The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-12 00:00:00

TAXES ON KNOWLEDOE-DI
THE PB.IIIIIRE.

Yesterday a deputation from the Newspaper SKllaM
Abolition Coma ittee wailed ea Lord J. Email e, t his &Meld
Do7Lega
residues la m She of the Taxes one
Knowledge. The piton Mr.
Joao Walesa, Kr. Kr. Li 7:1 Mr. 1144-
'eke, and wee by the Bashers of
parliUneat : Mr. Cebu% Mr. Kenhaw, Mr. M'Oregor,
Mr. Manillas Manes, sad Mr. Nowam gr. Mao Gibes.
introduced the deputation.
Mr. J. D. COLLET, asentary to the oessaittea, said,—
My Lord, is &dodos tar the repeal N all do taxes sa
bowled's we hue plated the ammo stamp promiwatly
forward, Meuse we esaabler it as the key-stow et •
nom. We weld wet mann to say that the paper
duty was original, imposed be the rupees N Mawr-
iag literature, or that the adowdemunt ditty had no other
objets than that of lopediag ommealundsm bat the wow
stoop en anegoines appeals to a to have hen
retake" to ISM for the amens purpose of pro-
A Ile hibiting
of this to the
prehilliti working man. It is to
MU oa ea Me wain
ma ea aelopper dos we an lee swim. The regaistiew
ef whisk in oomph& see eintolaed li the Mamma Aet,
11 7sap. 71, wide& .testesesatmil se& ea be re-
e
web& rm. Imams it ovate ahlp, inside. v;
Comiledeasn of damp
oblem with arthesey pewee. Sassal,
Immo ila pr am ee eala Oat they bow woo
M reds( Me ellese. Tbled. Wows Me mem flaw
holm _Mae ,widow we biped mown more. The
so dodoes mem pariodied pilliestioa besegat eat
" *Mao *ea ease
of la 26 days, aad eaa=mony pales
mem Maalamea. asstreness, as any err Mew
mid= thersek" to be • norepaper, odor it neeh a Moan
We sad prim. Bat by the 25th cisme, all ponies whom shall
have gives sodas of publication to the Stamp Ofllcie, and
shall have Nil the advertisement duty, are exempted
from pundit till they is their turn receive no-
tice of the aisty of their publications. Is
exercising their tion,6 the stamp commissionere
appear to be setested_ by no ciasideration either of morality
or Olga jolts, hideout publications dealing in libels,
with ef date, place, and person. are stated by
Kr. to be not liable to the newspaper stamp duty.
Our aldose INN plat down last year by a private prosecutioa
Er a enandaless libel, the defewe to which was that the
proprietor karw nothing either of its truth or of its author,
but published it fora living. Radar the present acheinia.
tration, all expression' of opium are permitted to circulate
freely ; the only thing prohibit's! I that foci which would
prove the beet antidote to moment doctrines. It has not
been lewd preeticeble to prevent working sea from study-
ing politics, bat an efficient bar is placed to their being
taught by persons who understand anything of politics or of
political eocoomy as a science, the espnal which would go to
remunerate sash persons bang forcibly withheld from that
peruse. Bat the act is not merely stretched by the
coestraction pat on the 25th glans; from the beneficial ope.
ration of that clause all registered newspapers are excepted
so that it is clearly illegal for any suck paper to publish a
pert of its impression without a stoop, jet this is constantly
sad openly done for the sake of eitem_peetage. Acanthi
to a roan Rade last month to the Rouse of Commas.,
than are 61 newsoapere thus pabliahed coatrary to law la
Enema alone. The Newspaper Act =stains no postal
repletion ; the aewspepar steam is as a postage swap.
As • large properties al the stamped wingspan sow go by
post, we cacao think that this plan would muse any saline
log to the revues. If it be said that the sat works well,
because tinder it no remade= have yet takes place, we
reply, dust, that the enanaissimers stretch the act is.,. and
oars is favor *Me public; mad secondly, that the gemlike
amount to absolute vela. The power of seizing the premiss ot
offenders is • moot effective method of stopping publication.
Is this stage of or agitation we an bound to confess that
we have no power to extort anything ; whatever is gives
now will be a coneestion, not so much to a popular demand,
uto runs and justice. We venture to hope that your lord-
ship, In liberating the press from all taxation will be willing
to perform an action worthy to be pissed betide the enfran-
chisement of the disseaten and the paean of the Reform
Bill.

