The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1839.

carry my object in the course of time I have not the
least doubt.

Mr. Mayo having again said that he should with-
draw his former promise, and act upon the alternative
by attending himself if summoned, the conversation,
which excited great interest among the students,
dropped.

THE PENNY POSTAGE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

The following was omitted by mistake in our evening
.. . _ _

- edition of Saturday.]
SIR—I take the liberty to point out the fallacy
of a supposition which is entertained by a great
number of persons unacquainted with Post-office
business, and which is also the belief of a reviewer
of my pamphlet* on the Penny Postage plan, as
appears by his remarks in your journal of the 25th
inst. It is supposed by the reviewer in question,
and by a great many persons besides, that the public
could be made to assist in facilitating Post-office bu-
siness if there were boxes placed outside Post-offices,
each intended for the reception of letters addressed
to a particular part or division of the kingdom. To
any one acquainted with the childish ignorance, that
generally prevails respecting Post-office arrange-
ments—with the fact, that hundreds of letters are
posted by men, women, and children, who can
scarcely read or write—and that thousands are
posted by persons who would be unable to say,
from any particular point, whether Bristol, or any
other town, was east, west, north, or south,—l say
to any one acquainted with these circumstances,
and there is no one connected with the Post-office
department but what is acquainted with them, the
supposition that the public could, in any way be
made to assist in despatching Post-office busi-
ness, by an external arrangement of letter-boxes,
is known to be erroneous. But even if it were pos-
sible to induce the public to drop their letters into
particular boxes, according to the route by which
such letters would be sent, it would not be of the
least service to Postmasters, because letters even for
the same county are sent by mails that are des-
patched in different and almost opposite directions.
Thus from this town (Southampton), for instance,
letters for parts of Wiltshire are sent by a mail that
travels due north, while letters for other parts of
the same county are sent by one that travels due
west ; and as the sorting boxes in every office are
arranged in mails, that is, the boxes that hold the
letters for the particular letter bags that are sent by
any mail coach, or cart, are placed together, letters.
taken from the same external box (supposing ex-
ternal boxes to be erected), would perhaps have
to be sorted into quite distinct and opposite parts
of a post office.
It was from a knowledge that the public never
would submit to any troublesome Post-office regu-
lations—to anything beyond dropping unpaid
letters into a box, and applying to Post-office
windows to post-pay letters, that convinced me that
there was a formidable objection to Mr. Rowland
Hill's plan of stamped covers, in the trouble they
would give the public, independent of the insuper-
able objection which I have pointed out in my
pamphlet—which is, that stamped covers would
compel the pre-payment of postage, and reverse the
very laws of business of intercourse, which regulate
that the greatest portion of the expense of episto-
lary correspondence should be paid by the receivers
of letters. The value of Mr. Hill's plan, as com-
pared with mine, may be estimated by the following
statement :

Stamped covers are objectionable, inasmuch as
they would create a temptation to forgery; the sale
of them must be restricted to certain individuals ;
the public would find it troublesome to attend to
regulations concerning their use ; they are not
adapted for collecting the ship and foreign letter
postage ; they would destroy the Post-office money-
order
department, and deprive the public of one of
the most valuable services of Post-offices, which
consists in transmitting, by means of money-orders,
small sums of money ; and, combined with all these
objections, stamped covers would force every
one, whether writing to demand the payment of
debts, or giving information, to pay that postage ,
which ought to be paid by the receivers of such
letters. To the plan I propose no such objections
can be made. By means of it, in a very short time,
without the least trouble to the public, with scarcely
any inconvenience to the Post-office department, a
low and uniform rate of postage could be introduced,
with its payment optional, thus preserving to the
public a mest indispensable privilege. And lam
prepared to prove, before any competent umpire, that
my plan would not require any more time or trouble
from Post-masters than the plan of Mr. Hill I
By means of stamped covers a low and uniform
postage would prove to be a miserable failure, both
as respects obtaining a revenue and giving satisfac-
tion to the public. But by allowing the public the
privilege of optional payment of postage, and an
exemption from all kinds of trouble, which as I have
shown in my pamphlet, is quite practicable with
the introduction of a penny_ postage, Mr. Hill's
suggestion would prove to be one of the most re-
markable and valuable results of human ingenuity.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM COOPER.

