The Express.
London, England, 1849-04-06 00:00:00

Eat eppreoo.

OUTGOING MAILS.
The mile kr Ildllk Murk ASMtn mad the Liked Nike
wills maw this ernsis Meek at ApriL
The wits Ise Tim Waft lAilies, Madeira, Cain, and Gibraltar
WM be wale open She warelist Mika 7th of April.
The min eel MareaMea, le the Mediterranean, Rapt,
Orylea, wish Mriatang, is., will be wade up as the ewe=
the 7W:en.
The beim Nile, anlndlai Derwada, Mareana, Xmas.
deed New Orleena, anii Yeas, awl irking those kr
Madeira. Jaiwthellisenies, MIIII Owned.% Oa, awl Pore, will
be wade op ea the WAN et the 17th April.
The swim fa Olinelir. MO% Oresehe kaki' Wendt.
Ate. (bytes. lalik. lberso4Leas. and We lbeeebeaspeoM
be ewes open the newingel Me Mk
The swim kr Meidan. Zoe de Vane Mark Mena LIZ" and
Anomie, will be mei op ea the ith of ANIL
The walls bre here. the ilnuale, and Beres Ayres, wlllbe wade
up on the Melee of the Ilth et May.

*ION WATTS AT LONDON DIDION
Too —llAislog. 111 aft. poi 1 Aftenue, *W. put I.
T./bassw—llinlaj, le W. poi 1; Alamos. If ala. put i.

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 6.
The revenue returns for the financial, year and
quarter ended yesterday, show a continuous, though
not a very great, improvement It is true there is a
decrease on the quarter of 264,0931., but this has been
occasioned by the stoppage of the China money which
added 455,0211. to the return for the corresponding
quarter of last year.
The returns show an increase of 1,169,5541. in the
eastome revenue for the year 1848-9, as compared
with that of 1847-8 ; in the excise revenue an in-
Male of 569,6321. There is an increase of 39,0001.
Is the crown lands. In all other breaches of the
ordinary revenue there is a demons.; the most con-
siderable item beingone of 719,5811. upon stamps. The
excess of increase over decrease on the total revenue
of the year (ordinary and extraordinary) is 887,2891.
The result of these returns is, that in the customs
revenue of the year just ended, as compared with that
of the preceding year, there has been an increase of
more than a ; in the excl.' revenue an
increase of more than half a million ; in the
revenue from stamps a decrease of nearly
two-thirds of a million ; and in all other
branches of revenue, inconsiderable variations—
in a downward direction in all of them except
the crown lands. The customs revenue is obviously
recovering with most rapidity from its depression, nor is
the cause of this far to seek. The alterations made of
late years in the Excise and Customs duties, have re-
moved the pressure of the former to a ocnaiderable
extent from the cheap luxuries of the poor. Beer and
soap are now the only articles extensively command
by the labouring daises on which the Excise
presses. On. the other hand, the Customs duties
on sugar, coffee, cocoa, fruits, &c., have
been materially diminished, and provisions are im-
ported free of duty. There can be little doubt that
in consequence of this state of affairs the industrious
poor stint their pots of ale and indulge in rashers,
pudding., and temperance society beverages.
The moral of this story is, that our financial system
has already, by almost imperceptible degree*, under-
gone a change that renders further immediate changes
indispensable. the reduction of customs duties on
sugar, coffee, fruits, &c., concurrently with the
maintenance of high duties (to say nothing of excise
restrictions) on malt and hops is diminishing the oon-
gumption of British barley by an artificial financial
operation. The growers of that article must be le-
lieved. But how is the deficit in the revenue that
will thence accrue, to be supplied P Not by increasing
existing customs duties or imposing others. The in-
trigued quantity and cheapness of provisions under
the new tariff, has contributed too much to augment
the comfort and health of our industrious labourers,
to admit of such a thought.
The balance of expenditure and income must be
kept even by bold and extensive retrenchment ; and
it is only in the cost of oar armaments that any ma-
terial saving is possible. The important economies
that can, no doubt, be effected in our civil outlay may
be] required to meet possible increased enemies
calmed by improvements in the general organise,-
tion of civil government. And, in addition
to retrenchment in the army and navy, our
financiers must prepare for such a revision
of taxation as will give full and free play to
the policy of reducing customs duties, and, if possible,
abolishing the excise. Toe revenue returns for the
year and quarter which ended yesterday are a pre.-
tical demonstration of the necessity of having recourse
to Mr. COBDEN'S budget, or something very like it.
The opinion we have expressed, that the compara-
tively slight improvement on the year's revenue very
inadequately shadows forth the year's improvement
in the social condition of the people, is fully borne
out by the trade returns issued on Wednesday last.
It is essential to bear in mind that these returns re-
fer only to he first two months of the present year—
that in point of fact they extend from 6th January to
sth March, 1849. These two months were certainly
distinguished, if not by a very considerable pros.
parity, at least by a marked amelioration in the condi-
tion of the commerce and industry of the country.
Since the date included in these official tables it is
equally certain that some material change has occurred
in the previous state of things. There have been
several reasons for this, and all of them arising out of
the uncertainties of continental and colonial politics.
The revival of the war in Piedmont, the expiration of the
armistice in Holstein, and the protraction of the cam-
paign in the Punjaub, have all conspired in different
degrees to relax the confidence and distract the calcu-
lations of oar merchants and manufacturers. We
must peruse these custom-house returns, therefore,
with such a reservation as will prevent us from. or-
getting that, although published in April, they
strictly represent a posture of affairs which belonged
only to January and the succeeding month.
Depending in a most intimate degree, as this
country does, upon a full and steady supply of raw
materials of manufacture procured from foreign
sources for the employment of its people upon objects
destined to internal consumption, there can be no doubt
that the most vital portions of these periodical bul-
letins of imports and exports are the figures which
exhibit the quantities of raw materials procured and
consumed. So long as we import largely of com-
modities of this class, we cannot go far in a
direction. They are not in themselves artiCTen
luxury, although capable of assuming such a form,
and being converted to such a purpose—but converted
only by a process of labour, which mast first enrich
and provide for a numerous body of dealers and work-
people, whose profits and labour constitute an
Important element of the national wealth. If, for ex-
ample, we increase our arrivals of cotton by 60 per
cent, there are onitwo conclusions to be attached
to the fact—either the internal or the external trade
of the country have supplied a larger demand, and
afforded a more extensive employment, than they
had done before.
Considered in this light, the returns before us are
exceedingly satiafactory, not merely as concerns the
comparison between the present year and 1848, but
even u concerns that more critical comparison which
may be instituted between leen and 1849.
Thus we have the following results as the
im-
ports of—

RAW MATERIAI,B.

1b44.

Allall, oft
01Is,
!My I.
Tam, owts.
Cotton wool,
Ilingis wool, a.

190
15.000
64,099
71,000
662,400
33,000
654,000
3,669,000

mOOO
novo
17,000
MANZ
loy::
MOP*

1849.

411.111111
174
SAM
•1111