The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-17 00:00:00

THE COURT, 4c.

WINDSOR, Thursday, Jana 15.—The fluchess of Cam-
bridge and Princess Mary arrived yesterday afternoon,
and dined with her Majesty. Earl and Countess of
Shaftesbury, Viscount and Viscountess Barrington, also
arrived at the Castle. The band of the Coldstream
Guards played during the dinner. Her Majesty's private
band afterwards performed the_

Overture, " Die lustigen Welber you Windsor " Otto Nicolai
Chorus, " Come gentle Spring " (Seasons)
Selection, " A Winter's Tale "

The Queen, accompanied by the Princess Royal and
Princess Mary of Cambridge, walked in the Home Park
this morning. Prince Albert, with the Count of Flanders,
went out shooting. The Duchess of Cambridge visited
the Duchess of Kent at Frogmore. The first of a series of
dramatic performances at the Castle took place this even-
ing. The play selected upon this occasion was Sheridan's
comedy, " The School for Scandal," and the parts were
filled according to the following programme

Sir Peter Teazle ~ Mr. Benjamin Webster.
Sir Oliver Surface

Sir Benjamin Backbite Mr. Buckstone.
Joseph Surface Mr. Alfred Wigan.
Charles Surface
Crabtree Mr. Compton.
Rowley
Moses Mr. F. Robson.
Careless

Snake

Trip Mr. Leigh Murray.

Sir Toby

Mr. G. Everett.

Joseph Surface's Servant

Lady Teazle f Mrs. A. Mellon, late
t Miss Woolgar.
Lady Sneer well Mrs. Poynter.

Mrs. Candour
Maria
Lady Tea zle's Maid Miss Laura Collins. !

Director Mr. Charles Kean.
Assistant Director Mr. George Elllis.

The Theatre arranged and the scenery painted by Mr.
T. Grieve. Soon after eight o'clock the Queen and Prince
Albert entered the theatre in St. George's Hall, accom-
panied by the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and
the elder portion of the royal children, the Duchess of
Cambridge and the Princess Mary, the Count of Flanders,
M. Van de Weyer, the Belgian Minister, the Earl and
Countess of Shaftesbury,': Viscount and Viscountess Bar-
rington, and the ladies and gentlemen in attendance. The
performance immediately commenced. The following had
the honour of receiving invitations :—The Princess
Amelie, of Hohenlohe Schillingfurst, Lady Fanny
Howard, Lady Waterpark, and the Hon. Miss Cavendish,
the Ladies Murray, the Hon. A. and Lady Harriet
Vernon, the Flon. H. and Lady Mary Labouchere, the
Right Hon. W. G. Hayter, Miss Hayter, Sir William and
Lady Middleton, Lieut. Gen. S;r W. and Lady Codring-
ton, Miss Codrington, and Miss Maria Codrington, Major
General and Mrs Craufurd, the. Provost of Eton, Mr.
Ricardo, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Robarts, Mrs. Charles
Mills, two Misses Mills, Colonel Parker, commanding
officer, Lieut. Colonel Hogg, .and Lieutenant Viscount
Powerscroft (Ist Life Guards); Lieut. Colonel Cocks,
commanding officer, Lieut. Colonel Lord Burghersh, and
Captain and Adjutant Freemantle (2nd Battalion Cold-
stream Guards); Lady Caroline and Miss Barrington,
Lady Mary Hood, Hon Miss Amherst, Lady Emily
Seymour, the Hon. Mrs. Grey, Mr. Edward Hamilton,
Colonel the Hon. C. B. and Mrs. and Miss Phipps ; Mr.,
Mrs. and Miss Sayer, Captain Hon. D. and Lady Eliza-
de Ros, the Dean of Windsor and Hon. Mrs. Wellesley,
Mr. Glover, and Mr. Gibbs.
It will be seen from the Court Circular that the Ear
and Countess of Shaftesbury were present at the perform-
ance of The School for Scandal at Windsor Castle, on
Wednesday evening--this being the engagement which
prevented his lordship from taking the chair at the
meeting held at the Freemasons' Hall for the suppression
of the opium traffic.

