The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-07 00:00:00

THE WAR IN THE CRIMEA.

Colonel NORTH wished to know when the bon. mem-
bfr for Newcastle (Mr. Headiam) would move fur the
committee relative to of-Heel-3 dying in the present war
during actual service ? The question was one of great
importance, and ought riot to be delayed.

Mr. HEADLAM said he would use all his exertions
to bring the subject forward upon an early eay if the
Government would only g;ve him their assistance.
, NEWSPAPER STAMP BILL.
On the nv-Ition for the third reading of this bill,

Mr. HADFIELD wiehel to call the attention of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to the extremely hard pro-
vision of the 15 days' clause, and to express a hope that
some more extended provision would be made.
He thought 15 days was but a short period during
which stamps on newspapers were to be effectual.
(Rear, hear.) He also thought that in the case
of spoiled stamps papers should be allowed to pass
through the post, and the nesispaper proprietors to re-
pay ment upon their putting au extra stamp on their
papers sent through the post.
The CHANUELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that the reason of his proposing the present clause was
the tear of abuses; but, if it ssas considered that fifteen
days was too short a period, he should have no objection
to extend it to thirty days. (Hear, hear.) With
respect to the suggestion of the honourable
member of a postage stamp, he would inquire into
the subject, and see what could be done with respect to
to the transmission of papers through the post.
Mr. BRIGHT said that the principle of retransmis-
sion was bad front beginning to end, and he looked for-
ward to the entire abolition of the Newspaper Stamp.
The question had been brought forward chiefly by the
newspaper proprietors, who had made it a matter ap-
pareney of great advantage to attack this matter it-
self. He was of opinion that the newspaper proprie-
tors would gain nothing by the system of retransmis-
sion, because the public, he considered, would rather by
and by buy a separate paper than have one second, third,
or fourth hand. He suggested it as desirable at
an early period to abolish the stamping of newspapers
on account of its excessive injustice to the manufacturers
of paper in the different parts of the kingdom. There
were at present only tour places where the compulsory
stamp was attached to the paper, and the manufacturers
in the neighbourhood of those places had a great advan-
tage over the manufacturers of paper in other neigh-
biturhoods. He was told a short time since by a 13ristol
paper maker that the system prevented his supply-
lug the newspapers with paper published in the
saute city,. I,ecause he had to send his paper up
to Londou to be stamped, and had the expense
of carriage both ways, whereas the paper manufacturer
in the neighoourhuod of London had only to send his
paper one way, and consequently had only half the ex-
pense of carriage to pay the Bristol paper manufacturer
was subject to. That he (Mr. Bright) considered a great
injustice, because it gave a monopoly to the manufac- '
turers of paper carrying on business in the neigh-
bourhood of London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and
Dublin, where the paper was stamped. It was
highly desirable the whole system of the campulsor
y
camping- should be aboiished, awl with it the
monopoly to which he had referred, and the expenses of
the stamping office. He was ready to vote for the
abolishing of the retransmission of newspapers, which
would have the effect of making every man pay for the
postage of his paper, if be availed himself of the post-
office the same as he now did when be posted a letter.
The sooner the house came to the simple question of
postage, the better it would be for the newspapers and
the revenue.

Mr. CAYLEY considered the honourable member for
Manchester should have been the last person to oppose
the re-transmission of newspapers. He often told them
the people in the country were less enlightened than
these in the c:ties, but how were they to be enlightened
if the re-transmission of newspapers was abolished ? By
the use of reading rooms in cities one paper served fur
20 or 30 persons, whereas in the country a paper was
taken in by two, three, or four persons living several
miles from each other, and to abolish the re-
transmission of the paper would be an injury to
them. He opposed the second reading of the
bilf, considering many of its provisions unj st to existing
interests, and such as he did not believe the committee
would have sanctioned. He was unwilling to purchase
a blessing or advantage at the expense of justice. He
did not believe it was a just bill, and was in hopes before
it was printed, the Chancellor of the Exchequer would
have remedied the injustice to which lie had alluded.
It was his intention, it the propo-ition that six ounces
should be transmitted by post, instead of four ounces.
It was his determination, indeed, to take the sense of
the house upon the question. However great might be
iiecure that
the advantages which were anticipated by this measure,
and of wt,i31.1 he was somewhat do•ititful, though no one
waa more de4iruuA ti,an Le could be to promote the
.0f information,
.he co
BPreati
could not consent to
by doing injustice to existing interests,
whilst
were true it might be that three bad dinners
three bad new.' one good one, he could not believe that
Mr. EwA...
eate for allowingaid that he bad always been an ad vo-
they were wanted,
the
anerepers to spring up whenever
to the very doors of at they should be brought home
relative t o the abolitionPoe° stamp duthye 74n:el
that h e
they it e
Re was on the committee
I tale,
agreed w. ith the hen, member
never f'ou ad that American -- -
"w6Pama Were sustained,