The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-06 00:00:00

but
and
Itisr

it waiikl ease to 88.4100.-0004.
nearly the amount staiel by the Economist. - -
wise of barley now and emsgariag It with the peke is the
time of Jamie L, when beer was sold at ld. a quart, he
could not see why it should set, were there so malt dot,,
be sold at 2d. a quart. Is eancluiron, be advised suited
and energetic action, mid loadiag the table o( the House of
Commons oestinaally with petitions against the tax, a
course which he amused them would ultmately resat in
aurora.

Colonel Bantrrignor, Y.P. supported the resolution con-
aiding that the ogrieultural interest bed not received that
fair attention from the government and parliament which
had been accorded to the inantifecturieg intimate. The
malt tax, which ought to have followed immediately the
repeal of the bop duty, yielded so large a revenue, sad
WY so favourably regarded be the Chancellor of the Exelie-
quer in consequence, that unless an irresistible pressure was
brought to bear upon the government it was not likely that
so fruitful a source of income would be abandoned. The
Malt for Catt'e Bill and the Malt Weighing Bill bad been
in operation useless for the objects for which they were
intended. It wet said the removal of the malt duty would
be unjust to the spirit duties. But if so the matter was
in the hands of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who
might take the tax off malt and put it os beer. ("No, no.")
He was not advatirii.g a tax upon beer, but he suggested
this as • mode of adjustment as regarded the spirit duties ;
!alio& however, convinced that if a tax were put upon
beer the outcry against it would be so strong that i, would
be repealed almost as soon as it was imposed. He pro-
mised his beat assititascis in parliament in furtherance of
the objects of the matins.
Lord CURZON, LP., president of the Midland Counties
Anti-Malt Tax Association, likewise supported the main-
tine, referring to the cattle plague as an additional ground
for urging upon the government some recognition of the
claims of the agricultural interest.
Mr. G. Barra-BOOTH, M.P.' who also spoke to the
resolution, did not attribute the failure of the demand for
repealing the malt tax to want of unanimity is the House
of Commons, but to the apathy of those out of doors.
Many clergymen and others, from a worthy but mistakes
motive, refrained from joining in the agitation against the
' tax on the ground that it would teed to promote intern-
perince. lie bad no such apprehension ;on the contrary,
he believed that by placing it in the power of the labouring
population to onetime wholesome and cheap beer you
would promote sobriety. Be disputed the argument that
the repeal of the malt tax could only be purchased
by an increased income tax, observing that no tax
could now be repealed except out of a surplus
of revenue; and no one would propose to repeal
one tax by the imposition of another. As to the argument
that wise, spirits, and other oonsnmsble articles were taxed,
and therefore beer should be taxed, be advised them to
accept it—(No)—and to say, take off the melt tax, and, if
neoaaary replace it by a tax upon beer. (No, no.) The
tax would then be paid is proportion to the quantity
actually brought into consumption.
Mr. BALCWIN of Birmingham, had always contended for
the total reposed the tax, and to that he meant to stick
—(hear)—and if they all determined to do so they would
smelted.

