The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-13 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 13, 1852.

GUILDHALL, 3d Dec., 1852.—The Committee
for Letting the City Lands will meet at I-uildhall on WED -
N
t DAY, the I hth day of December, at One o'clock precisely, to
receive TINDERS for LETTING on LEASE, for 21 years from
Christmas next, several STABLES and rREMISES on the North
side of Bulstrode mews, Marylebene-lane, Oxford•street ; also to re-
solve Tenders for Letting on Lease for 15 years (less three days),
from Christmas next, a HOUSE, No. 12, on the went side of Taber
nacle-walk, Finsbury.—Further particulars and plans may be seen,
and forms of tender obtained. at the Office of Works, Guildhall.
THOMAS SAUNDERS, Comptroller.

PATRON—II R. IL PRINCE ALBERT.
ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION
ENTIRELY NEW EXHIBITION.—An OPTICAL and
MUSICAL I'.LUSTEATION of. " A MIDAUMMER NIGHT'S
DREAM," the Word. from Shakapere, the Music by flora, Stevens.
tlenry West, Bishop, and Dr. Cooke, Daily at a Quarter-Past Four,
and Evenings, except Saturday, at lialf•past Nine.—LECTURES by
J. 11. Pepper, Esq., on AGRICULTURAL CEIF.MISTRY, Daily, at
Two, and on Tuesday and Thursday Evenings at Eight ; by Dr.
Bacbhoffner. on FRICTIONAL ELECTRICITY, illustrated by the
HYDRO-ELECTRIC MACHINE; by Mr. Crispe, on BA LLOONING
and the PRCSPECTS of AERIAL NAVIGATION, illustrated by a
beautiful Model of POITRVIN'4 PAIL' CHUTE, GREEN'S GUIDE
ROPE, DIAGRAMS, &c.—DISSOLYING VIEWS, including Views
of WALMER CASTLE, WALMER CIIURCiI, Ste.
kdmission, Is. ; Schools and Children under ten years of age,
6d. each.

WS. WOODIN'S SOIREES
• COMIQUES, or CARPET BAG and SKETCH-BOOK.
CROWDED HOWLS AND TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS
EVERY EVENING at Eight o'Clock, at the THEATRE ROYAL,
ADELAIDE-STREET WEST, STRAND.
Being an entirely Novel and Original Vocal and Visual Instmcto, Gro-
tesquo, Comic°, Pictorio, Music°, Ecceatrissimo, Characteristic°,
Lecturio,

IN TWO COMIC SECTIONS.
PART FIRST COMPRISES
A Vocal Illustration, " Beginnings."—Full-length Portrait, Martha
Mivins.—lllustration, Carpet Bag.—Half•length Portrait, Major
Bluster.—Vocal Illustration, "A Visit to the Great Metropolis.'
Full-length Portrait, Sir Benjamin Bungle.—Half-length Portrait
Mr. Sampson Rusty.—Full-length Portrait, Mr. Oliver Oldstyle
(with a Vocal Illustration of " Bygone Days ").—Full-length Por-
trait, Ben Blnnacle.--Miniature Portrait, Mrs. Muddles (from
Manchester.)

PART SECOND.
Full-length Portrait, Sandie M‘Whittle.—Full-length Portrait, A
Well-known Personage. --Illustration, Carpet Brig.—nth-length
Portrait, A Yankee Clipper.—Vocal Illustration, " Metropolitan
Melodies."—Full-length Portrait, Mr. Cavil.-Illustration, Carpet
Bag.—Full-length Portraits, Mr. and Mrs. Lapsus Linger.—Vocal
Illustration, " Pleasures of a Pic-nic Party."—lllustration, Sketch-
book (Daylight and Moonlight).—Finale, " The Lions of London."
With several Pictorial Illustrations, furnished by " The Sketch-
book."
In the course of the Evening Mr. C. COLMAR will perform a variety
of grand Piano Solos.
Admission, Is.; Reserved Seats, 25.; Dress Stalls, 35.; Private Boxes.
One Guinea.

