The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-25 00:00:00

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[STAMPED, li.

CIWOPENCE

1 INLAND REVENUE DELEGATE MEETING.
...e.—.

THE IMPERIAL OTTOMAN BANE.

A conference of delegates from the Inland
Revenue Department of the rnited Kingdom took place yes-
terday, at Exeter Hall. The object of the meeting is to

The directors of the Imperial Ottoman Bank
have issued the following report, to be presented
at the annual meeting on the 27th inst. :
The general committee have the honour to lay before
the shareholders their fourth annual report. The ac-
counts made up to the 31st December, 1866, show a gross
profit for the preceding twelve months of 367,801/. 17e.
After providing for expenses and for bad and doubtful
debts, • balance of 214,504/. 9a. 4d. remains available for
distribution in accordance with the statutes. The year
1866 was one of much anxiety, but the committee hare
the pleasure to state that their general instructions and
warnings have been carefully acted upon by their agents,
who have displayed both prudence and foresight in the
conduct of the bank's affairs, and that critical period of
last year ham passed by with an =usually small amount of
had debts, and has displayed a distinct tendency to the
development of good business, in spite of the
troublous times and of the necessity of concentrating
large sums in London during the commercial panic.
Two items have intaared with the net profits : the first of
these has arts= from the bad business undertaken some
time ago by the management at Galati, which has been al-
ready adverted to inprevious reports. Since the close of the
branch at that place, continued bed harvests, combined
with other causes, have rendered the incomings from the
winding-up so slow, that the committee have deemed it
advisable at once to write off the amount rpeciffed in their
last report. This leaves a very trilling balance to be re-
covered. The emend item is • seduction in the marls=
value of the shares held by the bank in the Senate
Generale Ottoman*. Them shares were carried over in
December, 1665, at the then market price. The mulls of
the working of that society bare been excellent, the
dividend of last year having amounted to about 18 per cent.,
sod that of the eighteen month' before to 31 per cent.;
but the property shared, with everything else, a large
reduction in value on the .31st December last, and the
shares are consequently carried over at a considerably re-
duced valuation in the accounts now presented. The
newly established agencies have all turned out more or
leas profitably, and promise still most satisfactory returns.
After deducting from the balance of 214,5041. 9,4 d., re-
ferred to in the commencement of the report, the reserve
fund arid per osntages in accordance with the statutes,
there remains • sum of 184,069/. lls. 6d., of which
09,879 f. was distributed in January last. The committee
recommend • further payment of Ss. per slime, equal to •
dividend of 9 par cent. for the year, and leaving • balance
of 4,2771. 7a. 6cL to be carried forward.