During the few days that Prince Frederick William was
in Berlin, at the commencement of this month, no clerk of
the works was more assidious early and late in visiting
the works going on at the palace of the late Bing, which
is being converted into a suitable residence for himself
and the Princess Victoria. Of course, whatever conside
rations may be admitted to influence the date of their
nuptials, there is none so imperative as the completion of
their future dwelling, if not in its every detail, at least in
its main feature and extent. The impatience of the
youthful bridegroom would, it is said, be content with a
preparation of a very moderate portion of the building,
rather than allow his union to be postp-oned for mere
considerations of bricks and mortar ; but, unfortunately,
the requirements of the 19th century-do not admit of
any return to the pastoral simplicity with which Corydon
and Phyllis may have given themselves up to seclusion
and the joys of mutual affection.

Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, who arrived at Berlin on the
last day of the old year, with' his parents, to be present
*at the "jubilee" of his father the Prince of Prussia, has
left again for Breslau, where he will probably reside for
the next nine months, and devote himself to his military
duties, so as to enable him to take general's rank before
his marriage takes place. The same apartments have
been fitted up for him in the Royal Schloss there as were
occupied by the late King and Queen ; that which the
late Queen Louisa occupied has been converted into a
study for the young prince, and is already graced by a
marble bust of her late Majesty, and by a full-length oil
painting, that has just within the last few days arrived
there from Berlin. It is not difficult to guess that this
latter unnamed picture is the full-length portrait of the
Princess Royal, by Winterhalter, which was, in the last
exhibition of the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. The
bureau of the 11th regiment of infantry, of which the
young prince has recived the command. has been estab-
lished on the ground floor of the palace, and his various
adjuncts have also received quarters under the same roof.

Her Excellency the Countess Persigny was safely
delivered of a daughter yesterday morning at Albert-gate
House. The countess and the infant were progressing
favourably. Dr. Farre is in attendance upon the coun-
tess.

Baron Alderson, although prevented from attending his
jadicial duties, was yesterday, upon enquiry, stated to be
progressing favourably. •

WRECK or TEE BRITON STEAMER —Telegraphic intel-
ligence received from Southampton this morning,
announces the arrival at that port, from Jersey, of the
crew of the Briton steamer, belonging to the Union Steam-
ship Company. They bring intelligence of the foundering
of the Britou, off Cape Ushant, 60 miles south-west of the
Cape, on Sunday last, at 6 a.m. The steamer left London,
with a cargo of wheat on the 6th January, bound to
Seville. The crew were picked up on Sunday night, at 11
p.m., by the Ocean Queen, from Lisbon for Hull, with a
cargo of fruit, &c., and sho having also, by stress of
weather, sprung a leak, was compelled to put into Jersey
on Wednesday, and there landed the crew.

THE ‘‘ TIMES" AND THE FINANCIAL
REFORM ASSOCIATION. -"

When O'Mulligan, the interesting hero of Mrs.
Perkins's Bull, was asked where he lived, he waved
his hand rather widely up Oxford street. That is
all the answer we have got from that O'Mulligan of
finance, Mr. Robertson Gladstone. We asked for
the'scheme of a Property tax that should raise the
requisite amount, dispense with all other taxation,
.and be both practicable and endurable; and instead
of giving us a scheme, he has repeated his former
promise in rather more inflated language and extra-
vagant terms. We ventured to give him some warn-
ings founded on the great facts of existing finance.
These he throws aside With the utmost contempt,
and starts froth a basis of his own, at ()nee simple
and majestic. Setting down the incomes and earn-
ing of the country at the " moderate'' sum of
650,000,0001, per annum, he triumphantly observes
that 2s. in the pound, or 10 per cent., would raise
the desired sum, paying the 'cost of collection
besides ; and that even this light rate might be
made lighter still, by retaining the present. direct
taxes. As this moderate estimate lies at the very
basis of the scheme, we will deal with it first. The
estimate implies that every household in the British
Isles, on the usual- supposition of five persons to
a household, enjoys, on the avera...e, an income
of 1201 per annum. It is alleged in favour
of this estimate that rather more than a tenth
of the sum is now paid in taxes. But consi-
dering how much money the poorest, the very
beggars, Irish as well as English, spend in spirits,
tobacco, and other articles of which the duty
constitutes a large proportion of the cost, it
is not very surprising that each household should
pay, on the average, 121 a year in taxes. If
this is all Mr. R. Gladstone has to say for
his estimate, we must say that, commencing from
the very same fact,'we should put the aggregate
of incomes and earnings at a much lower sum.
The aggregate supposed in the returns of the
existing income tax is considerably less than a
third of Mr. R. Gladstone's, notwithstanding the
notorious fact that most people who pay income
tax are ready to swear that they pay on much
more income than they actually receive. The
difference is to be made up in the proposal
of the Liverpool Reformers by the taxation
of all incomes under £lOO a year—that is,
mainly by - the earnings of the working-
classes, which they moderately estimate at
400,000,0001. a year.. .As we shall presently see,
Mr. R. .Gladstone. would require even more than
this to raise the proposed income tax to a strength
sufficient for the work it has to do. The difficul-
ties of discrimination and of collection increase
rapidly as we descend in the scale. Even under
the existing income tax they aro only endured
because the tax is temporary ; but, no doubt,
there is much injustice and much evasion. Mr,
R. Gladstone roundly suggests that " earnings"
should be capitalized at five years' purchase,
and that the interest of this sum should be con-

