The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-25 00:00:00

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PUBLICATIONS.

ALBERT SMITH'S MONT BLANC
is Now Open Every Evening, at 8 o'llock, except Saturday.
The Morning Representations take place every Tuesday, Thursday,
and Saturday, at 3 o'clock.—Stalls can be taken at the Box-office
every day from Eleven till Four.—Egyptian Hall,Piccadilly.

MR. HANNAY'S NEW NOVEL.
New ready at all the libraries, in 3 vole.,

EUST ACE CONYERS.
By JAMES HANNAY, Esq.,
Author of " Singleton Fontenoy," " Satire and Satirists," &c.
Burst and Blackett, Publishers, successors to Henry Colburn ,13,
Great Marlborough-street.

ARGYLL ROOMS.—lmmense success of the
new dance, LA. VARSOVIANA : Music by IT. LAURENT.
—Danced every evening.

THE BATTLE of the ALMA.—Now open, from
10 until 6, at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, the great
PICTURE of this important military event, painted by M. Coomans,
from studies made during four months spent in the Crimea, during
the present war. Admission Is. Berlin wit close on Friday.

NEW NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR OF "EMILIA WYNDHAM."
Now ready at all the LibrarieS, in 3 vols.,
THE HEIRESS of HAUGHTON,
By the Author of " Emilia Wyndham."
" A story of surpassing interest. The heroine is one of the sweetest
portraitures of female loveliness which even the talented pen of the
author of 'Emilia Wyndham' has produced."—John Bull.
" We may congratulate the author on having added another to the
list of her literary successes."—Sun.
" The best tale the author has yet written."— Messenger.
llurst and Blackett, Publishers, successors to henry Colburn.

ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.
The LECTURES and EXHIBITIONS, as delivered before her
Most Gracious Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, the
Patron of the Institution, will he continued, consisting of the TELE-
PHONIC CONCERT, DISSOLVING VIE WS of `AINB AD the
SAILOR, DULIOSCQ'F, ILLUMINATED CASCADE, the DIORAMA,
illas rating the Voyage across the Atlantic, and the Cities in the
United States. LECTURES on SONGS and SONG WRITERS, by
GEoRGE BUCKLAND, Esq.; DISSOLVING VIEWS of the WAR, &c.

SIR A. ALISON'S NEW HISTORY.
This day is published, price 155., the FOURTH VOLUME of

Monday Evening, the 21st, Lecture to the Industrial Classes
HISTORY of a CORAL ISLAND, by TREVETHAN SPICES, LL.D.

WIHE HISTORY OF EUROPE,
from the Fall of Napoleon to the Accession of Louis Napoleon.

By Sir ARMIBALD ALISON, Bart., D.C.L.
The Contents of tills Volume comprise—The Monetary Crisis in
1825 —The Catholic Emancipation Bill Fall of the Wellington
Administration in 1830—The Reform Bill—The Polish Revolution
and War, from its commencement in November, 1830, till its conclu-
sion in September, 1831.
William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

CONTRACT FOR CANDLES.
Department of the Comptroller for Victualling,
Somerset-place, 23d May, 1855.
THE Commissioners for Executing the Office of
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
,nd Ireland, DO HEREBY GIVE NOTICE, that on FRIDAY, he
Ist June next, at One o'clock, they will be ready to treat with such
Persons as may be willing to Contract for supplying and delivering
into her Majesty's Victualling Stores at Deptford, for 12 months
certain, and further until the expiration of 3 months' warning,
WAX AND SPERMACETI CANDLES.

NEW WORK BY DR. WILSON OF MALVERN.
Just published, Second Edition, Bvo., cloth, 75..
THE PRINCIPLES and PRACTICE of the
WATER CURE, and Household Medical Science, in Conver-
sations on Physiology, on Pathology, or the Nature of Disease, and
on Digestion, Nutrition, Regimen, and Diet.
By JAMES WILSON, M.D.
London : John Churchill, New Burlington-street. Malvern : Henry
Lamb.

• _
Samples of the Candles to be produced by the parties tendering,
and the conditions of the revised contract, may be seen at the said
office. No tender will be received after one o'clock on the day of
treaty, nor any noticed unless mee on the printed form provided for
the purpose, and which may be obtained on application at the said
office.
Every tender must be addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty,
and bear in the left-hand corner the words " Tender for Candles," and
must also be delivered at Somerset-place.

