The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-28 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 28.

Tile prospects of the Budget are " looking up."
The Bill for dealing with the National Debt may,
after the ordeal of yesterday, be regarded as settled,
and it is stated that on one or two disputed items of
his Financial Scheme Mr. GLADSTONE is ready to
adopt amendments likely to remove serious opposi-
tion. On the question of Licenses, for instance, we
may expect alterations to be made ; the whole of
the Advertisement Tax, instead of.the proposed two-
thirds, may be conceded; whilst the "huge gift to
the Times," involved in the abolition of Supplement
Stamps, cannot take effect under the faulty Resolu-
tion by which that gift was at first intended to
be made. Whether it will be settled that newspapers
shell be permitted to issue larger or smaller sheets,
as they themselves please, under the penny stamp;
or whether the size of a paper is to be still limited to
1,530 square inches,—extra duty to be paid for extra
size,—remains to be seen. But it seems tolerably cer-
tain that the concession of the whole advertisement
tax may come within the range of Mr. GLADSTONE'S
amended scheme. All this will be known in due time,
but meanwhile those who, whilst helping the Budget
forward, wish to make it as good as possible, should
not lose sight of points of detail needing amendment.
It would not suit the Government to be beaten again
is a division on the advertisement tax, and such de-
feat seems inevitable if the question goes to a divi-
sion encumbered by the barefaced and brokendown
proposition about supplement stamps. Verb. Sap.
I'he Tories who before voted against ministers on
this subject are not likely to let slip any other chance
of hitting at one blow the Peelite CIIANCELLOR
of the EXCIIEQUER and the Peelite Times.

We feel it useful to look back occasionally, as well as
forward—torevive our sense of what has b. en achieved,
not only to gather fresh spirit for further efforts, but
for the innocent luxury of present rejoicing. Many are
probably doing so now—this very week, as a natural
consequence of the promise and the stimulus yielded
by the new Budget. When PEEL strove to animate
us to the great effort of arresting our annual deficit,
and recovering our ground in finance, ho reminded
us of the days of gloom and horror when our fathers,
with a mutiny at the Nore, a rebellion in Ireland,
and disaster abroad, and the funds as low as 52,
gallantly agreed to an Income Tax of 10 per
cent. We need not now, to be sensible of
our rising prosperity and growing harvests
of blessings, go back to such times as
these—touching and instructive as is the thought of
them. There have been later times than those when
our statesmen insisted that " the country should be
forced to feed its own population ;" when the Poor
Law was pronounced by foreign economists " the
great political gangrene of the country," which
must be fatal in either its continuance or its extirpa-
tion; when the tradesman found the expenses of
living fivefold what they had been in his day ; and
the artisan gave up the struggle, and went to the
workhouse with all his family. Strange contrasts
with the present day might be set forth if we were
to offer a series of dissolving views of cottage in-
teriors, from the opening of the century till now.
But our progress is more truly striking if we
set aside the consequences of the war, and
take a much shorter period for the compa-
rison. Let the horrors of 1798, and the
exhaustion of 1816, be regarded as incidents of
another state of political existence, of which the
first NAPOLEON was the potentate, and the Prrrs,
CASTLEREAGIIS, VANSITTARTS, and SIDMOI/TllB were
the ministering genii. We will go back no further
than ten years ; and we shall see abundant reason,
looking at the small facts of the labourer's daily life,
to see what a sin it would be, in striving to obtain
much more in the ten years to come, to be thankless
for what has been done.

