The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-13 00:00:00

STEAM ARTILLERY.

The merit of originality for the introduction of steam
for warlike purpoves, which has hitherto been supposed to
long to our countryman, Mr. Perkins, seems in danger
of bring disputed. • The Germitioi have ever been consi-
dered an int:Amiens people, and however high the English
1,,,te stand fur advancing the discoveries of oth.ls• and for
inaLieg them applicable to the variouspurprsea of life, it
must be conceded that as yet we have not been thought to
I; sw ss at:y very great genius for original invs odor,.
sher.fore. Alr:Krkins male known the result of his cx-
p. rim tits in the application of steam, with a view to super-
le& the use of gunpowder, die more sceptical part of
air countrymen doubted its practicability ; not to much
from any precise idea which they hail of the nature of
steam and i:s various powers, as from the eiretstn-
mece of their never having heard of the thing
being trier before, which they thought was an essential
pnlimittory to soy ingenious operation performed by an
whose•mily Merit they deemed to consist in
t•tilurOtiguporr and htinging to perfection the conceptions of
fon•ig:As. Time; however, had begun to shake their faith
in the exclusive faculty of German invention ; and Perkins
via greet to enjoy the honours of being en original,
rdthomilt an Englishman. Hut, alas! recent Lindh-
g •
or •fr Vlentas seems calculatesd to deprive him of his
Loge; and "even the F:enelt coesp:re to tear the lamed
from him ; fqr, in the absence of any thing original
among themselves, the y have maliciously selected from
tai Aeltrian journals one only article, and that evi-
d.ntly with a view to detract from the character this
virility was about to acquire. in having the happiness
to give birth to the great originator of a pornr that
is to impose a new aspect on warlike operations, and
tonstinre a new era in all that relates to national
direetrd-
anthrs. The article-lbw proutinendy put forward hitorms
us that M. Fraucois lit nosily, alter having filled the
office of Inapt elm. of Public Buildings, bad applied himself
to the discovery of some more efficacious means to despatch
an enemy than by the inadequate power of gunpowder ; and
that he had slice/T.40 in making a piece of artillery which,
by the force of steam, could, at the distance of 130 paces,
avid a musket ball through a thick plank, such as is cam-
tuenly used for a target. Bills hail been thrown by it
w7aitts: a wall at the distance of 170 !rams, and were coin-
pletc'y ill:toted by the force. The power cf the steam
re•pio)cri in this last experiment was equal to three times
the weight of the atmosrhere. As this power can be
augmetited two hundred it green, the most astonishing
results muy he expected from it. Such is the cptickness
with which the balls are thrown, that one hundred
and fifty a minute can be sent in any direction whatever.
The steam artillery, or whatever else this destructive engine
i to be designated, admits of being removed from place to
Al ice by a single ihrson. who may at the same time charge
.1131 ditcliatge it. The host of reflections that come upon
its when eevtemplating such a tremendous power is over-
whelming; but our present purpose is merely to notice
that the Germans are den rinined to be up with us in every
thing, be it for life or fur death. Let Mr. Pakins look
to this.

The statement in the Moreiv aimsHe respecting Sir
Walts-r Scot.'s maniage is altogether premature. The
story is nil to have originated in a joke of Mr. Jeffrey,
who, as • instal-maker, is said to have expr, ss ti an opi-
nion that 8:r {falter should marry either Mrs. Coutts or
Mia Bruce. This proposal, in being repeated, was meta-
inorphoin <I into the complete rouudetl-off fiction, against
which neither the London nor the Provincial Papers can
always goal. Should a marriage follow the rumour, it
will nut by any ravine be the first that has had such an
origin.--Glosrow ihrawiele.
The alteration in the strive; of the mail at this town
(Whitehaven) has at length taken place, bin we have not
yet received the full benefit of the change, as, by some un-
arc mutable neglect. our London hag has been forwarded to
Pennth, as formerly, instead of being left at Kendal. so
that Government, or some intlividusht, arc taxed with •
double expense; our Loudon letters being brought by ex-
press from Pt with, and reach this town about three in the
se.terttooti. We trust the error will soon be corrected, and
that we shall receive the letters, &e. from London by the
mail rovh from feudal.—eittrberiond Paclrel.

According to the arrangement now made, a person may
leave Liverpool at six o'clock in the evening and arrive at
Whitehaven at half-past lane; leave Whitehaven at bor.
pan two, and reach Liverpool at eight o'clock next morn-
Mg—being absent from Liverpool less than two days. Th,
same facility of travelling from Whitehaven to Liverpool
mid hack is also afforded, with the ailvatitaAe of retuaiuing,
tett hours in Liverpool.—Cumberland Pdel.rt.