Just published, Second Edition, with Additions, Svo , cloth, 55.,
ON DISEASES of the RECTUM.
By T. B. CUP LING, F.R S., Surgeon to the London Tiospital.
London: John Churchill, Nevr Burlington-street.

GAME LIST. - LONDON, MIDDLESEX,
and WESTMINSTER.
THIRD PUBLICATION for 1854.
LIST of PERSONS who have taken out GENERAL GAME CER-
TIFICATES at 4/. Os. 10d. each, including the Additional Duty of
10 per cent., under the Act of the 3d Vic., cap. 17.
Bennet, Gibson, 9, Suffolk-street, Pall-mall
Bond, Edmund C., Duke-street, Adelphi
Cardwell, the Right Hon. E., 3, Whitehall-place
Gilbert, Henry, Suffolk-street, Pall-mall
Goodman, Henry Shaw, Hammersmith
Hoghton, Francis Robt., 9, Suffolk-street, Pall-mall
Lang, Joseph, Cocksour-street,
May, John C., Suffolk-place
Mine, Captain, R.N., Admiralty
Oldershaw, Robt. Piggot, Esq., 20, Upper Ecclestone-place
Palgrave, Robt., 42, Charing-cross
Pottinger, Col., St. Alban's-place
Romilly, Col., Esq., 15, Eaton-terrace
Boss, the Hon. Henry Jno., 23, Grafton-street
Shadworth, Hodgson, Esq., 9, Princes-street, Cavendish-square
Woodgate, Capt. Thomas, 21, Chester-terrace, Eaton-square

Just published, New and Improved Edition, price Is.,
THE CURABILITY of CONSUMPTION ;
being a Series of Papers, presenting the most prominent and
Important Practical Points in the Treatment of the Disease.
By FRANCIS 11. RAMADGE, M.D.,
Fellow of the College of Physicians, late Senior Physician to the
Royal Infirmary for Diseases of the Chest, &c.
Also, by the same Author, Price 10s. Gd.,
A TREATISE on ASTHMA and on DISEASES of the HEART.

London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.

BAILY'S SERIES of
by J. F. HERRING, sem
fully coloured, price 1/. Is. each.
1. Beeswing
SIP 2.
Charles XII.
„ 3. Cotherstone
„ 4. Poison
„ 5. Nutwith
6.
Confidence
„ 7. Alice Hawthorn
„ 8. Orlando
„ 9. Princess
„ 10. Foigh a Ballagh
„ 11. Merry Monarch
„ 12. The Emperor
„ 13. The Baron
„ 14. Sweetmeat
„ 15. Pyrrhus the First
„ 16. Mendicant
„ 17. Alarm
„ 18. -lane
„ 19. Gladiator

WlNNERS.—Painting
~ and HARRY HALL. Beauti-

No. 20. Sir Tatton Sykes
„ 21. Cosseck
„ 22 Tan Tromp

23. The Hero
„ 24. Surplice
„ 25. Flying Dutchman
„ 26. Voltigeur

LIST OF PERSONS LICENSED TO DEAL IN GAME.
Chappell, John, llungerford Market
Charles. John, 23, Queen's-terrace, St. John's-wood
Day, John, Leadenhall Market
Donovan, George Henry, Leadenhall Market
Fenn, Witham. 3, High-street, Marylebone
Fiest, Henry, 13, Market-street, May-fair
Glover, Joseph, 10, New Chanel-place, Kentish-town
Harris, George, Hungerford Market
Kemp, Godfrey, 14, Moreton-terrace, Kentish-town
Mazoyer, Joseph, Hungerford Market
Miller, Frederick, 73, Piccadilly
Moger, Thomas, Holborn-hill
Snelling, Joseph, Hungerford Market
Vincent. John, 31, Red Lion-street
Wilce, James, 11, Vigo street, St. James's
Made up to April 5, 1855.
By order of the Board.
T. KEOGH, Secretary.

• 27. Canezon
„ 28. Teddington
„ 29. Nancy
„ 30. Newminster
„ 31. Panel O'Rourke
„ 32. StGcluvell
„ 33. West Australian
„ 34. Irish Birdcatcher
„ 34. Andover
„ 36. Knight of St. George
„ 37. Virago

The Winner of the Derby, 1855,
sible after the race.

will be published as soon as pos-

London: Bally Bi

rothers, Cornhill.

