The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-26 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 26, 1852.
THURSDAY
ri
• 7
LONDON,I"-: 1r E. •- :
.

PUBLICATIONS.

JUST PUBLISHED,
FOURTH EDITION OF MR. DISRAELI'S
POLITIC AL BIOGR APHY

OF
LORD GEORGE BENTINCK.
_ . .

Revised, in 1 vol. Bvo., 15s. bound.
" As tracing in the political life of Lord George Bentinck the for-
mation of the new party which his energy may be said to have
created, the publication of Mr. Disraeli is at this moment most valu-
able and most opportune."—Morning Herald.
Colburn and Co., Publishers, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

NOTICE.
THE MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY'S
New Volumes (V. to VIII.) of his Brother, Lord CASTLE-
REAGII'S LETTERS and DISPATCHES, are now ready for
very, containing numerous Original Letters of his Grace the Duke of
Wellington, among those of an infinite variety of Royal, Noble, and
Illustsious Personages who figured conspicuously in the early part of
the present Century.
W. Shoberl, Publisher, 20, Great Marlborough-street.
To be had, by order, of all booksellers in the kingdom.

THE POPULAR NEW NOVELS, &c.
To be had at ovary respectable Library.
1. MISS ALICE RIVERS. 2 vols. With Portrait.
2. Captain HORItOCK'S HORACE GRANTHAM. 3 vols.
3. The DEATH-FLAG ; or, the Irish Buccaneers. 3 vols.
4. LIFE AND ITS LESSONS ; or, The Perils of Wedlock. 3

vols.
5. Captain REID'S RIFLE RANGERS. 2 vols., Plates. 15s.
6. Secont Edition of LORD W. LENNOX'S PERCY HAMIL-
TON. 3 vols. (Just ready.) •
W. Shoberl, Publisher, 20, Great Marlborough-street.

ULACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.
No. CCCC.XIXXVII., for MARCH. Price 23. 6d.

CONTENTS.
Miss Mitford's " Recollections."
Struggles for Fame and Fortune. Fart 111.
Sketches from the Cape.
My Novel ; or Varieties in English Life. Part XIX.
English Administrations.
Tibet and the Lamas.
Forest Life in Canada West.
Farewell to the Rhine.
The Reform Measures of 1852.
WillianißlackwoOd and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

This day is published,
THE COQUET-DALE FISHING SONGS.
Now first Collected and Edited

By A NORTH-COUNTRY ANGLER.
In small octavo, bound in cloth, ss.
W. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

This day is published,
SCENES and ADVENTURES in CENTRAL
AMERICA. Edited by FREDERICK lIARDMAN, Esq.
Author of " Peninsular Scenes and Sketches, " The Student of Sala-
manca," &e. In small octavo, price Gs.
W. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

STABLE ECONOMY.
.LALTREATISE on the MANAGEMENT of
HORSES, in relation to Stabling, Grooming, Feeding,
Watering, Working.
By JOHN STEWART, V.S.
The Fourth Edition, price 6s. Gd.
By the same Author,
ADVICE TO PUCHASERS OF HORSES.
A New Edition, 2s. Gd.
W. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

CIOLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY
MAGAZINE.
Edited by W. HARRISON AINSWORTII, Esq.
Contents for MARCH. No. dCCLXXV.
Lord Palmerston, England, and the Continent.
The Concluding Years in the Life of Anna Leicester.
Coleridge the Table-talker.
Stothard.
Young Tom Hall's Heart-aches and Horses.
Recollections of the Last Caffre War.
The Duke de Rivas, and the Modern Poetry of Spain.
Pictures of my Barrack Life.
1 he Sea-side Recreations of Mr. Jolly Green.
Rester Somerset.
Shelly's Letters.
Hunting in South Australia.
A Bird's eye View of Things in General.
Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly.

EVERY MAN lIIS OWN BUTLER.
Second Edition, just published, bound in cloth, price 35.,
F.VERY MAN HIS OWN BUTLER. By
CYRBS REDDING, Author of " The Ilistory.and Descrip-
tion of Modern Wines." -
London : Wil lain Tegg and Co., 85, Queen-street, Cheapside.

This day is published, Svc,. sewed, price Is.,
ALETTER to the LORDS CO MMISSION-
ERS of the ADMIRALTY. By W. PENNY, late in Com-
wand of an. Expedition for the Search of Sir John Franklin, under
the orders of Admiralty. With an Appendix.
London : Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly.

SPERMATORRIICEA AND STRICTURE.
Just published, Svo., in cloth, price 3s. 6d., by post (free), 45.,
A TREATISE on the CURE of STRICTURE
of the URETHRA ; containing the True Reasons why that
Disease so often assumes such an intractable character; with Rules
and Instructions for the successful Treatment of every Form of
Urethral Contraction, based on the results of extensive and pro
longed experience. To which is added, Practical Observations on
the Treatment of Spermatorrheea by Cauterization.
By F. B. COURTENAY,
"These who complain most loudly are those only who know not
how to use the common instruments. . • . The prac-
tice of surgeons has been marked with all kinds of violence, and in-
difference about the simple cure of diseases, and a passion for
operations, and all the excesses and horror of surgery."—John Bell.
H. Bailliere, 219, Regent-street, London.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
LONDON AND NORTIT-WESTERN RAILWAY,--Rettlrll Of
Traffic for the week ending Feb. 22 :
Passengers, parcels, mails, &c. £21,182 13 0
Merchandise ... •
.. 17,176 8 9
Cattle ..
'" 831 12 1
--------
Total ▪
....£39,190 13 10
Corresponding week last year 39,660 0 6
Note.—The returns as published are exclusive of the
traffic of the Huddersfield Canal and Shropshire Union, North
Union, Preston and Pyre, South Junction, Manchester and
Buxton, and Buckinghamshire Railways, and of the propor-
tion of traffic deducted under agreement with the North
Staffordshire Company.

THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.—(MiIes in work, 241 i)
—Return of Traffic for the Week ending Feb. 15, 1852 :
Passengers, parcels, carriages,
horses, dogs, and mails ... £4,777 7 8
Merchandise and minerals ... 6,464 15 5
Cattle 162 12 5

Total .. £11,404 15 6
Corresponding week, 1851 (2.36 miles) :
Passengers, parcels, &c. ... £4,304 18 0
Merchandise, Cattle, &c. 3,821 6 4

Total ... ... £8,126 4 4
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAT.—AMOURt o
Traffic for the week ending Feb. 22 :
Passengers ...
Goods

... £6,278 17 8i
... 2,654 5 11i

Totsl £8,933 3 8
Corresponding week last year... 8,186 5 2i

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY. (260 miles
open.)—Traffic for week ending Feb. 2.2 £15,660 9 9
Corresponding week in last year (260
miles open) .. I 9 2
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY. —( Miles open,ll2.)
Return of traffic for the week ending Feb. 15 :
Railway and canal ... £4,541 0 0
Corresponding week last year ... 4,527 0 0
Note. —The above is exclusive of' the receipts available
under the agreement with the London find North-Western
Railway Company.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the
week ending Feb. 22 : .

MAIN LIN-E.

Passengers ... £919 17 2
Parcels, H. C. and D. ... 73 12 9
Goods, cattle, &c. ... 588 6 3
Mails ... 575 0 0

Total .. £2,156 16 2
MOLD.

Passengers £24 2 11
Parcels, 11. C. and D. 1 1 10
Goods, cattle, &c. 99 3 10

Total ... ... ... £l2l 8 7
STEADI-BOATS.
Passengers ... ••• ••. £179 8 6
Parcels, H. C. and D. ... •. 27 17 1
---

Total ... £207 5 7

[ADVERTISEMENT. ]_The RoyalExbibition.—A
valuable, newly-invented, very small powerful waistcoat
-------1 i,
pocket glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can bseen and knownli miles distant ; they answer every purpose
on the Race-course, at the Opera-houses ; country scenery
e
and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles ; -they are invaluable
for hunting, deer stalking, shooting, yachting, to Sportsmen,
Gentlemen, Gamekeepers, and Tourists.—Te be bad at Messrs.
5,., and 13. Solomons, Opticians, 39, Albemarle-street, Picea-
Double Stars. dilly, opposite the York-hotel. Telescos—A new and most
ounces, can 7een
importante invention in Telescopes, possessing such extra-
and an object from
Zll sawPcdTers' that some, 3i inches, with an extra eye piece,
other kind for the waistcoat Jupiter's Moons, Saturn's Ring, and the
With the same Telescope, weighing only three
sizes, with increasing
seena person's countenance 33/4 miles distant,
course glasses, with stocwoaet pocket,and are of larger and all
to 20 miles. They supersede every
clearly seen from 14 to 16 miles
,!v,enderrsfuarordingly. Opera and Race-
djmwers ; an objeet can be
The
Invisiltant. Invaluable preserv..
ing Spectacle Lenses.
all kinds of Acoustic instruments for relief of
Vibrator, and
e
s—a
and
1 vE
menn Pilo), cie
yi r.. . b e T
saidh e
—39, Albermarle-street, Piccadilly, epipeefslilfeetxhtreme deafness.
TmitaisKt
to have ended of
dispute York Hotel.here
betweenTriu theS Eer-
itself, neither of the parties having made
the other, and the men having ceased to aenxypecectmacession to
modation. Of the thirty-five members of the AmalgamatedwSociety dismissed by Messrs Forrester and isiessm
and Co., only eleven now remain out of work, twenty-onewcet Fawcett
having engaged in other shops in the town, and three in
the country. Of the former, three are shortly to sail in the
City of Dublin screw-steamer Emerald, bound on a cruise to
the West Coast of Africa. Five of the remaining eleven
have been engaged on board the Brazilian steamer, recently
built in Liverpool, to proceed to Rio Janeiro. The general
position of the trade is therefore little different to what it is
in ordinary periods of depression.

- -
COMPLETION OF THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH TO
BAl'm—Yesterday the telegraph between Paddington and
Bath having bee n com
Lothbe ar
Pitted', communications were inter-
changed between r3z,
"the fair city" for the first
time.

TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE.
Yesterday evening the annual meeting of the Asso-
ciation for Promoting the Repeal of the Taxes on Know-
ledge was hold at St. Martin's Bali, Long-acre. Tho
large room was greatly crowded on the occasion, and
several persons were excluded from want of space. Mr.
M. Gibson, M.P., Mr. Cobden, M.P.ere loudly
cheered on
Mr. Scholefield,
M.P., and Mr. Hume, M.P.,
M.P.,
making their appearance on the platform.
Mr. GIBSDN, who was voted to the chair, said it
devolved upon him us chairman of tho meeting to explain
why it had been called. They were assembled in exer-
laanw and pronounce of the country; to express their
exer-
cise of the right which, as Englishmen, they possessed
pronounce an opinion in reference
toto dtheelibpeorlaietye-aunpdon
views upon a part of the national policy known under
the name of the system of taxing knowledge.—(Hoar,
the
Therefore, if there
hear.) The meeting was confined to that one object
only, and although it was not intended to preclude the
groat possible expression of opinion, whether in sup-
port of or against the 'takes on knowledge, as they
at present exist, it should be understood that all ob-
servations that might be made should be. confined to
that
T, as any gentleman present who wished to point out
to
them
ono stthbj°c
the
benefitt.—(lla
. ofr h
of knowledge, he should have the utmost liberty of
speech.—(Laughter.) He should have been proud on
any occasion to have been asked to assist in promoting
the object of the association connected with the repeal
of the newspaper stamp, and other taxes on knowledge,
ehear.)e impost on the diffusion
and to co-operate with any individual in pursuing so
laudable an object. On an occasion like" the present,
however, he would have been glad to have seen in the
chair some 'distinguished literary gentleman, for he
thought that tbis subject was eminently not one of a
party nature, nor was it one of mere politics, but it was
one which men of all political views
or interests, and
most especially literary gentlemen, might join in advo-
cating. But although they were not favoured, from an
unfortunate accident, by the presidency of some distin-
guished litterateur, yet he had the satisfaction of being
able to read to them one or two letters' from gentlemen
who had been requested to preside on that occasion. The
first he would read to them was from Mr. Leigh Hunt,
which was as follows:

