The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-18 00:00:00

REPEAL OF THE WINDOW TAX.

A meeting was held last evening at the British
Hotel, Cockspur-street, to consider the propriety of formai'
a metropolitan and provincial association, for the pu
obtaining a repeal of the window-tax. It was convened by
a circular emanating from several gentlemen who had for
yearn advocated such a measure, and who conceived thee
the present was a most important time for pressing upon the
government the justb e and necessity of repealing a tax whidt -
wan unfair and impolitic, and that any sanitary measure as.
accompanied with tne repeal of the window duty would be
defective and unsatisfactory.
Mr. C. LUSIIINGTON, M.P., on being called to the chair
(in the absence of Sir De Lacy Evans, who was expected to
fill it), having explained the object of the meeting, observed
that it was most satisfactory to perceive how widcapread,
earnest, and intense an interest the sanitary question hada.
cited in the public mind. (Hear, hear.) The rich had
opened their eyes to the necessity of remedying those mime
and lamentable evils which were a disgrace to this meteor,.
lie and all large towns ; evils which immediatily affected
the poor, but which indirectly fell upon themselves, and be •
was happy to be able to say, that while they iv; re on the am
side receiving a willing co-operation from the poor, they
were obtaining on the other a moat praiseworthy assistance
from her Majesty's government, more particularly free
Lord Morpeth, who had evinced a humane and noble desire
to see those evils fully al d effectually removed. (Ilea.)
Mr. III:Goan% the secretary, read a number of &pals&
from gentlemen in various large towns, all of wh in ex.
press. d their concurrence in the object of the meeting, M.
eluding one from Sir B. Hall, M P., who promised to support
a measure for the repeal of the window tax in parliament,
as essential to sanitary reform.
Mr. WYLD, M.P., proposed the following resolution:
That the window tax is unequally imposed, falling most heavily
upon the trading and productive clameri; that it re,train. the ,tyd,.."
of the country, and obstructs the progress of architectural =min
merit. That, excluding light, arid preventing due ventilation is
dwellings, it tends to encourage debits of uncleanliness, to engender
the must fatal diseases, and to impair the health and strength of r.ll
elansea, especially the labouring poor.
He conceived that they had a strong claim upon the present
government to repeal the window duty, because the adminie
tration, of which Lord Althorn was a member, pledged
itself to that effect. It was a tax which pressed most heavily
on the middle and working classes, and considering that it
was now universally admitted to be necessary in a sanitary
point of view, it eould not and ought not to be upheld far
purposes of revenue ; as in the case of the measure oft'
free trade in corn, revenue must not be looked to, but the
question be regarded only as expedient or necessary for the
public good. (Hear, hear.) He found,with regret and surprise,
that the entire attention of the sanitary commissioners had
been directed to the state of the sewers, as if that alone was
the cause of sickness and malaria. On reflection, however, he
recollected that windows were taxed and sewers were not,
and in that fact he thought he could see the reason why the
commissioners made no mention about the necessity of
plenty of light and free ventilation, which medical men de-
clared to be as essential to health as good sewerage, &c.
Mr. HEALY, in seconding the resolution, quoted the re.
port of the committee of delegates appointed to collect infor-
mation, showing that the windows of London tradesmen
paid a higher rate of tan than those of the nobility.
The resolution having been unanimously adopted,
Mr. SAUNDERS, of Bath, moved :
That an emaciation be now formed to be called " The loadan and
Provincial Union for the Abolition of the Window Tax," for the par.
port of obtaining, by every legal means, the total and immediate
talon of that obnoxious tax.
He observed that Bath, with a population of only shoat
50,000, paid a larger amount of window tax than any ether
town in England, except London and Liverpool. It was a
melancholy thing to see every second window inmost of the
fine houses in Bath blocked up, and the artist called upon to
do the duty of the architect. Ile felt with a character in the
Pickwick Papers, that " it was a humbug to say that every
man's house was his castle," so long, at least, ax the. window.
tax remained unrepealed. (Cheers.)
Dr. SIMPSON, in seconding the resolution, informed the
meeting amidst much cheering, that he had it from Dr.
Southwood Smith himself, that he had told the government
that sanitary reform, unaccompanied by a repeal of the win.
dow-tax, would not be worth a button.
The resolution was agreed to; and, on the motion of Mr.
J. GEORGE, seconded by Mr. IIocKEN, a committee was sr,
pointed to carry both resolutions into effect, whereupon the
meeting separated.

ROYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.—The ningl
quarterly meeting of this society was held yeeterdry at the
'Thatched House Tavern, St. Jameseestreet. Sir C. Millais
presided. A slight interruption was caused, when the pro.a
cuttings were about to commence, by the appearance of Mks
Hoare, the lady whose claims against the society have ra
cently involved it in so much expensive litigation. It was
understood that Miss Hoare attended for the purpose if
making some statements or explanations in reference to his
case; but it being a rule of the society that no pence ad
being a member should take part in the proceedings, ohs
was requested to withdraw, and did so accordingly. Thu
business was then proceeded with. The minutes of
the lest meeting having been read and confirmed, the
secretary read the statement of accounts for the lest quarter,
and also that for the year just expired. The former accout
showed the following totals :—Receipts, 1,2391. 18s. ; upon
ditute, 6211. ; balance in favour of the society, 6181. lfe.
The receipts for the year were 3,1511. 3s. 3d. ; and the sr
penditure, 2,5301. ls. 7d. ; which left a balance in favour of
the society of 6211. Is. fkl. The present amount of funded
property was 34,7191, 17e. 95. A discussion ensued with
reference to the law expenses, consequent upon the proceed-
ings taken against the society bcommitteey Miss Hoare. It had beta
suggested at a meeting of the at Devotiport that s
circular should be sent to every member, requesting him to
give one-half of a day's half-pay, in addition to his usual
annual sub.cription, in order to defray the expenses. It wee
agreed, after considerable discussion, that the suggestion be
adopted, with the addition that any further coatributica
towards the ohj. ct would be thankfully received.—Captain
Dickeason exert s.ed his willingness to contribute 201.
towards the fund —Captain Sherwin then brought forward
a resolution of which he had given previous notice, to the
effect that after the public business of every meeting had
been gone through, all persons not being members of the
leociety, including reporters, should withdraw, in order
that the names of the parties receiving donation
should not go forth; and in addition, that it
should be understood among the members that
ell discussions relating to the applicants should be
considered strictly confidential. Captain Dickenson,
Captain Segue, end several other gentlemen opposed the
resolution, as being totally unnecessary, inasmuch as the
names of the recipients of donations had never been pub-
lished in the newspapers, nor had the members themselves
been guilty of any serious breach of confidence. The feeling
of the meeting appearing to be unanimous on the point, the
resolution was withdrawn.—On the motion of Captain NO
the sum of 3001. was then voted towards the liquidation
of the law expenses caused by the prosecutioa
Miss Hoare's claim. Captain Bague rive notice
of a motion for the purpose of making some altera-
tion in the office arrangements of the society. -Captain
Dickenson also gave notice of a motion to withhold the bens-
fits of the society from the relatives of non-subscribers. This
concluded the general business, and the committee then pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the claims of the applicants,
of whom there were 97, the amount to be distributed being
about 3501.
BalTioti ORPHAN ASYLUNI.—The election of seven
candidates for admission into this excellent institution took
place yesterday, at the City of London Tavern, Bishougate
street. The polling by proxies commenced at 12 o'clock,
and closed at three. The Lord Mayor took the :hair aft*
the poll was declared to be clued, when one of the directors
read the report, which stated that there were at present in
the asylum at Clapham rise 84 children, of whom 10 boys
and six girls had been elected during the past year. The re-
port stated that a falling off in the life and annual substni-
tions had recently taken place to the extent of 4311. 3s. ba•
during the past year. This may partly be atuibutahle ta
the circumstance that there was no anniversary dinner
during the year 1847, when a good collection is generally
made. This, however, would not be the case during the
year 1848, for the Earl of Lincoln had generously offered to
preside at the dinner, and it was hoped that a ou.terous sad
brilliant attendance would be the consequence. The report
further stated that there had been added to the funds of the
asylum the sum of 1411. 19a. collected after sermons preached
on behalf of the asylum in June and July, 1847. In con-
clusion, the directors called attention to the very high price
of provisions during the past year, and lamented that theg
funds only enabled them to elect 7 of the 27 candidata on
the list. The report, having been adopted, was orderea
to
be printed. The Lord Mayor then proceeded to distribute
the rewards which had been bestowed upon they ouths of
both sexes who had conducted themselves well subsea
to their quitting the asylum. Several of these young peoPla
had received this honourable testimonial three and foal
times. The sum of 1421. 16s. was aonounced to. be
co the
amount of subscriptions received during the manna;
ve's. Thanks having been voted to the, Lord Mayor, the
following names were announced as thane of the successful
candidates :—W. A. Ilarding, J. Reynolds, T. A. Wait"
J. Chambers, Catherine Hesse, J. Ball, and C. D. Showell.
The numbers having beenannowned, the meeting separate&