A dozen years ago, a country gentleman induced a
labourer in Yorkshire to furnish him with an account
of his household expenditure for a year. The cot-
tager must have been of a respectable class, to be
able to keep such an account. Coming under our
eyes at the same time with the resolutions about the
Budget, the items awaken a curious sort of
interest ; and the first thing that strikes the reader
is the incessant recurrence of the charge for " sope."
This man paid 18s. a year for this one article of soap,
of which he would doubtless not pretend that lie had as
much as he could wish, for cleanliness of person,
house and clothes. He paid for soap nearly a fourth
part as much as for rent. It will be so no more.
After the duty is off, there will be such a further
reduction from the freedom and improvement of the
manufacture, that we may congratulate him on the
reduction of this charge by, probably, one-half—
especially if his general condition improves so far, by
the whole reduction of taxation, as that he can buy
his soap in larger quantities, and lay it up to dry—
in which case it will go at least one-third further than
if bought in small pieces. " Flower," we see, was then
2s. Bd.; and it seems to be rising to that point again;
but wages were then very low ; whereas, they
are now rising, and likely to rise. He bought his
tea, we observe, in quantities of one and two
ounces, paying 4s. and upwards per pound ;
paying for the waste, time, paper, string, &c., which
might have been saved if the article had been cheap
enough for him to buy it by the pound. Ten years
hence he may sit by his fireside drinking much bet-
ter tea at 2s. or 2s. 6d. per lb. His sugar is already
a good deal cheaper ; he paid 7d. for what he now
gets for Id. After next year there will be a further
cheapening, with no loss, but gain to everybody;
so that, ten years hence, he may sweeten his cup at
the rate of 4d. per lb., or less. We observe that he
paid very high for eggs, milk, butter, and cheese.
Considering the large increase of that kind of pro-
duce among his neighbours since the importation of
cattle began, the further increase to be expected as
farmers come to understand their own interest better,
and the importation to be anticipated from the new
repeal of duties on eggs, cheese, &c., there is
every reason to hope that the good man's
board will show a much greater abund-
ance of this wholesome food for the money.
He has already, no doubt, effected a great saving as
to bacon, by means of the large importations of late
years. lie does not specify the quantities; but
there are means of comparison, by which we judge
that he paid nearly double for bacon what is now
paid in our towns for what is equally good. For
coffee he paid one-third more than at present. For
clothing much the same, apparently, with the odd
exception of half-a-crown for calico for one shirt.
Now, here are literally pounds set free for other pur-
chases in one labourer's cottage. Considering the
tens of thousands of labourers' cottages in our island,
what a change is here. And the saving, and conse-
quent reinforcement of the purchasing fund, in-
creases in the class above ; and again, in the class
above that; so that the amount of new com-
fort, and of stimulus to production and commerce,
are far beyond calculation. Some of us might
have preferred other remissions, beyond the soap and
tea, about which all aro agreed; and others arc more
impressed by what remains to be done than struck
with what is done; but there surely is no one with a
mind to understand and a heart to feel who will say
that times past were better than time present.
Dr. CIIANNING was, for some years before his
death, in possession of great influence over a consider-
able number of the working classes of England and
Scotland ; and no one was more surprised than him-
self at the fact that a foreign divine should have
that' sort of power ; but he published a doctrine
which was so new and so acceptable to that class
thit it abundantly accounts for the fact. He did
not preach contentment to the poor, or to anybody,
in the sense in which it is usually inculcated. He
exhorted the poor man, as every other man, not to be
content till he had obtained the conditions necessary I
I to his becoming what man ought to he. lie, the I
' uorking man, being willing to work for every good
he sought, should, while working, incessantly de-
mand that good—means of life—means of health—
means of education—means of improvement of all his
faculties, Following such teaching, political and

social raormers have much to ask yet, at.d will be
very right not to be content. The London working
man has not yet a choice of a healthy abo‘lc ; and a
provision of purer soft water would be to him, even
as to his soap and his tea, a greater saving
than the remission of the duties. The country
labourer cannot be content till the oppression and
it.„,ntation of the !att..., jaws fir remnved,
ought to be content under our deficiency of accessi-
ble education: and, as to the ravages of juvenile
crime, they arc a growing grief and shame, which
cannot be compensated for by any ameliorations that
come through the purse. Of these things we must
and shall go on to complain, as long as they exist ;
and no sense of obligation for past and present bene-
fits will silence our protest against these abuses and
negligences, which it rests with government to
remedy. But we shall reject the imputation of in-
gratitude and ungraciousness, if such should be cast
upon us for our future ctfirts. We were grateful to
PEEL before we lost him, and shall be graceful to all
who follow in his best steps for the emancipation of
industry, and the gradual, but sure, elevation of the
condition of the whole people.

FRANCE.
RAMS, WEDNESDAY EVENINU.
The Courrier du Harre, of yesterday, suss:
We have already mentioned the measures adopted on
the arrival of the French vessel the Ertapereut du Brad,
from Rio Janeiro. According to a version which is
very current, and which we publish under all reserve,
two large cases have been seized, containing an
infernal machine, completely mounted. A lock-
smith, who manufactured the machine, and who has
been established for seven years at Rio, and h:s wife, who
came passengers by the vessel, have been arrested and
lodged in prison. All the baggage belonging t•i these two
passengers has been taken to the police-office, and a
very strict examination took place of the other passengers
and their effects, under the superintendence of two superior
officers of police who came from Paris.
The Emperor has been pleased to accept front Mr.
Henry Charles Sirr his work upon China, entitled,
" China and the Chinese."