sidered the earner's real income. " Earnings,"
however, are a very vague term. What we have a
right to expect from a body of gentlemen at
Liverpool calling themselves the Financial Reform
Association, is a full list of all the different
descriptions of property—income, wages, and
earnings—arranged in schedules,
,with the way
in !which Paoli description is to be treated. Take
such a list as the following :—A banker, a
brewer, a merchant, a shipowner, a shipbuilder, a
stockbroker, a coalmaster, a miner, a newspaper
proprietor, the proprietor of a business requiring
large stocks, such as a contractor, a bookseller, an
upholsterer, a ;first class jeweller, a Manchester
warehouseman, an hotel keeper, or one who
keeps horses and carriages for hire : an 'artisan, a
labourer, a butler, a stable boy, a pedlar, a coster-
monger, an 'occasional waiter, a charwoman, a
monthly nurse, a . regular writer, an inter-
mittent poet, a
.player, a speculator without
capital or fixed line, &c. We have scarcely gone
out of schedule D, because we suspect Mr. R.

Gladstone and his friends intend to leave the other
schedules alone; yet the idea of capitalising in-
, come at so many years purchase, once introduced,
will find many candidates for the indulgence in the
other schedules. An ecclesiastical incumbent, the
owner of a lire interest, whether in land or .any
other property, a man in a government office, the
owner of a terminable annuity, and many others,
would maintain' their position to be its brief or
precarious as that of the first class banker or
brewer. Even supposing ,:these claims resisted,
still the plan of capitalization would affect at least
two-thirds of the incomes of the -country, and would
reduce 40000,0001 to less financial value and
productiveneas than 100,000,0001underthe existing
tax. Hence it is absolutely necessary that the
Liverpool financiers should not only classify the in.
comes and earnings of the country in schedules. ap.
pending the mode of dealing with them, but should
also statethe probable yield of each schedule. As far
as we can see, even adopting their own estimate of
£650 000,000, and even supposing, further, that
they can extract a 10 per cent. duty from every
person in the kingdom earning 'daily bread, on
their own system of capitalising income they will
not have property to half the above amount to deal
with ; and therefore, even. with a 10 per cent.
duty, would only raise "about £30,000,000.
This is taking their own suppositions. We
don't believe that they would get half that sum.
But the great difficulty is how to get at the
incomes and earnings of a whole population, and
it is a difficulty in which we expect the Liverpool
reformers to give us real assistance. On the ordi-
nary estimate there are 5,400,000 households in the
British Isles, and, though many of theSe are such
mere heaps of misery that not even a .financial
philosopher would invade them ; . on the other
hand, there are as many ' persona in the
receipt . of -geod earnings; though :they-are not
householders. The Chancellor of the EKche-
quer finds it no easy matter to deal with the
comparatively small and substantial class liable
to the existing Income tax. All that Mr. R. Glad-
stone ventures to communicate of his own method
is, that it is perfectly fair and by no means so
disagreeable as that now in use. But, considering
the reluctance we have invariably found in the
humbler classes of society to large payments for
public purposes, we suspect the effectiveness of a
mode of levy recommended principally for its mild-
ness. Domestic servants of all kinds and both sexes
are very much on the move, and supposing a house
maid to have left her place at Lady day, and to be
rather short of money at Midsummer, wo fear the
collector, besides the trouble of hunting her from
lodging to lodging, would find a difficulty in
extracting from her the 14s, which, as far as we
can estimate, she would have to pay to a ten per
cent duty on the capital of her earnings—the latter,
of course, including house room, board, and wages.
Perhaps Mr. R. Gladstone will deride our sim-
plicity in supposing that he will undertake such a
task ; and perhaps he will tell us that the master