promote the consolidation of the revenue departments—a
movement that, it is believed, will result in greater
economy, in greater convenience to the public, and by in-
creasing the legally-accruing revenue, affonl the means of
satisfying the claims of this branch.
The conference was very well attended, and the follow-
ing places were represented by delegates :—Wexford,
Bristol, Shrewsbury, Dublin, Manchester, Stirling, Bel-
fast, Perth, Halifax, Worcester, Carlow, Colchester. New-
castle, Leicester, Lichfield, Nottingham, Dumfries
Coventry, BridgenortJi, Birmingham, Burton, Lincoln,
Waterford, Stafford, Dundee, Inverness, Cork, Leeds,
Barnstaple, Maidstone, Aylesbury, Oloutister, Liverpool,
Taunton, Exeter. Glasgow, Linlithgow Edinburgh,
Derby, Cardiff, Catupbelton, Bath, Elgin Athlone,
Ware, Ripon, London (North), London (South) London
(East), Middlesex, Kingston, Plymouth, Greenock, Porto.
mouth, Hereford, Cambridge, Brighton, Reeding, &c.
Mr. Menus, of London, having been unanimously voted
resident of the Conference, proceeded to open the
business. He said there could be no doubt now of the feet
that their views as to the feasibility and desirableness of
reorganising and consolidating the several sections of this
department were far more decided and pronounced than
they were twelve months ago. Then the number that
would have ventured to publicly advocate such a chew
were few, row their name wee legion. Their strength,
however, was sot in the fact of their wrongs, great and
manifold as they were, but in the maintenance and advo-
cacy of principles consonant with justice to the community
as well as to the officials of this departmerl. (Cheers.)
They had hitherto unfortunately too much overlooked the
fact that the primary' object of all departmental arrange-
ments should be the public good. They had too often
spoken and acted as if the revenue establishments existed,
not so much to fill the coffers of the state, or to
secure the comfort of the community, as to provide
eligible and lucrative appointments for themselves.
If there were any diversity of opinion that day among
the members of that department as to the prudence
and policy of the course they were pursuing, he (the
chairman) would venture to affirm, without fear of success-
ful oontradiction, that it arse entirely from the timidity of
those who more feared theeonsequences of openly e xpressing
their opinions than any approval of the system under
which the real interests of the public, the revenues, and
the officials all suffered. It had been said that they were
presumptuously attempting to dictate to the board and the
government; but such a line of procedure was entirely at
variance with their convictions, inasmuch as they did not
advocate or support any project which had not already re-
ceived in all its essential elements the express sanction and
thei eroffovrtel
oaravgalovofmthmetbontair:i No acquainted
pass bill for the
collection government
taxes could doubt theatruth of his statement
The government failed in 1864 for want of public sympathy
and support, but the object of that meeting was to arouse
public attention, to enlighten public opinion, to discuss
the entire subject in all its bearings, and to show how in-
juriously the present mode of assessment and collection
affected the interests of the revenue, the comfortand conve-
nieces of the public, as well as the fair claims of the offi-
cials. The gross ifijus ice of the entire arrangement of
the inland revenue departments kept the great mass of the
officials in permarientroverty and chronic insubordination.
The system of assessing and collecting the taxes was per-
mitted to exist solely in the interests of the clerks to the
local commissioners of taxes. These gentlemen received
801. per annum for the performance of duties which were
merely nominal and worthless. (Cheers.) There was
280,0001. expended annually upon a branch of this very
department in the payment of salaries and poundage to
individuals unconnected with the department, and who
rendered the country no adequate and effective service,
but rather prejudiced the revenue. In a word, the present
arrangements were as prejudicial to the revenue as they I.
were detrimental to the interests of the country. It was'
as highly essential to the security of the revenue as to
the protection of the public that the charging officers I
should not be the receivers, for it was admitted to be
one of the gravest defects of the present st.iifras,:-
seaming and collecting the Urea, and of charging and
collecting the customs duties at all the small porta. ,
the officers were by the very nature and character of their
other duties unfitted to afford the public the convenience
they require. They had no office accommodation, and they
were seldom to be found at home . • and if they knew by
painful personal experience the disadvantages and annoy-
ance consequent upon combining the functions of granter
of Semmes and surveying °dicer in one person, be
believed that neither the government, nor the board, nor
the public would much longer tolerate the present system
of collecting the taxes, granting licenses, and selling stamps.
His (the chairman's) expenses in the fulfilment of his duties
has exceeded by 25 per cent. his allowances. The English
people, be said, were with their rulers a patient race, but
they would not bear that sort of thing ; they had borne it
till now, but they would bear it no longer.
Mr. Hummel moved a vote of thanks to the chairman
for his able address, and that it should be printed and
circulated.

UNQUALIFIED PRACTITIONERS IN

MIDWIFERY.

-
At the recent session of the General Medical
Council a discussion occurred on this important question:
Mr. Ramsey said : "I think it right to express my full
conviction that at no distant day this council will be com-
pelled to take action on the great question of obstetric
medicine—(applause)—that is, they will bare to say whe-
ther they will 'insist upon qualifications by all those who
practise midwifery, ' persons,' to um Mr. Mill's phrase,
rather than men. laugh.) We may for a tune ignore
it, bat if we are a council of medical registration and edu-
cation, whose duty it is to see tha.l no one asaumes
titles of competency without poniessing that competency,
we shall have some day to determine on the question of
what qualifications powered by practitioners in mid-
wifery shall give the right to register." Dr. Alexander
Waal said :—" Sir, we have been told that ' coming
events cast their shadows before,' but I hope we
are not going to vote with these shadows to-night."
Dr. Cooper said :—" They are not ' shadows,' but very
stern realities. There is very great danger in the present
state of things, and hundreds of women's lives are en-
dangered annually." At a public meeting of the Female
Medical Society in Fitzroy-square, hero' said by Dr. Farr, of
Somerset-house :—" Midwives have never hitherto, in this
country, been taught the mechanism of child-bearing, yet
they attend large numbers of women in their confinement.
In the United 'Kingdom more than a million births occur
every year, and many lives are lost because poor women
get no skilled attendance in their lying-in. In child-birth
two lives are at risk, and sometimes both are lost, when,
by judicious art, both may be saved. Midwifery is certainly
one of the employments which instructed women May
practise. It is now quite in • state in which it may
easily be taught to well-educated women, and it is pro-
bably the most advanced and useful branch of medicine."
On another occasion Dr. Edmunds, the honorary secretary
of the Female Medical Society, said:—" It is a singular
anomaly that up. to this day in England the practice of
' midwifery is altogether nnprovidcW for and unregulated
by the state ; that any worn-out old woman can set up
and practise midwifery with impunity ; that women who
wish to qualify themselves properly have no means of
doing so ; and that there is uo recognised examination
open to women which would enable the public to distin-
guish the qualified from the unqualified, and save respect-
able practitioners from being oonfounded with the careless,
ignorant persons who deliver thousands of our poorer clam
women." We are informed that the Female Medical
Society is about to develop its medical college on a large
and sound public basis, so as to provide a satisfactory
remedy for this state of things. We tryst this society
will hare the co-operation and support of our public men
in carrying out so necessary a work.