C4IIN TR•In.—BIERI.I X, SEPT 30.—While the 'Conies-
ter!: Juurted continues to discuss the goestinti, whether
tiie exportation of corn is advantageous or injurious, ex-
portation continues without intermission, and it is probable
that the decision of the question will come when it can be
0: 110 use.

The manufacturers of India imitation shawls at Paisley
rre via parting with their weaver*. Some of those who
hare been carrying on pretty briskly during the depression,
are now 'suiting clown all the webs of the kind as they are
KAMA. The Committee for m tugging the Relief Fund
are continuing to discharge those employed at out-dour
labour. o.a Monday and Tut slay last those employed in
breaking sterna were paid oft and on Saturday last a
great many of those employed on the roads were discharged
likewise. These individuals are supplied with relief tickets,
to the amount of from 2s. to 3a. 641. a week, according to
the size of their families. The Committee have had re-
otase to these measures as the only means of t keing out
the existence of the nifling Porn they have mill at their
aU.posal ; the cons, pience of such an alarming state of
things is, that a general gloom pervades all classes; but
the state of despomlency to which the poor people are re-
alized who are obliged to %please hunger, day after day,
the above pittance, is alto:tether indescribable ; and.
what is worse, they can now form no Wes of any period of
time that will bring them relief —Glasgow Chronicle.
C N A xi) KENTISH Tow NS, SI:.-IVoloelklay
e..eaiog a neon:roue meeting of the proprietors of houses
awl housekeepers of Rimers, Kentish, and Camden Towns,
ttt.tk place in a spacious room in Gee-street, Clarendon-
tpare, for the purpose of adopting the best means of oh-
taming a more direct communication with each of those
toms front the New Road and the southern part of the
t nen than they now enjoy, this desirable communication
king at present impeded by the vacant and intervening
pturrty of the Duke of Bedford. The meeting-was nu-
merously attended, and comprised a majority of the re--
tpectableinhabiannts of the vicinity. Mr. Portington, who
61 been tintrusted with the preparation of the plans.
briefly stated the object of the meeting, and laid the plans
of the intended roads before them, which, after a length-
.

..
tied discussion' were adopted. The proposed line of road
will he through Seymour-etrcet, Euston-square, to Cam-
den Town ; and to Kentish Town, through Union-street,
New Rawl. The former proposal was received with high
approbation, inasmuch as it will then complete the direct
Lae of street from Covent-garden to this outlet of the
town, there being already a straight communication, as frr
as St ymout-street, from that spot. Previously to any fixed
resolutions being adopted on the subject, it was deemed
most advisable that a general meeting should be convened
ity public advertisement, and arrangements are making to
that effect. A general document, addreised to the Noble
Doke, has be.m most numerously signed by the resident
bourelioldeis and tradesint n, among whom are many of the
tenants of his grace, soliciting a co-operation en his part
in the objects of the meeting; and a select committee of
seven vrmi appointed to wait upon the agents of the Duke
with this document preciously to the general meeting
taking place. Libtral subecriwions were entered into to
defray the expenses of preparing the plans, advc rtiqements,
&c. &c., in which the vestry of St. Pancrai, and the cleri-
ell gentlemen of the neiglibuurhood, have consented to
participate.
llama and Co. respectfully remind the Public that
Next IVellneulay is positively fixed as the Day when all
Lotteries must for ever cease in this Kingdom. Six Prizes
or Thirty Thousand Pound.; will then be drawn, and it
will be recollected Ilazard sod Co., in one Lottery, sold
All the 30.000/. Prizes ' • and very recently Three 20,000/.
Prizes, drawn in (Inc Day.—Royal Exchange Gale; 26,
( ornhill ; anti 945, Oxford-street; and by their Agents in
.II the principal Country Towns.

LETTER THE EIGHTH,
viol'
TUE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF STAMPS,

THE RIGHT HON. T. WALLACE.

Sta,—l come now to the observations submitted to the
Lords of his Majesty's Treasury, on the third Report of
Messrs. Sykes and Forbes. This third Report, having
the Distributor's Department for its subject, hail not the
same mass of corruption to screen, nor the same Agents to
protect, as the two former. It, of course, offers a more
favourable specimen of their boletus for reform, and of the
fitness for the ta►k to which they had been thus especially
chosen. In this point of view it would have seemed un-
fair to withhold it, because, if it can lay no particutar
claim to praise, it at least contains nothing which, like the
former, calls for serious reprehension.