Feb,tat 2t4h,e !sat
ast2e.
" Sirof
ensgton,
sometimes, h
my health—l regret extremely,
prevents my attending public meetings, espe-
cially oh such an occasion as yours. Taxes on know-
Kin
ledge appear to me very like taxes for the prevention of
finger-posts, or for the better encouragement of ' -
erring
'
and straying like lost sheep. Misdirecti ons may be set
up here and there, but how could it be anybody's in-
terest in the long run to give wrong information, when
everybody was concerned in going right? Partial
knowledge, indeed, is foolish enough to do so; but that
is the very reason why partial knowledge should be dis-
placed by knowledge, all-completing and universal.
a I am, Sir, your faithful servant,
"6 LEIGH HUNT.
" To J. D. Collett, Esq., Secretary of Association for
the Repeal of all Taxes on Knowledge."
He had next to lay before them the following communi-
cation, received from Mr. Douglas Jerrold:—
"West Lodge, Putney Lower Common,
February 25th, 1852.
" Dear Sir,—Disabled by an accident from personal
attendance at your Meeting, I trust I may herein be
permitted to express my heartiest sympathy with its
great social purpose. That the fabric paper, newspapers
cud advertisements, should be taxed by any Govern-
ment professing paternal yearnings for the education of
a people, defies the argument of reason. Why not, to
help the lame, and to aid the shortsighted, lay a tax
upon crutches, and enforce a duty upon spectacles? I
am not aware of the number of professional writers—of
men who live from pen to mouth—flourishing this day
in merry England; but it appears to me, and the notion
to a new Chancellor of the Exchequer—(l am happy to
say one of • my order;' of the goose-quill, not of the
heron's plume)—may have some significance; why not
have a literary poll-tax—a duty upon books and ' arti-
clef int their rawest material? Let every author pay
for his licence, poetic or otherwise. This would give a
wholeness of contradiction to a professed desire for know-
ledge, when existing with taxation of its material elements.
Thus the -exciseman, beginning with authors' brains,
would descend through rags, and duly end with
paper. The professed tax upon news is captious and
arbitrary; arbitrary, I say, for what is not news? A
Noble Lord makes a speech: his rays of intelligence,
compressed like Milton's fallen angels, die in a few black
rows of thin type; and this is news? And is not a new
book news? Let Ovid first tell us how Midas laid him-
self down, and—private and confidential—whispered to
the' reeds, ' I have ears;' and is not that news? Do
many Noble Lords, even in Parliament, tell us anything
newer? The tax on advertisements is—it is patent—is
tax even upon the industry of the very hardest workers.
Why should the Exchequer waylay the errand-boy, and
oppress the maid of all work? Wherefore should Mary
Anne be made to disburse her eighteenpence at the
Stamp-office ore she can show her face in print, wanting
a plane, although to the discomfiture of those first-
created Chancellors of the Exchequer—the spiders?
In c mclusiou, I must congratulate the meeting on the
advent of the new Chancellor ofthe Exchequer,
the Right Benjamin
Honourable Disraeli, who
is the successful man of letters. He has ink in
c
his veins. The goosequill—let old and silveraticks
twinkle as they may_teada the Rouse of Com-
mons. Thus, I feel confident instincts
of the Right Honourable Gentlemen
that the literary
now
ani-
mation to the coldness ortleman will give t to bee
numbed by tightnesa of rodstatesmanship,
BPI learn,
early taught to despair of the tape.i 'We are,
Gentleman,'
because he is allowed to be that tight Hon. _
things, , a
smallest •of
wit.' Is arithmetic for ever to be the monopoly
l of sub-
stantial respectable dulness?
Must it be that a Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, like P 't is only
to be found in lead? No,
sir
will
portrat
cheerful faith
;
that our new fiscal Ministerill, I have a
to confusion of,
obese dulness, show his pot the
d shillings,
and pence. The Exchequer,ency over poun s,
have hitherto
been as the three witches—the thx s, d. that
to
us wherever we turned, the Re! Weird Sisters-s
GentlemanPPwinirl
at the least transform intotheight Ron.
making
them, in all their salutations three Graces,l.
come and agreeable. But with at home and abroad,s. wed.
upon knowledge, he will,
Itth respect to the
at ()aim
feel confident,
the weird sisterhood to melt into cause
ehus—leet
the meeting take heart with the
thin air; a
the assurance—thus will
fade and be dissolved the an
_d.
boys' and muse}-of-all-works'
news tax—the err
tax—and the fax on that
113110011 E white thing, the t
" With this hope, I " 01 paper.
(Signed) remain yours faithfully,
"Alfred Novelle, Esti , s "DOUGLAS JERRoLn.
tion for the Repeal of fa
Taub-Treasurer to the Associa-,
hie. Giuseet, who was s upon Knowledge." 1
disturbances;, (muted bythaoubsequently interrupted by
struggles of persons who
could not make their way into the room, proceeded to
say, that though the paper duty and the advertisement
duty might have been originally
revenue, the original objectf intended exclusively for
was to restrain the circulation)the newspaper stamp duty
publication of cheap newspapers, of cheap literature and
bees long considered as constituent
and the three had now
having this latter for its object
parts of one system
was for the best interestsj tt;ft and its result. But it
t
should be no obstacles placed i he country that there
dissemination of useful int. the way of the freest
body of the p•olale—(llear, aorenation among the great
best calculated to promote the taus©
that was a policy
cause of good government
and to enable our institutions
0 stand upon the most
solid foundation, that of an e
people.—(ll air. e ) Therefor enlightened and educated
e revenue ought not to be
raised by taxing knowledge. True, money was wanted;
that would bo the plea of the p
aeba of Egypt in pounc-
ing upon property to fill his exeh
be raised, not in a barbarous, but equer; but money must
mode—(Hear, bear)—a
eaoooo in a just and proper
1 fessions made of favouring the nsistent with the pro-
(Hear, hear.) What said the preamblesand, as
of the Acts
was an Act for consolidating them, it as the present Act
back to those preambles to find what as right to look
" Whereas, pamphlets and printed papers was the object.
servations upon public events and one•containing Me-
te excite hatred and contempt of the occurrences tending
Constitution of these realms as by law Government and
(Hear, hear)—and also vilifying our a established.—
(Cries of ' Hear, hear,' and laughter)—h°lY religion—
published in great numbers and at snaallavn lately been
hear)—and it is expedient that the seine ricer—(Hear,
strained."—(Hear, hear.) The policy now be re-
was stupid indeed; for a man might pohliatilv carried out
speculative theories without a stamp; but opinions and
to give the facts which would correct erroneousif he wished
and lead to sound opinions—if he deei A theories
the events of the time, he came under the to publish
the stamp law's:—"(Hear, hear.) Thor, was operation of
mand for cheap publications among the educated a great de-
of the industrious classes, and as for the
fear
portion
newspapers would be the vehicles of poisonousthat cheap
tion, the industrious classes were as correct
informs-
tween good and bad as those who were b judges be-
(Hear, hear.) At a theatre noble sentiments
etter off.—
truth found as ready an acknowledgment and moral
in the gallery
and pit as in the boxes.—(hoar,, hear.) De.
r Johnson,
said the only true judges of poetry were the
Goodness, morality, excellence, would find people.
bod of . as ready
acceptance among the great . y tho industrious
classes as among any other portion of our countr
_(hear, hear.) It was stated in evidence before the
Newspaper Stump Committee of last session,
, that
the best cheap publications, those that gave
valuable at
had the best sale, and that those of an im-
proper description were generaPy. short-lived, and had
but a limited circulation.--(hear, hear.) It was known
that the judges had decided that the household Narra
tive—a monthly publication—was not liable to the stamp
laws; but the Board of Inland Revenue was not satisfied
with the decision, and, as far as could be understood,
they would prosecute any other publication of the same
kind that might be issued, and would drag the publisher
into a court of law, they paying their expenses out of
the public purse. This was most effectually restraining
cheap newspapers.—(Hear, hear.) No
one could define
what was " news," or be safe from prosecution while
there was such a vague law•—(hear, hear.) Since the
triumph of the despotic Powers throughout the conti-
nent over the cause of liberty, they had imitated this sa-
gacious invention of the English aristocracy, knowing
that a stamp law on the press would give them the power
of prosecution, and enable them to hold the newspaper