The resolution was thee put and carried amid loud and
general chserng.
Mr. JOSH. FLILDEN, of Yorkshire, moved, "That eater-
taisisg the views expressed in the foregoing resolution, this
meeting earnestly calla upon all supporters of the cause to
persevere in using every possible means to obtain the im-
mediate reduction and ultimate total repeal of the malt tax,
and strongly advises that public meetings, with that
object, should be held forthwith throughout the
country, at which the following petition to parliament.
hereby agreed to, is recommended for adoption."
He referred to the rapid progress of the aasociation, which
had within the last three years spread over the whole
country. They bad had to contend against misrepresent*.
tioes emanating from, not anonymous Femme, but payees
high in thevonadence of the Queen and the country. whose
murepresestatimui bad been spread far and wide by a cor-
rupt press. (Hear, bear.) Until lately he bad Dever heard
it asserted that the tax amousted to 70 per cent. In par-
liament, last year, be did not remember that any speaker
had pot it at more than 30 per cent. Taking the average
price of barley at 31c, the tax which was imposed at tome
stage of its conversion into malt was 21s. Bd. ; but be-
sides this, it operated as a tax on the farmer, by preventing
his cultivating his land to the best advantage, and mattes
the produce of has land useful for the feeding of his cattle.
He contended that to the man who brewed his beer at
home the tax was equal to 100 per cent. ; sod to the man
who bought his beer at the bar of a public-house it was
equal to 140 per oent. Mr. M. Gibson, in 1864, pat dome
the tax as only 124 per cent, but he (Mr. J. Fielders)
had shown that the malt tax was a tax of 70 per
cent. in the first instance, and 100 per cent.
afterwards. Last year, when the subject was again
brought forward last year, Mr. Gibson said his figures had
been so much queetiooed that be was afraid to go into
statistic*, bet that he adhered to his Mateosest. (" Hear,
hear," and a laugh.) But no proof of the correctness of
that statement bad been forthcoming. Then Mr. Gladstone,
who stated that Mr. Gibson's statement was rigidly just,
put the tax down at 20 per cent. When malt was un-
taxed cottage brewing was universal, and the consumption
of malt was 6 bushels per bead, while now it was only
per head. At present beer could be brewed by cot-
tager. in small quantities at 2d. a quart ; but were the
malt tax repealed, it could be brewed at ld. a quart—*
difference of 100 per cent., not 124 per amt. (Hear, bear.)
And beer, which was now charged 6d. a quart ie public-
houses, could, were there tio malt tax, be sold et 24d. a
quart, allowing 100 per cent. for profit and cost of manu-
facture—which he took to be a difference of 140 per that.
But he contended that the proper coarse was to estimate
the percentage of a tax according to the price of the article
at the stage when the tax was levied. Now the tax on
tea was 25 per cent. ; ea coffee, 36 ; on sugar, 49 ; on
champagne, 11 ; and on malt, 70 per cent., in the first
instance, sod 100 per cent. afterwards ;
_and its effect was
to tax the be of the man who brewed at home, 100 per
cent., and that of the man who bought his beer at the
public-house 140 per oeat..
Mr. C. Larrueoza seconded the rtholutirm„ and com-
plained that the tax limited the growth of barley. enforced
an undue repetition of wheat to the injury of the farmer,
raised the price of cattle food, and increased the price of
beef and mattes. The question was a fiscal not a politi-
cal one. Who paid the malt tax! According to the au-
thority of Montgomery Martin, the riot paid 1-sth, the
middle-class 2-sths, and the labouring classes 2-sths ; so
that the incidences of the malt tax just reversed the inci-
dences of the income tax.

Colonel NORTH, M.P., to support of the resolution, pro-
mised his best services in the House of Commies in sup-
port of any measure tending to the repeal of the tax in
question.
Mr. ADDZRLTY, M.P., also spoke in support of the reso-
lution, and stated his week:two that a claim supported
with so much energy sod so uoanimonaly by the landed
interest could not be resisted. Six millions of taxes resting
upon one article of consumption was of itself a greet &ea
inequality and injustice. (Hear.) It might be said that it
could not be withdrawn without some substitu'e being
provided, but there was another way of making np the de-
ficiency which would be oocasioaed by the repeal besides im-
posing acme new tax, and that was retrenchment ; sad it was
to be remembered that retrenchment was one of the principles
by which Mr. Gladstoars held office. If Mr. Gladstone held
that the malt tax was so advisable sad unobjectionable an
impost that it raised a large revenue without affecting any-
body, why did he not say at once, " Here we have found
the philoeopher's stone ; we have here a tax which nobody
feels, and we will therefore abolish sll others of our fiscal
imposts, and raise the entire revenue from the malt tax!"
("Bear, heir," and laughter.) He wished the apical.
tural interest to show as much determination in support of
their just righta as would have bees witnessed on the part
of the manufacturing interest had such a duty been imposed
upon cotton. . . . .

—The resolution was adopted unanimously ; as was the
petition which we gave in yesterday's Express.
Mr. FOWLEN, of Bucks, moved the third resolution :
" That this meeting pledges itself to support., by subscrip-
tions and otherwise, the Central Anti-Malt Tax Amociatioo,
which has been established in Loudon as the medium of
communication with parliament and the central authority
for organizing and conducting the agitation for the repeal of
the malt-tax—and request. the council of the association to
take prompt measures to have the question brought before
the House of Oommone on an early day."
Mr. Corintrr, formerly M.P. for Oldham, seconded the
motios, and asked if Sir F. Helly would move for a com-
mittee io the present session to inquire into the pressure of
the tax, whether it was on the malt or on beer.

