The Express.
London, England, 1849-01-30 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

EDINBURGH.

Difficult u it is to get at the burdens on land, there
is one time peculiarly favourable for obtaining a we-
Irect account of the taxes that bear down the landed
interest; that time is when land is to sell, and then
the burdens are as sure to be small as they are certain
to be great when the equitable adjustment of national
taxation is spoken of. An estate in Stirlingshire is
just now being advertised for sale: in extent it is
upwards of 1,100 acres, and the upset price is
14,0001. "The case, bridge and rogue money, minis-
ter's stipend, and eohoolmaster's salary, amount for
the whole estate to 9/. 3s. Bd." On consulting the
poor-law report, there is, in addition, no as-
' 'moment for the poor. An Edinburgh shop-
keeper, with a rent of 1504 will, for the
single item of minister's stipend, pay more than
the proprietor of this estate pays for all the taxes
mentioned.

On the subject of finance reform, it may be
mentioned that intimation is said to have come to
Edinburgh from head-quarters, that at the commence-
ment of the session Lord Jahn Russ-11 is to take the
wind out of Mr. Cobden's sails, and astonish the coun-
try with a detail of what ho has done, is doing, and
will do, in the way of retrenchment. Except in the
insignificant item of never having been able to keep
expenditure from running ahead of income, Lord
John is to show himself to have been all along a

finance reformer. The story is as good as that of the
draught-player, who, finding he was losing the game,
turned round the board, and declared the winning
men to be his. The ruse will not deceive the Edin-
burgh financiers.

Tae Fonothice at tia.aeteuer.—ln reference to the
extensive forgeries just dieeevered (as reported in this paper
yesterday') the Glettgow Citizen says "It is now apparent
that the delinquent, who was well esunected, and used high
in society in the city, mutt have been guilty, during the last
two or three years, of many similar forFtries, bet which he
had skilfully managed to prevent awning to light. As he
was in the Ivneriean trwle, and omicron of personal intimacy
with the partners of both the respectable firms upon which
he drew, it was impossible that the basil:ars who discounted
the bills canld have the slightest doubt of their authenticity.
We learn, however, that in September last the manager of
the City B ink, not liking the look of Mr. Buchanan's
account, insisted on its being curtailed—that little or no
paper had been dieemr..te.l for him sines teat date—while
the &merit had been reduced to a third of its then ernount—
no leas than B.OOW. having in the interim been paid. None
of the' other acceptances' referred to above, are held by
the City Bank ; and a cash credit which Mr. Buchanan has
held for the last flee yesrs in that bunk is, we are intumed,
perfectly regular and secure."
Ma. MACAULAY'S INAUGURATION AI LORD RECTOR
Or GLASGOW UNIVERSITY has been postpsited fir the
ens nat. Although the period origiruilly indicated continued
perfectly oenvissient for Mr. Mocaulay, the authorities of the
University have, we are informed, considered it judicious to
decline fixing a day for the ceremony in the wending),
o wing chit tly to the prevalence of thetas, in the city, and the
consequent thinness of the classes. It has also been resolved
to prolour the postponement ulna alter the ruing of puha
merit at Sister, in obed'ence to the wishes of several emi-
nent Wends who desire t) be present on the occasion. The
inauguration may, therefore, be expected to take place about
the middle of April.

PROPINCIAL.
LANCASHIRE.
A GENERAL MEETING OP THE PROPRIETORS OF THE
LIVEUPOOL 'Cmasoa buildings was held 3 esterday, when a
dividend of 81. 10s. was declared.

Cool Taicx.—At the Hulme Cavalry Barrack.,
Manchester, on 8 iturdsy, • valuable horse belonging to one
of the offlers (a ehargfr, worth at least 2001, or 2601) was
stolen from the stable. A man entered the barrack-yard in
the garb of an officer's servant, and going to the stable deli.
beratels brought out the horse, in presenee of many of the
troopers, and, mounting it, rode out at the gate unchallenged '
by ttv sentry, and unsuspected by any one to he other than '
what he seemed. Re got clear off with the steed, and neithi r
of them have yet been trend.
EIGHT LIVES LOST AT LANCASTER.—An inquest
was held on Wednrsday upon eig mon who lost their lives
by the upsetting of a boat on the river Lune, at Lancaster.
The men were working at Donny Beck Qoa-rv, on the
North-Western Railway, about two milts, from Lancaster.
They were in the habit of amine the Lune in a body to get
to Hilton, where they lived. On the after, oon of Monday
the boat had crested twice, once with ten in it and once with
sewn. The third time, eleven got in, but one, thinking it
too full, jumped out. The others pushed elf. The fresh
was then running strong, and the wind being very high,
while the •de of the beat was close to the water, the waves
dashed into it, and turned it evmpletely over, throwing then:
all into the . One of them clung to the bout, and was
heard for some time crying for help. Two others saved
themselves by swimming, and tho teat sunk. Verdict,
"Accidental death."

TORK9HIRR.
SEVERAL MEETING 4 TO PROMOTE THE PEACE
MOVEXENT have recently been held, at which Mr. Jcseph
Sturgis. and other ge..tlemen, have urged upon large
audiences the desirability of dispensing with standing armies,
and of Fettling all national disputes without reference to the
sword. One of these meetings took place at Ruddersfuld on
Friday.
A CONSIDERATE POLICEMAN.—The Halifax new
borough police have printed instructions that their duty is to
yrevent offences One of the body th, other day carried out
his instructions in rather a nay I manner. Two drunken
fellows were quarrelling in the wee% and from words were
[woes, iing to blows, when the gentleman in Nue came up.
Without drawing staff he marched up to the irate combatants,
and tapping one of them on the shoutler, said gravely," You
haven't tither of you fourtten shillin' that you can sp,re,
beet you?" Tois broad hie tat penalty and vote" brought
the two to their armee. ft,,y ient•mbered that they could
not afford the luxury of a street row, and so they went away
in ream
FRUITS OF VIE GASIL-LAWS.—A murder was com-
mitted on Earl de Grey's proptrty, near Ripon, on Thurs-
day night. A gamekeeper named Harrison on the noble
earl's estrte went out about 4 p.m. nn that day, unarmed,
for the purp sse i f some of the plantations in hit
hes ping. Ile did not return a: night, but no alarm was tic-
essi,ned, as ha was frequently in the habit of being out at a
late hour. On the following morning, however, the tin.
fortunate man not having returned, a search wa- made, and
his body was found in a plantation at uo great distance from
his own house, and where it appeared that he had been shot
through the heart—it is belf.jed by poachers.