Just published, (cap., 4t0.. cloth, gilt edges, Third Edition, price 9s.
FELIX on the BAT; being a Scientific Inquiry
into the Use of the Cricket Bat, together with the History
and Use of the Catapults, a dissertation on the different styles of
Bowling, with valuable suggestions as to the management of the
field when employed under the operation of fast or slow bowling ;
also, a scientific Investigation into the vexata questio of leg before
wicket , also, the Laws of the Game, as reviser by the Marylebone
Cricket Club

Inland Revenue Office, Somerset House.
PENALTIES.
The Commissioners of Inland Revenue Hereby Give Notice, That
every per,on taking, killing, or pursuing game, without first obtain-
ing a certificate, incurs a penalty of 201., and is also liable to be sur-
charged in double the amount of the certificate duty.
Any person in pursuit of game refusing, on being duly required, to
Produce his certificate, or to permit the same to be read, or a COPY.
tiereof to be taken, or refusing to declare his true name and place of
residence, also incurs a penalty of 201.
Gamekeepers are desired to take notice that a certificate at the
rate of It. 75. Gd. will not authorise any person to kill game beyond
the limits of the manor for which he is deputed ; and, in order that a
certificate at such a rate of duty may protect a gamekeeper, it is
requisite, not only that he should be deputed by some lord or lady of
a manor or reputed manor, but also that such deputation should be
registered with the Clerk of the Peace, or the gamekeeper will be
liable to be surcharged in double the duty of 41. Os. 10d , and also to
be prosecuted by any common informer for the penalty of 201.
N.B.—lt is the intention of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue
to publish in a separate list the names and residences of all persons
surcharged in double duty for sporting without certificates.

Londom : Baily Brothers, Cornhill.

The Third Edition.—Just published, price 5f., by post, free, ss. 6d.
ON TRUE & FALSE SPERMATORRH(EA,
with the View of distinguishing the Imaginary from the
Real Sufferers under this disease, and Correcting of wide-spread
Errors in relation to their Treatment and Cure. From the German
of Dr. PICKFORD. With an Introduction by the Editor, containing
a complete exposure of the system of terrorism and extortion pursued
by the advertising quacks of the metropolis towards those who are
credulous enough to seek their aid.
" ur. Picklord !fi known to English readers by his frequent practi-
cal contributions to German medical literature. This is the first
time, he informs us, that he has addressed himself to the non-medi-
cal reader. We trust this may not be the last, if he shall detect any
other equally flagrant evil which it may be in his ower to cor-
rect."—London Medical Gazette. " The tribe of ' Quiet Sympathisers,'
and 'Medical Friends,' are mercilessly exposed; and if this book
could find its way into the hands of those who stiffer from the com-
plaint of which it treats, we are satisfied that many hundreds would
cc saved much needless suffering of body and mind, and what is of
less importance, though it is that which the quacks most prize—
much money ---,This volume is well qualified to put an end to the
eml)lrlcal system of treating Spermatorrhcca, and to placs the treat-
ment upon a more rational and physiological basis. It is, therefore,
likely to do much good."
Lon don : IL Ralliere. 219. Regent-street.

COUNTRY VAREETS.

~----

DERBY SMITHFIELD,-MAY 22.

There was a better supply of fat beasts to day, and the
quality was generally good ; the attendance of buyers was
equ Illy large, but some few head of cattle were left unsold.
The pens were also well filled with sheep, and a good de-
mand for them. The number of lambs was unusually large
and rather heavy sale. The supply of fat and store calves
was by no means large, and high prices were asked for them
—the best quality scarce and in good request. Fat pigs
more plentiful
The following were the quotations :—Beef, 60 to 7d ;
mutton, 6d to 7d ; lamb, Od to Od ; veal, bid to 7d per
lb. ; pigs, Os 9d to lOs Od per score ; rough fat, 5s Od to Os
per 141 b.; hides, aid to 4.-id per lb ; calf-skins, to 40
per lb.

