortunate man. He was picked up in a state of insensibility, bleeding profusely from the back of the head, by his fellow-workmen, when the foreman had him conveyed to the Albert Ward, King's College Hospital, Carey-street, Lincoln's-inn fields, where Mr. Hulke, the house surgeon, attended by the medical staff of that valuable institution, rendered every assistance that medical skill could suggest, when, notwithstanding their united exertions, the unfortunate man expired, shortly after his admission, in the ward. Mr. Baker, the s6mmoni:ig officer, has forwarded the information to Mr. Charles Bedford, the coroner ; but no day is yet fixed for the inquest. AYTOUN ON POETRY. LECTURE THE THIRD. During the interval which elapsed between the de' livery of his second and third lectures, the toast of " Professor Aytoun and the Poets"—proposed by member of the House of Commons on the occasion of the banquet at Freemasons'-hall in commemoration of the sixty-fourth anniversary of the Royal Literal Fund—was received by the assembled literati of Lon don with well-merited acclamations. We would here particularly notify this circumstance, because it affords new evidence that the men of letters in our metropolist are anything but indifferent to the presence among them of the gifted author of the " Lays of t he Scottish Cavaliers." It indicates rather that they are eager; where oppo r tunity offers to accord him the .„.wel come due to one of the most accomplished of th e ra nt writers of Scotland. Another attestation of that rest ness to bail his presence amongst us at this moment visible yesterday in that crowded a,partment at Rooms, in which the third of Professor Itytoun's serl7 of lectures was delivered to perhaps the most numerone and certainly the most attentive, audience he has t, addressed. It should be remarked that a change hew been made since last Monday in the position of the rc.'s trum, if we may so call it, from which the Professor livers his dissertation. And we would particularly Me% tion this alteration, because we look upon it as by means a judicious arrangement. The lecturer is thereg unfortunately too far removed from many of his heat ' , who, consequently, find it impossible to catch the ivav j of the discourse , losing some of the more sada'''. and delicately-modulated of his intonations. to Yesterday, the lecture was exclusively dedicatee the consideration of the various merits and pecull oy " of our Ballad Literature. Especial reference wasf ebe . course, made—now to the National Ballad, nosy to t he Pathetic Ballad, now to the Humorous Ballad, an d .7 0 0 majority of the specimens given by way o iillustra were selected from the rich store of the fine old han7 4 . of Bonnie Caledonia. If we might presume ,to 13 ; s nounce any opinion upon the subject, w e should ventdis. to acknowledge at once, that altogether we Were ns appointed in ithe selection. Several of the speen 3 t o , declaimed by Professor Aytoun—and declaimed , g „ o t• most admirably with the broad burr of the 'a t r tish dialect—appeared to us rather too long, Ir% ss" too rugged, and rathe r t oo monotonous. And this we make bold to con f ess was our irePre fr in their regard, although we did no t f a il to app of elate, we hope and believe, the exquisite Pat h ,„ ee . of " Fair Ellen," or the yet more exq u isite hualnw,; n l "Kinmont or the noble and most toueiwi trumpet-tones of the " Battle of Otterbourne." Althoug Professor Aytoun was peculiarly anxious to disclai m aji : , such intention on his part, he did nevertheless appea r t° ,,, 0 to imply somewhat markedly the fault of plagla rls- For discoverable in the " Oriana" of Mr. Tennyson. r 'g ourselves, we cannot but think that the lect ure assumption, that the Poet Laureate " must" have i ee ill " Fair Ellen" before writing " Oriana," was v i ,2, 0 0 - • gratuitous. Now, for our part, we can quite on to" Api r the idea as rational, that Mr. Tennyson had 11 1.