E. EDWARDS, secretary to the Compodten' Asso-
ciation, directed his lordship's attention to the injurious eon.
sequences the newspaper stamp, as also to the objects of
the deputation Wolf, In respect to the regulations of the pat.
office. It la impossible, be said, not to notice the increasing
appetite of the eLmmunity for that kind of mental food which
the newspaper furnishes. Dario, the last ten yeah (sine,
indeed, the reduction of the duties on paper, on advertise-
ments, and the stamp on dowspipen), a new order of
literature had sprung up, eminently calculated to soften
down the asperittss of the people, sad to impress
them with a true sense of their responsibilities. Pot
example, let the eye be tuned on that department
of the Wren, called publications. With but few exceptiMs
these periodicals are of a exclusive character. They do not
interest the general reader, their contents being imitable
only to particular claws or professions. And it is here that
the compulsory penny stamp on newspapers ls seen to
ooppeorante most perjediciall . The periodical called the
Bwit.er is by law re to the publioatioa anal matter
as shall interest the building trades. Its proprietors would
jeopardise their property were they to publish any portion
of the parliamentary debates, the proceeding. of the courts
of law and police office', the Baakruptcy sad Insolvent
Debton' Courts. Sash news would immediately subject
them to a governmental tic., for the Builder would
the• cease to be a . Is every sense of the word
inch matter would crass it to be set down se a newspaper,
and every copy printed must bear a stamp, or
peauues would follow the (amino of
reevorasw. So with the Atheneum and journals
of that ohm. Nor can we except, in them
remarks, the work called Punch. Albeit, our whimsical
friend may not publish the debates, cad law, and polio.
cases yet kis baton is repeatedly being levelled against par-
ticular obstructions to the worla's progress, as manifested in
events gaits recent, which events are, ea thousands of men,
decidedly news. Hew often Is it Nell that some hon. mem-
ber's speech, delivered but some fiveor six days previously,
is quoted from, sad favourably or severely animadverted
epos ; yet it is suite clear the act of parliament does not
give Mr. Punch this privilege of observation, as by it at least
terenty•aix days ht to expire before inch remarks would
so become, , the property of the periodical prem. Of
course your p is aware that the works named are not
made amenable to the law. They severally publish stamped
and tinetneped copies: the former only for Idle convenience
of postage, the latter for the generality of their
subscribers. Were they compelled to publish their entire Im-
pression on stamped paper only, like the newsmen are,
they would fall La sale directly, because their price, for the
town editions, would have to be enhanced 26 per cont. sad
more. Punch Nib for 4d. a stamped copy, 3d. for an u•-
stamped copy. To Interfere with this work beams it pah.
Intim news (and were the law followed oat, It 111111 e new-
eerily be objected to), would be to diminish its sele, for ate
price must be iacreesed to 4d., or the profits of its geopiston
suet pay the met. Now, it would be a grievous thingthns
to interfere ; sad consequently, the law is shown to be as
inoperative as its workings are proved to be samatially
partial. But these objections are sunpereti,Allesim.
when the restriction is considered se pre solemn
and really useful information from being petaled,
while the law allows ma to pallet deemeallios
periodicals, sad political writings of a very mama
character. Polities are bunnies manna men M be owe
timed and a ems of Heir impoleses wt eadeer sea Se
those Ms/Rations of the minetry wadi, dMlaleg liberty,
defy demagogical control. A free press In Ingiand IN •
daideratass to be sighed for, ant a thilaifitabe guided
ordeal The best way to cars the u atm is to
Induce the mind to thiak. prom, wi Englishmen, is
all the term they stand in need of mordelag. If its advo
easy be sound, new will be sure to follow Its sable efforts.
Do act fear. my lied, by letting Sea writs and print,
is their publleations, political matter, the pesos of the
mantry will be endangered. Rasher marlade, by its Ms-
sessinatioa, that isspractkable schema would be
sipped is their N 4 sad desigoing mes be held
up to the isecialay of *has they sought M be.
tray. After further ex odeles epos the value of the
ssmmer, the garages ocesequeat there.., and the news-
y of • large sal* to nage any profit, the speaker con-
cluded, by toying, that though he spoke as • compositor—
ono wiatuag to see the large numbeee out of work in employ-
ment, whichhe thought the abolition of the stamp duty
would, to a great extent, give them—he did not ask from the
government any partite/sr favour fro his calling. Pristine
were, so far, like the Bagasse aserekente, they would wish
the government to leave them .lose. It was for the benefit
of the sou be ortmeated the repeal of the enactment, for
he wig cesMent nathists would tend to promote nick great
satiated= la the egastry, with existing Murtha, than that
of 'ivies the rule an untaxed press.
The Rev. THOMAS SPENCER sailed the attention of
Lord John Russell to the moral bearing of the question. He
said that busman ma were perpetually devising new
schemes for the Imgeweemeat of the condition of
itlesalasfsole
mad oda, upon somegmaspat to aid them by vs
onastmsete, ifhe (Mr. Spencer) might give Ids vies it
would be that government should not undertake the memese-
meat Mlle people's affairs, but that they should Meow ell
abashment of the way and repeal these taxes wadi tasked
the sommeeigatioa of knowledge ; sad thus Maw ha wir
le these who were wally e/ to envoy sound primelpi• to Ibe
make mild. He would briefly amig ebb to ems et Oho
meat qesetimas of the day.—l. Nang odoeskes. If
Hail be areal* to dudes • same Wt would met be
eileadel with eau* Wades ead diaolleirotios. Sew
whited kr BMW olasellea 'Meat riligloa, sad others kr
edatedea omblasti wiltra sub potty 'said ob.
ruirts,pez team the whine the OW.
If lama of increased puts on taxation
Ur alasstios the severnment Hold take away the tax of
Iddi. per lb. on pow. le. 13d. on advostiessagate. and the ld.
semi newsmorm, It weal Moat all them parties
emully, sad would usable then to may ea their ova eye.
' tem Mesa= with sad mook Ism met.
leased of egaiplalats Er of Baikal obtolsed
=Asead the
,dlejesal
sreaealy owl?. of tbeerver:se
teamed to ea beetwarehie dm toady= IPial Ibe
truth would prevail. 2. The reeeeten et religious, temper-

