The Express.
London, England, 1848-02-25 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS. FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 25, 1848.

able to see what windows and tea had to do with one
another. Perhaps Par thought tea and fresh air
too great luxuries to be enjoyed at once ; perhaps
he had dreams of artificial light resorted to at earlier
hours, and imagined the duty on the dips and moulds
by which the tea was consumed Wight compensate
for the reduction in the duty on the article itself. At
all events, the public felt that the transference of taxation
to windows required by all, from tea then consumed
exclusively by the wealthy, was a sacrifice of the
general public to the privileged orders. In 1785, BEL-
SHAM recordsthat the effect' of this injudicious measure
were already conspicuous in the disfiguring of houses
to evade the tax. In 1797 came Pat's triple assess-
ment act. How this continued ministerial patronage
of darkness was felt may be inferred from the fact that
Fox, whose ill judged secession from parliament had
hitherto been acquiesced in by his constituents, was
compelled to return in order to oppose the measure. It
passed, and the tax retained its character of unre-
liable ; for in 1802 and again in 1804, acts were
required to be passed augmenting the window duties.
Two very simple facts will show how noxious and
oppressive this tax has been.
The committee on illicit trade, on whose report
PITT founded his commutation act, stated that in
1781 there wee 211,483 houses in Great Britain with
from 8 to 10 windows; the population was then
10,000,000. PORTER'S tables show that in 1845,
when the population was about 20,000,000, the
number of houses with from 8 to 10 windows
was only 158,801. While the population had in-
creased a hundred per cent., the number of houses
with eight to ten windows had fallen off nearly one-
fourth. Again, according to the report of the illicit
trade committee, the total number of houses, with
more than seven windows, assessed to the window
tax in 1784 was 413,515; in 1845, PORTEIt states that
the number of such houses was 453,738. The number
of houses, with more than seven windows, was there-
fore only greater by 40,223 in 1845 than in 1781 ;
although, UR Sir BORERS PEEL stated at King's
College Hospital, the houses in Lonion increased at
the rate of 93 per cent. between 1800 and 1831.
The inequality of the pressure of this tax was for-
cibly illustrated by Lord 1 irscsfi. The results of hie
statements are shown by the fallowing table:
13ererelostreeL Soho.—No house to it rated at 2001. a year.
Most of the houses rated at 40/, SO/., 601. per annum,
Par
Poland-street.—\o house rated at 2001. n year. Meet houses
in it rain at 401., 50/., Os/. per annum, psy 415

Total tax levied on Donvick-atreet and Poland-street 57.594
But St. Jamea'a.rapeire.—Nn hour rated Under 100/. a year
Moat house♦ rated at SW., 7501., 1.000/. per annum, pay 609
Berkeky-equare.—No Douue rated under 90/. a year. Moat
bottles rated at 9001., 7901., LOA/. per annum, pay
Grravenue-square.—No hote.e rated in It under 300/. a year
Mott hour. rated at 9001., 75e/., 1,000/. per annum, pay 053

483
Iterniek-street With only one houre in the three stmt.; 332
itroatiaareet rata dat late.'. a year, pay
Polantintraet

Total I:I,2JU
Whilst Piccadilly, without a house under ;01. a year, and some
u high as 1,0001. and 2,0001. a year rating, pay 11,791

Window tax. Per house.
503 houses in Os'ord-street pay
to hourea in Dufour's-place pay 79
49 houses in Broad-street pay.