„01 once read, or even heard of, " Fair Ellen," 1 ) . long after " Oriana" was completed. The„md, ject of the two ballads cannot be reg', 4 oo we conceive, as in any way identical, and the esee., 6 " - of them is, to our thinking at least, altogether diffel t In " Oriana" the heroine has been killed inadrertea by the lamenting lover himself. In "Fair Ellen " ter has sacrificed her own life willingly to shield that oc betrothed. The lover who bewail s hi s love in . t j i , 3l s s Ellen," therefore, speaks f r o m th e p ro f oun d but guh; anguish of one w h o on ly recogn i ses i n th e death ofd departed her sublime and unselfish tenderness. in lover who lifts up his voice and weeps over his la v a % t. " Oriana," on th e con t rary , d oes so w ith a grief 116:53, ened by remorse to absolute agony and despair. or e sides, even the manner in which the two ballade . ar written must be viewed by the generality , we &Ma ture, as dissimil ar . "F a i r Ellen" is re •n hym e d, for; t 1; ample, in triplets, with interrupting rhthe and eighth ; while " O r i ana " has the music al i mener t ie of five recurring rhymes i n eac h stanza—followed 3;44, first, second, fourth, and fifth b y t h e name o f the bet as though her shade were perpetually addressed blvige lover in impassioned apostrophe or adjuration. o , o o' we are speaking of these two noble e ff us i o ns, as - t oo t trasted by Professor Aytoun in the course of his not yesterday, we must not omit an acknowledgmen t to we are decidedly among those who would yield the ri ` ho d of preference to the modern over the ancient ba r , t ly writer. It is a meed of praise, to our mind, enl ive iioe due to the Poet Laureate. For, although our admir e t he is unstinted in regard to the pathos throbbing jO Mli o metre of " Fair Ellen," particularly in that etae s :jet which her lover pines to be reposing by her side the green turf, with the " shroud drawn o'er 111 6 een," there is nothing, as far as we can see, corar: e of to the woe and passion audible in almost every 01 " _ _ _ " Oriana ;" as, for example, in the following : " I cry aloud : none hear my cries, Oriana. Thou comest atween me and the skies, Oriana. I feel the tears of blood arise, Up from my heart unto my eyes, Oriana. Within thy heart my arrow lies, Oriana." Or, again— " The bitter arrow went aside, Oriana The false, false arrow went aside, Oriana: • The damned arrow glanced aside, k, And pierced thy heart, my love, my bride, Oriana I Thy heart, my love, my life, my bride, • , Oriana. * * * * * They should have stabb'd me where I'll) Oriana ! How could I rise and come away, Oriana ? How could I look upon the day ? They should have stabb'd me where I lay, Oriana— They should have trod me into clay, Oriana. * * * * * Oh / breaking heart that will not break, Oriana ; Oh I pale, pale face so sweet and meek, Oriana. Thou smilest, but thou dost not speak, And then the tears run dowit my cheek, Oriana : • What wantest thou ? whom dost thou setk , Oriana ?' 0 10 From the first syllable, in fact, to the last, " urTh s e "- -T ° to us—has always been to us—a masterpie o er l ` • the loveliest treasures of our ballad literature. tto 1• 14 6 ing, however, from this subject—one ever fraur o pos i s t t with fascination—and referring to one of a ve . ,_ l l•gitter e „i, character, we must observe that it b re athed of W e i bye irony when Professor Aytoun simply mentions" j i n g lad of " Ellen Irwin "—apologising for not re7;itl ° e , because it was se obviously inferior to the mss tle° the productions of Mr. Wordsworth. Lea v Y l coele °l o i who had never perused it, and who bore in th e l ie r i d i brance a painful knowledge of Betty Foy an d d e r boy, and other kindred monstrosities, to SW' e - i s ' the reflection of how horribly bad it must fo geys programme of the third lecture appears as 0 8 the printed syllabus : of tLy ° .National Ballads —Th e Character and kiistorinci of Scotland—Circumstances of their Tradition 11 ,1 rict4 servation—Their Simplicity, Power, Pathos , Se e d resqueness—lllustrations of National co ntra ßa lla i Artificial Expression—Specimen of the Histort` a J 30,0" , i 's " The Battle of Otterbourne"—The Patheti,;aoyso,,aj Specimen: "Fair Ellen," contrasted with , -,,,0. 