The returns just published of imports and exports
during the first quarter of 1853 show but a slight
difference in the commercial situation of the country
since the publication of the last monthly statement.
The diminution in the imports as compared with
last year continues in nearly the same proportion.
There is a notable diminution in several articles
of primary manufacturing importance. In cotton,
for example, only 187,733 metrical quintals have
been purchased for consumption against 203,64,5 at
the same period last year. In linen thread, cochi-
neal, pewter, lead, zinc, oil, wool, coffee, and sugar,
both foreign and colonial, there is also u consider-
able falling off. On the other hand, in mahogany,
wood, coal, cast iron, copper, oleaginous grains,
nitrate of potass, thrown silk, and made-up linens,
there are remarkable augmentations. The general
result of the customs receipts is, however, a diminu-
tion of two millions and a half upon the quarter, the
total being 29,910,796 fr., against 32,325,6 17 last
year. The Conalituliwinel explains this decreaso
by observing that towards the close of 1831 the
want of confidence was so great that manufacturers
did not dare to purchase raw materials, and com-
pletely worked up all their old stocks. The purchases
made on the revival of trade in the beginning of
1832 were therefore exceptional, and a tailing off
from that standard ought not to be considered cvi-
deuce of decreasing commercial activity. The re-
mark is to a certain extent just, and it has already
been made several times by those who think this
feature has been overlooked in the sanguine estimates
of the budget. It is to be noted as a favourable
symptom that the returns for the month of March
are decidedly better than those for January and
February. The exports of French produce and ma-
nufactures offer results similar to those of the imports;
the three months together give a certain diminution,
whilst the mouth of March gives an improvement.
The Moniteur publishes the convention which has
been just signed between the French, Belgian, and
Prussian governments for the transmission of de-
spatches by electric telegraph to and from their res-
pective territories. The tariff is fixed as follows :-
In France and Belgium, from 1 to 7.5 kilometres, 2fr.
30e. for from 1 to 20 words ; 3fr. from 21 to 30; 7fr.
50e. from .51 to 100.-From 75 to 100 kilom., sfr.,
10fr.,and 13fr. for the number of words respectively.-
From 190 to 340 kilom., 7fr. 30c.,15fr. and 221 r. 30c.-
From 340 to 323 kilom., 10fr., 20fr., 301r.-From as
to 730 kilom., 12fr. 30c., 23fr., and 37fr..50e.-From
750 to 1,015 kilom., 13fr. 301 r., and 43fr. In Prussia,
from 1 to 10 German miles, for from 1 to 20 words,
20 gros ; from 21 to .50, 1 thaler 10 gros ; from .50 to
100, 2 thalers.-From 10 to 23 miles, Ith. lOgr.,
2th. 20gr., and 4th.-From 23 to 45, 2th., 4th., and
6th.-From 43 to 70, 2th. 20gr., 3th. lOgr. and Bth.
From 70 to 100, 3th. lOgr., 6th. 20gr., and 10th.-
From 100 to 133, 4th., Bth., and 12th. The German
mile is reckoned at 7,300 metres, the thaler at 3f. 73c.,
and the gros at 121-5 centimes.
The Second Chamber of the States-General of the
Netherlands was dissolved this day by royal decree.
At the Bourse this day the quotations of yesterday
have been maintained, with an increase of 10c. in
the Three per Cents. for cash. In the concluding
price of the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. there is no
change to report. The final quotations are :-For
cash, Three per Cents., 80f. 40c.; Four-and-a-Half
per Cents., 103 f. 50c.
In the Railway Share Market to-day there was
considerable activity, with an advance in the quota-
tions of the shares in most of the principal lines; in
Paris and Rouens to the extent of 17f., and of 3f. in
those of Paris and Strasbourg. In the remaining
lines there was a general improvement of from 2f. to
3f., excepting Northerns, which remained unchanged,
and Western of Franco shares, in which a decline
took place of 3f. Closing prices :-Northerns, 9151;
Orleans, 1,053 f. ; Paris and Strasbourg, 880 f.; Paris
and Lyons, 9.50 f.; Paris and Rouen, 1,1521.; Western
of France, 782 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 632 f.