One exemplification of the spirit in which this
tax has recently been administered, and of the
success which has attended it, and we close this part
of our subject. In 1833 the number of houses v, ith
eight windows assessed to the window tax was
59,093. In that year, Lord ALTHORP, yielding to
the pitiful whining of the landlords, consented to
exempt farm-houses, dairies, cheese-rooms, &e. ; and in
1831 the number of eight-windowed houses assessed
dropped in consequence at once to 18,267. It kept
struggling upwards again till 1840, but nevercameto
be as high as in 1833. In 1841 came the re-assessment
and Mr. BARING'S 10 per cent. act, the object of
which was to make the urban population pay
for the defalcation in the revenue occasioned by
concession to the rural. By putting on this screw
the number of eight-windowed houses assessed was
raised in 1841 to 62,898. The natural consequence
of this shabby sacrifice of the town populations on
the shrine of landlord interest was not long of be-
coming manifest. Windows came to be blocked up
with railroad speed. In 1841 the increase in the
number of eight-windowed houses rated was 7,125 ;
the increase in the amount of duty was 15,886/. In
the course of the years 1812, 1813, and Ifi I 1 , the de-'
crease in the number of eight-windowed houses rated
was 7,206; the falling oft' in the amount of the tux
levied on them was 5,918/.
Last night Lord IkNtaN did not leave the CHAN-
CELLOR OF THE Excueetunt the poor prescriptive
excuse that the patties calling for the repeal of this '
tax did not show how the defalcation in the revenue
thus occasioned could be made good. His lordship
MIS ready with a method for reanjuving the national
amounts. The army, navy. and ordnance estimates
he observed were 16,861,000/. in 1816, and they are
18,957,000/. in 1848. The difference of two millions
is more than the whole 1,600,000/. returned from the
window tax. Or, if it were thought too much to
fall back on the earlier estimates, Lord Duscars was
ready with an alternative proposal. On the items of
army, navy, ordnance, and militia, Lord Jons's
budget proposes a total increase of 602,000/. The
squadron on the coast of Africa it is estimated will
cost 300,000/. Dispense with the proposed increase
and withdraw the squadron, and there is a clear saving
of 900,0001. There remains (supposing the blocking-
tip of windows to go on as it has done) at least
600,000/. to be provided for. To make up this, Lord
Dorcas( proposes to capitalise the woods and forests
by sales of land, and allow 600,0001. to compen-
sate for the loss on the window tax.
Thus has the gauntlet been fairly thrown down to
ministers on the great question of the window duties.
That tax has been shown to be uncertain in its re-
turns, oppressive to the poor, and unduly favourable
to the rich ; and for these and other causes univer-
sally unpopular. On the other hand, a way
has been pointed out by which the whole
amount of revenue received from it may be
partly dispensed with and partly replaced. These
views have been supported, illustrated, enforced in
the House of Commons by the manly terseness and
youthful fervour of DUNCAN, by the sanction of the
time-honoured name of HUME, by the popular vigour
and plainness of WAKLEY. To representations of so
much weight, so powerfully enforced, it will not do
for the CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER to reply,
that, if the opponents of the tax had not been so un-
reasonable as to ask for its repeal, he would have
been ready to listen to proposals for re-adjusting and
more equally distributing its pressure. The time for
such compromise is past. Nothing short of entire
repeal will now satisfy the public mind. The minis-
terial majority of 'J2 does not settle the question : it
is only a starting point for an agitation sure to
triumph.

THE OUTBREAK IN PARIS.

CHANGE OF MINISTRY.

We yesterday gave a narrative of the 'recurrences
which took place on the night of Tuesday and up to a
late hour on Wednesday evening, to which wo add
some further particulars.
The disturbances had continued during the whole
of Wednesday with great and constantly renewed
vigour oa the part of the people. Barricades were
hurriedly thrown up by
.them, but as promptly
demolished by the military in divers ereets; and the
attitude of the populace—the National Guard in many
instances fraternising with them—grew hourly more
menacing until towards ev, ning a rumour of the re-
signation of the ministry stopped the current of
popular fury, and induced a pause. It was in the
chamber that the moat important scene occurred.
A deputation of officers of the national guard,
most of them belonging to the 9th Legion, had made
their way through the Place de la Concorde, where
an immense crowd had congregated about noon, and
across the bridge to the Chamber of Deputies, for the
purpose of presenting a petition to the chamber in
favour of reform. The battalion of the 10th Legion
on duty at the Chamber of Deputies immediately took
up their arms, and went to meet the aoaching
party with cheers. At the middle of the Pontl de la
Concorde the two columns met. General Trezel, the