00 , " Oriana," and Wordsworth's " Ellen Irsv i ,, n e Seo,t,;i 3 e of "Marie Hamilton"—Pi c t uresquen ess of f Ballads— The F a iry Mythology—Scottish idem,io°oo f l ir t Queen of Elphen' —Anecdotes, and IllustiT:' polo, Tamlane—The Ballad of " True Thomas , s '`o c oos Diction of these Ballads -Imitations—Scott oloor of the Harlaw"—The Border Ballad- -- I te letl PI Character—Specimen: " Kinmont Willie. via , on. v i i o From this it will be perceived that the",. thos e ' O , l enough in yesterday's dissertation. Among D 093,010 attended the third lecture, we observed t d, the t he Duchess of Argyll, the Duchess of Clevelale•bant,psl• of Montrose, the Earl and Countess of tsclY sn d rcl Countess of Wilton, Lord and Lady3 /1 G 3 lw'11°„„, Co tr o „ t oo meny, Lord and Lady Blantyre, Lady aX ie d Lady Dynevor, Lord and Lady J. Man ner ! Ea r en' Powis, Lady Emily Foley, Lady Willougo, ciy fi o. Countess Mandeville, C oun tess of Jerse9 , ; of tina Villiers, Lady Agnes Duff, the Cow.`„: .a dy F.7 ot ort field, Lady Harriet Filmer, Lady BorougD,: colO r or a del. Hope, Lady Eastlake, Lady Antrobus, gr• Lord Forrester, Lady Amherst, the Bones 1%f•I "' the Hon. Mr. Rouse, Mr. Monckton l‘fr• k f r o. and Mrs. Fraser Tytler, Mr. Evelyn PZ.n e i r ° o ° Pane, '- guson, Mr. Ellis, Miss Williams, Mr- ' I Reed, and Mr. Hayward. pss t tate% SOY; NOVA SCOTIA MINING COMPANY. t' st oe s submitted yesterday by . Mr. Adam cr lV l l t y; a c irc l ie e o f tb Scotia Mining Company, regarding the Yalu ,i¢ connected with his erroneous report on Jr., g o / ot s mines proposed to be leased by theme.c. l ens of r i p o io timates that at first visit abundant sp Indian A rid j3 r e , were found strewn along the beach to l e ' see e, t s' a fte which were subsequently nowhere ° encountered mentions a severe accident he iiu wards, which, together with some urge nt fan th e t hi 4 from interested parties, as to the , °roe se hiog diate determination being come to in di s tury tiis t gent represe-ri mines, seems alsO to have operEpt o u_ l i ;; r s how ut sf e wr judgment. These explanations, h vc misaleid; d.ot;iiletosee allowed himself to be grievouslyrand time, the general tone of the rein su r e "; as to ar t s ro which they are accompanied. are _ his P r entirely from a want of caution a_d_nr , " ts " T. was c ei c i conclusion that the misrepresentanti.on, gen e t NOUVEAU MONDE MININGdekiOMr from t -e d. Sotioi ~L w o Paris on Tuesday, when rep meeting of the Nouveau Moonrts s Taylor a nd S the from the London agents (Messr modifications a owlet. 0 Companj lera read and adopted, some o f the as o f time made in the original statutes 5, as wel l c sh , 0 Copies of the report of the agents, tL iiver y to she e• • balance-sheet, are to be ready f? o" motooral s friA AGUA FIiIA COMPANY.—The s The t i l e e, tio holders in London on the 19th islet. aist Company • d •cee taxan ' a is from the Agua Fria Co a Gold Mining Company have received had op l ' o ovl of March, stating that Mr. At f a vour eni asld Agua Fria Mine, and formed a v e c ia 'l io the or rice of t co , of it from the appearance of the o v o rem itt l a o vroo c ii i eco made along its course. The ,. 3 ' s ' rr ived at ' ba ying from the Gold-hill Mine had no., Ile interior from the communications with t stopped by recent floods."