ease, sulperen ad ether Meat matter, would be
rib to Mmemleme Wm. Was ar awful karledie,
with MAU haft.
stperned to @elision only, to
Umpires ray, or le era hem dull sad err-
sive he the gessailky mime; at
M all these papers
Wahl Mar die mast imperial of the day, it
would add pest intense to Ober & As le
111.1 the lamb wird bb The mar hope-
.4elemeisa weer lim pirs; that der meg mat and
et the adult praisers ; whoa Ihme ware Mir
wish selightemed views sad baasurable arlimeale they
would take can et the Mineatisa of their slikleak
Bible desired t" Me that withholder era re people
✓ear NM hid;" sad the man laws bre bra verde&
The deo
is
as " That the soul be wirer liar-
drop tort.i
mm=1744011 people see domed ter
eserlaws et the nded—are 1.1
11.1"ds=
repeal et the eanclaws She maw of bate ear
seated mull is.,. toed them 11.111 AIL tad dm Ilks renal
mew laws shall have been It will be Mai NMI the
seasuarloa et arta ter w be imereser la a
greater properties. It was a grand mama resit ries*,
people wen enabled to get sheep beer ; but the govenumer
sherd remember that "man rib nee lice by bred alert
but by even ward that preeseder eat Ihe mew* et
God•;" sad these we and* dad slob Is ma Is nodose&
rerhaleas sad in reNs ealemitisy sr la great _ preeperiir,
me ealy le be heir thieugh the ebeemsle et publicin IU
cues:: it is by re FMB poses rat the drams of
ma be passaft ham The people tee
WM derive ant* intesaterea hem re greet Brilidea
Isimmry et With. st Are sad ; bat the gewsam.at
sherd area sermaher that the highest outaeatq has p -
wombed it to be mess Papaw* is be wise ia these eastasm,
regret. ast he lire the slim et the imes. AM har
shall ma knew Ihe signs of the timest but by cis Cant
realm& ef Ike whisk record all the rear a
this sal ether the ateditatioa of theuglittal
mums It roe sobs wish to do the people geed sere
roma a men prate' sugar by err tat ram
sad himmilliMsa at newspapers tall el geed pelaMples,
se I thly_sould prepare newspapers whisk every man
Mil afford to tako at his own hones, then would tho
CZof the dealer in strong drink receive a death blow.
is not 'sly more prudent to let the people have oppor-
tray so sweet their erron of opinion by reading sack
papers, hat they ban a positive right to know what is going
as Blealea a risen obeys the laws, he ought to know
what the laws an, and what new laws are being made. Re-
arms be pays the taxes, either directly or indirectly, ha
ought to see whether trio taus aro of proper amount
sad equitably levied; and this can be done by reading the
debates is parliament. Every citizen is more or less affected
Iry soda driers, and he has a right to know what things
are rig is that may ailict his owa prosperity. If cut of
em t, Its ought to be able to slake known his wants
to each es may have work to give sad this implies
cheap papers and no duty on advertisements. As a
man, tee, he is bound to interest himself in the
affairs of his fellowmen, to undo heavy bur-
dens, mil to break every yoke • for this Pis religion
regains of him ; as a Christian, too, he is cancd upon to
think upon sad promote all things that are trne keen,
lovel or of pod report; sd for taws things a iris press
is highly esseatiaL At pessent the greater pert of the
Eaglish people never read a popes;
el oldies' who do the
greater part road thou tho basses; and kenos the
mistake -pore sasks in their legations foments
their fellow ram They rases w,.. b, SW* indiscrimi-
nately to beggars air ersurge pas/seism, awry because
they have sot seen the slitemeats the nimblevous effects
of such conduct, and that such benevolent" only encouragesintemperance, Gnaw, and trine. It is trait then an
' dangerous errors in the salads of some, which might find
vent is cheap newspapers; but these errors are less dange-
rous when brought to light; they can be answered;
sat Pas ere more freak and honest In telling
the Intl than working men to each other. Hear, for
Instant", a working men address his know-workmen on
istamperaitea, sad you will admire his fidelity and plainness
of speck. A cheap newspaper would be a great boos to
our ows people; it would imply confidence on the part of
the goventamat, and would inspire affection in the people
towards their errors. And if any one step can vastly tend
to educate, improve, and elevate their minds, it istho re-
moval of the cirri taus on knowlege, and especially of
ths penny stamp on newspapen.
Lord John Russell mann the deputation with his usual
courtesy He of course declined to give any answer to a
depend *kw a reduction of taxation, but observed that the fact
of the government having reduced the stamp frosted. told.,
and the postage of letters from 6d. to Id., was an evidence
that the government pare not indisposed to promos the
enlightenment of the people.