• A Letter to the Right Hon. the Postmaster-General,
showing the practicability of the penny postage, without
having recourse to stamped covers or abolishing optional
payment of postage.

to be forwarded by the French Post-office at the charge 1
of the receivers.

Suppose, again, a person were to take forty-eight
letters to the Paris Post-office to be forwarded to
London ; he would there have to pay, under existing
arrangements, the whole charge of postage between the
two capitals, namely, two francs each, or a total of 960
francs (equal to four pounds sterling), of which half
would be retained by the French Post-office, and the
remainder paid to the English ; but by a new arrange-
ment which might, and indeed must, be made, he would
have to pay only one franc upon each letter, or a total
of 480 francs (equivalent to two pounds sterling), for
postage to Calais, with the additional charge of one
penny (ten centimes) each, for their subsequent transit
to London. The pennies thus received by the French
Government would have to be paid over to the English
Post-office, in the same way that the collection is to be
made from the various Postmasters at home, and of
which we shall have to speak presently, under its proper
head.*

Now what becomes of the " puzzler" that upset Mr.
Hill ? You " mouse of a Quarterly Reviewer, is it
not " a mountain in labour," &c. ? We are ready to
admit that if Mr. Hill tied himself to a plan of pre-
payment by means only of a stamp, he must have been
sorely " puzzled" at the question. But did that gbntle-
man and his collaborateurs never reflect upon the possi-
bility—nay, the facility, of carrying out the principle of
a uniform pre-payed penny post without the assistance
of any stamp whatever, but merely by the payment
beforehand of hard cash ? It appears not ; neither
does it appear that the Quarterly Reviewer himself ever
once thought of it, great as is his capacity for finding
fault on the one hand, and suggesting alteration, if not
improvement, on the other.
" If it be objected, that the charge of sea-borne letters
is too heavy to admit of this arrangement without loss, we
reply that the cost of transporting letters by the steam-
boats is much less than by the mails.

`IIONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.

(SATURDAY EVENING.)
TIMES.—It was hinted yesterday, late in the day,
that a further pressure on the Money Market was
looked for, in consequence of the state of the exchanges,
and it was sensibly felt in the course of the day that
this notion had not been without foundation. One of
the explanations current, which, however, is too extra-
ordinary not to be received with the utmost caution,
is, that a new mode of contracting the circulation has
been devised in the Bank parlour, and that the Di-
rectors intend to take loans of money, from whatever
quarter they may be offered, at the rate of 6 per
cent. As this would involve all the consequences,
so much complained of, in banking establishments of
less note, of rediscounting, and other symptoms of
tottering credit, it would affect public opinion more
respecting the Bank of England than any of the pre-
ceding acts of the court. To the disgrace of borrowing
abroad would be added that of borrowing at home, and
borrowing, moreover, on such terms as must absorb the
greater part of the spare capital of the country. That
it would be effectual, therefore, for the purpose intended
is perfectly clear, and what lends countenance to this
report is the consideration, that as almost every other
expedient has been tried, without success, to contract
the circulation, so this, as a last expedient, may have
been determined upon. It was too generally current, at
least, to allow it to be passed over without notice, and
it is to be hoped that some of the organs of the Bank
may in the course. of Monday give a► flat contradiction
to it.

POST.—Money was not quite so plentiful at the
Stock Exchange to-day, as it has been, but in Lombard-
street the same scarcity was not experienced. Accom-
modation was readily enough obtained, although the
amount required in anticipation of the monthly payments
to be made on Monday (the 4th) was of course consider-
able ; but we do not learn that bills were to be dis-
counted, unless those of the very first description, at any-
thing below the Bank rate of six per cent. per annum.
The Dutch letters received in town this morning
mention that some anxiety was evinced by the capitalists
of Amsterdam with regard to the intended raising of a
new loan, as intimated in the speech delivered on Mon-
day last by the King to the States-General. A com-
munication was daily expected to be made by the Go-
vernment on this subject. The sum proposed to be
borrowed is fifty-six million guilders, but nothing has yet
transpired to show for what object so large a sum is
wanted. The projected drainage of the Harlemer Mer
will, it is presumed, require a large appropriation ; but
there must, no doubt, be other important public objects
in view, for the furtherance of which the aid of the Go-
vernment is deemed necessary.