press in their hands. This " purely revenue question"
was thus adopted avowedly for the purpose of crippling
and restraining the press.—(Hear, hear.) The paper
duty fell heavily upon publications that could only pay
by a great circulation; the advertisement duty prevented
(ademn
free communications; and the three .taxes together
uuldthe pass w world.—(L-lea
Co ation upon
formed a fiscal burden, the heaviest- imposition upon the
press
sd in
---ilefir
~bear.) He
this odious system of taxation.—(Hear,, hear.)
Mr. EDWARDS moved the first resolution:—
"That the duties on paper, advertisements, and news-
papers
curtail
the liberty of the pres, obstruct the dif-
fusion of knowledge, and are inconsistent with the pro-
fessions of the Legislature in favour of popular educa-

tioia."
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD, M.P., in seconding the resolution,
would make one observation as to the circumstances of
thevountry in regard to the change of Ministry. He
knew many held that wo had changed very much for the
worse. [A Voice—" For the better."]—(Order.) But,
without going into general politics, he would say that as
regarded this question it was impossible to have auy
Chancellor of the Exchequer more hostile to the move-
ment than the Chancellor we had just lost.—(Flear,
bear.) He (Mr. Scholefield) did not know whether Mr.
Disraeli was likely to take a different view of the sub-
ject, but if the Government would devote some of their
attention to social questions—and this was among the
most pressing—they would secure for themselves a de-
gree of approbation which the late Government failed to
obtain; and he, for one, should be happy to give them
his humble support in carrying such measures.--(Hear.)
Mr. COBDEN, M.P., who was much cheered, said that
the crowded attendance at that meeting led him to think
that the question had taken due hold of the public mind
of the metropolis, and he hoped the meeting, next year,
would have to be held in Drury-lane Theatre. In the
agitation for free trade in corn, he found that when the
supporters of that cause became installed in the metro-
politan patent theatres, it was not far from a triumphant
issue.—(Hear, hear.) The main question before the
meeting—that of the penny stamp on newspapers—was
not a fiscal question at all. It would be childish to sup-
pose that there was any great resistance to the importu-
nities lof the public to remove a tax producing but
250,0001. (deducting the cost of transmission of news-
papers by post) on the score of its necessity for the public
revenue. No; it was resisted upon principle. Those
who opposed the abolition of the newspaper stamp did it
because they preferred darkness to light, and wanted to
exclude the great mass of the people from reading and
discussing political questions.—(Hear, hear.) The pre-
amble of the Act of 1819 let the cat out of the bag.—
(Hear, hear.) Bet ' could it be the interest of a free
and constitutional Government to keep the people
,in darkness with regard to political questions ?
They could not prevent the people discussing and
reasoning upon public events; why not give them the
;opportunity of doing it in the best way, and let them
shave
facts and arguments thrust under their noses?—
(Ilear, hear.) We had a great party advocating the ex-
tension of the franchise to the 51. householders; and we
were to keep up a tax upon newspapers, preventing the
possibility of such men taking in a daily paper, and in-
:forming themselves upon events as they ought to do, if
they were to exercise the functions of electors. What
folly, to invite men to become judges in the last resort
,of the policy and principles of government, and deny
,them the fullest opportunity of making themselves ac-
'quainted with the best means of controlling the destinies
of the country I—(Hear, hear.) On the continent we
had seen questions raised, and obtain a considerable
amount of popular support—questions which many of us
considered would not for a moment bear the light of
argument if discussed rationally; but opinions had been
put down by force instead of by reason. Were those
questions settled by fighting the battle in that way?
Yon could not destroy ideas by bayonets and
musketry.--(Loud cheers.) These questions, now
thought to be laid for ever in the dust, with the
blood of ten of their professors, would rise again
in spite of that brute force—(Hear, hear)—and the
men who had been coerced would have the title to mar-
tyrdom in the future devotees to their principles.—
(Hear, hear.) He would apply the same principle with
regard to this country; he differed from many upon that
platform on the social and political questions, and all he
asked was a full, fair, and free discussion.—(Hear, hear.)
Many who were timid about giving perfect freedom to
the press had not, in fact, well-grounded opinions them-
selves, and were not able to maintain their principles in
a fair field of argument; and a free trade in the press
and current literature would compel them to become
better grounded with facts in order to maintain their
position in the flood of light in which they would find
themselves.—(Hear, hear.) It was said, indeed, that the
press would degenerate; but when was an article ever
improved by taxing it?—(Hear, hear.)" Every trade
shrank from the - impediments the taxgatharer would
throw in its way. It was so with the soap manufacture,
and it was not less so with that of paper. The Excise-
man, with his delays and his strict regulations, put a
straitjacket upon the trade.—(Hear, hear.) But "the
press would degenerate;" the mass could not be trusted
to discriminate between a good and a bad newspaper.
But Mr. Heywood, of Manchester, told the Committee
of last session that the cheap publications of largest cir-