BETT'S PATENT BRANDY having been
.I.lnow before the Public since 1825, the proof of its excellence in
its use by discriminative consumers being continuous and increasinz.
and its purity and excellence being vouched for by the HIGHEST
MEDICAL AUTHORITIES, warrant Messrs. J. T. BETTS and CO.
in inviting universal attention to it as an article of incomparable
merit. Their PATENT METALLIC CAPSULES are, at the same time,
effective security to the public against the fraudulent substitution of
any inferior article, whether as regards their PATENT BRANDY,
their celebrated Whiskey, " THE DEW OFF BEN NEVIS," or
their STANDARD Or' COGNAC BRANDY; either of which may be
obtained of respectable Wine and Spirit Merchants throughout the
kingdom ; or in quantities of not less than Two Gallons, from J. T.
BETTS and CO., Distillery, 7, Smithfield-bars, London.

ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF MARRIAGE, AND THE SECRET
INFIRMITIES OF YOUTH AND MATURITY.
WITH FIFTY COLOURED ENGRAVINGS ON STEEL.
In French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, and Italian, in a
Sealed Envelope, es. nd., or post-free, for Forty-two Stamps,
SELF-PRESERVATION; an
Alialytical Investigation of the Physiology and Functions of
Marriage, in all the bearings in which that important subject affects
the health and happiness of Man, with its Disqualifications and Impe-
diments, tracing their origin to the effects of juvenile solitary habits,
youthtul excess, tropical climates, or close study ; followed by prac-
ticalremarks, founded on twenty years' experience in the treatment
of Impuissance, Nervous Debility, Local Weakness, Spermatorrhoss,
Syphilis, and all diseases of the Urinary and Generative System. Il-
lustrated by 50 coloured Engravings, on the Anatomy of the Repro-
ductive Organs and their relative conditions in Health and Disease.
By SAMUEL LA'IIIERT. M.D.
37, BEDFORD-SQUARE, LONDON,
Doctor of Medicine, Matriculated Member of the University of Edin-
burgh, Honorary Member of the London Hospital Medical Society,
Licentiate of Apothecaries' Hall, London, &c., &c.
The essential object of this treatise is to point out the fearful
consequences resulting from irregularities and excesses, which
have produced more misery in Youth, degradation in Man-
hood, and premature decay at all stages of life, than, perhaps, any
other class of disease known to modern pathologists. The treatment
adopted is founded on experience gained in the most celebrated
schools of medicine both in this country and in continental Europe.
The results of the knowledge thus acquired are here condensed under
the personal supervision of Dr. La'Mert, himself one of the few
egally qualified physicians who have devoted their whole and un-
divided studies to this important branch of medical science. In short,
every peculiarity relating to the treatment of the diseases incidental
to the generative system, and the means of immediate relief and
ultimate cure are described in detail. The professional reputation
of Dr. La'Mert, who has taken the most distinguished medical
and academic honours at home and abroad, is in itself a sufficient
guarantee that those who may place themselves under his care
will, in every instance, meet with that delicate consideration and
Inviolable secrecy which are so requisite in the treatment of these

CUM
Published by the Author, and may be had of J. Gilbert, 49, Pater-
noster-row; Hannay, 63, Oxford-street; Starie, Titchborne-street,
Haymarket ; Mann, 23, Cornhill ; or free by post for forty-two
stamps, from the author, who may be consulted personally, or by
ester daily, from Ten till Two, and from Six till Eight.

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF

ENGLAND.