Minister of War, who accompanied the battalion of
the 10th Legion, addressed the advancing party, and
remon•trated with them on the unconstitutional na-
ture of their proceedings, and the commander of the
10th declared that he would not allow the petitioners
to pass. M. (Millen Barrot and M. Gartner Pages
then went forward for the purpose of communicating
with the advancing party. but on some representations
being made to them, they thought it wise to retire.
They returned to the chamber, and the petition
was consequently not presented. On their enteiing,
the aspect of the chamber was calm, but evidently oc-
cupied with what was passing without. The mem-
bers of the Left assembled in great numbers, and were
conversing in groups.
M. Vavin, deputy for the Soino, was the first to address the
chamber, and stated, that as deputy of the Scir.c, and in the
name of his colleagues, he had a solemn duty to ndhl, to de-
mand of the minister of the interior infurrnation and expla-
nation as to what was pa/sing lathe capital. Within 21 hours
the most serious disturbances had broken out in Paris. The
population had observed with astonishment the absence of
the national guard. On Monday orders had been given to
call them out. A counter-order must have been given in the
night. It was only the day before, after collisinns had taken
place, that the rappel was beaten. All the day the people
had been exposed to serious danger. If the national guard
had been called out at the commencement it was probable
such sail results would not have been t s be deplored.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs then stated that be did
n..t think it for the public interest, nor proper for the cham-
ber, to enter on any debate on the explanation demanded.
The Kiag had called on M. le Comte Moil—(c:ieers from
the left)—to form a new cabinet. (Renewed cheers.) He
said such interruptions could nut injure him to add to, or
withhold anything of, what he intended to say. As long as
his ministry remained in office, he should cause pubic order
to be respected according to the best of his judgment, as he
had hitherto done.
After some interruption, created by this announcement,
M. Odillon Barret rose, and said : In consequence of the
situation of the cabinet, I demand the adjournment of the
proposition which 1 made yesterday. (the impeachment).
(Loud cries of " Yes, yes," and '• No, no.") I will submit
to the decision of the chamber on the point. (No, no.)
M. Dupin then nee and said—The first thing necessary
for the capital is peace. It must be relieved from anarchy.
Rvary one knows that the spirit of July exists vet. Homage
has been done to the will of the nation, but the people must
know teat its deliberations must not he on the public way.
The ass. mblages must cease. Ido not see how the mini.try,
who are provisionally charged with the public Affairs, can oc-
cupy themaelves at the same time in r.-establishing order,
and with the care of their own safety. I demand the ad-
journment of the proposition presented yesterday. (Loud
cries of " No, no.")
M. Guizot : As long as the cabinet shall be entrusted with
public affairs, it wiliest's° the law to be respected. The cabinet
sees no reason why the chamber should suspend its labours.
The crown, at the present moment, is using its prerogative.
That prerogative must be respected. As ling as the cabinet
is upon these beaches, no business need remain suspended.
The l'resident then put the question as to the adjournment
of M. Odillon Barrot's proposition. About one hundred
members of the opposition supported the adjournment ; the
whole of the conservatives were against it.
The chamber immediately rose in great agitation.
When n. Guizot was entering the chamber before an-
nouncing his resignation, the 10th legion of the national
guard on duty saluted him with groans of " A boa Guizot,"
`Vise Louis Philippe." M. Guizot looked annoyed, and
peeled on without making any remark. A minute after-
wards M. Muret (de Bort) came out of the chamber, and
announced that M. Guizot and his colleagues were out of
office. The announcement was received with loud cheery,
and immediately spread like wildfire. Ia less than half-an
hour it was known all over Paris.
On Wednesday the National Guards of the 2nd arron-
dissement, to the number of about 500 or (100, assembled at
an early hour in the Rue Lepelletier, opposite the Opera. It
was at first supposed that their intentions were hostile to
the people, but the latter soon acquired a convic-
tion that they were animated with the same sentiments
as the immense majority of the population. Their
motto was, " Reform, and the dismissal of M. Guizet."
When the intentions of the citizen soldiers became known,
an immense crowd assembled before them, crying, " Viva
Ia Garde Nationale !" " Viva la Refurme !" The latter
cry was loudly repeated by the National Guards, the officers
joining in it, arid flourishing their swords. Both: then fra-
ternised, and • guard having stepped forward said, " A