culation were invariably those of the highest moral and
were immoral and obscene publications, but they
intellectual quality.—(bear, hear.) He said that there
made war upon the interests of society, and society very
soon passed the sentence of death upon them.--(dear.)
They might be read by f
a few " people about town,"
"'gents" as they were called—(Laughter)-3 very small
and very declining tribe—(Laughter)—a puny race
not likely to perpetuate itself—(Continued laughter)—
but you must seek the healthy tone of English society
in family life, and would you find such publications en-
tering the families of our artisans? Were not the work-
ing people as careful not to put works of that libidinous
character before their sons and daughters as the higher
classes? Yes, quite as much.—(Cheers.) [A Voice—
" And more too."] If you sought the literary taste of
the mass in their family circles, you would find it as
pure and discriminating as in any other class of society
--(Hear, hear)—and it was a foul libel upon the people
of this country to say, that if you gave them cheap pub-
lications containing news, they would not be just as dis-
criminating, and as certain to prefer the best qualities in
newspapers, as now they did in other periodicals.—
(Hear, hear.) All parties now professed to be desir-
ous of promoting the education of the people. Forty
thousand of the ratepayers of Manchester and Salford
had petitioned to be rated for the purpose—a most
honourable and probably almost unprecodentedly
generous act—(Llear, hear)—but the old diffi-
culty intervened—the religious question. But surely
every friend of education should desire to abolish every
joina whothn de bf ttoelhueui derived
i ivtitien times
eth et
which hire
he
thought
impediment to voluntary education and the diffusion of
knowledge.—(hear, hear.) In the present time, when
all admitted that we must go more end more to the
people for the policy which was to decide the conduct of
Governments and parties, when we found the old com-
binations of interests and family cliques unable to give
headway to the vessel of the State—(Hear)—whon
there was an absolute necessity felt for _ the reconstruc-
tion of some kind of policy out of doors in order to give
an impetus to the parties in the House of Commons,
which had come to a dead lock—(Hoar, hear)—surely
it was most important that every opportunity be given
to the mass of the people to be trained in a knowledge
and discrimination of those questions which must come
finally to them as a tribunal for adjudication.—(Hear,
,hear.) Was it not important to statesmen to have a
-better knowledge of what was going on out of doors?
Lord Derby_ had come into power—(Hisses)—no doubt
Jie believed he came into office to carry out his
opinions, and ho told us three weeks ago what they
were; he came in to re-impose a corn-law.—(Hisses.)
Now, if Lord Derby were in the habit of reading
the papers, as he might bo if the newspaper
were perfectly free, daily papers circulating among the
mass of the people to the extent of 50,000 or 100,000 a-
day at a penny, he would have seen what was the public
opinion of the country upon that subject—(Hear, hear)f
—and would not have taken office under the promise o
doing an impossibility.—(Hear, hear.) But now how_whas
he to learn it was an impossibility ?—(Hear, hear.) W
yi
so clumsily did our system work, for want of the modeo
communicating the public opinion of the conntrymei
et-
more tranquil way, that we must have great pnbl
g Icto one
ings in Manchester—he (Mr. Cobden)
on ' on
s meet-
in the West Riding; there must be multitudinous _
b© should
he must go among
ings---(Cheers)—we must do the sam© in
he should
(Cheers)—and why? To tell Lord Derby
—Great
1:10t, put another farthing of duty upon
told cor
him in the
cheering.) All that might have been
oil manner
really constitutional, and in the most trbasna
d been free;
through the public press, if our pr believed
it would
whaiss - coingstituents
and he (Mr. Cobden) solemnly
ohcsingle
great
not have been necessary to
was, not merely that
newspaper press to be free for
ou could publish
(Hear, hear)—by theifteicledbioagueudsi:i'sei::: afe.
public meeting.—(Hear, hoar.)
leading articles should be wrhtten—
tYa stamp—but he
theories and opinions now withou
be communicated. Facts
wanted it free, that facts might
_(gear, hear.) What
formed the aliment of knover
byhealth
their y
hkenaodws
.1 d(gAo
corn was to the material y
1-(Es-I%r, ust conclusion formed.—
papers,
gf7lltshwaetrehotowthaentmedindth—e
werea many young men present,
If-dozen establishments to go
who had a university
many engaged in literaryh p compositors,
d that at
hbeeara.)cquiirhede,re
t.O
._ocnicuanp
yy
themselves
. _
uldeeamanbadsudffosr literary talent. Let those
as
to now in all London
for engagements;abolishthose -
strictionse would be four times as many
and tiler
lhroaerei
pi
classicalgbo herlt.i)eervsGd hid but
education,l e(beukuten nse
ow 2 f t o education,badesiring
leto itubbseishtence from literature
movement,itiion would haveop? the next
meeting the assoc-with it the men who
the
lad the literature of L day and the advocates of edu-
cation.—(liear, hear.) et them join this cause, and,
in spite of ,the politicians the taxes on knowledge should
be abolished.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Bu l", M.P., in supporting the motion, went
through the history of the newspaper-tux, and noticed
the progress of newspapers and
must
theiru s t greatresu usefulnesstfrotn
iits
as
the instructors of the mass of society. He dwelt briefly
also on the impediments caused by the paper duty, and
move!, instancing the result of the remission of the glass
duty. People who were called to serve the State, as on
juries for example, ought not to be hindered in getting