Sir F. Hamm; Id.P.,replied that iisioreileilglng himself
to do so it would be neesmary to watch the course of events,
and ascertain what the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed
to do. If be thought the demand would be conceded, he
would make that demand the moment parliament met ;
bat as to the time or the nature of the motion he might
ultimately bring forward, he should feel it his duty to
consult with those who took the mine view before giving
any
rp. Coiled
I(ge. errr was satisfied with the answer. He had
always regarded the malt duty as • tax of 100 per coot.
He would have preferred last year a reduction of Vie
malt than the tea duty. He believed that the Chancellor
of the Exchequer had, by reducing the tea duty, placed
within the reach of many who bad not used it before one
of the most detrimental foreign drugs that came into this
country. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) All doctors now
held that tea was not only not good, that it contained no
nutriment, but that it produced baneful consequences, and
one of them went so far as to say that it produced madness.
Dr. Smith, of the Consumption Hospital, said, in his book
on dietary, that tea was useful to the corpulent and over
fed after a full meal, but was hartful to the poor and Si-
ted, sod was not calculated to qualify • man for exertion.
(Hear, bear, and a laugh.) Dr. Melva, in his book on
wines, extolled the introductioe of cheap Hungarian and
other low wines as being calculated to drive out the
"enervating tea." (A laugh.) Hs (Mr. Cobbett)
remarked that the first of these books was dedicated
to Mrs. Gladstone, and the second to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer. He hoped the right hon. gentleman would
read them, and then he would see what his own (the govern-
meet) doctors thought about tea, the duty upon which he
bad taken so much credit for reducing, while he retained ,

. of these doo•ore
rentaielne beverage.
se did Mr. ;Miaow,
the repeal inrtal-
Cobbett bed raid, be
%irked him to drink
1 that fn the union ,
always preeerfirel

The yes-Juice 12;;i;g been carried,
• vote of thanks to the chairman was proposed by Major
Panasz, M.P., secotede4 by Mr. ERAlurpoif sad carried by
acehmiatioa, which baying bees sckisoeleapd the mailing
persarated, the proceedings having extended over nearly foal
hours.

THE LOSS OP THE STEAMER LONDON.

Yesterday the official inquiry instituted by the
Board of Trade ioto the circumstances attending tbe
foundering of the steamer London was resumed at the
Greenwich Police-court, before Ur. Trail; the district sti-
pendiary magistrate, sod Captaiss Hams snd Baker, the
nantioakedlealeere.

Daniel Thomas Smith examined by Mr. O'Dowd—l wee
boatswain's mate on board the London. I have bees 17
years a seamen. The weather when the London left Ely-
mouth was very line, and contioeed so until Stusdai, the
7th, when the wind freshened. The wind Massed but
not with great violence, until Moodily. The wind was
from the S. W. on that day. We were going wider steam
with head to wind, and so nib wen sans. The wield in-
creased to a full gale at 8 o'clock that evening, when we
set the miren stn sail, the forestay sail, the maintopmast
staysail, and ruled the spanker. The maiotopmast stay-
sail was carried away at 8 o'clock p.m. When we were
carrying these sans on Monday sight we were on the star-
board tack. Nothing further occurred until elne o'clock on
Tuesday morning, wiles the jibboom was carried away, and
at the same time she pitched, sod the wind carried away
the foretopmsat, foato.pgallantmast, and main royalmast.
To Mr. Traill —The pbboom went overboard os the star-
board side, and the mash hung down abaft.
To Mr. O'Dowd—On Tuesday we tried to clear the ship
by cuttieg away the waste, but the ma rolled over the
ship so head's that we crruld not get near.
To Mr. Traill—We got lines and secured the foretopmest
to the foremast. The main royslmast was left hanging,
but sot in a situation to do any harm.
To Mr. O'Dowd—W. got the jihboorn on board on the
afternoon of Wednesday. After we had got it on board we
lashed it to the after part of the fore rigging, on the port
side.

To Captain Baker—We !ward it to ring bolts ou deck.
To Mr. Tesill—The eying jibboom wee taken aft sod
lashed by the after batobway. The lenath of the part of the
eying jibboom on board wu about 25 feet, and it lay seer
the engine-room hatchway. I lashed the after sad of the
eying jibboom myself with 2j inch rope to the after stsa-
chion of the after hatchway.