The annual meeting of the members of this society
was held on Saturday at the Society's Rooms, Hanover-
square, for the purpose of receiving the report of the
.council, and for the transaction of the ordinary business.
Colonel Challoner, in the absence of the Duke of Rich-
mond, occupied the chair. Among the persons present
were—Lord Camoys, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. Townly,
Mr. Torr, Mr. Grissel, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Raymond Bar-
ker, Rev. James Linton, Mr. Crisp, Professor Way,
Professor Simonds, Mr. Edward Bullen (late Secretary
of the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland), &c. &c.
Considerable interest attached to the proceedings
of the meeting, in consequence of the report of the coun-
cil embodying the recommendations of the committee
with respect to the regulations under which live stock
should be allowed to compete at the annual exhibition of the
society. For some time past the council of the society have
felt that considerable alterations were called for in refer-
ence to their annual exhibition. Established originally
for the purpose of encouraging the improvement in the
breed of animals, the shows have of late years consisted
almost exclusively of over-fatted beasts, and the objects
of the society have thus been diverted to merely encour-
aging the feeding of animals for the butcher rather than
improving their breed. The consequence has been that
aged animals, useless for breeding purposes, have, by the
use of milk, meal, oil cake, and similar descriptionsi of
food, been fattened up to a great weight, and have car-
ried off the principal prizes of the society. Young
heifers have upon the same mistaken principle been
fattened for the purposes of show, utterly regardless of
the future value of their breeding qualities, many of
those which have taken the larger prizes not having
afterwards given birth to a single live calf. The
evil of overfeeding has also been manifested in the
almost total concealment of the natural forms of
the best breeds of sheep and cattle, and the
great difficulty of arriving at a correct opinion
of their merits. In addition to this it has been
for some time a subject of general observation and
of regret that many of the best breeders of stock have
refused to send their animals to the show, as they knew
there would be no chance of their obtaining a prize when
put into competition with fatter animals, and they have
declined to sacrifice good breeding qualities to mere feed-
ing capabilities. In order, therefore, to prevent the
judges awarding the prizes of the society to animals
whose merits consist rather in their value to the butcher,
or in too many instances to the tallow-welter, than in
their qualifications of breed, some very useful regulations
have been drawn up by the council. The principal of
these regulations are that no bull shall be exhibited above
four yeer of age • and in the case of heifers it is necessary,
in order to qualify any one for the prize, that she shall
have produced a live calf within the previous twelve
•months ; such prize is not, however, to be given until it
has been duly certified that she has produced a live calf
before the month of February next after the exhibition,
and "juries of condition" are to decide upon the
admissibihty of the animals. These regulations,
without excluding animals of good breed having a
natural propensity to fatten, will effectually shut out
stock valueless for breeding purposes, and thus tend
greatly to improve the character and to increase the
practical utility of the country meetings of this useful
and valuable society. Some little opposition was shown
to the new regulations by one or two persons present,
and, as in the case of all measures of reform, some pre-
diction of the evils likely to result from so dangerous
a step" were indulged in ; the good sense of the ma-
jority, however, and the evidently practical and useful
character of the recommendations of the council ob-
tained for them ultimately the unanimous approval of
the meeting. The following is an abstract of the report
of the council, submitted to the meeting by Mr. Hudson,
the secretary :
" Since the last general meeting in May, 45 members
have been lost to the society by death, and the names of
82 others have been removed from the list on retirement
or otherwise; while 80 new members have been elected
during the same period. The society accordingly now
consists of 91 life governors, 149 annual governors,
720 life members, 3,955 annual members, and 19
honorary members, making a total of 4,934. In the list
of deceased members on this occasion, there occurs the
illustrious name of the Duke of Wellington, one of the
earliest governors and vice-presidents of the society,
who, though not himself a practical farmer, took a
lively interest in everything tending to develop the re-
sources of his country. The council receive with satisfac-
tion the testimony of the members to the still increasing
value of the society's journal, and to the immediate and
extensive influence resulting from the almost simultaneous
transmission of the copies, free through the post, to the
numerous members of the society diffused throughout the
kingdom ; as well as to that secondary and local influence
arising from a knowledge of the facts and practical state-
ments in its pages, personally communicated by each mem-
ber to other parties residing within the sphere of his own
particular neighbourhood. The chemical investigations
continue to be steadily pursued by Professor Way, with
vuluable results obtained at each stage of his inquiries,
leading on step by stop through the labyrinth of nature's
operations to new discoveries of the machinery by which
she works in secret, and to the prospect of entirely new
applications in the economy of agricultural laws for the
cultivation of the soil and the manuring for crops. The
council have on former occasions reported to the society
the communications in which they have been placed
with the Foreign-office in reference to the question of a
reduction in the price of guano. They have now to re-
port that they appointed in June last a deputation to
wait on the Earl of Derby, the Prime Minister, for
the purpose of representing to him the great importanee of
every means being taken to effect this object. His lord-
ship received the aociety's deputation moat courteously, and