EDINBURGH GRAIN.—MAY 23.
The supply of all kinds of grain in to-day's market watt
fair. Sales were ready for all sorts, with a rise on all the
grains. The demand was good.
Wheat on the top 2s up, and the average 7d. Barley
on the top 6d, and the average 5d up. Oats on the top 8d
and the average 8d np. Beans on the top 6d, and the
average is up.
Total Supply and Sales.
Wheat 1396 qrs sold 1215 qrs
Barley 550 qrs sold 509 qrs
Oats 993 qrs sold 928 qrs
Beans l7l qrs sold 171 qrs
Top of 'Wheat ...... ........... ............ 641 lb 83s Od
Barley SBA lb 38a 6,1
Oats
Beans 6B lb 51s 01

BOSTON—MAY 23.
A much less supply of grain than for several weeks past.
Wheat trade dull, and prices receded is to, in some in-
stances, 213 per qr. Merchants operated with extreme cau-
tion. All kinds of spring corn sold at slightly enhanced
rates.
Prices :—Wheat, red, 73s Od to 77s Od; white, 79s Od to
83s Od extra, 85s Od. Barley, 32s Od to 342 Od. Oats,
26s to 31s. Beans, 46s Od to 48s Od. Peass Od to 44s
per qr.

NEWARK—MAY 23.
A good number of farmers and a plentiful supply of
grain. No change in prices.
Wheat, white 82s to 87s, red 781 to 80s; barley, malting
34s to 375, grinding 30s to 335; oats, 24st. 34s to 365, 22st.
28s to 32s'; beans, 48s to FiOs ; malt, 72s to 76s ; peas, 42s
t 9 44s ; tares, 58s to 60s per qr.

1 IDTAL ITALIAN OPER A..—RE-APPEARANCII OF MADAME
GRI, st.—Grisi has re-appeared, rather unexpectedly. After
her t leclared intention to retire from the stage, and her
" fare well performances " last season before her departure
for As nerica, the public had given up all thoughts of see-
ing her • again, till a few days ago, when it was announced
that sh e had made an engagement for ten nights to per-
form th e principal characters of her repertoire. The an-
nounce) uent was accompanied by an explanation of the
reasons which had induced her to take this step ; but this
was whoaly unnecessary. Grisi is too great and too de-
servedly a favourite to have had any ground for appre-
hension as to her reception ; the public are only too
glad to IN we her before them once more. She appeared
last even ing in the character of Leonora in La Favorita,
one of tine finest of her parts, not only as a vocal per-
forman, ,c, but as a piece of beautiful and pathetic acting.
When 1 the presented herself she received a most enthu-
siastic , welcome from a very crowded house. Among
the di) itinguished company present we noticed their
Royal 1 lighnesses the Duchess of Cambridge, the Prin-
cess Ma kr y, and the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Meck-
lenburg :--Strelitz.
THE SOUTH SEA COMPANY.—A special meeting of
the South Sea Company was held yesterday, when the
directors presented a report showing the progress made
in the re alisation of its assets. At the close of the pro-
ceedint Is a formal resolution was agreed to adopting the
report, :And authorising the directors to make the distri-
bution in the manner suggested.
Mr. W. Whateley (Conservative) has offered himself
a candi, late for Bath, in the room of Mr. Phinn, who
has am tpted the office of one of the Secretaries to the
Admiral ty.
A mee t ing of the National Brazilian Mining Associa-
tion was I held yesterday morning, when it was resolved
to appoin t Mr. Corney and Mr. Hartley to co-operate
with Mr. Sheppard in protecting the property for the
benefit o f the shareholders. The success of the late
legal pro( teedings and the desirableness of winding-up
the calm ,any in the Court of Chancery with a view to
its reoegi ,nisation were the points brought under con-
siderat 0 a. The estates are represented as valuable, and
it is al! e ged that if properly developed they can be ren-
dered i 3 'oductive.. The position of Mr. Edward Oxen-
ford, a S sole surviving director and trustee, was referred
to, the arrangement of his claim being a question of itn-
portal., ce. It was stated that there is every wish to deal
with it fairly, but the shareholders express a determina-
tion no tto sacrifice their rights.
The , ::c tntinental advices continue to bring firm quota-
tions of • the rates of exchange from all quarters.
The : n mount of gold arrived yesterday from Australia
is 35,0.11 ; ounces, valued at 136,1801., the respective
quantitic is being 32,600 by the Orwell from Melbourne,
1,936 133 • the Waterloo, and 509 by the Wooloomooloo,
both fro m Sydney. The Fortuna, from Melbourne, is
also rep orted, but her gold, if any, remains to be ascer-
tai-aed- The value of the specie by the Euxine, from,
' Bona by.: 7, is 8,1621.
1, A Cut -they examination in the case of Messrs. David-
son at idt Gordon took place yesterday at Guildhall, in
, the pre -se nce of a numerous attendance of persons con-
nected , al ttli mercantile interests, and another adjourn-
ment wt w necessary to complete the whole of the evi-
-1 deuce.