Stamp.c.ffice. March 19, 1622.
MT LORDS,—A3 my Colleagues expressed a wish that I
should report separately on the first and second Reports of
the Commissioners of Inquiry into the state of the Stamp_
office in Scotland, I have thought it better to do the same
on eteh. Xi the Same 'vegan appli"a equally, though not in
the same extent, to the third and fourth, as the former

The pscaent Report, which is the third, relates chiefly
to the Distrihutots.

The iie'smirtisskinutio begin with Glasgow :
" The 1114sgoa Distrirt includes the counties Lanark, Ren-
frew. Dll.ll i 14.1011, aid Bute; and a. the grater part of it is ex-
tremely populous, anti as the flourishing towns of Glasgow. Pais-
ley, Greenock. ar,d Poet Glasgow, are comprehended within it, the
dottiibution of Statnps is necessarily very great. The average for
the best fire year was 99,thla Its. M., although last year it only
amounted to 91.7411., the poundage for which, at 41. per cent. was
1.7101. Os. 74.; out of this, however. the Sub.distributur has to
pay alinwar.mt to slx agents in different psrtsof his district, besides
Cu: expenses ettntult: g the sale-office at Glasgow, which amounted
las* year to 1,06 a, so that the net profit arising to him was
2.1:31fi. as. 7:1. %re conceive that this sum may suffer a reduction,
lzsvit.g the Snit-distributer a proptr retvmpense for the re-
spoo•ibility and trouble connected with the office."
The statement is somewhat ambiguous; it would ap-
pear here that the expense to be deducted is 1.0601., but it
would h..ve item desirable to hare separated the expenee of
the estahlishment at Glasgow from the expense attending
the six agents in different parts, because, as the Commis-
sioners of Inquiry w.:11 knew that this lucrative office of
Distributor for Cflasgow is performed by Deputy, it fol-
lows that their proposed reduction learns him a nct profit
of 1,914/. Ids. 7.1. after paying those persons by whom the
duty is discharged, or, in other words, is the salary of the
Mike as a sin, cure.

It is under this view that the question of reduction
ought properly to have been brought under the considera-
tion of your Lordships, because, if the net profit was (as
might he inferred from this Report) the remuneration for
the duty performed by the Distributor (Mr. pure), after
discharging all contingent and necessary expenses, the
point then to be determined would be, is this remunera-
tion more than equivalent for the duty so performed, or is
it not? But if, on the other hand, there is no duty per-
formed, and this 1,9221. 13 to be the sinecure salary of
the office, it ou;ht not, without this fact being disclosed,
to be recommended to the sanction of your Lordships.
For the purpose of settling more adequately the rate of
remuneration, the Commissioners divide the Distributor-
ships into five classes, and they make the first to consist of
Glas ;ow alms.. It is surely somewhat extraordinary theta
single Distributorship should be allowed to form a class, and
not less extraordinary that a net salary should be assigned to
it equal in amount to that of all the other classes taken toge-
ther. The principle on which this proceeded requires to
be explained, as there is no apparent reason which can
justify this Distributorship being treated with such select
and exclusive favour.

The Commissioners of Inquiry state it as their opinion,
that—

•• This district (ala• Row) might be divided, no doubt, and the
distribution of stamps be plum' under the management of more
thou one Sub-Distributor; but this would not ue an advantageous
abange to the public, snit Is obvious that the distribution may be
effected at a lower poundage, always in proportion to the amount
sold, till we reach the limit 'elicit does not allow of a foir remu.
nemioit for the trouble and risk attending ssles by the Sub-Agent."
—Page 25._ _ _

I would here observe that, with regard to the trouble at-
tending the sales by the sub agent, with that the principal
has no concern, as lie has no share of it ; and with respect
to the risk, as the agent is ehown by himself, and gives
sureties moreover for the stock of stamps consigned to him,
it is the fault of the principal if he either choose an im-
proper person. or take insufficient securities. What is a
fair remuneration, therefore, to the Distributor for Glas-
gow ? and whether it would be advisable to sub-divide the
district? arc questions hot at all governed by either of these
considerations.

The true point Of inquiry is this—Why should not
such populous towns as Paisley, Greenock, Port Glasgow,
and Dunbar, be included in the saute district with
Glasgow ?
These towns embrace an aggregate of population greater
than, perhaps, the same her of towns in any other
part of Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow itself excepted),
and no season can be given for comprehending them within
the Glasgow distributorship that would not equally justify
the comprising Stirling, Perth, or Dundee ; Stirling being
about as near to Glasgow as Greenock. Glasgow is, with-
out exception, the worst managed of all the Distributor-
ships in Scotland ; and there is no doubt but that the
revenue would be much better collected if there were
one Sub-Distributor, at least, established at each of these
towns.