[PRICE SD.

instruction how to perform their duties. In the United
States buyer and seller could advertise without duty.
and each thus got the best market for his object. There
were 400,000,000 of papers published in one year, and
the result was general intelligence,
except among the
European immigrants.—(Hear, hear.) It was a scandal
to see it refused here. Why should knowledge be- re-
stricted to a few? It was beneficial to the State to have
an educated people.—(Hear, hear.) There were those
who resisted it because they would have the people tools.
—(Hear.) He had confidence in the mass of the people,
agreedhnt the to. i n i
and would.give them instruction and information. If
itthmtehrap.trre_wsooeLunLltdETMpTrieuznyies:itvrtyeadndtyihdesnusoccetceoslnsisdftuelrnoesptopoloutsthiitoein
Todni:—.mand, he
trusted there would be that interest and agitation about
se
nf
the
independencen ew
papr
After a few words from Mr. RoGERS, the resolution
was
)3 •,•0 'ti eie ,
insignificance of the amount of revenue
yielded
stampthsehowsthaant
ditis
destroying
preventingil
w re-
tained, as it was originally enacted, for the purpose of
the circulation of cheap " pres 3,
, newspapers.
Mr. Collet asked every man who regularly purchased a
daily newspaper to hold up his hand; and, after counting
the number, said, he saw only 20 out of the 1,500. That
was the fruit of the newspaper st
.-, hear.)
What had come to be the state of the case with the daily
papers of London? Why, that the Times took newly
12,000,000 stamps in 1850, and all the other daily papers
put together only 7,500,000.—(Hear, hear.) The Asso-
ciation were determined to try the question as to the
publication of unstamped monthly papers in the middle
of the month, and were raising 5001. to do so. They
believed the Act prohibiting publication, except within
four days of the let, was in eift,,ct repealed,
Mr. G. DswsoN seconded the motion in an amusing
speech.
Mr. BRONTERRE O'BRIEN then addressed the meet-
ing, and began to discuss the currency and some other
subjects, but it was past eleven o'clock, and there was
not much disposition to hear him. After a little while
1 he retired, and

The resolution was carried, and the proceedings ttr
minated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN.
The adjourned half-yearly meeting of this company
was held yesterday at the Nine Elms station, Vauxhall,
for the purpose of receiving the final declaration of the
poll on the election of three directors. The chair was
taken by Mr. Smith, one of the directors, who was about
to read the numbers, when
A PROPRIETOR interposed, and objected to the entire
proceedings, on the ground that the chairman had not
presided during the poll, in conformity with
.the Act of
Parliament.
The CHAIRMAN said he had taken legal advice, on
which it was his intention to act, and if any proprietor
objected to the course he was about to pursue, he would
have his remedy in a court of law.—(Hear, hear.) The
parties met before the assessor, and the cases were
elaborately discussed, and he was about to state the
result. The number of votes struck off by Mr. Sergeant
Gaselee and his friends was 370; the number struck
off at the instance of the electors fourteen. The objec-
tions taken on either side were substantial and not tech-
nical objections.—(llear, hear.) The result of the poll
was as follows:
For Mr. Reed 14,303
Mr. Scott ... 14,227
Mr. Lacy „. 13,730
Mr. Mortimer 13,472
Mr. Sergeant Gaseleo ... 13,414
Mr. Helps ~. 12,985
It therefore became his duty to declare Mr. Reed, Mr.
Scott, and Mr. Lacy duly elected directors of this com-
pany. He would now proceed to state, in compliance
with the request of a proprietor, the number of persona
who voted, the proxies, and the amount of stock. The
number of persons voting
for Messrs. Gaselee, Helps,
and Mortimer:was—personal votes 58, proxies 889, total
947. The amount of stock represented by the proxies
was 1,888,0001. by personal votes 307,000/.=s'-niaking to-
gether 2,195,000/.—(Hear.) The number of proxies for
Messrs. Scott, Reed, and Lacy was 638, representing
2,321,700/. in stock; personal votes, 143, holding stuck
to the amount of 790,7901—making a total of 781 per-
sons and 3,112,4901. in stock. The majority in stock for
Messrs. Scott, Reed, and Lacy
was 916,6701., and the
majority of votes for Messrs. Gaselee, Helps, and Mor-
timer, 166.—(H0ar.) The directors could but regard the
result of the poll as an indication that from one cause or
other a desire existed on the part of a largo number of
the proprietors to have what was called as infusion of
new blood into the beard of directors.—(Hear, hear.)
The board was quite willing to meet the withea of the
proprietors fairly and frankly so far as could be done
without inconvenience to the business of the company,
and it was their intention to give notice in June of two
nacancies to be filled up at the next general meeting, in
the room of two gentlemen who will not consider them-
selves re eligible.—(Hear.) That, he thought,iwould he
the most convenient course, and the one most calculated
to give the proprietors a fair opportunity cf selecting fit
and proper persons to represent them.—(Bear.)
Mr. LOCKE thought the proprietors ought to have the
power of determining which of the (Erecters ought to
retire.—(Hear.)
After some further conversation the newly-elected di-
rectors returned thanks followed by the unsuccessful
candidates, and the proceedings terminated with a vote
of thanks to the chairman.