assured them of his desire to take every measure that
might at any time be in his power to promote the views
and wishes of the society on this subject. Since that in-
terview, the council have resolved to offer, in addition to
their current prize of 501., for an essay on the geographi-
cal discovery of new supplies of guano, a prize for the dis-
covery of a, substitute for Peruvian guano, under the fol-

lowing terms
"TERMS OE THE PRIZE.—One thousand pounds and the
gold medal of the society will be given for the discovery
of a manure equal in fertilising properties to the Peruvian
guano, and of which an unlimited supply can be furnished
to the English farmer at a rate not exceeding 51. per ton.
" The council have already reason to believe the atten-
tion which this prize will call to the whole economy of
manuring, and to the agricultural as well as sanitary ques-
tion of the manurial resources of the kingdom, will lead
to new and important results. The council, after full deli-
beration, upon the amended conditions, proposed to them
by their veterinary committee, and which have been ac-
cepted by the college, decided last month to renew the
grant of 2001. for the current year to the Royal Veterinary
College.
" The council have had their attention galled by his
Royal Highness Prince Albert to the process of inocula-
tion, so extensively carried on at the present time in
Prussia, Belgium, and the Netherlands, with a view to
modify the severity of the symptoms of pleura-pneumonia
in cattle. In consequence of the information furnished by
his Royal Highness to the council, they authorised Pro-
fessor Simonds, as the veterinary-inspector of the society, to
proceed to Belgium, in August last, for the purpose of
making, himself personally acquainted with the facts con-
nected with the conditions and results of the employment
of this process. The report which Professor Simonds has
made to the council on this visit, of inspection will appear
in the next part of the society's Journal,' along with a
second report on the occurrence of pleuro-pneumoaia in
the extensive herd of dairy cows belonging to Mr. Paget,
of Ruddington Grange, near Nottingham, and which that
gentleman has with great liberality placed at the disposal
of the society for any experiments the council may direct
to be made on them.
-
" The country meeting of the society at Lewes in July
last was in every respect satisfactory, excepting in the
number of visitors, which, although amounting to 18,000
in the show-yard, and 500 at the pavilion dinner, was only
one-half of the usual number. This comparatively deficient
attendance, however, was owing to peculiar circumstances,
over which' the society had no control ; namely, a remote
locality, unusually oppressive heat, and a general election
going on throughout the country at the very time of tle
meeting.
" The council have decided that the Gloucester meeting
for the South Wales district shall be held in that city is
the week commencing Monday, the 11th of July, and they
have received from the professors at the Royal Agricultural
College at Cirencester, the offer of co-operation in any way
by which their services may be thought, by the council,
best to promote the objects of the society at the Gloucester
meeting.
The following is the portion of the report referring to
the admission of live stock at the country exhibitions of
the society :
"In order to consider the most effectual means of ob-
viating the over-feeding of live stock for breeding purposes
exhibited at the country meetings of the society, the Earl
of Ducie, as its late president, undertook, after the Lewes
meeting, the task of entering into communication with the
greater number of those gentlemen who had acted as judges
at the former country meetings of the society, and the
greater majority of their opinions being in favour of de-
cisive measures to put a stop to an evil so generally com-
plained of, a committee was appointed, who have made the
following recommendations, which have been since adopted
by the council
1. To appoint three juries of condition for the three di-
visions of (1) cattle, (2) sheep, (3) horses and pigs ' • each
jury to be drawn by lot by the steward of each ilivision
from the whole of the judges comprised in it, and to con-
usiostt
to
of
vote,nine bjuudtgtoes
taaknedtobneedsooteiwsiaorudi:u tehaeobst:awarse
bdyhia himself
of hands, the majority of votes to decide.