To Mr. O'Dowd—l saw the eying jibbooni at 7 o'clock on
Wednesday evening, end it was secured
To Mr. Tredll—l don't remember having wen the jibboom
in motion as loose at all baton t►e hatchway was carried
. .

O'Dowd—Did you ever say to my clerk that it was
sweeping from on. side of the deck to the hatchway, and
that it was striking against the combings of the hatchway
Witoess—l cues say that I did.
Mr. Twill—Did you state you ever heard any owe say so?
Witnete—l don't know. It is not a fact that I saw the
jibboom flying about the deck aid striking against the
combings of the hatchway.
To Mr. O'Dowd—l did not see the flying jibboom again
from 7 o'clock on Wednesday eveolog until an hour after
the engine-room hatchway bad been carried away. It was
then cast adrift, and the end of it was put down the
hatchway. I did Got see it unlashed. I saw the men
puttiag it down the hatchway, and I assisted them. All
the water the ship was theta taking was coming down the
hatchway. I noticed that the scuppers were blocked up
at that time with coals.

Yr. ?
Witness—l believe so. Tbe ands were cheered off the
deck on Wednesday afternoon, and some of theta were
thrown overboard.

To Captain Harris—l got a round bar of iron to clear
some of the scuppers, but I failed to do so.
To Mr. O'Dowd—l tried to clear two of the scuppers in
the after starboard side. The flying jibboom end some sails,
blanketsand =Atreus. were stuffed into thehatchway, and
several of the men were washed into tho engine room
while they were doing so. The heavy seas prevented us
putting a tarpauling over the hatchway. I was not on
deck when the ship got on the port tack. I went below at
noon on Wednesday, and she was then on the starboard
tack. I came on deck at 4 o'clock on Wednesday, and re-
=iced there until I left the ship on Thursday, about 2
o'clock. The ship remained on the port tack until she
wore round, about one o'clock on Thursday. to enable us
to lower she port Gutter.
To Captain Harris—l don't know bow the wind was.
believe the engine was stopped at 4 o'clock on Tuesday
afternoon when the insintopsail was set. The watches
were not kept regularly after 4 o'clock on Wednesday after-
noon, as the crew were all turned out to get in the wreck.
At the time the stern lights wale driven in I was in the
lower saloon getting op the sails. The lashing of the jib-
boons were, in my opinion, sufficient. As soon as the en-
gine hatch was carried away mowers put to the paws, and
the steam winch was put to work subsequently. The donkey
engine was working whoa we left the ship. The tlyieg
jibboon was lashed to the dick as goon as it was brought
up, and it was nottlying about the deck for 24 hours.
To Mr. Traill—l did not see any spars loose on the deck.
We tried to put back the skylight two or three times, but
the heavy NU prevented us, and the skylight waismsahed
to pieces. I caul say what the weight of it was.
To Captain Harris—l don't know that it was a couple of
toes.