s
uf -fnyo eoi
eat
footing
nlhyg
a. s r epTpi
at:
ere
et d o
Easternt
the h r o r
co dor i
kur
nie
nct t
eo s r
h e
- NEWIIAIZKET.
T
printed. It states that the agreement made with the
g
for the sanction of Parliament to the agreement, which
will not be interfered with by their want of success.
ig
The accounts for the half-year are satisfactory. The
Easternsatisfactoryhe
balance, after paying the expenses of the Cambridge
branch, on the 31st December was—on the credit of
a
capital 17,5701. 10s. Bd.; on the credit of revenue for
r chargess3e e bk°lleine
the half-year, 1,992/. 15s. 4d.; but the balance against
this on the 30th of June was 3,074/. 16s. 4d. It is,
therefore, a question whether a dividend should be de-
clared or not, which is left to the shareholders to de-
cide upon. The accounts to September, roughly stated,
are-=working charges, 1,215/.; debenture interest, 990/.;
traffic, 1,f1561; balance, 3941. To December, after the
agreement
with Eastern Counties—working charges,
2,2051.; balance, 2,121/.; traffic, 3,121/.; payment by
Eastern Counties, 1,205/. The accounts show for the
first quarter a loss of 3491.; for the second a profit of
2,1211. Under the circumstances the directors recom-
mended a dividend on the quarter previous to the open-
ing to Cambridge, not exceeding Is. 6d. a share. On
the completion of tho Cambridge Branch, the board
directed their attention to the Bury Extension Line.
Mr. Samuels, their engineer, has pledged his reputation_
to complete it for 121,500/., including the purchase of
land. The board hope for less, and propose to reduce
r
the extension shares from 25/. to 12/, 10s., and it is their
intention to press the Bill with all their activity:
3
have got rid of the Chancery suit alluded to ir the lastanticipate
report. They have deposited their plans, and
no opposition from any quarter. Total ro
i
disbursements,Pts on the
capital account, 457,5711. 10s. Bd.;
450,0011.; on the revenue account, receipts 6,705/,

amountt to 546561
.----_
BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY.
The report of the directors of this railway, to be sub-
mitted to the proprietors, at their half-yearly meeting
this day, states that the gross traffic receipts upon the
railway, from the Ist of July to the 31st of December,
1851 (including 1,773/. Ss. 9d. received on the Exeter
and Crediton Railway, and due to the Bristol and
eraimodount o
1
127,6431. 16s. 3d,, which is 9,8521. 9s. 7d. more than -
e Exeterxp
elI se Is Idaoilriweagy
the Comepeamoey)p,
the corresponding half of the year 1850. The working
in
ng
183. 7d,, or 35,931 per cent., and 5061. 2s. 2d. ' '
on 92 miles of railway, including the Exeter per mile
Credi-
ton line. There has, therefore, been and
an increase of
nearly 81 per cent. on the receipts, and
a reduction of
on the working
about 5i per cent., or 41. Bs. per mile,
expenses, compared with the most
the year 1850. The number of productive half of
conveyed 11,522,726 miles; andPtahssengers is 379,759,
and coals, 89,385 tons 14 cwt. 1 e quantity of goods
2,232,053 miles; making 40,401 qr. Sibs., conveyed
above 15,000 tons more Roods andmore passengers and
cor-
responding period of 1850. The coals than in the
the revenue account, including the sum of 4,0931. 2s. 4d.,
brought over from the _
15s. 2d., which will
enable former half-year, is 62,032/.
e you to declare a dividend of
4 per cent, per annum,
on your 2 000,000/. of . or 21,- per cent. for the half-year,
serve of 17,0821, 153. 2cdonsolidated stock, and have a re-

PLYMOUTH
this company
) FHB.GREAT 23 .- T 23,-The
amount
the new capital.
PLYMOUTH
Farris, chairman of the board of directors, in the chair.
was held at Millbay this afternoon, Col.
he twial preliminaries having been gone through,
The CHAIRMAN, after proposing that the report read
be received and adopted, said bo would confine his ob-
servations
had
sttoillaa Eh
half-yearly meeting mDeftiCngit7Sof
They
that waa yet required, namely, 13,000/. If they raised
that amount there would be no difficulty about the re-
mainder, and he thought that the sum required ,
ougut to
ho raised in these towns without any difficulty whatever.
Ho behoved that on all this new capital there was ewry
few words rteespdec)titnog
raise
the
probability of its immediately paying fivo per cent.,
while to the trade of the port it would be of the very
greatest advantage. lle then stated that a letter had
been received from Mr. Brume, the deputy•ehaitman of
the Eastern Steam Navigation Company, in which he
said, "I beg to inform 3,0 u, for the information 01 the
board, that I have been for some time in communication
with Mr. Macgregor Laird, the party who has obtained
the Government contract for the African mailP, as to
certain arrangements with the Great Western EallwaY'
with the view of making Plymouth the port of departure
of his screw steamers; and this morning I learn from
him that there is every prospect of the matter being ar-
ranged satisfactorily."
Mr. WOOLLCOIIBE (the Chairman of the South Devon
Railway), before the resolution was put, enforced the
necessity of further exertions, and in response to tke
observations made by himself and other speakers, shares
to the amount of about 2,400/. were taken up, and a