difference of opinion may exist between us relative to the
expediency and nature of reform, but we are unanimous in
condemning Guizot. Down with Guizot!" This cry was
echoed by the multitude, and by none with more farce than
by the well dressed men who partly composed it. Shortly
afterwards, those National Guards formed in line,
marched up the Rue Lepelletier, repaired along the
Boulevards to the Rue Richelieu, which they de-
scended towards the Tuileries, amidst deafening cries of
Vive la Reforme," and " Down with the Ministry," to
which they energetically responded. Instead of entering the
Palace du Carousel they proceeded along the Rue de Rivoli,
and drew up between the Rue du Dauphin and the Rue du
29 Juillet. They had no sooner taken their position than an
officer d'Ordonnance of General Jacqueminot rode up, and,
after exchauging a few words with the lieut..col.,rode back
is all haste to the chateau. An immense crowd then as-
sembled round the National Guard, and their cries of " Vise
la Reforme" and " Down with the Ministry" could be dis-
tinctly heard by the king and royal family. Nevertheless
no troops were ordered in that direction, and the people and
the nationals were left quietly to fraternise, although the
two extremities or the street were occupied by an immense
force.
In the meantime the Nationals of the 3rd L-gion collected
to the number of 3.000 on and about the Place des Petits
Peres ; and their officers having held a council, agreed to
depute their colonel to the King to acquaint his Majesty
with the wishes of the National Guard—in other words, re-
form and the dismissal of the cabinet. That officer imme-
diately proceeded to the palace, but wan not admitted into
the royal presence ; he merely saw General Jacqueminot,
the commander-general of the National Guard, who
promised that he would that instant carry himself the me-
morial to the King. The National Guards remained as-
sembled on the Kam* awaking the return of the colonel,
their determination being to march upon the Tuileries if the
reply was negative. Occasionally strong patrols were sent
out to interpose, if necessary, between the combatants, but no
hostilities took:place in the neighbourhood, the troops quietly
remaining on the adjoining Places des Victories, without
giving the least provocation. The Nationals filed by them
crying for reform and the dismissal of minister', surrounded
and followed by an immense mass of people uttering the
same cries, and the soldiers by their countenances testified
that they concurred in that wish. In one of the by-streets
a detachment of troops, stationed there to intercept the pas-
sage, accepted bread and wine from the people, and their
officer looked on, nay encouraged them to accept the provi-
sions offered to them. The Fourth Legion took arms and
stationed detachments in different directions to maintain
eerier and prevent the effusion of blood.
At three o'clock, in the neighbourhood of Rue St.
Denis and the Place St. Denis a strong additional
body of troops and artillery was directed. In the
Rue St. Denis the insurgents fired several times on
the troops, of whom several were said to be killed.
The dragoons were sweeping the Boulevard between the
Porte St. Denis and the Porte Bt. Martin, and they pre-
vented any one from passing, but the distant shots could be
heard. In the Rue Rambuteau, a captain of Cuirassiers
was killed, and the mob carried his helmet in triumph OR
the top of a pole in the midst of the wildest enthusiasm.
the Rue St. Avoye, which was in the hands of the insur-
gents, many of the inhabitants had stuck up on their doors,
Armes donisees, which was considered an intimation
that no arms were any longer to be had there.
The attitude taken by the Guarde Nationale is very
threatening. Two battalions of the national guard of the
second arrondissement just referred to allow a party of the
municipal guard to pass through the Rue Lepelletier, where
they were drawn up. The municipal guards drew their '
swords, and threatened to attack ; but the mayor of the
arrondissement having appeared, warned the municipal
guards to withdraw, which they did. The explanation given
of it is that the national guard was ordered by the mayor
to protect the Morrie, and not to allow any troops to paw,.
The national guards of the first arrondissement, which had
shown a better disposition towards the government than
those of the other arrondissements, were drawn up at three
o'clock in the Rue Rivoli, and had ten additional rounds
of cartridges served out to them. The national guards of
the 3rd arrondissement drawn up in the Place des Petit
Peres, prevented the municipal guards from leaving their
barrack, which are situated in that place, and threatened to
fire on them. General Jacqueminot (father-in-law of
115.
Dachatel, minister of the interior), Commander in-Chief
of the national guard, a few minutes afterwards
came on the ground, and attempted to harangue
the prided but they refused to listen to him.
said tact a general (Peyrout Tibure• Bebutisai,