Ditto, three months .. 25 45
Marseilles ••• .•.••••••• 25 45
Rourdeaux
Frankfort-on Maine ••.. 119
Berlin ••••••••••••••••
Vienna— •• .• •••• •••• 12 35
Trieste. • •••••••••••••• 12 36
Petersburg ............ 35n
Madrid ..••••••••••••• 49%
Cadiz •.• 49%
Barcelona ............
Seville•••••• ••••••.•

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house would have failed in its duty to itself and the
people if it did not unequivocally express its in-
dignation on the conduct of the First Minister
of the Crown. He (Mr. Whiteside) admitted the im-
portance of the question, and contrasted the views of the
bon. member for Oxfotd and those of the noble lord on
the question—gentlemen who bad rode in the same
carriage on this question who had expounded
their views with great ability, but not with
equal consistency ; and if there was a justification re-
quired for the motion of the right hon. gentleman, he
would ask any impartial and attentive listener
to these speeches whether there was ever exhi-
bited before that house, or any reasonable as-
sembly, more striking proof of inconsistency of
opinion and insincerity of conduct, not on small mat-
ters, but on the greatest subject that could well occupy
the minds of statesmen, on this question. On the ques-
tion of the war, the noble lord bad said he was for war,
and the honourable gentleman that be was for
peace, and would be satisfied with a treaty with Russia,
but the noble lord was for something more substantial.
The right hon. gentleman thought the revision of the
treaty of 1841 would be of much value in the
settlement of this question, but the noble lord
thought it would amount to nothing, because, as he
very truly said, without any fresh treaty the Sultan
must call out for help when assailed. (Hear, hear.)
The honourable gentleman thought these terms real
and substantial, but the noble lord considered them
futile and useless, and so the argument stood between
them. One part of the noble lord's speech claimed
his attention on account of its fairness, be-
lieving that everything the noble lord said,
from his position, entitled him to implicit
respect, and that was that the negotiations with which
he was charged to conduct at Vienna that,
although the noble lord thought the success
of those negotiations came within the range of
possibility, he felt at no time sanguine of it.
The chief of the negotiations bad, in fact, described him-
self as the leader of the forlorn hope of diplomacy—
(hear)—and such being the case, they were surprised if
hon. members still hesitated to vote for the motion
of his right honourable friend. (Hear.) The result was
that those who proposed to pursue a direct and
honest course had the alternative but to declare that
they would do all in their power to carry on the war
and send diplomacy to the winds. (Hear.) Why, what
was the effect of the statements of the noble lord the
member for the city of London ? Why, that he had no
faith in diplomacy, and by doing so he had completely
destroyed the well-drawn arguments of his noble friend
at the head of the Government. (Hear, hear.) The
opinion of the noble lord was doubtless that it had been
the intention of Russia to destroy Turkey but for the in-
terference of England and France, and yet with those
opinions strongly impressed within him the noble lord
had said, on the motion of the right hon. gentleman the
member for Manchester, there were still hopes that ne-
gotiations might be entered into, and attended with
the best effects. For his own part he entertained
no such , fallacious ideas believing from the
noble lord's speech of last night that any further nego-
tiations were useless. (Hear.) Much had been said about
what Russia had done for the free navigation of the
Danube. In his opinion the course she bad pursued was
an insult to any civilised nation in Europe. (Hear.) The
sketch that had been given last night by the noble lord
of the course adopted by Russia, of her filching king-
doms and bribing officials, was frightful in the
extreme, and he thought that if Count Nesselrode wanted
to preserve the good opinion of the nations of the work.;
with respect to the conduct of Russia, he could not do
better than enrol the sketch given by the noble lord the
member for London in the Chancellerie of St. Petersburg,
as it would be a fitting moment° of the perfidy of Russia.
The noble lord described the evil we had to contend
with—what was the remedy ? Why, it was the moun
tam and the mouse over again. (Laughter.) The co-
lossal power of Russia must, in some way or other, be
reduced, said the noble lord. Ha (Mr. Whiteside) listened
for the remedy the noble lord prescribed ; and what
did he point out ? Nothing—really nothing. (Laughter.)
All the noble lord suggested, as far as he (Mr. White-
side) could gather was, that something must be done
—which was a very safe theory to perform. (Hear, and
laughter.) But, said, the noble lord to the Opposition,

