The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOTDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 1,, 1855

unnecessary for him to argue that question. Ent let the
committee recollect that a letter weighing under half-an-
ounce was sent for Id., while the largest newspaper printed
and weighing nearly 6 ounces, was to be sent also for Id.,
according to the proposition of his hon. friend. (Hear.)
Thus the privilege given to the newspaper was 12 times
greater than that given to the letter, and, in addition,
there would be the privilege of retransmission. The news•
paper might pass 6 times through the Post-office in the
week, and these two multiplied—the weight and the quan-
tity—it would be found that we were conferring on the
newspaper 72 times the amount of postal privilege we
were conferring on the letter. (Hear.) He did not see
any argument of justice or sound policy that could be
urged in favour of such a proposal as that. In dealing
with this question, the principle on which we ought to
act was, to carry a certain quantity, say 4 ounces, of all
matter, whether printed or manuscript, for the sum of ld.
(Hear.) Let there be no distinction between printed mat-
ter and manuscript letters. On the other hand, we must
remember that we could not afford to loss any revenue,
though, if we came to argue that point, it might be found
that the additional revenue derived from letters weighing
half-an-ounce was less than might be supposed, and, there-
fore, that that difficulty might not be so formidable as
some people imagined. We should also have to tolerate
another anomaly, and that was the privilege of retrans-
mission. Already we were sending eight times the
weight of newspaper matter through the post for the
same price at which we' sent manuscript matter un-
der halt-an-ounce, and that eightfold advantage we
added to by sending the newspapers (luring the
week for as many times as their owners pleased.
He thought that sufficient allowance had already been
made for these interests, and that, if the privileges were
further extended, the committee would only confer in
another shape that which in a former case had already been
abolished. (Hear.)

ing a much larger newspaper than any published in this
country.
Mr. WARNER was of opinion that every newspaper con-
veyed through the Post-office was carried at a loss to the re-
venue, and the more they discouraged the traffic the better
for the public revenue., (Cries of divide.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that if the
proposition of his hon. friend the member for' Kidderminster,
that a uniform principle should be applied to the postage ,of
newspapers and of every article carried by post, was practi-
cally enforced, he feared that nearly the whole of the pre-
sent system would have to be abolished. If they compared
the rates of charge upon letters, upon newspapers, and upon
books and other printed publications not being- newspapers,
they would find the discrepancy so great that if it were the
pleasure of Parliament to reduce them to a uniform scale it
would be necessary to sweep away all the existing rates and
to commence de novo. •In the bill which he had the honour
to lay before the house he limited himself to carrying into
effect with the Bi:wiliest possible alteration of the existing law
what he understood to be the decision and wish of the li
house, namely, 'that the compulsory newspaper stamp
should be converted into an optional stamp. That bill
was founded exclusively upon the existing principle,
and therefore maintained the present rule. With respect
to superficial inches of the newspaper, that rule being
that the newspaper printed on one Or two sheets might con-
tain 2,295 inches of letters for one penny ; and any number
of additional supplements might he printed at the rate of one-
halfpenny for 1,143 inches. That was the rule now in exist-
ence, and was the result of legislation two years ago by which
the then existing charge upon newspapers was diminished,
and the charge for that which was previouslycarried for three
halfpence was reduced to a
„penny. The effect of the measure
now before the house would be, that every newspaper pro-
prietor would be at liberty to stamp such portion of the cir-
ciliation as they thought fit, but no part of it could go through
the post without the impression of a stamp. That change in
the law would confer a considerable benefit on all existing
newspapers. They would be relieved from the compulsory
stamp on a certain portion of their circulation, and to that
extent they would be benefitted by the measure before the
house. (Hear.) Unless the house was prepared to sacrifice not
only that portion of the revenue which was necessarily lost by
the abolition of the compulsory stamp, but also that further
portion which would be included in an offer on the paft of
the public to carry at a lower rate a larger sized newspaper
than at present, there seemed no reason for departing from
the arrangement at present in force. It had been argued that
as a portion of a newspaper was given gratuitously to its sub-
scribers, and as no additional charge was made for an addi-
tional quantity of matter, it was unreasonable that an addi-
tional charge should be made by the Pest-office. But the Post-
office had nothing to do with the question as between a news-
paper and its customers. All the Post-office had to look to
was the bulk and weight pf the article. To the Post-office it
was utterly indifferent what the price might be, or whether in-
deed the article was priced at all. With regard to purely adver-
tising sheets, which were circulated gratuitously, the trouble
and expense to the Post-office were, as great as in the case of
a high priced newspaper ; and therefore the argument that
was derived from the gratuitous circulation of a portion of a
newspaper containing advertisements appeared altogether
destitute of weight. He admitted, however, that the
whole question of the transmission of newspapers, as
compared with other printed matter, required the most
careful consideratian, and that the present system must
soon undergo a considerable change. But the alteration of
the law which he now proposed was one of great magnitude
and importance, and he thought they should wait to see how
itibperated before they plunged into a fresh series of changes.
Mr. DRUMMOND said that he objected the other day to
the whole conduct of the press, because it was a system of
stabbing in the dark. He equally objected to that house
stabbing the Times in the dark, for there could be no ques-
tion; after the debate which had just taken place, that this
was an attack upon a single newspaper. They were begin-
ning to indulge
,private pique under the pretence of public
venue. (Hear, hear.) They hated the Times. (A laugh.)
They were afraid of it, and instead of standing up boldly
against it, they were giving it this dirty stab in the dark.
The house then divided—
For Mr. M. Milnes's clause
Against it
Majority against the clause

. 260

-174

The preamble of the bill was then agreed to, and the bill
was reported with amendments to the house. The report or-
dered to be brought up to-morrow (this day).
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, &c. (SCOTLAND), BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION (SCOTLAND)