The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-20 00:00:00

interest than the premeditated second attempt to '
rob them of their " Town Dues." The true liberal
and real reformer will require to watch the progress
of events, and to resist the voice of the charmer,—
"Charm he never so sweetly"—for from all that
we can see there is treason in the camp, and not-
withstanding the bland and winning oration of the
Premier, when in Liverpool a few weeks ago, we
fear both he and his colleagues are prepared
to perpetrate a public robbery upon the Borough
of Liverpool to win the good graces and permanent
support of the Cotton Lords of Manchester.. Be
this as it may, we have every reason to know
that the Palmerston Cabinet is ill at ease just
now; and we should not be surprised to hear,
some early morning, that a " Ministerial Crisis" is
fast approaching.
The London and provincial papers still teem

4 ,
The rates of discOunt are raised to a

usury level,

andnithiey made scarce, to bring back gold, and
yet we have the " leading" journal applauding the
wisdom and the natural love which our capitalists
display in parting with their precious metal for
foreign bills and " depreciated investments." The
banks can get 7 per cent. from gamblers in foreign
securities—political gamesters of the worst order
—and they, therefore, are suffered to raise the
rates of discount on our native industry and
commercial enterprise, having first taken care to
make money scarce and so depreciate the value
of every merchant's and trader's substance ! The
fall which has taken place in foreign stock mar-
kets, is openly and with truth attributed to evils
over which we have no control, and of which no
living man can pretend to see the end. Not-
withstanding all this, men can get money. at 7 per
cent. to export against what is little better than
waste paper, and because there are such block-
heads in creation, the honest and industrious
people of Great Britain are to be denied accommo-
dation, and must submit to a ruinous depreciation
of every species of property. Need we wait for
any more deplorable result to convince us of the
frightful dangers - and glaring iniquities of our
banking and currency laws ? We have always
described the Bullionists, or money class, as
men without patriotism, or any of the ordinary
virtues of the millions whose welfare has been
thrown into their hands, and whose property has
been left a prey to their cupidity. And now we
may freely point to " their organ" to prove the
truth of our allegations.

with the records of crime, and the results of
magisterial investigations thereon. Further par-
ticulars respecting the Gold Dust Robbery; and
the Frauds on the Great Northern Railway, con-
tinue to be made daily. As yet, no clue
to the perpetrator of the cold blooded murder of
Mr. George Little has been obtained, but
the police have not given up all hope of obtaining
such information as will ultimately lead to the
capture of the supposed murderer. The terrible
catastrophe has formed the subject of discussion
at the weekly meeting of the Dublin Protestant
Association. when a strong rqsolution, invoking
the Deity not to allow the murderer to effect
his escape, was recorded. We observe, by
our Galway files, that the matter of emigra-
tion still proceeds, and that the peasantry
manifest a restless tendency to try their fortunes
in other climes. The mania, it is said, is rapidly
extending itself to the middle as well as the lower
classes, and is by no means confined to the West
of Ireland.

They will exercise their right as Englishmen to
do what they like with their own. They will invest
gold in whatever they think most profitable. It
is nothing whatever to them what this or that
country suffers from their acts. Gold is a com-
modity which, to be worth having, must be kept
moving. It should never be hoarded in
bulk as large as a mountain. It is the
legitimate business of the Bullionist to buy in the
cheapest, and sell in the dearest market. We are
ready to admit all, and grant every thing these
oracles ask in the shape of , privileges for :their
employers. But what would become of society if
it were to give up all its interests into the hands
of any one class—of our bishops, landowners,
peers, clergy, spinners, cotton lords, gentlemen
farmers, publicans, or any other section of the
the community equally bent on money getting ?
They would all act as they thought best, without
troubling themselves about what others wanted or
thought of their conduct. Whatever commodity
they had to sell they would sell to the highest bid-
der as---a matter of course. The Bullionists, or
money class, have a perfect right to do so too. But
what is to become of a State whose very existence
is based wholly on a commodity which can be sold
and taken from her at any moment ? What is to
become of that great superstructure of industry
and commerce which stand on so frail a foundation ?
The Bank of England had, according to the last
returns, only 9 530,1521. in their coffers. What the
Private and Joint Stock Banks hold, we are not
allowed to know, for very obvious reasons. The
aggregate amount of gold in the three kingdoms
is not more, however, than our Bullionists
have a right to sell, or a well designed
Continental Bear swindle would be able to
swallow up. A gambling " profit" of 10 per cent
on foreign bills and " depreciated investments,"
would be a sufficient margin to leave to justify
this great mercantile country's being swept of
every ounce of gold—her sole available means of
trade.„ , -