'Fite classification of the districts for the purpose of ad-
justing the rate per cent. on the sales is not a measure thnt
can be practically useful. The remuneration will generally
held find its own level. The Commissioners do not enter
sufficiently into detail to citable either your Lordships or
the Board of Stamps to form a judgment as to whether
the salaries of the distributors in any particular district
should be continued or reduced. For instance, in ranking
Cui.ar within the third class, they say—
" There must also be room Mr discussion in runnings seals of
this kind, where the higher duty (1 presume they mean the higher
per centage) should end, and the interior one co ',menet ; and of
course it may be doubted whether we are Comet in keeping Omar
out of the second elms, and intrNincing it in this one. The sun,
of duties collected for the last year in that district was 13,0111/. the
poundage on which was 7841. 17s. 2d. The expenses, however, in-
curred is this collection, are stated to be 268/. Is. dd., leaving the
net emolument only of 516/. 151 s. lid. which we cannot suppose will
he considered as too great • and the sante observation it list npply
to all the collections of an inferior amount, so that no reduction on
them, at least, ought to be made."—P. 23.
Hut no judgment can be formed as to whether it is too
great or not, because here—as before with respect to Glas-
gow—it is not stated what are the deductions which this
expense of 26M1. Is. 6tl. consists of, and consequently it
cannot be known whether the net profit is the protit cleared
by the Distributor who petformed no part of the duty,
after paving the persons by whom it is performed, or wlee-
tln it is the n?t emolument for hit personal discharge of the
duty, after paying his agents iu the snore distant sub-divi-
sions of his district.

I have no doubt but that the former is the case, as I don't
believe there're more than two distributorships in 3.11 Scot-
land the duties of which are not wholly performed by de-
puty, which are Dumfries and Aberdeen. But the Com-
missioners not has in; gone into these inquiries, their Report
is defective in the particulars most important to be known,
with a view to el( ciding. either on the expetlit ncy of reduc-
ing the salary of the Distributors, or on the extent of that
reduction.

The great fault of the present system, a 4 far as it re-
rpects the 14..tierality of the Distributorships, appears to me
to be, that the emolument derived from them is such as to
enable the parties to convert them into sinecures, and to
leave the duties of the situation to be managed by Clerks,
to whcm so scanty a remuneration is given, as will not re-
pay the attention and official attendance required ; and tile
result is, that the public business is ill conducted. There
are, as I have already intimated, only two districts in
Scotland in which the Stamp Duties are properly col-
leetcd, which are Dumfries and Aberdeen, in both which
the principals (Mr. Syme and Mr. Brown) discharge the
duties of the office personally.
The Commissioners of Inquiry say—
" We cannot avoid remarking, that the districts do not seem to
us to be always divided very. judiciously. We do not, for instance,
ate any advantage from leaving Forfar—neither in amen, nor popu-
lation greater than the adjoining County of Perth—with four Sub-
Diuributors, when the business is managed by a single Sub-Dis-
tributor foe Pertltshire."—P. 34.
As one of the present Commissioners of Inquiry (Mr.

W/Iton v. Gower
Phillip, v. Corder
F.itlie v. Rife

Graves v. eohehli
Hart V. Thacker

Adams v. linoolehi
WO!Man v. &owl-
hqrst
;Novell v. Thompson
Crick v. Ler.
Fawcett v. Wrathan
Lawrence v. Payne.
P ,tridge v. C,phind
Thornell v. lisvis
Nichols v. Norman
Garnett v. Pratt
Hop v. Moor

Hurt ♦. DesTek;
!Jennell V. Knfelf
c,,rt t. Net nrdy
Glovrr v.l hudiwi
Name t. Rea

11 yet, V.Teyler
Ilenvon v. Dowley
getioloil V. Sllltir•ft
IVotlsh v. Pietehee
The King v. livity
hove v. Whlttlu.et
Hol..ertsoo v. 11atd..4-
Rsll
litvvg. v. rot

. .

Gnlti,wain GOld-

vwvin
floorvton •. Drayton
Purett Dane.
I an..,els v. SI

'rue ter v. Plehlnv
F.mmeroon v. Neat•
Milner •, Odell
Memel v. In•uyh
'taper ♦. Heath

bunt--
Hope v. Bertv
lkone. v. Sarjeant
fl3llln4brooke V. De
Maine

R,.rbe.tre v. Itoboutt
!tame v. Abbott

Aihnuel V. Levy
lfillere4 v. Cardisev
Ro4Rer T. Samba 11.

Setabovie v. Chilton