The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-24 00:00:00

TIIE ADVERTISEMENT DUTY.

(From the Maideoter Grer-trr.)
We recently called public attention to a notice
which wo received from the Stamp-office authorities, warn-
ing us that the advertisement duty would be charged on
all li,ts of "arrived.," if the names of th,: inn, at which
they heal arrived, were mentioned. This notice was ably
commented on by the Daily News and our paragraph was
copied into most of the metropolitan and principal provin-
cial papers. 'lb subject is again referred to in the Daily
News of yesterday, from which we extract the following
article :
" Tuw Anvz tens EU EXT D Y.—On the Bth of this month
we published a list of arrivals at the Clarendon Hotel, for
the vxlarexs purpose (as it was stated) of testing the sound-
ness of the law laid down in the following circular of the
Maud of Inland Revenue to country newspapers, and par-
ticularly
to the Maklstoste Ga:elte :
It having been the practice of some of the publishers
of newspapers of inserting a list of " Arrivals at Hotels," I
sin directed to inform you that the advertisement duty at.
taehes to such announcements in respect to each hotel, and
that any such list, with the hotel named, will be charged it
it appear after this notice. '
t. It has not been our habit to give prominence in this
newspaper to that description of news which consists of arri-
vals and departures, but as constant opponcats of the ad-
vertisement duty, we felt that we were bound to resist
every extension (which appeared to us to be illegal) of a
tax already painfully oppressive, and were glad to be
enabled to fight the battle of the contemporary press on a
question which has not in itself so much importance to our-
selves. In reply to our inquiries whether the authorities
at Somerset House intend to charge the proprietors of this
journal with advertisement duty in consequence of the list
of arrival's° inserted in this paper, wehave receivedthe ful-

lowing communication
Inland Revenue, Somerset Ilnuse, Sept. 13, 18.50.-
1 have laid before the board your letter of the 11th instant
requesting to be informed whether an article whisk ap.
peered in the Daily News of the Bth instant havisclie-
ference to certain announcements of arrivals at the "
endon" Hotel is considered liable to the adlerthanaant
duty, and in reply 1 am directed to acquaint you that It is
not intended to charge the announcements in question to
the advertisement duty.-1 am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" TMOUVI KEOGH.'
It will be sten from the letter of Mr. Keogh that the
view taken by the pro, proprietors of this paper, and confirmed
by the eminent eounsel to whom the question was submitted
hes bass esselemed in by the Board of Inland Revenue,
end we prams that their threatening notices may be con-
sidered to be withdrawn.
t• It is to be regretted that any attempt should have been
made to extend the operation of this oppressive act, unless
the alleged construction was clear and indisputable; and
the present instance, while it shows the importance of re-
sisting every such attempt, confirms our belief in the erro-
neous interpretation which the Board of Inland Revenue
ascribes to the Advertises. nt Duty Act in other parties-
lan, and which it may be desirable to bring to an early
decision."
We beg to express our obligations to the Daily News fee
the good service which it has thus rendered the newspaper
press; for we feel convinced that had not this new inter-
pretation of the law been met by remonstrance and oppo-
sition of more weight than those of a provincial journal, it
would have been fully carried out, first, perhaps, in the
provinces, but afterwards universally.
One of the worst features connected with this duty is
its uncertainty. No man can positively aver to what
articles it does, or to what it does not, apply. Year after
year some new law comes into operation, the advertise-
ments for carrying out which, it is declared by the legis-
lature, shall be free of duty. Such is the case with all
advertisements issued by boards of guardians, by boards
of health, by the Tithe Commissioners, by the Inclo-
sure Commissioners, for insolvent debtors, and in many
other cases. Now in these acts of parliament, there is a
virtual condemnation of the principle of the advertisement
duty. If this duty be an impediment to the business of the
Queen's government, it is etwally indefensible as an im-
pediment to dill aIIiDISS el "my ono of the Queen's sub-
jects. Why amnia keentefiniudians be able to adver-
tise fora Oinka magna, a motor, a matron, a relieving
officer, a .Iscoter, or a porter, free of duty, when
every one daub persons, in advertising for such as ep-
*Aaulet pay ditty, perhaps 25 per eCent. duty, on
lm advertisement The injustice of Ow duty,
when the comparatively small sum which it
la revenue is considered, will surely soon be.
some inteiseable. Our present complaint, however, is of its
eneenelaay.
In the we of every other tax some adequate provision
exists kr elheeking to application, but in the case of the
=air as week seeszity mine. At the end at every
- melee sahlosidja_ charar advertisement duty
amenela te earn& rem. Mr dm advertisements which
=exempt may, peffilbly, however, be shenged,
power on oar West el correcting the niailske.
Sum Isms ekes, the Beskaiihe eollector of this Markt
=wt; eistittaLmahri esstazyt!tea =inseelay of
teMelt ewes behmplhl him ; utit wee heICZ
to us thsellib ameenseeli most not be eamidered as a
painainne. !lb Aloft aid kw left Use M=said kg Ober ipallesatis le Ws mire' eiatelea, of Om
we here weer kb Jared IS Wei wok ea hal-
theassigimas b, that we see Is*ri b; dark SS In Whet is 'barged and whet iettlitea
am steed= we illeinewed, en station, that a
effillbsithe time Idle of one of endways), whiak wbai
is
purely ea mews, whitest doer, was not drape-
able, yet that it bail bees lamseporly charged fee several
months. We appal le Wei lie overpaid duty messed.
It is scarcely meson to ail that we never got it. Bad a
weekly account bssa misled of the advertiemeents
charged, we shoals of ceases have detected this NM at
once. If a tans pin a 'setae quantity of hem emelt,
of soap, of ewe ef etephits, however opressM dr tax
on these midis goy be, be always knows, to a hastion,
what he shall have to psy. In addition to the prewase of
the advertinmat duty as its mysterious uncertainty. We
believe thee time evils only require free and temperate im-
palas. to is the general public, who are so much in-
terested In the lesetice, to insist on its immediate repeal.