" Why don't you tell us what to do ?" (Hear.) If
the Government would change places with them (the
Opposition) they would shew them what to do. (Loud
and prolonged chciars from the Opposition, and laughter)
Was it ever the duty of the Opposition to do anything
more than criticise ? He (Mr. Whiteside) wished to
know from the noble lord, who was such an adroit
leader of Parliament, when it ever was the duty of the
Opposition to dictate the course of business to the Go-
vernment ? The charge brought against the Government
was that its language in this question bad been very
unsatisfactory and evasive. (Cheers.) Did the noble
lord explain what the noble lord the Premier.meant? He
had not and he (Mr. W.) ventured to say the noble lord
did not really know what the Premier meant—it
was a very difficult question to determine. (Hear,
hear.) The hon. and learned gentleman then proceeded
to read several extracts from the speeches of the noble
lord in illustration of his argument, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

• SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.
Alex. Peden, jun., lately ironmonger and cabinetmaker,
Newmilns, Ayrshire, now deceased—Creditors meet in the
George Hotel, Kilmarnock, June 1.
T. B. Gibb amd Co., merchants, Glasgow—Creditors meet
in the Crow Hotel, George-square, Glasgow, June 4.
Gilbert Adams, boot and shoemaker, Edinburgh—Credi-
tors meet in Messrs.Dowell's and Lyon's Rooms, George-street,
June 4.

Hugh Mair, boot, Ehoe, and leather merchant, shipper, and
warehouseman, 30, Jamaica-street, Glasgow--Creditors meet
in the Crow Hotel, George-square, June 11.

COURSE OF EXCHANGE.—Tuis Dir.
Amsterdam....... .11 19 Gibra1tar..............—
Ditto, three mouths .. 12 014' Leghorn .. •• • • .... .• • 30 l 7
Rotterdam ............ 12 01( Genoa ........ • • ...... 25 55
Antwerp .............. 25 42N, Milan ...... • • ...... • •
Brussels .............. 25 4214 Venice........ • • ......
Hamburgh .......... 13 814 Naples ........ ...... 44
Altona ................ Palermo ....
Pari5........_..••....2520 Messina ... ... 132

Lisbon ...... ...• 53
Oporto ....... ....... •• 53%
Rio Janeiro ..... . ••....
Buenos Ayres.... • • ....
New York,6o days' sight
Philadelphia ...
PRICES OF BIILLICH, PER OZ.
Foreign Gold in Bars £3 17 9
Portugal Gold Coin 0 0 0
Mexican Dollars 0 0 0
New Dollars 0 0 0
Silver In bars . 0 5 1%

SUN OFFICE, SEVEN o'CLom.
The London "Gazette" had not been published when
we went to press.

'