Mr. Goma seconded the motion, which was then pnt,
and carried by seclanatica.
Mr. Hutchings, of Dublin ; Mr. Mullony, of Cork •, and
Mr. Wilkinson, of York,having spoken of the state of feeling
in their several districts,
Mr. O'REILLY said that he expended for expenses in
three years 251.:,5. 4d., of which bum the board allowed
hint M. only. His salary amounted to 64W., but deduct-
ing the expenditure left him an average of 1611. The
supervisor had all his expenses paid, but with proper
arrangements he could do his own and the supervisor's
work as well. (Chows.)
. .

SHILRWIDURT SHOW.—This show, which, with
the exception of the " Guild" at Preston and the Lady
Godly" procession at Coventry, is the only pageant of the
kind still preserved in England, was celebrated yesterday
with all the accustomed pomp and circumstance. Lem
than half a century ago the show really was • procession of
the members of the maim' guilds and trades of the
borough ; but it has now degenerated into an exhibition of
hirelings fantastically arrayed with • view to represent the
alleged patrons and patron saints of the several trades.
These representatives are for the most part gods and
goddesses, or well-known historical character", and their
dispensation among the trades of the town is in some cease
'musingly incongruous. For instance, at the head of •
small body of men there rode yesterday • stout party on
horseback, attired in a purple cloak, and wearing a crown
on his head. This, the programme stated, was Henry V I 11.,
and the trade he represented was that of the bricklayers
but the grated* upon which he, of all the kings of
England, had been selected for the office acre not ex-
plained. Agin, the Black Prince was the " emblem" of
the hatters and cabinetmakers. Cupid represented the
tailors, Queen Elisabeth the bakers and hairdressers, and
Queen Catherine the flax-dressers ; other royal and mytho-
logical personages being so disposed of in an equally appro-
priate manner. The attractions of the show proved, how-
ever, to have lost none of their power, the day bring
generally o' eased as • holiday in Shrewsbury ; whilst
excursion trains from the surrounding districts brought in
Vre numbers of visitors.
THE TAILORS' STRIKE.—At the Marlborough-
street police-court yesterday Mr. George Druitt, presi-
dent, Matthew Lawrence, secretary, John Adamson.
treasurer, and Meade, Farrell, George Fowler, Peter
Moran, Patrick Butler, M'Dermott, Levine,
and Teemaine, members of the executive of the
Operative Tailors' Association, appeared before Mr. Knox
to answer summonses taken out by Mr. Thomas Bowater,
on behalf of the Master Tailors' Association, in the parish
of St. George, Hanover-square, " for that," in the corvine(
the summonses, "you did on the 2nd of April and other
days unlawfully conspire, combine, ootifnleritte, and
agree together, with divers others, by dieers unlawful
means, stratagems, and devices, to impoverish in
their trade and business, as tailors, divers persons," con-
trary to the statute, &c. Serjeant Ballantine, ale Sleigh,
and Mr. F. H. Lewis, appeared for the prosecution ; and
Mr. Edward Lewis, of Great Marlborough-street, appeared
for the defendant. Evidence having been given to connect
the defendants with the picketing system, with which
the public are now so familiar, Mr. Edward bewiesaitl this
matter not only affected the defendants, but trades unions
generally. What the defendants felt, and he also felt,
acting on behalf of the association, was that this matter
should be decided by a competent tribunal. Ile might
here remark that the leading parties of the associatiou had
openly challenged the masters to attack them, and
not to attack men taking an inferior part in the pro-
ceedings. On the broad question of, la the picketingsyetein
illegal, it was idle to say a word. The society had their
own ideas about the question ; they acted conecienticeedy
throughout, and having so acted they were prepared to
chide the result. He did not intend to oppewe the appli-
cation to send the ease before a higher tribunal, because
he felt it was of the utmost importance to the defendants,
as to trades unions generally, that the law should be
settled and declared. Mr. Knox said—As the are it, od
before him there was evidence of Lawrence, and empha-
tically Druitt, taking • share in the matter. Arlarueon
also was show to have acted in the matter, but did not
take so great a share as Detain and Lawrence, and
the other defendants had been proved to have
' acted a. pickets. These last, according to the evidence,
had used foul and bad language, and had done enough to
connect them with the conspiracy. He was of opinion
there was • reasonable probability with all, and more than
a reasonable probability with Nome, of being convicted, if
be sent them for trial, which be proposed to do. The de-
(=dents were then committed to take their trial, Dewitt
and Lawrence to find bail, the others to go at large on
their own recogniaances. 'The other sunimoniwa acre
withdrawn. As the defendants made their appearance
outside of the court they were cheered loudly by the as-
sembled hundreds. A committee meeting of the opera-
tives Union was afterwards held, at which it was decided
that the solicitor to the union should be instructed to
make the necessary application for removing the triad to
the Court of Queen's Bench, and that the services of two
of the most eminent counsel should be retained to conduct
the defence. The masters have opened • registry-office for
non-unionist operatives in the neighbourhood of Re
teen▪ outside which • strong picket remains on duty from
an early hoar in the saorninn until late at night.