From the Continent there is a variety of. intelli-
gence. The Constantinople journals contain
nothing additional respecting the capture of certain
Turkish vessels laden with contraband salt.
Vienna letters indulge the hope, that the intimate
relations that have been established between the
Cabinets of St. James's and Vienna will have some
influence on the termination of the Neapolitan
difficulty. General de Martinas, it is said,
received instructions to acquaint the Cabinet of
Naples, in a confidential manner, that the slightest
concession would, doubtless, be taken into con-
sideration by England, who would then be inclined
to abstain from all ulterior measures, and re-estab-
lish diplomatic relations. While on this subject we
may further observe that there is a very prevalent
rumour, to the effect that the Neapolitan Govern-
ment has resolved upon making Naples a free
port. Should this be so, important results for the
commerce of the Mediterranean are to be anti-
cipated. The natural resources of southern
Italy, which includes the once fertile plain
of Capua, and those numerous spots where, in
ancient times, flourished the Greek commercial
republics, abounding in population and wealth,
are at present comparatively undeveloped.
The extension of foreign commerce which always
follows the establishment of free emporiums, will
do more to develope them than any positive acts of
the Government. The progress of Mediterranean
commerce in recent times, so striking in the case
of Marseilles, Barcelona, Trieste, Symrna, Odessa,
and Alexandria, and to which the revival of the
Greek nation greatly contributes, is certainly one

Meanwhile, the general aspect of commercial
affairs very closely resembles that of 18i7. Our
yld—that saleable basis of our national life—is
going, and will continue to go, from us. And is it
not time to ask the PALMERSTON Cabinet what they
intend to do for the safety and relief of trade ? The
Government can see what is going on on the
Continent as clearly as other men. They must
have discovered that we get no money back for
all the gold we sell, and that " foreign bills and
"depreciated investments" will very soon take the
place of the bullion basis of our currency and
active
9,0,0
circulation.s o
001. ou
T to
of have
the more
and fifty
trifle
o
no
hundred
millions of gold produced within the last few years,
is a very discouraging prospect for a nation whose
existence is depending on the possession of twice
as many millions of hoarded treasure ; and unless
the Premier and his Ministerial colleagues are
quite satisfied that our bullion reserves
will be restored to a healthy figure before
war is again declared, and that the future
production of the• precious metal will keep
pace with the speculative and political de-
mand of other countries, we think few will deny
that it is high time something was done, to show
both our friends and enemies that we have some
resource left besides the productiveness of the
wilds of Australia and California—that we have
something within ourselves, which is not saleable
to our enemies—which cannot be filched from us
by foreign knaves, namely, the power of the State
to decide what shall be our money ; the honour
of our rulers in dealing with that which should,
at all times, be the representative of the real and
immovable wealth of the people; and the deter-
mination of the community to release themselves
from a bullion system, which enables a few capi-
talists to sell the last shilling of metallic money
they possess, for " foreign bills, and depreciated
" investments."
The gold, which is now at sea, has been sold
and will only pass through England to France.
This is as it should be, if it was not for the fact,
that we have made it a commodity, which we cannot
do without. If we had a Currency for domestic
Purposes, we should rejoice to hear that our
bullion dealers . were doing what is vulgarly
called, " a roaring trade." But we want it for our
own business. We require fully 5,000,0001. added
to the Bank of England's present stock, to avert
the worst calamities of a general panic in trade.
Every commercial school-boy knows what e
minimum rate of 7 per cent. discount means, how to
describe its operation, and what the trader has to
expect. As long as the public were credulous
enough to believe 'that we were parting with our
gold for five franc pieces—good sound silver—the
disappearance of our bullion passed off tolerably
well ; but now that they know their gold is going
out in exchange for foreign bills, to be paid on the
return of some political full moon, and in " depre-
" elated investments," which are to rise to par on
the fall of some conspicuous house or " quid-
" ing star," we should not be surprised to
see ,the popular consternation assume a very
alarming character. There can bo no trade, and
i.larCely any employment for labour, when money
is made. scarce, and the. rates of discount have gone
above the highest point which it is thought men
in business ought to go. The London Times says
no man ought to speculate on borrowed money.
" Every man in trade. ought. to have a sufficient
J` resource, perfectly accessible. That was the old
" maxim. It is still the maxim of our best trades-
"men." Nowile this sane language to use to a
nation with only ten or fifteen million* of gold in
,
1 ,