" The following notice be printed in red ink at the foot
of each certificate of entry, namely, All animals sent for
exhibition which shall, in the opinion of the jury, be in an
overfed condition, will be disqualified by the jury for in-
spection by the judges :' and a placard to be placed over
the standing of every animal that shall be so disqualified,
stating the reason of such disqualification.
"3. The age of bulls in the two classes of each division
of cattle, not two exceed four years and two years respec-
tively, on ehe Ist of July in the year of show for which
they are entered.
"4. No bull in Class I. of each division of cattle to be
eligible for a prize, unless a certificate is produced of his
having served not less than three different cows within
the three months preceding the Ist of Juno in the year of
the show.
must fbo o
ar
itof
cow" s 5 but No
tahl t ea
t r ae
vt ieor yo n to beiu ad
certified to have had a live calf within the twelve months
preceding the date of the show.
wme
milk and
ueotliimn calf
"6. No heifer entered as in calf to be eligible unless
certified to have been bulled before the Ist of March in
the year of show and not to have been again in bulling
subsequently to that date ; nor her owner afterwards to
receive the prize unless on the production of a further cer-
tificate that she has produced a live calf before the Ist
February ensuing.
" 7. No cattle or sheep to have been fed with milk sub-
sequently to the Ist of January in the year of the show.
" 8. No boar or sow to be shown that cannot walk on
account of over-fatness."
In conclusion the report states :
"The council have the continued satisfaction of referring
to the successful manner in which the practical operations
of agriculture-are directed by improved principles gradually
adapted to each particular case by an extended knowledge
of conditions, and of witnessing the same spirit of improve-
ment that has so long sustained and encouraged the Society
in the prosecution of its objects, now animating other agri-
cultural communities in every part of the civilised world,
and leading them to find their mutual advantage in friendly
communication and the interchange of scientific and prac-
tical resulte."
The total receipts for the year were stated to be 6,1371.
135., and the balance yet remaining in hand, 2,8221.
19s. 6d.
The adoption of the report, moved by Mr. CHARLES
TOWNLEY, and seconded by the Rev. JAMES LINTON,
was, after a short discussion, agreed to.
The thanks of the meeting were voted to Messrs.
Dyer, Barker, and Knight, the auditors, who were
unanimously re-elected ; also to Professors Way and
Simonds, the consulting chemists of the society, to whose
exertions a high-merited compliment was paid by Mr.
Torr and Mr. Jones, who moved and seconded the vote
Of thanks.
Lord CAMOYS moved, and Mr. DEUCE seconded, a
vote of thanks to the Chairman, Colonel Challoner, who
returned thanks, and the meeting broke up.

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF
IRELAND.

The half-yearly meeting of the Royal Agricultural
Society of Ireland was held in their rooms, Upper Sack-
ville-street, Dublin, on Friday—Lord Talbot de Mala-
hide presiding. The report of the council for the half-
year ending the 10th
D acember, congratulated the society
on " the progressive improvement of agriculture through-
out Ireland, and the cheering prospects generally pre-
sented of the marked and varied development of the in-
dustrial resources of the country ;" and as an evidence of
this gratifying change, the report remarks that two hun-
dred new members have joined the society during the
past year. With respect to the society's show, which
takes place in Killarney next summer, it is anticipated
that it will prove eminen.tly successful, from the improve-
ment made by the council upon the premium sheet, and
the increase of the premiums offered. The report then
refers to the change made in the rules of the society,
whereby tenant-farmers are to be ad/flitted members on
payment of 10s. per annum, and remarks that it "is
likely to be attended with much success, several tenant-
farmers having already applied for admission." The re-
port concludes by stating that the financial condition of
the society is improving, a larger collection of subscrip-
tions having been made than in any year for some time
past. The Lord-Lieutenant, who is a vice patron of the
society, has become a subscriber of 101. per annum.