Mr. C. Wigram said he could not state what the weight
of the skylight was ; but it might be a couple of tons.
Witness to Captain Harris—l do not believe the ship was
making water before the hatchway was washed away. I
assistedin potting a sail over the ongiese-roona hatchway
and nailing it down to the deck on Tuesday evening. I
don't know that any tarpaulin was put over it.
To Captain Baker—l don't remember that the yards were
square and the skip put before the wind any time after we
left Plymouth, except when she wore round to enable us
to lower the port cotter a few minutes before we left.
She was on her wind on the port tack when the main
topsail was split The engines were going whet the
jibboom pitched away. It did not seem to me that the
ship laboured more heavily than any other ship would in
such weather. The weather was very rough, sod there
were high erase seas.
To Mr. Traill—When the ship wore round before we left
she answered her helm easily. Several of her crew were
hurt on Wednesday night, but they gave the best assis-
tance they could until they were worn oat.
Walter Moleaworth Edwards, examined by Mr. O'Dowd
—I was midshipman on beard the ship, London on bee last
voyage. It was my first Tome. I joined the London
on the 28th of December. The weather was flee and calm
on oar leaving Plymouth, sod continued so until 4 o'clock
in the afternoon of Salacity. when it commenced to blow
hard. Prom that time till Wednesday I remained on deck
with the exception of a short time on Tuesday, when I lay
for a few minutes on the lines chest. I went below on
Wednesday. and thinaieed in my cabin until the sky-light
was earned away. 1 wee not sick. I remember that the
jibboom wss carried away. It wss brought in on Wednes-
day, and I saw it at H o'clock in the morning abaft the
funnel on the port side. The thicker end was aft, and it wee
sot fastened, and it stroek against the bulwarks on the
Port aide as well ea the engine-room hatch. I saw it spin
m the aftersooo, and it was still knocking about. I did
sot see any attempt to secure it dating the day. I ob-
served that the jibboom was striking sideways against the
framework of the hatches. I went below sometime after
3 o'clock, and the jibboom might have been fastened about
4 o'clock for anything I know. I was below when the
engine-room hatch skylight was carried away. I did sot
goon deck again until Thursday morning at 10 o'clock, when
I saw the engine-room skylight at the port side. It was
quite whole, and did not appear broken at all.
To Mr. Train—lsm quite sere of that. I could not have
been mistakes. I saw no attempt made to pat it in its
place. The captain was on deck and must have seen it, at I
well as several of the Grew end passengers.
To Mr. O'Dowd—When I same up oa desk they were all
engaged in lowering the pinnate. Nearly all of the pas- I
'engem were on deck while the pauses was being lowered.,
sod when she swamped, they went down below. Some of
the paisengers intended going in the boat. I saw use lady
—a Mrs. Owen—going in the boat, but the captain dis-
suaded her not to go.
Mr. Traill—When you saw the skylight why didn't you I
point it out to anybody and say, " This is the very thing
we want,* and get it in its place?
Witness—l had spokes to Mr. Angel about something
before, and he told me to mind my owe business.
To Captain Harris—l asked King, Smith, sod Daniels ,
to let me in the boat, and they desired me to come. I
jumped from the mizen shrouds to amongst them, which
was a fall of about ten feet. The other midshipman was
also told to jump in. but be was afraid to do so. and he was
lost in the ship. Daniels was quartermaster on board,
and agreed to be our' hammock man, as we weld get no !
servant. Therewere 2 cwt. of biscuits, 2 bottles of brandy,
and 2 bottles of champagne, in the boat. I found three
of the four bottles in the bottom of the boat, and I pulled ,
them up and hid them under my boat. Mr. Greenhill and
Daniels knew I bad them, but no one else did. About
three o'clock in the morning after we left, a sea broke
over us and bail filled the boat. One of the passengers !
was bailing the whole time. Every time we were nearing a
sea we turned our stern to it. When we got within about
fifty yards of the Italian barque, they all got so excited
that they neglected to turn her stern to the waves, and the
boat was nearly swamped.

To Captain Harrts—When we left I saw the captain in
the poop. Mrs. Owen and her little child were going into
the boat when we got away. but the captain said there were
several drunken seamen who might get into the boat, and
in that case she would only change a speedy death for a
lingering one. At 5 o'clock on Thursday morning, the
captain went into the saloon and said, " Ladies, there is
no hope for us, Pm afraid—nothing short of a miracle can
save us." These were his exact word,. The periaeogers
had their meals regularly up to Wednesday evening. The
captain WU not at dinner oa Tuesday or Wednesday
events', as be was °minded on deck. The dre in the donkey
engine was put out on Wednesday, and the. pumas were
worked by hand all that day. It was aims Dallied on

:SS, TUESDAy XVEMISCIt FT
IL OF MALT TAX. y": 4. CVo..tit" Trar°lbut
antberity upon yr be Tote. n
faay'S mg, at the ireemaaallr attuausaki...._ the quantk
BERNEHIB, e .06.innia, reed 'bat Whited was paid blwl 6 at 6,000,000 t
ar, feeling it his bounden ditty to express quantity of beer made from that
o take his eull abase of responsibility in soy cito,ooo 000 of gallons, and calculat

• •
.
per tan
17what one
the Neon, was :IN he ome and so
ad he belie, . wee 80 motion,
111 Of • • daft who '" - ogo for the
quarters. taking tha Jo is of what Mr. Cot
malt at 800,000,010 observed that his physical:a cleat. ale
tier the price at Is. 4d. wkosarre wine and lees tee ; and he found 1
00,0004. or 410.4100,0001., banes ia the aonatry the needled was i
geottortsfst. Taking the wine at bear aad Dot tea.