t$G• I:h.fki€l3o.

• •
• •

ty:j : ,7n ';.~ L:3

THE NORTHERN

reserve, at the moment- they- are--importing -and
exporting probably three hundred millions ? Was
there ever such arrant nonsense seen in type ?
We have, however, to thank the Bullionist's.Jour,
nal for these two admissions, which the mercantile
world will know how to appreciate :—" A . long
" continuance of such a uniform rate as seven per
" cent., of which the Bank has now given notice,
" must wholly destroy the profit of a large class of
" transactions." Again—" Good mercantile houses
" find they have to pay for usual accommodation
" such rates as devour all their profits." Will the
Premier, or our cotemporary, tell us host long this
sort of commercial life is to last ?

WE scarcely know how to approach the question
of a further and total repeal of the Taxes on
Knowledge, without appearing selfish. We can
demonstrate, however, that we are but one of the
million who would benefit by it. Passing over the
value of a cheap Newspaper Press; as a national
instructor, wo find, in the trades with which our
public journals are immediately connected, an
abundance of proof that the Paper Duty operates
most unjustly and oppressively It has a most
injurious effect on the paper manufacturers, and
the number of persons to whom they give employ-
ment. The Legislature, in their desire to arrest
the spread of knowledge, must have taken some
trouble to devise the paper duty. It differs from
all other excise imposts. It anticipates supply,
and precedes demand. If the manufacturer makes
10,0001. worth of paper, he must be ready with the
money to pay ,duty, (before he can realise the
value of .a pound weight of -it. I3e Cannot send
it into bond and pay duty as it enters into
consumption. The tax is paid, as it were,
in advance, and so carries off a large sum
of money, which ought to be in the producers'
hands to work his business. The State takes the
place of the hungry landlord, who demands his
rent in advance, whereby he gets the interest
and turning of the cash, which ought to be in his
needy tenant's trade. There is not another
Imperial tax so easily evaded, or which puts the
Excise of-;e to so much trouble and expense to
guard it against fraud.
The duty is, therefore, objectionable in every
point of view, and leaves those who advocated the
repeal of the Newspaper Stamp Duty open to a
charge of insincerity; for there can be comparatively •
few oheap newspapers to pay a fair commercial inte-
rest on the capital employe 1 in their production so
long as there is a duty on the raw material. The
Report of the Association for Promoting the Repeal'
of the Taxes on Knowledge has put this fact in the
clearest light. It says Seferal daily penny
" papers have been established. We have one
" before us which weighs fourteen to the pound ;
" suppose its circulation to be 20,000,—that gives
" 6,260,000 copies per annum, equal to 447,142 Ibs,
" or, as nearly as possible, 200 tons, which, at 141.
" 14s. per ton, gives an annual tax of 2,940/.
"`then we think of this burden laid upon a
" newspaper, without any reference to its power
"of bearing it, can we wonder if the author's
" fund be sometimes eked out by the hope of a
"foreign consulship,. or an insufficient sale in-
" creased by judicious efforts to obtain a share in
" Government information." Again, the Association
say :—" To charge on. the gross receipts of one class
" of tradesmen, nearly twice the proportion which
every other class pays of his net profits, is suffi-
" ciently unjust; but what is that to the charge on
" the papermaker ? fifteen copies to the pound will
"be thirty-three pounds to the ream; the price of
" this, at the mill, will be, including the duty, not
" more than seventeen shillings ; the duty will be
" four shillings and fourpence, being more than
4` twenty-five per cent. on the gross receipts ; and
" this is a favourable case, for there are some sorts
" of brown paper on which the duty amounts to at
"least 100 per cent." The Association then go
on to quote from CHARLES KNIGHT'S Struggles
of a Book against Excessive Taxation. The
author of 'that work states that he had paid
in twenty years 80,0001. for copyright and editorial
labour, and 50,0001. paper duty in the _same time,
which sum became a double charge by the in-
evitable operation of a tax upon the raw material ;
and in this way the Association prove that the
taxation on the author is 62k per cent., and they
continue—" We have thus, on a rough calculation,
" the following ratio of impediments to literature,
" caused by the paper duty :