brother of she mareb:l) who commended the troops at the
Filles du Calvaire, wu killed by a man en blouse.
Ten of the people made prisoners by the troops were con-
fined in the pard-house of the Boulevard des Bounce Now
vanes, which has uniformly been taken by the people in
every inseute. The people attacked it at live o clock, dis-
armed the soldiers, discharged the muskets, and returned
them to them, and liberated the prisoners. They carried oft
the flag that &dulled the entrance, and presented it as •
trophy to the 3rd Legion of National Ouarffii. The sth regi-
ment, which joined the people in July, 1630, was there
during this affair, awl again fraternised with the people.
The people were at five o'clock proceeding to the prefecture
of the police to liberate the prisoners confined there. Oa
their way they called at the Reforms newspaper office, and
were told that all was cot over, that the banquet must take
plac,, and that good care would be taken to enure their
liberties.

WEST INDIA AND MEXICAN
MAILS.

We yesterday announced the arrival of the Royal
West India Mail steam-packet Tay, Capt. Sharp, at
Southampton.
The Tay brings 28 passengers, among whom are
ten riggers, who went out in the Medway, convict
ship, to Bermuda. (The rest of the Medway's crew
were sent home in the Persian.) Iler freight consists
of 23,304 dollars, 1,4301. British coin, 117 ounces of
gold dust, Sze., 1,536 ounces of silver.
The Mexican and Havannah mails were brought to
Bermuda by the Thames, which arrived at Ireland
island on the 6th of February. Owing to the non- '
arrival of the Tay with the outward mails, the
Thames was despatched from Bermuda on the 2nd of
January to Ilavannah and the gulf of Mexico to bring
the homeward msila from those places. Having
started so late, she was compelled to curtail her time
in order to be back in proper time to forward her
mails to England. At Ship Island, on the 14th of
January, the American steamer Delaware came
alongside of the Thames, and took oat the passengers
and mails for New Orleans. The heavy sea en the
bar at Tampico prevented the Th smes having any
communication with the shore. The weather was
thick with winds fromthe N.W. on the 18th and 19th
of January (all the rest of her time in the gulf was
fine), and prevented her making Vera Cruz before
3 p.m. on the 20th. On the 21st fie Thames started
for Havannah, where she arrived at 7 a.m. on the
26th. She was detained 48 hours there waiting for
H.M.S. Darling, which brought up the Vera Cruz
mails, containing despatches from M. Doyle, oar
chargé d'affaires at Mexico.
The amount of specie shipped by the Thames at
Vera Cruz was small ; from the state of the country
the merchants were afraid to risk the despatch of the
precious metals from the interior. Report said that
6,000,000 of dollars were awaiting a safe convoy at
San Luis l'otosi.
General Twiggs had superseded General Wilson in
the government of Vera Cruz. The state of the city
is reported as rapidly improving undtr the new go-
vernor. Numerous sanitary regulations had been
introduced; omnibuses had been imported from
America; various places of amusement had been
opened, and an American company performed regu-
larly in the theatre ; the city was healthy, and appa-
rently thriving. Reinforcements of recruits, ammu-
nition, and stores continued to arrive daily. The only
active operations in the field were desuitory affairs
with guerillas.
Letters from Mexico, dated the 12th of January,
sty :—" There is a great deal of talk about an expedi-
tion bang sent to Queretaro, San Luis, Zacatecas, &c.,
and about a division of the army having left for To-
luca. It is not, however, probable that active hosti-
lities will be resumed until the pending negotiations
for a peace are decided. Should a continnat.on of the
war be resolved upon, an expedition will march
against Orizaba immediately." A lttter from Tam-
pico states : --" The people of this department are
heartily tired of misrule and oppression, and are
anxious to become independent, or annexed to the
United States. They have, in accordance with this
feeling, refused further subsidies to the Mexican go-
vernment." Santa Anna was at Tehuacan de los
Grenades, half-way between Tehua:an and Oajaca.
Paredes was at Tulancingo, baring retired from active
life.