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.)
NEWSPAPER STAMP DUTIES BILL.
Tiscount CANNING moved the second reading of this
bill. He said, that although the subject to which this bill
related had of late years been frequently discussed in the
other house, it was a long time since it had been brought
before their lordships, owing, perhaps, chiefly to the cir-
cumstance that it was connected with tbo public revenue ;
but the state of the law was now such that it was not only
desirable, but absolutely necessary that some change
should take place. The early history of the stamp on
newspapers might be very shortly told. The first mention
of a stamp duty was found in the reign of Queen Anne, at
the time when newspapers, having ceased to be mere chro-
niclers of events, assumed the character of commentators
and critics on what was passing around, and also that of
partisans of the various factions in the state. The freedom
with which they exercised these functions seemed to have
been ill taken, not only by the ministers of the day,
but also by Parliament. On one occasion a mes-
sage came down from the Crown to Parliament, call-
ing its attention to what was described as a nuisance, and
asking for an adequate remedy; and the result was the
passing of is law imposing a stamp duty. A stamp duty of
a halfpenny was the remedy which suggested itself to the
Legislature." No change took place in the duty until the
year 1776. In that year, under the administration of Lord
North, the duty was raised 50 per cent. In introducing the
measure to the house, Lord North was reported to have
said that "it was a matter of dispute whether newspapers
did more harm than good ; he pronounced no judgment on
that question ; but one thing was certain that they largely
disseminated calumnies ; that they abused the persons and
misrepresented the measures of Ministers ; that they were
bought and read with great avidity, but that it was quite
clear that the cause of this avidity was not a mere desire
for knowledge." These were the reasons which led Lord
North to recommend the House of Commons to increase
the duty. On two occasions a further increase took
place under the administration of Mr. Pitt. That
Minister took pretty much the same view of the
matter as Lord North ; declaring to the House of Com-
mons that in his opinion newspapers could only be consi-
dered an article of luxury, and that he felt no hesitation in
making people pay dearly for them. The last increase
took place in 1815, when the duty was raised to 4d. ; and
there was this indication of the spirit in which the in- t
crease was made, that shortly after, and under the same
administration, by one of the acts of Lord Castlereagh,
commonly called the " Six Acts," the necessity of giving
securities was imposed on the proprietors of newspapers.
He had taken the liberty of calling their lordships' atten-
tion to these features in the early history of the stamp
duty, because he apprehended that any objection which
might be made to the measure would be based, partly at
least, on the fact that the Government were asking their
lordships to consent to an abandonment of revenue. It
was impossible to deny this fact ; but he denied that the
question ought to be considered entirely or even mainly
as one of revenue. He thought he had shown that
hitherto it had not been so considered ; and he contended
that if any good cause could be shown for making
this change their lordships ought not to be deterred from
making it because the question of revenue was to a certain
extent involved in the measure. If the question of the news-
paper stamp were not dealt with chiefly as one of revenue
in the early stages, by which the stamp advanced from a
halfpenny to fonrpence—the maximum which it had at-
tained—still less had it been dealt with in that light at a
subsequent period. The next change was made in 1836,
when the noble lord near him (Lord Monteagle) was Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer in Lord Melbourne's Government,
and he believed he did not misrepresent the noble lord's
motives or arguments on that occasion when he said that
the penny, which was then substituted for fonrpence, was
retained avowedly not as a source of revenue, but as an
equivalent for the postal service performed for newspaper
proprietors by the state. As long as the duty was 4d. it
was defended, not as a source of revenue, but as a measure
of literary police ; but since the period to which he had just
referred it bad been defended merely as a postal charge.
The imposition of the penny duty had of late years involved
great anomalies and inconveniences, arising partly from
the unexpected and various growth of newspaper publica-
tions since the time when th duty was first imposed, and
partly from the complicated and very imperfect definition
of a newspaper. In the first act that was passed, the act
of 1712, the definition given of a newspaper was, "A paper
containing public news, intelligence or occurrences in Great
Britain, to be dispersed and made public." This definition
pervaded all the acts from that of Queen Anne to that of
1836. But it was not the only one. In 1819, at the time
when the act of Lord Castlereagh to which he had already
referred was passed, the definition was enlarged, and was
made to include not only publications containing news,
intelligence, or occurrences, but also publications con-
taining " comments or observations thereupon, or upon
any matter in church or state." At the same time the
operation of the act was limited to publications of that
description which were printed at intervals of less than
twenty-six days, and there was a limitation of size.
Five or six years later, the definition was made to
include newspapers consisting wholly or chiefly of adver-
tisements. Thus their lordships perceived there were three
definitions, and the result was that under the present system
it had been found almost impossible to comply with all the
requirements of the law. He would mention one or two
samples of the difficulties which arose under the law as it
stood. The noble lord then referred, in detail, to the case
of the "Household Narrative," and the prosecution of the
proprietor under the Earl of Derby's Government. The
question involved in that case was, he observed, ultimately