Cormorant, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Chamber.
lain,. will be paid off at Woolwich to-morrow.
Merlin,, 3, steam-packet, Commander Turner, wil
be paid off "at Woolwich to-morrow.
Pantaloon, 8, Commander Hyde Parker, will be
paid off at Portsinouth on Saturday.
By letters from the Fox we understand the pay-
master and purser, Mr: Dutton, has invalided, and
will come home. The paymaster of the Serpent, Mr.
Auret, has been put into the Fox, and Mr. E. R.
Miall,_clerk of the Serpent, has' been appointed pro
tem. acting paymaster of the Serpent.
apprentices' byig, Lieutenant Penwick, has
gone over to her summer moorings, off Hasler :Creek.
LIGHTNINGS AT SSA.--The Southampton, 50,
Captain Cory, lately paid off at Chatham; experienced
many heavy gornasinf Nuider and lightning during
her late period of service in the Pacific. - •Whilst off
Monte 'Video n-severe'stroke of likhtning fefl on the
mainmast, but( was sgelyvarried off by Harria'A Con'
dtiCtori without- the least damage to the ship,. although
the conducting plates
.Labotit 'tea " feet, 'above the -deck
grosve in -which_ they are laid,
were started from' the
and the connecting. pieze from the toptiit cap to the
top-gallaat mast, had the appearance of slight fusion. -
-
From the circumstance of several merchant vessels in
companY with the'Southampton at the tiine, being se-
• rs
rieutly damagedlq.the electric fluid, them. was not a
doubt on-the minds'of the captain ag offiOeOf ihe
ship,of:the perfect 'efficacy of these, conductors, and
which, in this case,, evidently saved-,the
mast from rum • .
.
PORTSIWUTH FEE, ,i25.7-Admaal. Sir Thomas
Briggs,.G.C.M.G., the ,COmmander-in-Chief of this
port, returned from leave last night, and rehoisted his
flag on: board ,the Victory,. 104, Captain G. B
Mqrtin, C.B.
steam-frlgate, Captain. :Tones,
cameinto harbour this afternoon preparatory to going
into aox to Wes .bef-ibatterrirepaired.
The Arethusa, 50, Captain Symonds', has bad her
bowsprit taken out this morning to be examined, and
was afterwards docked to refit. She is infested with
vermin, and will be unladen to be fumigated.
SHEERNESS, FEn. .—lfer Majesty's paddle-
wheel steamer Adder, 100-horse power, Mr.. James
Watt in charge, arrived from Chatham yesterday
morning. •
The Manceuvrer Government lighter, from Ports-
mouth, laden with stores for this and Chatham dock-
yard, came in yesterday afternoon, and, is unloading
in the basin.
The brig Rival, of Sunderland, Emmerson. master,
white hauling off the mud to take up a berth in the
harbour, came across,the bows of the schooner Han-
nibal, of London, carrying away the latter's foretop-
mast,. and causing' sundry other damage. When the
collision took place the Hannibal was lying at anchor.
It has been blowing very hard all night from the
N.E:, with. every prospect of its increasing to a gale.
It may not be generally known, but such is the
case, that for several years past there have been great
inducements for our naval seamen to enter the Ame-
ricaniervice. Any Of-- our-2Ell'B-4110 VOliiiiteer- on
being paid off from our ships of war are received on
board the American liners on producing their dis-
charge tickets, where they are victualled and a free
passage given them to New York. On their arrival,
provided they have certificates of ability and general
good conduct, they are entered in the American navy,
with the rating of petty officers.
With the view of devising an uniform system of
lighting all vessels afloat, inclusive of steamers, a com-
mittee, consisting of Captain the Hon. R. S. Dundas,
Captain Sherringham, of the Surveying Department
of the navy; Captain H. Nelson, one of the Elder
Brethren of the Trinity Board; and Captain Beechy,
of the Marine department of the Board of Trade, is
now sitting, daily et the Admiralty, for the purpose
,of collecting evidence on this important matter. In
order that every possible information may be obtained,
the_mestexp_criencedpilo_ta_of London and the prin-
cipal cutports have been summoned to attend. On
:the part of the Peninsular and Oriental, Royal West
'lndia Mail, and Screw Steam Companies from Liver-
pool to the Cape, CaptaiHS Nairn Chappell, and Fitz-
Iroy respectively will appear. When the whole of the
evidence has been received, a report thereon will be
'drawn up, on which a Bill will be framed and sub-
mitted to Parliament for approval.
By a letter from Southampton of the 20th instant,
it appears hopes may be entertained that more of the
passengers and crew of the ill-fated Amazon are still
•in existence. On the 29th of December last, four
days prior to the sailing of the Amazon, the barque
Cambria, built by Mr. White; of Cowes, cleared out
'from that port for the West Indies. There is every
'reason to believe that this was the barque seen near

'the Aniazon. Tier sails being new will account for
'their white appearance, as described by the survivors
'of the burning steainer. The Canibiia was supplied
'with a patent lifeboat, and would therefore have the
means of saving any persons who had escaped from
the Amazon by sending such a boat to their assist-
ance. As she was a new ship, and behind her time,
'it is not probable'ihe .would put back to land in Eug-
land any she may have saved, especially as she was
`bound to the same place as the Amazon
ArtorrermE&Ts.

WooLwrcu, FEB. 25.—Lieut. Charles H. Youair
(1845), late Lieutenant in the Gorgon when serving
00 the PaCi6c station, to command the Antelope, 3,
iron paddle=wheel steam-vessel of 260-horse power,
lonnissioned this ,day at Woolwich.

co:
paymaster and Purser James T. Riccalton (1850),
Ito the Polyphemus_steau-sloop,lt Woolwich, fitting
'for the coast of Africa.
Clerk in charge J.:/sejah Xi.W. Ilowman (1845), to
'the Antelope. ,
TO TIIE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Assistant-§Urgeon Robert C. Scott (1847), from
the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth,
..to the
Intrepid screw steam• tender to the Assistance.
The North Star, Commander Pullen, is now in
dock at Chatham, and will be taken round to Wool-
wich next spring tidePßs;
OMOTIONS.

Commander Richaid R. Quin (1846) to the rank

of. Captaip-
Lieutenant
James H. Turner (1825), who is to
pay off the
Merlin Mediterarnean steam-packet to-
morrow, to the rank of Commander. The manner
whie,h the promotion of Lieutenant Turner (which
was unexpected yesterday) took place must have
been very gratifying to hien. He called on Sir F.
Baring to present his memorials on being about to
pay off the Merlin, and mentioned that he was the
senior officer afloat of the rank of lieutenant, but he
had not come to ask promotion under present cir-
cumstances. Lieutenant Turner had scarcely got
down the stairs at the Admiralty when he was called
back by a messenger sent by Captain Eden, and on
being again introduced to Sir Francis Baring, Cap-
tain Eden congratulated the gallant officer, who Was
a few minutes previously
the senior
lieutenant
afloat, as being then the youngest commander in
the service.
Lieutenant Russell Patey (1844),
first of the
Sampson, to the rank of Commander.
Mates—Arthur Thomas Thrupi, Richard. Brad-
thaw, Henry Hawker, George R. eene, Herbert H.
M`Lentin, Edward H. Buck, Edward liarct. Inge, and
Robert James Wynniatt, to the rank of Lieutenants.
Second Master Edward Wlienzie, serving in the
Megaera, to the rank of Master.
Assistant- Surgeons-Walter Lawrence, John Ber-
nard (b), W. G. Goldin,
Tof Surgeons.Villiam Webber, and Law-
rence Carey, to the rank