TRINID.kD.—The colonists are setting their
shoulders to the wheel in good earnest. The Pori of Spain
Gazette of the 14th of January says :
It gives or much pleasure to be able to gat, that a.-nong planters in
all, or nearly all, the different quarters of the c,kny, the conviction
is fast gaining ground that the encouragisg tit srourth of provisioss
by the 131snurers on the waste lands of the est...tte is not only sound
policy, buf :hat on the general eanTing out tics it:vas:ire depends
to • great degree the future existence of the t.ttgar ylantatioras of the

colony,
The accounts of the progress of the colorist railway are
also proini•ing. This is the true " A i'de Ito et le ciel.t
aidera" spirit. It is by acting thuii. that the ctlonists will
command the respect, sympathy, awl aid of their fellow-
, subjects in the mother country.
\WINDWARD ISLANDS.—P, len.tDoel. The
88th regiment had suffered much front yellow fever. On
the 27th of January. Col. Phibbs and forty of the men had
died of it. The Barbadoes Mercury, in its i• Review for
home readers," anticipates a good crop. The editor, with
great good sense remarks
Our opinion regarding the amount of the crop in inJuord from the
reasons; sod ere allude to the quality In terms ungnegtionable, be-
lieving that, from the character and extent of the information we
hare obtained, the planter in deeply sensible that, in two many in-
stancee hie object to nianuf,eture sugar in the greatest Lute, with-
out regard to quality, end aiming only at quantity, bias been met by
toes in sales and price*. Ile has discovered that the wisest policy,
under existing elresimetar,s, ie to rend good quality sugar to
market, which will realise immediate sales and profitable return, ; or
if it unfortunately NI to meet a ready salt, there will be little, if any
loss sustained from the leak,. of treacle out of badly boiled sugar.
Thr agricultural society have reported in the same strain.
A reduction in wages has been effected.
The West India Bank affairs do not appear to make satis-
factory program towards explanation or settlement. On this
head the Mercury says:
Fey now, and we have always congdereil, that the bent course
for adoption would have been, at the 'mutt, the moment that the
°freers were found to have drawn can't freely, to have dismissed
them ; we would than have been spared extravagant epeme. and not
hare been duped with the dseeption that there w.e "eupet abundant
supply of specie at all the leink's branches ;" that in a very short
time, specie payments would be resumed;" "tut specie was men
then 'fleet week in Deoember) on its way to this blend." We say this
deception would have been avoided ; but we believe It is Paid, In
answer, by the extraordinuee director., that the officers were
required to give information to this board during their investigating of
thebank's affairs; this is reasenatle, but it dots not &fleet our views
in respect of the delusion, if nolliing more. With this melange of
i.ufferuble disorder, and earifunion, and miefcitune before the eyes of
the public, we hear a call mode upon the ehareholdelv to pay up
15 dole. per share, by there imte.inents, within a period of tea
months. In view of this ',Hoes 111 we °teem • stipulation to pay
'• depositors and other inainlng claimant's," on the Ist August,
1818, 25 per cent.; on the let November, 1154•' 10 per cent. ; can the
let July, 1849, 25 per cent.; on the let July, 1050, 25 per cent. ; and
balance on the let December, 1850, 15 per cent— this paying the
liabilities in full by the let Deamber, 1.850. It is ex:sr enough that
things are rotten; therefore we are bold In our try of wind op, wind
up, without further prierantination, outlay, and Release.