We alluded this day week to the unfortunate posi-
tion of one of the Cornish Mining Associations. We
have since received some particulars upon the subject
which we now lay before our readers. The works of
the Company in question, which consist of ten or twelve
mines, are known by the name of the " Great Wheal
Fortune Mines," and are situated near Marazion, but
we understand that only about half of the number have
been in operation. The association may be considered
rather a private than a public one, as the shares have.
we rather think, never been in the market. The spe-
culation was concocted four or five years ago by a gen-
tleman in the %Vest-end of the town, who then held,
and perhaps still holds, a situation in a public office ;
but, for the present, he is believed to be out of the
way. Many persons of character and responsibility at
the West-end are, it is well known, largely inte-
rested in the undertaking. The names of certain
Noble Lords are before us, and it is reported
that no fewer than thirteen clergymen, several of whom
are dignitaries of the Church, have shares in it. The
capital paid up by the adventurers amounts, it is be-
lieved, to between three and four hundred thousand
pounds. They have for some time past been paid by
the manager ten per cent. on their interest, which has
doubtless come out of the capital, for although the mines
worked have been producing ore of pretty good quality,
yet, as the expenses are high, no profit has accrued. It
is asserted that the mines can be made to meet their
" cost ;" but as there are claims outstanding, and the
shareholders do not appear to be disposed to come for-
ward with more money for the purpose of liquidating
them, it is very likely the creditors may be induced to

lay their hands on whatever property there is at the
mines, and that the workings of the latter may be sus-
pended.

CH RONIC L E.—Money is again more in demand,
both in the Stock Exchange and Lombard-street, and
things look gloomy. The Bank of England continues
to draw heavily upon its credit account with France,
and is said to be re-discounting bills with the brokers
at six per cent., for the purpose of contracting the
circulation. We formerly stated the amount for which
the Bank of England had operated on their credit with
the Bank of France at 1,500,0001. Yesterday they
drew again for 200,0001. , and, taking other similar
bills into calculation, their credit with France must
now be nearly spent, unless the original amount was
extended during the late visit of one of the members
of an eminent mercantile firm to Paris. The
season for the best portion of our export trade with
the Continent is past, and, instead of being able to
tll7ll.!,.be,exchange from that source, we shall have to
payoyslniports of silks, prints, and other produce. The
inateasecl'demand for money which has been felt to-day
may have been caused by the provision which must he
made for the bills falling due on Monday the 4th of the
month ; but there is only one opinion as to the very
difficult position in which the Bank of England stands,
and much of it is attributed to the conduct of the Di-
' rectors, who ought to have adopted, in November 1838,
chose measnres for curtailing the currency which they
are only now pursuing. At that period the drain of gold
was set in strong against them, yet they took no precau-
tionary steps in consequence ; but, actuated by a desire
to keep up the value of the stock and dividends to their
proprietors, continued giving money freely, and only
now endeavour to counteract the consequences of
their past improvidence, when too late to overcome the
mischief of their extravagance. The loan they have
had from the Bank of France must soon be repaid,
and the result of that alteration of circumstances must
have a very serious effect upon the exchanges. No
doubt gold has accumulated both at Hamburg and
Paris, as well as throughout Germany, which in time
must find its way back to this country in payment for
British manufactures ; but the Foreign merchants know
the necessities of our case, and keep up their gold in
anticipation of low prices. In Russia money is parti-
cularly scarce, notwithstanding their large exports of
corn ; and Turkey must import 500,000 quarters of
wheat, for which she will have to pay at the rate of
40s. per quarter—a more exorbitant price in that
country. It is surmised that the Autocrat has been
hoarding gold for some time past to be prepared to take
advantage of the unsettled state of things in the East,
as well as to defray the expenses of the Circassian cam-
paign ; but the price of gold here being under the mint
price, it does scarcely more than defray the expense of
freight and insurance.
Among the news brought by the overland Indian
mail we observe an account of a public meeting held
at Calcutta on the 19th of August last, to receive the
Report of the New Bengal Steam Fund Committee, at
which the Lord Bishop presided. The Report states
that the cash paid into the Bank on the first instalment
of shares amounts in round numbers to 10 lacs, or
100,0001., paid by 401 firms. Several native ladies
and gentlemen had taken a large amount of shares.
Resolutions were passed expressing the unabated desire
of the public for the immediate establishment of the
communication, their determined resolution to continue
) to use every means in their power to obtain it, and de-
, ploring the loss which the cause had sustained by the
decease of Lord William Bentinck.
Favourable accounts are given of the progress which
the cultivation of the tea plant is making in Upper
Assam, and it is said that a considerable increase of
produce will be shipped this season, of an improved
quality.