settled—satisfactorily enough--by the passing of an act of
Parliament ; but ever since fresh inconveniences had
arisen. It was customary, as their lordships were perhaps
aware, for the editora of many of the provincial papers to
issue from time to time, between their days of publication,
slips containing information which was sometimes distri-
buted freely and sometimes for a small payment. The pro-
prietors of rival newspapers had complained of this
as an evasion of the stamp duty and an injustice to
themselves; but it had been found impossible to connect
these slips with the regular series, and hitherto they had
altogether escaped the duty. This showed the difficulty
of patching up an incongruous law so as to make it effi-
cient. Another inconvenience arose from the publication
of what were technically called "class newspapers"—news.
papers which were devoted to science or art, and which
had no general or political character. Acting in accordance
with the spirit rather than the letter of the law, the Go-
vernment had decided that publications of this sort should
be exempted from the stamp duty. The matter which
these papers contained was not that contemplated by the
law when it was first passed, as its object was to repress
political and public discussion, and not to interfere with
mere scientific publications. These papers had of late
years multiplied very much ; from two or three they had
risen to 140 or 150 in number. Every science—architec-
ture, agriculture, building, Rix. —had its own journal. The
consequence has been that other newspapers, jealous of the
privilege of these sought to obtain it, although dealing
with matters of a different sort, on the ground that they
were confined to one object. Since the commencement of
the war a number of papers had sprung up, the Army Des-
patch, the War Chronicle, and others, which, containing
only news of the movements of the army, claimed an ex-
emption from the stamp, founded on their abstinence from
other subjects, and wished to be considered as class news-
papers. In the greater number of cases the threat of legal
proceedings was sufficient to stop the issue, but in one case
the editor having refused to stop proceedings were token
against him. The paper was the Commercial Journal and
Family Herald; published in Ireland, which, although it
did not wholly exclude matters of general intelligence, de-
scribed itself as a paper of a literary character. The number
chosen as the subject of legal proceedings contained 24
columns, nine of advertisements, four of news, and eleven
of literary matter. The case was tried in the Court of
Exchequer in Ireland, and the jury found for the defend-
ant, intimating their opinion that although it contains&
some news it was not a newspaper, as its several contents
wale literary. That verdict was taken up by the
advocates of the abolition of the stamp duties, and it
greatly increased the difficulty of attempting to enforce
the law as it now stands. These class publications, soon
seeing the advantages to be derived from the postal privi-
lege attached to the stamp, put forward a claim to be
allowed to stamp as many copies of each number as they
might desire to send by post. Government had no choice
but to yield, although at first sight it might appear that,
as they had proclaimed themselves class publications for
one purpose, Government might refuse to recognise any
other character in them. The declaration now taken by a
person desirous of obtaining the right of using the stamp
has been held not to bind him to the declaration that the
publication he is about to issue is a newspaper within the
definition of the act. Any person making a declaration
that he is about to publish a newspaper, and stating its
name, is entitled to receive stamped paper. That pri-
vilege was largely used by the class publications, and if
confined to them no great objection would have been
made ; but, unfortunately, the example had been fol-
lowed by a large number of tradesmen, booksellers, pub-
lishers, and others, who wished to distribute circulars.
made the
newspaper,dee earned-
Ttihouesetphaartt ietshweyenwt teorethae Stamp-office,bouttopubltshms,
thus were enabled to use the postal privileges for a pur-
pose "t was never intended to ® The example was
Still more largely followed. He had himself received a
short time since the quarterly report of the Church
Building Society printed on stamped paper. It was im-
possible to contend that a law which not only permitted.
but even invited such abuses, did not stand in need of
amendment; as it now stood the Board of Inland Re-
venue had no power to restrain such practices. Such being
the state of the law, it was not surprising that strong
opinions had been expressed in favour of a change. The
last committee of the House of Commons, in their report,eeted
directed the attention of the house to the abuses
with the law, arising from the difficulty of
involved in
their subject, and the anomalies and inequalitieslong debate, the
their enforcement. Last session, after a
ho
newspaper
house resolved that the laws regulating
and deserved to be
stamp were ill-defined, hard to enforce,a definition of
resolution the Government lost no t
was the bill before
considered with a view to their aniondinueuatk.ingAtftheer
mat-
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into consideration, and the
to prove that if any change was b
although he had, in-
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a change in the sense of relaxation,
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restriction and make the law
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strictions hesitationehbe iansgthe
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the changes they would propose. Under this bill the
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wh laasourcednnot making a clean sweep of ' thus
of
the stamp duties, forgotten that its operation was not in all
respects unfavourable to the newspapers, for it conferred
on them certain privileges, passing
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er provided through the post; it
thebill that any paper using the
but to t • • through the post, not once
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