EXPLOSION OF POWDER MILLS AND LOSS

OF LIFE.

Yesterday afferent the town of Hounslow and
the &Anteing diereses were thrown into a state of the gnat.
est alarm, is ellElegiNali of • series of ingimions occureing
in the reds/ sigh talmiging M Moss. Cara sad Honey,
to extsein gompowder esennfasturen and sontrasters,
which, it is to be nostied, has been atteaded with a vast
&striate& of vaults' property and loss of lie.
Before a se an outline of the cirentstances
attaining this isaiaalie event, it is aimmeary to state, that
about two miles boa the Hounslow railway station, and
about half • mils from the public highway, oa the southern
side of the road, stood a number of powder manufactories,
the appreeh to which was by means of a narrow cart-road,
sulacestly wide to allow only of the vehicles belonging to
the weeks to pass to and fro. The greet distance of the
mills frost the public highway was to prevent any improper
characters, epees smoking, to approach near them, lest
by their impradeas• they should be the Meal of ceasing
suck • calamity as that we an about to narrate.
At halt-past three o'clock yesterday afternoon, an explo•
sic., the noise of whisk resembled that following the dis-
charge ola pork of artillery, took place in one of thee build-
ings. Immediately afterward, a dense cloud of smoke was
sera rising late the air, and beam it bed sleazed away
several bodies were observed to drop I. eranifry directions
amongst the treas. Two explains of gates Adam than
the lint giddily followed, by whisk the rook et the easing.
houses were drive* high into the air.
The inhabitants seer the station of the railway, generally
:, ornsistod of the men and their families working in
mill.. Upon hearing this series of explosions they ran
towards the mills, be they had not proceeded far on their
journey, whoa another 'apical= occurred, and before the
noise had subsided, two or three more of similar violence
followed in sapid messemiso.
The miss of the Mem szpisaisos wee heard at Brentford,
Kew, and evenat Risimood, arid several hundred of per-
sons front these places eared off to ascertain the cause.
When the grounds were entered a fearful spectacle pre-
sented itself, for no fewer than seven of the mild or stores
were levelled with the gnsemd, the whole of the contents
destroyed, and many of de
_poor workmen were lying in
various directions, sons bleeding from wound., and other
burnt and blackened by the form of the explosion.
Respecting the cause of the calamity nothing is at present
lumen, and it is extremely doubtful whether it ever will
The first explosion, it has been satisfactorily learned, hap-
pened is one of the corning houses, but the whole of the
parties employed therein have been either killed, or so
ally Wand u to be unable to give any account of the
catastrophe.
The engine from Hounslow barrette, and other plans
near, were quickly taken to the spot, but their services
were scarcely required, the devastation having been so
conplete.
The following is • lid of the killed and wounded.
Killed : Thomas Polaroid, left a wife and 6 children
William Boni., left • wife ; Robert Gluier, left • wife and
4 children ; Francis Strange, single; Joseph Perry, wife and
our child ; James Bekker, eft • wits and 7 children ;
Gowns Goddard, loft • wife and 7 children.
Wounded : William Pears, single John Compton, wife
and 6 children; H. Clifford, wife and d children ; J. Parkin-
son single.
The whole of the buildings way be said to be destroyed,forthose that are not entirely blown up are so much eat-
tend that it will be necessary to raze them to the ground.

