The Express.
London, England, 1850-05-30 00:00:00

DEPUTATION TO THE CHANCELLOR OF

THE BICHEQUZIL ON THE WINDOW TAX.

A deputation of the Metropolitan Sanitary Aaeo.
elation, consistiag of Bir Edwin Pearson, F.R.S. ; Hey. Dr.
Worthington ; Err. C. Hume, B.A. ; W. Rosen, Eeq. ;
George Godwin, Bog , F.E.B. ; T. Minh Nelson Req. ; C.
H. Howell, Esq. ; W. D. Braes, Esq. ; C. J. B. ;His, Esq.,
M.D.; Carleton Baynes, Esq. ; Walter Lewis, Esq., ;
C. F. J. Lord, Eeq. ; H. C. Edwards, BK.; and the BAIT.
M. W. Lesignan, M.A. Hector Gavin, Esq., M.D. ; A.
Barnett, Esq., M. 8., the honorary secretaries, waited upon
the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday lut, on the
subject of the window tax.

Dr. OAS IN introduced the members of the deputation,
and read the followieg:
Resolution passed by the Acting Committee on April 19,
18.50.—" That inasmuch as it is the object of this associatiou '
to obtain, through legislative enactments, remedies for the
evils which result from the present imperfect sanitary condi-
tion of the inetrepors, and as it has hoes abundantly proved
that the tax on windows has operated materially in the pro-
duction of evils which could scarcely have been anticipated
by the legislature when the tax wee fiest imposed, and that
the evils themselves an of distressing megni.side, and pro-
cute moth disease, not only through the shutting up of
windows already in r xisteuee and the building of honses
without a suffiesent supply of light, an element necessary to
healthy organisation. tint by the great obstruction to Tema'.
'Stift, which is the practical result of texiag all apertures,
which, while admitting air, also admit light and, farther,
that inasmuch as it is the belief of this association that no
government could be found to support the continuance of a
tax so clearly and demcnstrably proved to operate
most injuriously on the welfare of the people (a
primary object of all gocd government), unless the revenue
thereby derived was essential to the wants of the nation. It
is expedient that another service whence to derive the se-
maser, sum, be indicated. That policy and equity point to
the imposition of a tax on houses. Teat all houses should
be included, with such exemptions as may be deemed expe-
dient by parliament. That a government registration of all
bowel is fundamentally necessary for the bringing home to
the dwellings of all classes of the community efficient sant-
tary measurer, and that the data which would be furnished
through smelt a tax would prove the groucdwork for sad
greatly facilitate the introduction of those measures. That
by the operation of such • tax, perishes would be greatly
protect , through the facilitieswhich would be affords dto
prevent untrue returns of unoccu2ied house,. That it is ex-
peditnt, therefore, that this atsocletion represent to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer the beeping means of ob-
taining the revenue necessary for the purposes of the state,
and that he be rsquestol to brieg is • hill for the total aboli-
tion of the tax on windows, and for the imposition of a tax
on houses in it. place."
Having shown clearly that scrofulous diseues, including con-
sumption, prevailed to • much larger proportion among the
poorer clause than antimg any other, and that one of the
main causes thereof was the went of light and ventilation.
Rev. Dr. WORTHINGTON said that, as the incumbent
of a parish of 40,000 souls, ha considered that unitary re-
relations would be very imperfectly carried out if the
meat simply contested itself with the passing the
government simply contested itself with the paseing the
Metropolitan Cemetery Act. Having been the main instra-
meat in bringing the clergy to unanimity upon the question
of intramural interment, and inducing them to meet the
iregeacies of the time by adopting • report, which he had
drawn up, and which the Board of Health was at present
circulating, he considered that government would
only half effect its important ends if the window tax
were not also removed. He trusted that the government
would not listen to the City of London remonatranos on the
present bill, but peas it is 3.11 its details. Ia no climate was
the tax so grievous as in one so variable as that of Eneland,
where the Lie of its inhabitant/ was necessarily an in-leer
existence, and where the large town p isolations required
every see ssory of sir and light. oth...enclose enjiyed a pare
climate and an out-door existence ; but the Englishman was
deprived of even the enjoyment of his home. To look
upon the stretched dwellings of the !overdose**, deprived of
every possible comfort, and exhibiting nothing but wretched-
ness and disease, was the most painful office to which
the clergy of bis great metropolis were submitted.
And it became every government that retained the glory of
all governments at heart, to remedy the evil, that premed on
the great aggregate of the population. It was not merely as
legislators, but as men and philanthropists, that they were
called on to supply the present deficient elements of light
and air, not simply in the dwellings of the poor' but in large
manufactories and private dwellings, where this evil pressed
equally. He did not venture to say whether a hone, tax
would supply the revenue required, but left that to the
Chanc..llor of the Exchequer to consider; but he contended
that the government would not exercise a proper considera-
tion of the wants of this great people, unlike it passed a con-
tinuous series of enactments which should accomplish the
great object of sanitary reform, and the entire amelioration
of the physical condition of the people.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply
stated thatithe difficulty of removing the tax was • fiscal
one, one that it was not so easy to substitute a house tax
as he d.eutation seemed to think. He stated that there
were 487,000 houses which at present paid the window tax,
while erre were 3,000,0.0 of houses that did not pay the
tax. T.• impose. therefore, a tax on 3,000,000 of hones
borne by 457,000 only was a difficulty that any Chancellor
of the Exchequer might well shrink from. He admitted
that there were many sanitary evils produced by the tax,
but could not hold out any hope of a modification of the tax
this session.
The deputation then withdrew.