The CHAIRMAIi—That's the point.
Mr. PEARSON (Kingston) said that in IS6I there was as
increase of 19,000,0001. in the excise revenue, and there
was a reduction in the officers and supervisors, and the
salaries paid amounted to 26,000/. In lbriti the excise
revenue increased 19,000,0011., and not another officer was

It was then moved and carried that deputations be
formed for the purpose of waiting upon the Board of Com
missioners, the Treasury, and all those members of par-
liament to whom they had introductions, for the purpose
of representing their grievance.
The conference afterwards adjourned.

FATAL BOATING ACCIDENT. —A sad boating acci-
dent has occurred in Kerry. Captain Townsend Blenner
Bassett, of Killorglin, his wife, and some of the young
members of his faintly, were cruising in a sail boat on the
river Luane, when a seaman named Cortelloe fell over-
board, and being unable to swim sank. Captain Blamer-
!lessen plunged in after him, and diving brought him up,
and struggled powerfully to sustain him. The father of
Cortelloe, however, who was steering, in his agitation at
the scene, allowed the yacht to drift away. The two
drowning men rose sad sank several times ; end eventually
rime fishing boats coming up, succeeded in taking on board
the body of Captain Blennerhaasett, but he was found to
be dead. The seaman's body hes sot been recovered.
PROGRESS QV THE PACIFIC RAILROAD. —The
New York Tisses of the 13th says :—" The Pacific Railroad
is being laid with speed unelanieled in the history of rail-
road construction, and only wo.thy of being compared to
some of those famous pedestrian feats of a 'hundred miles
in a hundred hours.' The work, to be sure, is not difficult
of accomplishment, since the road-bed is for long reaches
as level es a floor, and grading becomes the easiest of
matters. Still, there is scope enough for energy, and it
has been expended. Ten days ago the main stem had
been built to a distance of 361 miles west of Omaha ; but
where the jumping-off place now in can only be conjec-
tured, since huge strides are taken in ten days. The tele-
graph then significantly told us that ' General Augur's
camp is at the end of the track—two and a quarter miles
of which have been laid mince 10 o'clock this morning.'
Our military camp will probably advance as the railroad
advances, being pushed out at the end of this line of
. supply and communication, just as Sherman', army was in
the Atlantic campaign. with the whiz of the bullet in
front and the whistle of the engine in the rear, and raid-
ing and railroading going on together."
THE NEWLY- DISCoVERED ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC.
—lt is a little remarkable that au island should have been
discovered on the route between San Francisco and China
just as the new line of American steamers is to he estab-
lished there. The great obstacle to the establishment of
that line is the great length of the route—making it neces-
sary for steamers to carry so much coal as to have little
room for cargo. It has, indeed, been confidently predicted
that the enterprise must fail, from this cause if no other,
to be profitable ; and although the early trips of
the Pacific Mail steamers have dispelled this ap-
prehension to some extent, sagacious coniniercial men have
by no means considered the problem as fully solved. But
the discovery of an island, ou the very route followed,
which can serve as a coaling station, puts the guarden at
rest for ever. This affords, perhaps, the most striking
illustration of tit at fundamental maxim of poli tioal economy,
that the supply will always equal the demand, to be found
on record. As soon as that route was to be opened nothing
was so much wanted as an island ; and forthwith the want
has been supplied ! The Pacific Mail Company, it is said,
will establish a coal depot there at once.—New York Time.,
June 13.
BARNUM'S CURIO/OTIS:S.—Mr. Barnum ban added
to the collection of curiosities at his museum a "mammoth
infant," said to be four years old and to weigh 220 pounds.
His collection includes 'event other specimens of the
finis *atone order, which may intermit students of phy-
siology and admirers of the marvellous. Mr. Barnum',
advertising drop curtain, by the way—of which we did at
one time hope to be relieved—is filling up again with cards
of shopkeepers. It is agreeable to notice. however, that
diseases and medicines are sot so well represented as they '
were before.—New York Tribuke, June 7.