" To the Newspaper Proprietor, ... 10 per cent.
„ Maker of paper for Newspapers 25 „
11 Author of Literary Works ... 629 ~
This, certainly, brings the taxes on knowledge,
but more particularly on Newspapers, to very nearly
100 per cent. ; and the supporters of cheap Daily
Papers cannot suppose that the amount of capital,
energy, and experience required to establish a
Daily Newspaper can be fairly rewarded under such
circumstances. That the public stood much in
need of cheap Daily Journals, is shown by the
number of cheap papers which find a ready sale,
and the increased employment they have given to
literary and other labour has been a great boon to
the country. The paper maker has employed
more hands, the newspaper proprietors more
printers, and others whose services aro required
on the press ; and if there was no duty
on paper, the cheap Daily Journals would
be made larger, more paper would be con-
sumed, and more labour employed. What,
then, can be more oppressive and unjust than a
tax which forbids the growth of Production in
the heart of a community? Why should our
native literature have a direct tax of 623/4 per
cent. levied upon it? There is no political licenti-
ousness in the public mind to justify such
arbitrary folly. Our penal statutes are stringent
enough to protect the State and the individual
citizen from the pen of the libeller and writer of
treason. And there is no rationaljtratifrcation to
be urged in support of a tax placed on talent and
industry, for the mere pleasure of expending
in its collection an amount equal to the total
of income it yields. _

When we -double the sizo of the NORTHERN
TIMES permanently, and really multiply its present:-
number of superficial inches by two, we shall have'
to pay nearly 3,0001. a year in paper duty. This
will be taken, from our capital before our twelve-
mOßth's papers have been produced. We have
in addition to this to pay income-tax on the profits
derived from a business which will have • been
previously taxed 100 per:cent, Where then is
the man in trade taxed as newspaper proprietors
are ? And yet the friends of the cheap News-
paper Press express surprise that soma of the
cheap journals have not grown and prospered,
more than they have. We now give. them, how-
ever, the true cause, and we look to' them, as . the
meeting of Parliament approaches, for titia....com,
mencement of a vigorous agitation for the repeal
of the remaining Taxes ou Knowledge. The
paper duty yields an 'insignificant if any in-
come to the State, whilst large sums
are spent annually in its , collectien, which
never return to the national coffin--; and it is
rather too unpardonable to feed profitless, patronage
on the literary genius and industry of a. people so.
much in need of instruction and refinement. The.

cheap Newspaper Press has shown itself to be
worthy of the encouragement it received by the
removal of the penny stamp, and let us hope that
the people will demand for their authors, and the
raw material they require for the exercise of their
labour, a complete and speedy release from the
unjust fiscal burdens which now grind them into
dust. By wiping away the red blot the public
have been largo gainers, and by removing the
dead weight it has left behind it, they can obtain
cheap literature which will equal that of any past
age, or nation in the world.