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT MORECOMER BAT.—In
the Esprese yesterday was reported the death by drown-
ing of flee persons from Manchester in this bay. The Man
cheater Examiner supplies the following additional particn-
lan, and the result of the inquest: " Before they had gone
far on their journe down the sands, they must have found
that the tide was Insensibly overtaking them ; and when
they neared the boat they discovered too late that they were
surrounded so effectually by the tide, that either to reach the
boat or return was utterly impossible. The bodice were
found the next morning by • person who was fishing on the
spot; and the position in which they lay disclosed how
desperate hail been the struggle for life which they h:ed made.
In their death agony each had grasped the other, and they
were all cut upon the beach in a meas. An inquest was
held on Monday evening, at Hest Bank Hotel, before Mr.
Gardner, coroner, when two men named Ashburn and
Fhher, confessed that they heard on Friday evening a cry
for help from some parties seemingly in distress, and could
even distinguish the words, " Lost, lest!" and yet they
neither stirred hand nor foot to obtain assistance, but ex.
rued themselves on the ground that it was too late at the
time to do GO: The verdict was steeply Accident I death.'"
MORE SECRET POL•ONINOS IN ESSEE.—An in-
quiry, adjourned by Mr. C. C. Lewis, the coroner, from the
20th instant, was resumed on Tuesday at Cheering (a
small village, six miles distant from Newport, Essex, and the
some 01 the murders of children by poisoning about five
years dam), respecting the death of Rickard Chesham, the
father of those children, and who i: now appears died from
the effects of arsenic. The deemed wee the busload of the
woman Sarah Chesham, who was tried at the sasses for the
murders and was acquitted. On the 4th of February last
he sent to the relieving officer of Claveting parish for an
order for medical aid, which was granted, the relieving
officer visiting him from time to time until the period of his
death, which took pasta last Thursday fortnight. On the
first visit of the officer deceased complained of constant
vomiting, pains of the chest, and could not bear
any weight on kis body. Subsequently the officer
saw him several times ; at times he was better, and
seemed to be recovering, and at others appeared
wore through attacks of vomiting and purging. Mr.
Hawks, surgeon at Chmering, deposed to attend-
ing on the deosesid by order of the relieving officer, and
described his Slues in similar terms. Since death he bad
made a post 'Rotten examination of the body. The lungs
were fall of tubercles. The cause of death he considered to
be consumption. In consequence of some suspicious eireum-
, stance which came to the knowledge of the coroner and jury,
it was determined to subject the intestines and stomach to
an analyeation, and for that purpose they were forwarded to
Mr. Taylor, the professor of chemistry at Guy's Hospital.
YesWdey the coroner informed the jary he had received a
(10/11•Weliti011 from that gentleman, intimating he had de-
tested IIIOSSIC is the remains be had analysed. The Inquiry
wee adjourned, to enable the authorities to obtain further
evidence.

Two BROTHERS DROWNED IN A SUPPOSED STATE
or Boatemonuwem.—Thei Otter .team-pasket, from Holy-
head, arrived at Chatham on Saturday, to be paid off. On
Monday morning one of the www, named Pritehor,
waa missing from the meal, and as he did not make
his appearance la the wane of the forenoon, fears
wen intercalated that he bad gone overboard ; a search
with the drags wee thereon made, mad on Tues-
day the body was hand now the niter frigate. An
Inquest boo place been held, when • verdist o " Foaled
drowned" was returned. It is supposed by his shipmates
that he walked overboard fa hie shop. II Is remukable
that deceased bad a brother won*, in the same vessel, and
who about 14 weeks ego disappeared from the moll at
Holyhead, when attar two or three days' search he wee
found drowned ;he also wag sigg= Oahe walked over-
beard la sissp.—RocAssferi