HERALD.--There has been more difficulty to-day
in obtaining money at the easy rate which the Discount
Market assumed at the commencement of the week,
both for commercial purposes and upon the Stock Ex-

change. The screw is, therefore, again in full opera-
tion, and its influence will, of course, in many instances
be severely felt until after the 4th of this month.
The sudden alternations which have taken place in
the value of money for commercial purposes during the
past three months, are but too strong evidences of the
unhealthy state of our eurrency system, and that
morbid action which is constantly attempting to re-
gulate it.
The Exchanges also show, as well as the last Bank
return's, that the late negotiations between the
Bank of England and the Bank of France for a
supply of bullion, against merchants' bills, has not
enabled the Bank of England to increase the
standing stock of its bullion. That far-famed nego-
tiation created the greatest astonishment in the prin-
cipal cities of the continent. That the Bank of Eng-
land (which, on many parts of the continent, is falsely
considered to be a " National Bank") should borrow
of the Bank of France, was considered by the multi-
tude, who were not aware that the bank corporation
was merely a private joint-stock company, as a most
singular piece of finance ; but, notwithstanding this mis-
apprehension, that operation of finance, on the part of
the Bank of England, caused also much surprise in this
country. The bullion thus obtained is forced here by
bills of exchange, for which the Bank must eventually
provide, in its own paper ; it does not come as the ba-
lance of a fair interchange of commerce in favour of
this country, because the speculations in foreign corn,
and the immense sums absorbed by American securi-
rities have outbalanced our exportations.
England, different in its commercial position and re-
lations from the rest of the world, is, nevertheless, its
great, and, we might say, only monetary emporium.
The Bank of England, from its position, is, to a degree
therefore, the money arbiter of the world ; we, there-
fore, feel the effects of all monetary convulsions be-
fore other countries. But whilst our present currency
system endures, the commerce of the country must be
subjected to constant vacillations in the market value of
money.
The Bank of England, to protect itself, extends or
curtails its circulation and discounts, according to some
given rule, and of course all the other banking institu-
tions do the same ; thus, during a calm, the industrial
energies of the country are excited by an increased cir-
culation, whilst on the first whisper of danger it is
suddenly blighted by contraction.
A double standard would cure all these evils ; the
Bank might then issue its paper with safety. The late
Mr. Canning said, " You may pile your paper to the
heavens, but let it rest for support upon a foundation
of gold. This assertion is correct to a degree ; had
that clever and able statesman, however, but adopted
the words " silver and gold" it would have founded
an axiom for the guidance of future monetary legis-
lators.

The Bank of England is compelled to tamper with
the currency of the country to protect itself ; and
unless " the bull is taken by the horns," and the sys-
tem which impels the Bank is reformed, the commer-
cial, manufacturing, and agricultural interests of the
country will never be free from periodical derangement.

MEMORIAL AGAINST AND 1)E-
-FEAT OF THE RESOLUTION FOR THE
SUPPRESSION OF SUNDAY TRADING.