A SELF-ELECTED BISHOP. —Oh Wednesday, the 181
instant, the election of a new Bishop of St. Andrews
Dunkeld, and Dunblane, in the room of the late Bishop
Torry, took place at St. James's durch, Cupar Fife. A
previous election had taken place, whereat an equal
number of votes were given by the clergy present in fa-
vour of the present Bishop of Moray and the Rev.
Charles Wordsworth, warden of Trinity College, Perth-
shire. Consequently, a new electlon was obliged to be
held ; when the Rev. Dr. Suthet, of Edinburgh, was
proposed as a candidate, in opposition to Mr. Words
is a brother of the
wßoerC.hoanTonheWlaotrtcelrswgoerntthlem,ofaNnVZlbri.inster, and a nephew
of the late Poet Laureate) was elected by his own
casting vote. The supporters of Dr. Suther, conse-
quently, have drawn up a protest against his election,
and the matter will be referred to the Scotch Episcopal
College, awaiting their final decision.
STATISTICS OF EMIGRATION.—A Parliamentary paper
gives a great deal of information on the subject of emi-
gration. From the document it appears that there are
14 persons holding fixed situations under the Land and
Emigration Commissioners. The largest salary is 8001.
a-year, to the secretary, and the lowest 551., to one of
the messengers on the establishment. There are besides
42 extra clerks and a boy, exehaive of emigration
agents, assistants, and clerks. It would seem that the
tthe
m businessent
ho fofjur
te
the commissioners
1850,111 is si°Oirl l,
eil; has
greatly increased. In
5641etters were received,
per day ; whereas
and 1,765 let-
bteersingdiaspt
attheehreadt,eboeifng62at pert wheroartkeinegi
7dlay
in the same month of the present year the letters re-
ceived numbered 18,910, or 727 a day ; and 12,184
letters were dispatched, or at the rate of 468 per
day. There are 31 selecting agents, who have no fixed
salary, but are paid by fees on all emigrants between
the ages of 14 and 50, selected by them who may be
approved by the commissioners, and ultimately proceed
to the colonies in one of the commissioners' vessels.
No fees are paid on children under 14 years, or on per-
sons over 50. For each married couple the fee is 1/.,
for each unmarried woman 10s., and each unmarried
man 7s. In the last two years ending the 30th of June,
136 ships chartered by the commissioners sailed, of
which 31 went to South Australia, carrying 7,0361 emi-
grants (children being reckoned as "one-half.") From
the Ist of July, 1850, to the 30th of June last, the re-
ceipts by the commissioners were 807,3101. 14s. 2d.,
and the payments 441,0151. 19s. 6d. The unexpended
balance is deposited at the Bank of England, the portion
not required for immediate use being invested in ex-
chequer bills.

THE BUDGET.-SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC

JOURNALS.

FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
TIMES.—No doubt Sir Charles Wood's was a
very fair speech, but so it ought to have been, for
nobody is so au fait at mending budgets as he is.
All his own have been thrown back on his hands,
and he has usually spent the whole session in lick-
ing them into shape. Hence the particular appro-
priateness of his recommendation to Mr. Disraeli
to take back his Budget and mend it. Sir Charles
has suffered persecution and, learnt mercy. The
heroic principle of " standing or falling by a bud-
get " would react unfavourably on his own finan-
cial career, and might also be inconvenient at a
future time • so he very considerately suggests to
Mr. Disraeli to do what lie has invariably done
without fatal consequences. Perhaps he might
have carried his magnanimity still further. He
might have felt it was utterly impossible for any
scheme of financial revision to escape severe criti-
cism, much less to be satisfactory to all parties.
Indeed, we need not look back on the ex-Chancel-
lor of the Fxchequer's own career for an example.
His Friday's speech happens to contain, what is
rare in criticism, some suggestions of a positive
character. From them we may gather that, were
he now in office, he would be prepared to recom-
mend an entire remission of the protective duties
on foreign timber, just such a mode of handling
the tea duties as Mr. Disraeli advises, and also his
proposed relief to the shipping interest. Those
three measures make up, in bulk, a respectable
budget ; and when to them are added the extraor-
dinary votes in which both sides agree, amounting
to three-parts of a million, there would, on
Sir Charles' cautious principles, have been no
more room for remission of taxes. But what
would have been said to such a budget by
the great bulk of the working population ? It
certainly would have been no boon to the agricul-
tural labourer, who drinks little tea, builds no
houses, Md has no ships. But if we mistake not,
it would have been voted ridiculous by all parties,
for all would have asked why so respectable a sur-
plus should be muddled away in cheapening tea
41d. a pound, and relieving ships, foreign as well
as British, of some charges which at least fall more
Raturally on them than on other interests ? We
should have Sir Charles' Budget dissected and
probed and confronted with all sorts of terrible sta-
tistics, till the worthy baronet himself had become
ashamed of his own offspring. We may be mistaken,
but to us there seems no difficulty in understand-
ing the rationale of Mr. Disraeli's Budget, whatever
ita practical demerits. The key of it all is fhe re-
peal of the malt tax. He has treated that as a
consumers' tax, the remission of which would be
popular with the agricultural interest. That
seems to us a fair view of the tax and the re-
mission ; and we have often shown in these
columns that, as more malt liquor, and stronger
liquor, is consumed in towns than in the rural
districts, the boon would fall at least as much to
the towns as to the country. But no one can
think of the matter ten minutes, or read a page
of any financial authority on the subject, without
admitting that the grower's permanent share of the
boon must be very small indeed. As a consumers'
tax, and one long complained of, it is a fair subject
for reduction. Undoubtedly malt liquor is too
dear in this country, and too much in the power of
the brewers ~ and let the teetotallers protest as they
will, a glass of beer will generally do a working
man more good than a cup of tea, and is certainly
much more wholesome than spirits or wine. But
supposing it to be desirable to remit a tax of more
than 5,000,0001. on the chief drink of the working
classes, then come the questions when to do it, and
how to do it. These questions are by no means so
easy as some would suppose ; indeed, if we are to
wait for a perfectly good opportunity of striking
5,000,0001. off our income, then the year A.D. 2000
will find the malt tax untouched. There will
never be a natural surplus of nearly that amount.
If, then, the tax is ever to be repealed, one of two
things must be done : either the remission must be
by instalments, or an artificial surplus must be
made by the imposition of new taxes, which of
course would be direct taxes. One of these two
things must be done ; or, to adopt a third course,
the two must be combined—that is, a moderate
surplus must be made by some small additions to
other taxes, and the malt tax reduced by large in-
stalments. That is the course which has been at-
tetapted in the present instance, and, in short,
some such course is absolutely necessary to the
repeal of the malt tax, if it ever is to be repealed.
Mr. Disraeli has taken half the tax, and it would
have been madness to attempt more. Even that