will pay duty for his servants, and the employers
generally for their artisans and. labotirers. Then
why does he not say so at onee,-instead of leading
us all a wild goose chase to find out how he will
work his system ? Question after question 'sug-
gests itself, for which we. can find no answer in
his letter. ; Suppose a lady has a lot of trinkets
worth £2oo—no uncommon case, even where there
is not much property besides. These trinkets are
property, and 10 per cent. on the present interest
of that sum comes to 14s. That seems a good
deal to pay annually for a few trifles that
an owner in reduced cireumstanceo may seldom
hOve i an occasion for wearing, though she
would rather not part with them. Again, suppose
the inheritor of a gallery, of pictures being obliged
to sell it to pay debts and settlements, reserves as
a. souvenir a single Raphael, undoubtedly worth 1
£3,000. Ten per cent-on the 'present interest of
that sumis £1.2, which seems a . serious annual
penalty on a pardonable piece of'sentiment. But
pearhaps pictures,, jewels, and, weeks of art are
not to 'be so taxed. So let Mr. R. Gladstone
explain himself on this point. Then, haw
about railways ? Are-they property. or mercantile
income ? For example, which is the safest pi o•
perty, a share in the Eastern Counties Railway or
one in Barclay's brewery ? Is the shareholder
in the former. to •pay £lO a year on' his £lOO
a year dividend,. and the holder, of the latter to pay
only the interest of the aggregate of five years'

income—that is, 1/. 15s, as nearly as we can reek°
for every 1002. of dividend"? The unfairness, as I
must deem it, till better informed and enlightent
on the matter, is to be aggravated, on Mr.
Gladstone's proposition, by retaining all the exist'
ing direct taxes, including the successit):
tax, which falls heavily on property, On
whole, it seems to us that any man in the CO
dition of too many of our gentiy, with a n
landed property eaten up by charges and b 3
dens not the less serious because not legally biS
ing, with an overgrown house full of costly sivii
knacks, and with a very scanty establishment, vilt,
have to pay heavily on a mere dead weitlais
while his neighbour, in a thriving mercantile D:
with an open house and a crowd of sere,
carriages, and horses, would come off very e
Such a financial system would not suit the g•
of this country ; not, at least, if we rightly irate
Mr. R. Gladston's very sketchy outlines.—Ti

AMUSEMENTS.

13,,SNOLDieg PEOPLE'S CONCERTS.—This evening ;
People's Concerts will be renewed in St. George's Hall',
Reynolds having again taken that building for the pu,171
There is nothing so ennobling, so refining,—nothing
calculated to improve and civilise the human heart theo
sweet sounds of music. It has ‘• charms to sooth the see
breast." And. when we recollect that the artistes engeli
for this evening's performance are Miss Witham,
Landon, Mr. Miranda, Mr. Armstrong, and an ello
choru', no one can doubt that the singing will be of
highest order,' such as will please the many' thou
whom we expect will repair to listen to,
numerous beautiful and popular s songs 'and ballads 1"
are on the programme of the evening.
warmly advocate the Peoples' Concerts at
George's Hall, because we know that they will be,
the very best character, and that, notwithstanding
cheapness, none but professionals of the highest talent,'
music of the most popular and attractive class,'
be brought before the audience. It rests with
people to patronize the efforts of Mr. Reynolds, if ,
desire to spend an hour or two every Saturday even'
listening not only to the exercise of sterling vocal pel
but also to the clever performances of Mr. Best oe
Grand Organ.
Having already noticed the very successful appeal
of Mr. Miranda at the Theatre Royal, we have net;
new to remark of that house or the Amphitheatre dtv,
the week. At the former, the Pantomime is still!
leading attraction, and still continues, by the do/
which it draws, to vindicate the judgment and the A
agement of the lessee, Mr. Copeland. As yet there;
not appear any indication.that the public have wain
the 'enjoyment of the pantomime, or the pantomioll
exhausted the audience of the town. „,

