The Express.
London, England, 1865-02-10 00:00:00

TWkija

toted between beer and °thee bewalm6lo6 In 46'.
gard to these, indeed, the Whims ill all on thr
side of the supporters of the Malt Tax.
They tall us that beer would be cheapened
only • penny a quart by removal of
the duty, and that as tea is charged Is. per
lb., the burden on the tea•drinker is out of all
proportion greater. But if they would remember
that neither tea nor malt are chewed, but both
are drunk in a state of infusion, though the one is
hot and the other cold, they would find that while
the malt-drinker pays a tax of • penny on his
quart, the tea-drinker pays only three-quarters of
a farthing on the same quantity of his milder
beverage. And as when Mr. Gi.anerrotse made
the consumer a present of one-half of this amount
by taking 6d. off the duty, the boon was con-
sidered a very real one, we oertainly think that a
reduction of • penny on the quart of beer, if it
were no more, would be accepted by the public as
a sensible relief. The objection which he himself ,
had made—that it would be a relief to England, '
only at the expense of Scotland and Ireland—is
one of a highly artificial and official kind. The
fact is that the Soots were regular ale topers, till
the imposition of the malt-tax, which almost
drove them into rebellion, made them whisky-
r drinkers. And if they could be recalled to their
ancient taste, it would certainly be a gain to
' morality quite as great as can be hoped for from
the introduction of the " Gt.anaroer. claret. "
As far, therefore, as principle and expediency I
go, we are quite at one with the farmers' meeting.
But then unhappily come in the cruel words—
practical possibility. The Malt Tax gives us
above six millions a year, and how are we to get
it otherwise I And we take at once the whole
amount, for a mere reduction would still leave in
force the Excise system, which, as we have seen,
slug doubles the fiscal burden. Now nobody
hie ventured to propose a substitute tax capable
of producing six millions. Nor indeed would the
oountry stand it. We cannot raise again the tea
and sugar duties, spirits and tobacco pay as much
as the smuggler will let them pay, and • fivepence
additional income tax is out of the question. So
till we can afford to do without the six millions a
year, we are afraid the question must sleep again.
We could, indeed, suggest how the six millions
I might be at once dispensed with. We could
point to a reduction in the army, to a resolution
to embark in no more "little ware- in the colonies,
to a closer watch over domestic expenditure and
administrative efficiency, as means which would
enable us at once to abolish the whole of the
malt duty and still have • surplus. But we fear
this is a• process in which we must expect no help
from the farmers, or the farmers' friends. The
latter show their determination against a reduc-
tion of expenditure by the significant fact that
their leaders te a man stay away from the anti-
Malt Tax meeting. The former still look to the
landlords and Lord DERBY to give them the
relief they ask for, oblivious of the fact that the
landlords and Lord Daisy will never sanction
the economy which alone would make it
it poesible. Well, the farmers cannot
both have their cake and eat their cake. They
cannot send members to Parliament pledged to
maintain all our military and civil expenditure at
its present amount, and at the same time get six
millions lopped off the revenue in their favour.
If they were a little wiser in their generation, they I
would see that their interest Si producers, and the
interest of the public as consumers is one, and
that the interest of the Conservative chiefs is quite
another, and they would recognise that to gain
their object they had better ally themselves with
those who wish to reduce taxation by reducing
expenditure, than with those who avowedly de-
sire to maintain expenditure and who therefore
cannot reduce taxation. But this wisdom will
scarce, we fear, come in time for the next election,
so they had better at once make up their minds to
another seven years' term of the Malt Duty.

gig ereuri.

OSBORNE, Fcs. 9.

The Queen, with the Count of Paris and Prinoe
Edward of Saxe Weimar, walked and drove yesterday after-
noon. The Dowager Duchess of Athole attended ber
Majesty.
Princess Louise drove out, attended by the Hon. Harriet
Phipps.
The Count and Countess of Paris, attended by Madame
de Boerio and the Marquis de Beauvoir, left Osborne t"-
day.
Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar also took his departure.
Viscount Sydney, Lord Chamberlain, and Lord Proby,
Comptroller of the Household, arrived from London to
present the Addresses ►o her Majesty front both homes of
parliament. _

The Prince of Wales rode on hoeseback yesterday after-
noon, attended by Major Teesdale.
The Primes, of Wales took a carriage drive, attended by
the Hon. Mrs. Stoner.
The Committee of Connell on Educatioe met yesterday
at the Privy Council-oelee, Whitehall. The Lords preset
were—Earl Granville (Lord President), the Duke of Argyll,
Earl Ruseell, and the Right Hon. H. A. Bruce, M.P.
(Vice-Presideat).
A deputation on the subject of the malt tax bad an In.
tervisw with the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer at his official madame in Downing-street yes.
terday.
The JedMial Committee of the Privy Council sat yester-
day. Present—Lord Chelmidord and the Lords Justices
Knight Bruce and Turner.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-oleos
from the Governor of Canada. Despatches were sent to
the Governors of the Caps of Good Hope, Natal, St. Helens,
the Mauritius, and Canada.

ROYAL GMIZRAL THEATRICAL FUND.—IL is
stated that the Prince of Wales has announced his intention
to be present at Drury-lane Theatre on Monday morning
next at the performance In aid of the Royal General This-
ideal Fund.
Ilia Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
honoured the performance at the Royal Olympic Theatre
by his presence Let evening.
The Duchess of Somerset's early dancing parties
will take place on the Bth, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of the en-
suing month, at the duke's official residence at the Admi-
ralty, Whitehall.
The Countess Benntorff's first evening party
before Easter is appointed for the =lad inat., at the Prussian
Legation.
The Marquis d'Andign‘ entertained at dinner
on Tuesday night his Excellency the Austrian Amtwesedor,
his Excellency the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergas, sad a
select circle.

Viscountess Palmerston has evening parties to-
morrow and on the 25th but. at Cambridge Booze.
The Earl and Countess Russell entertained a
'pelmet circls at dinner lest evening, at their madame in
Chestuun.placs. On Wednesday the noble earl sad
countess had a dinner party. _ _ _

The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of
Commons will oommence his aerial of parliamentary dinning
on the 18th hist. with an enterteinment to her Majesty's
ministers.

The Lord Bishop of London and Mrs. Tait
entertained at dieser ou Wedeseday last, at their residing%
Loudon House, St. Jameolasquare, his Grace the Arch-
bishop of York, his Grace the Archbishop of Dublin and
the Hoc. Mrs. Trench, the Bishops of St. David's, Oxford.
Oarlisle, and Peterborough, the Right Hon. Spasm H.
Walpole and Mrs. Walpole, Sir W. R. Farquhar and Indy
Mary Parqubsr, Mks Burdett Matte, Mrs. Browne, the
Dean of Westminster and Lady Augusta Stanley, the Dean
of Derry, the Rev. G. W. Humphrey (rector of St. Martin's-
I ia-thaTielde) and Yrs. Humphrey, he.