The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-10-25 00:00:00

ASSESSED TAXES.

The following letter has been tranam'itted front
the Treasury to the Cothinisaioners of Taxer, for
the guidance of Surveyors
sin commanded by the Lords Commis.
simmers of his Majesty's Tresaury to acquaint you, that
they have had wader their consideration several represents.
liens, selling forth the inconvenieaca and vexation likely to
arise from the construction given, its some instances, to the
Act of the last Session, fur " Relieving persons compound-
lug fur their Assessed Taxes from an annual assessment for
t►e term of three years." The objects which my Lords had
In view in submitting that Act to Parliament, were to afford
to parties paying Assessed Taxes an opportunity of reliew.
ing themsel►es from the I trouble of assessments and
occasional surcharges; to obtain a moderate increase of re.
venue by voluntary composition; to encourage the mane.
factures used in carriages; soil to extend the employmeut
of servants soil occasional labourers. My Lords coastal
recur to these important objects, or to the explanations
which accompanied the Bill in its progress through Parks.
meat, without feeling the strongest desire to facilitate the
operation of the Act, by the most liberal construction of its
provisions; and if any further declaratory Act shuold be me-
cesium', my berets will submit the same to the consideration
of Pathantest at its earliest meeting.
In some case*, however, and those the must mattingl that
have been referred to them, my Lords are of opinion
that the letter of the Act will justify that construction
which on every other ground they are desirous it should
receive.

The first is that of • person compounding fur his Assessed
Tsar., and oho has paid under the assessment of the last
year for one or more four-wheeled carriages.—The literal
construction of the Act of last Session, coupled with the
former Acts relative to Assessed Taxes, wou,td (it has been
contented) preclude such person from substituting • two-
wheeled carriage for • four•wheeled carriage, arid from keep.
ing a Iwo-wheeled carriage in addition.
My Lords doubt whether even the letter of the Act would
justify t►is construction : but they are decidedly of opinion,
that it would be contrary to Ike spirit of the Act, and to
the explanations given in Parliament daring its progress ;
and therefore, they desire that Nos 1 and 2 relating to car-
riages in schedule I). of 48 George 111. chap. 511, may be
considered as one schedule by your assessors, and that they
will govern themselves accordingly. My Lords are fully
aware that this construction will •uthoriae parties who have
kept and paid under the last assersnient for • two-weeled
carriage, and who may have given due notice of composition,
to keep one ur more with four wheels upon the payment
of the composition ; bat they believe that instances of
this description will be very rare, sail even in those in-
stances, all the other important purposes of the Act will
have been ail gilled.

Another case which my Lords think requires their inter.
position, is that of • person •ho has paid under the last as-
sessments for one or more its of the highest class, and
who a &inning of cosnp.suusling for them, either to keep an
additional number of such servants or of occasional Ir. boar.
era. Under the Act of the last Samsun, my Lords ran have
no doubt that all persons so compounding would be at
liberty to keep any additional number of servants or labour.
ere without further payment than the composition of live pee
cent. but this privilege would not exteud to any person whe
had not been assessed for one servant of the highest class in
the last year.
In respect to the composition for horses, it has been Ostia
that a person who has paid under the assessment of lest yew
for oar or more homes, and fur riding, or drawing any car.
nage, would nut be at liberty to keeps pony; my lads
eau have no doubt this is a complete misconstruction of the
Act, and that any person duly compounding, may keep as
many horses or as many ponies for these purposes as he
may think fit.
The Act as relates to dugs seems in like
been misunderstood; and my Lords therefore desire that

you will explain to the Surveyors, obit a person who bas paid
under the last assessment fur a greyhound, hound, pointer,
setting dog, spaniel, hitcher, or terrier, and wbo shall duly
compound under the Act of the last SlFllliell, may keep any
number of such dogs.
My Lords desire that you will immediately transmit copies
of this letter to the Surveyor*, anJ that you will lake care
that they facilitate the fair . lion of the Act by every
means in tbeir power. _

1 aro, Centimes, your obedient Servant,
(Signed) S. R. LUSHINGTON.
lumbers, 19th October, 1819.

A Declaration or Protest has been addressed to
the High Sheriff of Hampalliie. signed by upwards
of 400 persons of rank, property, and consideration
in the county, condemning the proporiiiion for call-
ing a County fileetisig, to decide on the late trans.
actions at Manchester. ‘. We (-ay. the Declaration)
consider it unconstittsti )))) al, inasmuch as it goes w
prejudge questions which may become the subjects
of judicial proceeding., and thereby to influence
the decision of the legal tribunal. of the country ;
and we deprecate a measure which may tend to dis-
turb the tranquillity of this loyal and peaceable
county, and to loosen the confidence of its inhalsi-
tamp in those laws to which they owe their security
and happiness."—Among the numerous persons of
rank who have signed this Declaration are the
names of—
Malaresbury (Lord Lieutenant), Wellington, Winchester,
Chowders Backinghani, Norther*, Dartmoor th, Cavan, Palmer.
stun, Ktkuarsie, Fits-Harris, R. Winton, George law
Hereford, Stowell, Bolton, Aslitoun, Rigbt Hon. William
Sturges Boerne, Hon. and Rev. Geo. Augustus Legge, Hoe.
and Rev. Alfred Harris, Hon. sad Rev. Thomas de Grey,
Leonard Worsley Holmes, Bart. Fitz-William Barrington,
Bart. Henry Ticbborne, Bart. Henry Rivers, Bart. Thomas
Freeman Hralheote, Bars. Charles Hulse, Bart. Thomas
Chauspneys, Bart J. Whalley Smythe Gardener, Bort. John
Walter Polka, Peter Pole, Bart. Charles Rich, Bart. 'rhos.
A. Smith, M P. Wills. Chute, M.P. H. Jolliffe, M.P.
W. A. Mackinnon, M.P. P. Debut, P. Bt. Mildinay, Earn.
The following is a specimen of the correctness
with which the French Papers, in general, opal
the immes of British Noblemen and Gentlemen :

" Animas the &iglu& who passed through Calais within
the last few days, on their way to Paris, were remarked,
Lords Rinellbant and Trintestnen, the latter a Pest of Ire-
land, and M. M. Balkeley, Peers of England, Tastliewe
and Neale, Members of Parliainelli." ifonitesr...)
Major-General Sir GX011431 Cooxa. K.C.B.
is to succeed Sir JAMB KOMPT. as Lieutenant.
Governor of Portsmouth. Sir J• 11113, we under-
stand, will not go out to assume his command until
the spring.
The Hon. Mr. KeITH, Midshipman, of the
Nitride sod Me . Loway and Tomas, of the
Rod George yacht, are promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant.—Capt. Vilma to be Barrack-Master
at Gosport.
On Monday lest the 901 h regiment, Colonel Bile-
iteLt, marched front Haien Barracks for Doren.
try, near Northampton. The order for their re-
moval was unexpectedly received on the previous
day. The 33d regiment, Colonel CIIOOIIIIMAIIK,
has arrived at Portsmouth from Guernsey, for gain.
son duty.
Twenty warrant officers (boatswains, gunners,
and carpenters) have been selected from the ordi-
nary at Portsmouth, and appointed to the ships on
the Lakes of Canada. Our naval force there,
which cost an immense sum of tome), to create, is,
we understand, going fast into decay. The force
on the four Lakes, namely. St. Lawrence, Ontario,
Erie, mud Karoo, consist of one ship of 98 guns,
one of 56, four of 3i, one of 20, two of 12, and five
schooners, besides gun-brigs.