amount involved the necessity of adding somewhat
to other taxes. The tax selected for increase has
been the inhabited house duty. Sir Charles Wood
ought not in candour to object to this increase, for
in his own original scheme of the inhabited house
duty he made it produce as much as the old window
duties, viz., a commutation of the existing window
duties at two-thirds, and 700,0001. from other
houses to be taxed 5 per cent. on their annual value.
Sir Charles was only beaten out of this proposition
by the complaints of those who found they would
have to pay more than they did before ; and no one
could have been more disappointed than he was at
the miserable compromise to which he was pushed
at last—the paltry7oo,ooo/. obtained by the present
inhabited house duty. Mr. Disraeli proposes to
rectify that very bad bargain, and to get nearly as
much by the house tax as Sir Charles wished to get.
The natural result is that he has brought on him-
self the very same clamorous opposition that his
predecessor met and succumbed to ; and Sir Charles
has shown a disposition to shield his successor from
a repetition of his own defeat. So much for the
proposed addition to the house tax, indispensable to
the reduction of the malt tax. But what has tea to
do with the malt tax ? It has much to do with it.
Considering that many hundred thousands in this
country who drink tea, and not malt liquor—con-
sidering the religious feeling which extensively pre-
vails against intoxicating drink, and, more than all,
the demands of our merchants and manufacturers de-
pendent on the China trade, it would be out of the
question for any statesman to propose a reduction of
the malt tax without also dealing with the tea duty.
Thus, three of the portions of the budget hung
together, and are one for the sake of the other. As
for the income tax, it was only renewed for one
year in 1851, and again in 1852, expressly in order to
a readjustment on more equitable principles. A
majority of the house demanded such a readjust-
ment, and Mr. Disraeli has now attempted to satisfy
that demand. Indeed, he had no alternative but
to make such an attempt. Taxation, however, is
not a matter of theory or of justice, but of demand.
Mr. Disraeli and his colleagues have consulted all
the proper authorities except one, and that is the
people. Whatever may be said for a repeal of the
malt tax, it will never be practicable till the con-
sumers have really come forward in mass and d e-
manded it, as the consumers of bread demanded a
repeal of the corn laws. For one reason or another,
there is no such agitation on this point, though one
might have thought that every public-house would
afford a nucleus for it. But while the con-
sumers of malt liquor seem content with old
prices, the class threatened with the en-
largement and extension of the house tax is
perfectly obstreporous. What is to be done
when, of two competing interests, one asserts its
rights vigorously, the other does nothing ? In a
country governed by public opinion there seems
little or no choice but to give way to the demand
which expresses itself. We have said, that there
is no real agitation for a repeal of the malt tax.
It is true, that a small clique of farmers and agents
assemble annually to pass resolutions in favour of
that repeal and to get up a few petitions ; but
besides their insignificance, the very ground on
which they proceed is wholly inadmissible. They
oasndn'tr
treat the malt tax as an agricultural grievance,
which it is not, and which even Mr. Disraeli now
admits that it is not. We want the petitions not
of farmers but of consumers, against it : not of
a-
owl cliques, e st ,h be u
tax but o f
otffh,
ethnlier
year ilie
oertilythis
to the revenue, and en-
losing 2,500,0001.
on.
auy e
nmillio
reonofo
tailing the necessity of filling up the gap with new
and unpopular taxation. Unless Mr. Disraeli
thinks he will have the people a little more on his
side, he had better follow Sir Charles Wood's ad-
vice, take back his Budget, and spend the Christ-
mas holydays in reconsidering it. From no one
does that advice come so gracefully and so forcibly
as from Sir Charles ; and, proceeding from him,
there can be no humiliation in accepting it.
HERALD.—The sound and clear-headed house-
holders whom faction has tried to embark in blind
hostility to the house tax are beginning to take a
discreet view of the consequences of such a move,
and to feel not only distrust but indignation to-
wards the impudent demagogues both in and out
of Parliament, who are trying to make use of them
—shall we say utensils, Lord John ?—for the pur-
pose of advancing the selfish interests of party and
faction. We dismiss the vulgar unreasoning drivel
of Sir Benjamin Hall—for what earthly reason he
was made a baronet, some fourteen years ago, we
cannot conjecture—with contempt• flis coarse