TJI COURT MOURNING,

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, Nov. 'S.—Orders for
the Court's going into mourning on Thursday next, the
20th instant, for his late Serene Highness the Prince of
Leiningen, half-brother to her Majesty the Queen, viz. :
The ladies to wear black silk, fringed or plain linen, white
gloves, necklaces, and ear-rings, black or white shoes,
fans, and tippets. The gentlemen to wear black full-
trimmed, fringed or plain linen, black swords and buckles-
The Court to change the mourning on Thursday, the 27th
instant, viz.:—The ladies to wear black silk or velvet,
coloured ribbons, fans, and tippets, or plain white, or
white and gold, or white and silver stuffs, with black
ribbons. The gentlemen to wear black coats, and black
or plain white, or white and gold, or white and silver
stuff waistcoats, full-trimmed, coloured swords and
buckles. And on Thursday, the 4th December, the Court
to go out of mourning.

MR. BUCHANAN'S ELECTION.—Our attention has been
drawn to a letter in the Courier of yesterday, in which
reference is made to some remarks that appeared in our
columni on Tuesday, touching the election of Mr.
Buchanan, as President of the United States. We are
free to confess that the remarks alluded to were written
without authority, and were accidentally inserted without
the knowledge of the editor. Had they come under his
notice they would not have appeared. We have since
made some enquiry, and have seen the originals of two
telegraphic despatches, in both of which the fact of Mr.
Buchanan's election is distinctly reported; and, therefore,
there can he no grounds for attributing to any one here
a fabrication of the report.
ILLUsTRIOUs VlSlTORS.—Yesterday, his Excellency the
Count de Persigny, French Ambassador, his lady, the
Earl and Countess of Derby, and a distinguished party,
visited the town. The French Ambassador and wife,
with their suite, are at present on a visit with the Earl
of Derby, at Knowsley, and yesterday the party paid a
visit—privatein all respects—to the northern metropolis.
The party came in carriages from Knowsley, and visited
St. George's Hall, where the following gentlemen
received them :—Alderman J. H. Turner, J. A. Tobin,
W,n. Earle, Mr. Weightman, surveyor, Mr. Wordly,
clerk of the works, and Mr. Best. The latter performed
several selections on the grand organ. The party, after
passing through and admiring this fine structure, proceeded
to the Town Hall, where they lunched with the Mayor,
The French Consul, Mrs. Alex. Shand, Mr. Chas. Turner,
Mr. Alderman Turner, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Tobin, and

several other ladies and gentlemen, amounting to about
20, joined the noble visitors at the Town Hall. After lunch
the party drove to the stage, intending to go on the river
in a steamer, and view the docks, but rain coming
suddenly on, the anticipated trip was abandoned, and
the visitors drove back to Knowsley. The strangers
expressed much satisfaction at all they had seen,

THE PROPOSED LANDING STAGE FOR WOODSIDE FERRY.
—There is no truer evidence of genius than its freedom
from prejudiced ideas and forced conclusions. A mind,
thus free from contractions, is open to r:_ceive fresh
views, and, from its very elasticity, to adapt them to suit
the general purposes of either science or art. A great
landing stage, capable of accommodating itself for the
purposes of a direct transit traffic across the estuary of
the Mersey, has long been regarded as a desideratum.
The model exhibited by Mr. Reed, to which we have
already made allusion in these columns, we were of
opinion, answered the purposes for which they were
intended; but we expressed an opinion that the great
length of the bridge, 500 feet, was problematical. From the
model as exhibited in the Exchange Rooms, we observe
that Mr. Reed has so considered that part of his previous
plan as to reduce, not only the length, but also the
weight one-half from what the previous plan
would have rendered it. Another important
alteration is manifest in the direct transit traffic,
and direct from the high level to the boat, without
the necessity, as by the first model, of traversing one
half the length of the stage to reach the steamer. This
alteration gives extra space to passengers, altogether
free from danger by carriages. The bridges as thus shown,
will only accommodate carts and other conveyances.
The passenger bridges are admirably adapted for their
purpose, and can be constructed exceedingly light and
elegant, from the fact of their being for passengers
alone. The length of the traffic bridge is 175 feet,
constructed of lattice work and iron. This proposed
stage in its length and breadth is the same as the one
now nearly finished, and intended to be placed at
Prince's Pier Head, where, as we previously
remarked, it is quite evident there is not
sufficient land area. By far the most novel feature of
the plan, is the absence of mooring chains, which at
present present a complete barrier to the inner
surface of the existing stage. At the same time, Mr.
Reed's manner of moving the new stage is unique and
novel. Floating pontoons are placed at the distance of
from twenty to thirty feet at the back of the high level.
The admission of the water to float those pontoons is
obtained by three different cuttings, say of three feet
wide ; from the foundation of the sea wall to the top of
the high level, a tyre rod through the pontoon and con-
nected to the guide bridge, will pass through intercesses,
and thus a most perfect and permanent mooring of this
immense structure will be effected. According to the
application of this system of mooring applied to the three
different guide bridges, it will give no less than nine
moorings to the stage.