The Sardinian Equestrian Company also maillx
at the Amphitheatre an undiminished and des,'
popularity.
GRAND BALL AT THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS,
11#
GEORGE'S STREET.—The first of a series of grand
,4
(by subscription) took place last night in the AO;
Roomy, Great George's street, under the managed'
gentlemen connected with the heads of the several del;
ments of the large house of Frisby, Dyke & Car
street. The re-union was one of considerable interestlf,
such as calculated to improve and raise the moral and aw,'
condition of a large and respectable class of young rildl:
feel the beneficial effects of such meetings, in prefer 10?
others that only clog, not brighten the intellect. )1
people will have amusement, and is there anything
desirable than to have rational recreation, such as Wei
the pleasure of, witnessing' last night at the Mse
Rooms ? It eleiates persons in a social conditioel,
gives them self respect, which is highly calculatro
produce not only immediate, but ulterior objects--'1
of the utmost importance in a moral point of ciao,
It is much more satisfactory to find a large 011
of intelligent young men enjoying themselves, t,
producing a kindly feeling amongst others, to
enjoyment they _also contribute. than to see them def,
themselves, and abandon their time to prcfitless
We think the young men of this house deserves emd
the example they have set to other gentlemen engego,
mercantile business. When we say that the refreedr
o
and a splendid ~upper were provided by Mr. Lynn, ,
Waterloo Hotel, it will be a guarantee that every tbll
of the best quality. The wines were various and eXc'
and consisted of champagne, &c., in abundance',
Martin's excellent band was in attendance, and Was
only kept in due requisition, but was appreciated s,
respectable company. The assembly consisted
over one hundred persons, and the stewards who
..„0.
the whole were—Messrs. T. Oakshot, A. Shaw, w'
and %V. Butterfield, whose kindness and urbanity ;Litt
was duly acknowledged and appreciated. ThanciPg
menced about nine, and continued op rifstpper
which it as resumed, and kept up with spirit '591
four, wh,..n the company separated, after spending hicb
delightful and agreeable evening, many more of o'4l'
wish them to enjoy. The following is a prograutoB4,
music :--Quadrille, Polka, Qaadrille• Waltz, ,
Schottische, Polka, •Qaadrille, Waltz, Lancers,' GaTii`,l/1
Quadrille, La Varsoviane, Lancers, Schottische; u
Sir Roger do Coverly. As we have already observd4
think 1
the example of those yonng gentlemen '.'oo
calculated to do a great deal of good, if followed up ,
proper spirit, which we were so glad to see pervedi°'
evening.
QUEEN'S HALL.—The Hoffman entertainment codji
to attract crowded houses. During the week, the
been visited by numerous scientific persons, who
pronounced the performance to be of the first rate ehd
Not doubting of our owe opinion, we are glad to fin,,ol
the expression of all parties coincide with ours. If 3131„4
was wanting to establish the fact, it is the dr"
houses that attend each evening at the hall. At P
we only say, that those who have not seen the perfolad,
will do well to avail themselves of the present opPlt;,
LIVERPOOL ACADEMY'S EXHIBITION.—This eyeful):
Liverpool Academy's Exhibition will close for the Si
All, therefore, who have not paid a visit to the el)
works of art, there exhibited, should not neglect the °
tuni ty.

COURSE OF EXCH

Amsterdam ............ 11 14
Ditto, three months .. 11 17i
Rotterdam.... ...... 11 174

Antwerp .. .
Brussels ' .. 25 324
Hamburg
Altona
Paris
Ditto, three months
Marseilles
Bordeaux ..• •
Frankfort-on-Maine .... 118 i
Berlin •••