DAY.

The reporter who Molted the seam of the dreadful catas-
trophe this looming, Moto that of Am of the buildings,
three aorning-hoesmo ems promisig-home, and one composi-
tim-hoose, not a Midge mealme.
The reporter bee bias familia by the officials tamed
la the work. with the itrLawh. aeon& of the eateetroye :
At the time above slated the mea aimed la the work.
were aerated by a terrde explosion, which wee almost im-
mediately followed by °then of a similar character. Of
souse all hoods capable of doing so, rushed oat of the
several band*s in which they were engaged into the perk,
whore a setae of the most appalling nature promoted itself.
Hoge tram slate., tiles, timbers and even boom limbs, were
falling to the ground (rem the ;if into which they had been
blown.

---haroost as the cloud of smoke and dust had cleared away,
it wan found that not a single building in the plies had
bees hit whole. Human heads, lege, arms, and wanks were
found is several parts of the park la which the building
Med, bat el Bonne to whoa they behaved could ant be
amelaimed. . _ _ _

The am Ware then all museum& 160 ya number, sad it
wrs ibesd that the explosion reek platy Wet is the lower
serniselmes, at whisk time there Were at work In It the
four ma list armed in the !it dialed elves ahem, sad to
wbees IS le owned the rempled issolos bolsag.
At the get where the reeshmes steed (Miiik att:
isseedehdy Aar the ematetboase) ww•ilenad the
ef J. Perry, J. Hoehlism. aM G. Gemidsed, Mho Will
quit. dead.
Lower down la the
}irk, WHEN Pew him ee,
sad Henry Clifford were fiend ; they were not =lot
Issrlfwly ventilated, sad Pares wu ininiediatay semoyed
to Bt. (temp's Hospital, and the other two to doh own

Th-e—teuses of the
powd implerosiwltkeon is supposed to "6" be !ureic
bstasse la the my beim is
oraoraiartiousk Tie lon Is aptiatatad at 7,00181"1".

BURNING OF THE

ROAD 8-TRAK-iii7XLLUM7

Between five and six this matist a fire broke out
ea the extenive premises Deleatlet to Mr. Gabriel, the
stoma sew wigs, situate is Mllforil.plase, Oboes' to
Loademsbeet, Tottenham-court read. TM bet iminatioa
of its 'Abeam was glom by the piles, who diseemeed the
dames broads, through the reef of the mak elfish, thresh
bat one stay Is height, nteaded a seadderable depth
sod length i a rugs of cow-houses (beissadet w Kr. Howe,
is Prissuswirest, Totteethais-martweed) limbed OM side
of the bailding. As seen es the pass add crow the
family of Mr. Gabriel, who resided he • eleallieg abetting
ea the. mine, they exerted themselves fa the stelae of the
WWI soled the adjoining prosises—a maker of ao little
difilaa/M, the pow salamis being Issas& by the reariag
dams sesmaselat from the Lib, width by that time ware
es Ire M clay part. The brigade sad Was of Maglemed
satinet were semi ea the apes; but, wiewhibilaritat the
wet swan used by the Immin, the Ilemse 'meld last be
WI Ile vide MM. saw-mille was boned down
aad the Ideate nubbin &obeyed. There wore also
sassy el the adjeklat prefab's mere et less blared.
The total km le said is aimed 2,0004