DEATH FROM FlRE.—Yesterday the Coroner held an
inquest on the body of a girl named Walsh, seven years of
age, who resided in Duke-street. The deceased was left in
the house, along with-some other children, and (almost, as
a matter of course) her clothes caught fire, and she died in
consequence of the injuries received. Verdict, "Accidental
death."
SOUTHERN AND TOXTETH HOSPITAL—WEEKLY-REPORT,
Nov. 19, 1856.—1 c-patients Discharged : Cured, 14 ;
relieved, 0 ; at own request, 0 ; irregular, 0 ; dead, 2;
entered, 20 ; under treatment,. 69. Out-patients : Cured,
45 ; entered, 39 ; under treatment, 37. Treasurer : 'Tames
Houghton, Esq. Visitors: B. _Plitt, Esq., and James
Houghton, Esq. Honorary Chaplain : Rev., D. P. Barry,
B.A. Physicians and Surgeons for the Week : Dr.
Cameron and Mr. Murton. House Surgeons : Mr. Edward
C. Garland and Mr. William TOwnsend.

CHANGE RINGING AT LIVERPOOL.—On Tuesday evening
last eight members of St. Luke's Society ascended their
tower and rang Mr. John Holt's original peal of Qrandaire
Triples, with the fwo doublei in' the last four leads. The
peal, consisting of 5 040 changes, was ac..:omplished in three
hours. The ringers were placed as follows : Robert
Thomas, treble ; Ben Heron, tad ; Johnlieron, junr., 3rd ;
James Heron, 4th ; George Crute, stb ; Richard Williams,
6th ' • George Helsby, 7th ; and John. Pearson, tenor. The
peal was ably conducted by John Heron, junr. Weight of
tenor, 16 cwt., in the key 1?;
THURSDAY EVENING, LECTURES IN HOPE HALL.---We
understand that the sixth 'of this interesting course of
lectures is to take place this evening. The lecturer is a
gentleman of great celebrity,' as a popular public speaker.
The Rev. James Begg, D.D., of Edinburgh, is a profound,
comprehensive, sagacious thinker, and embodies his thoughts
•in very felicitous expressions. " The Romanism of the
Middle Ages," which is the topic' of his contemplated
lecture, is one to which, as editor of the Picli:vark, his
attention must have been .much directed, and which he will
certainly treat in an interesting and feroible manner.
• OPENING THE NEW ENTRANCE TO 'ST. -
.TAMES'S-PARK.---
The recently constructed entrance from Pall-mall next
Marlborough House into St. James's-park,
.now
permanently opened, "and' the fellowirg notice has been
issued by order of the Duke of Cambridge :—" Ordered,
that private carriages and hackney cabs only be permitted
to pass through these gates,•and proceed through the Park
to the gates at Buckingham Palace. (signed) George,
Ranger. Nov., 1856." The thoroughfare to and from I
Belgravia and Pimho thr9pgit the Park will now be free
day and night.
. •

'F' a •