On Saturday, at the usual meeting of the Marylebone
Vestry (Mr. A. Daniell in the Chair, on the motion for
confirmation of the minute relative to the suppression
of Sunday trading in Marylebone.
A tobacconist, named Duffill, put in the following
memorial against the suppression of Sunday trading :
" Showeth, That the resolution passed by your Hon.
Board on Saturday last, the 26th of October, if con-
firmed, will inflict a great hardship and injury on him
and his family, as well as all other small tradesmen who
are dependent, in a great measure, on the business done
by them on a Sunday evening. Your memorialist does
not consider that selling cigars on Sunday evening, pro-
duces immorality, or profanes religion, and that it is
certain that it does not produce intoxication. It is a
pleasant, harmless, and inoffensive amusement, always
ending in smoke, as your memorialist trusts the resolu-
tion will do.—(Loud laughter.) Should it not, it will
increase what you say is an evil, by transferring the
custom of cigar shops to public houses, who are licensed
to deal in tobacco and cigars, and number ten to one as
many cigar shops. It will also have the effect of pro-
hibiting the open sale of Sunday newspapers, and still
allow them to be published, thereby encouraging the se-
cret sale of them to the injury of shopkeepers that are
dependent on them for support."
In anwer to some questions put to him, he said that
if the snuff-shops and newsvenders were obliged to close
their houses, it would only increase the trade of the
publicans, who would deal more largely in cigars and
tobacco.

Mr. GIBSON moved the rejection of the minutes. He
s'id he would never sanction a crusade against old
applewomen, or deprive the labourer of his small indul-
gences, while they did not even blame the excesses of the
rich. He would not, by his vote, give in to the cant-
ing hypocrisy of the promoters of this unjust measure.
Mr. CLAPS. vehemently expatiated on the enormity
of smoking, &c., on Sunday, and wished those doing so
to be punished.
Mr. SKINNER supported the original motion, and read
a letter from the Dean of Chichester approving of it.
Mr. COPELAND also approved of the measure.

Mr. COCHRANE and Mr. JOSEPH contended against
the hypocritical assertion of superior sanctity in the pro-
moters of this measure, who sought to make the Sab-
bath a day of moody discontent, whilst they knew that
in Gloucester-place, only one street in this large parish,
in the 100 houses there were 700 servants employed
during the day every Sunday in the year. The question
being put from the Chair, there appeared—
For the rejection
Against it
Mnjority r. —32

The question was then put, that the order of Satur-
dly last, for removing hackney coashes from Oxford-
street, be confirmed, which was lost by a large majority.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GUILDHALL.
John Green, a master butcher, residing in the West-
minster-road, was brought up to answer a charge of
felony committed on Saturday morning.
George Ellington deposed that he is in the employ
of Mr. Ward, a meat salesman, in Rose-street, New-
gate-market. On Saturday morning, between six and
s,.ven o'clock, the prisoner came to look at and cheapen
a pig which he did not purchase. The prisoner had
been frequently in the habit of cheapening things which
be never purchased, and which were afterwards missed,
hence witness was ordered to keep a " look out" after
him. After the prisoner had declined to purchase the
pig, he tried to do the same by a piece of beef, but he
went away without buying either the one or the other.
About half an hour afterwards he saw the prisoner
come up when they were very busy, and he took the
pig he had inspected from the shambles, and marched
off the length of three or four shops, when he was cap-
tured with the pig on his shoulder.
The prisoner, when called upon, said he had no de-
fence. He had attended Newgate-market for twenty-
four years, and had dealt with Mr. Ward, the prosecu-
tor, hundreds of times, and never before was he charged
with a dishonest act. He was very sorry for what had
occurred, and hoped the Court would be merciful.

Alderman WHITE said it was a fit case to go to a
Jury. There was no excuse for such a robbery.
Mr. Kentish, the beadle of Newgate-market, said that
complaints were made weekly of carcases and joints
being stolen.

'Mr. Ward said his losses were so very frequent that
he was bound to call for an example ; but, as the pri-
soner had a large family, he hoped the worthy Magis-
trate would deal with the case in a summary way.
Alderman WHITE intimated that but for the request
of the prosecutor he should have felt it his duty to send
the prisoner to Newgate ; it was a case which called
for exemplary punishment ; and he, therefore, adjudged
that he be committed to Bridewell, and kept to hard
labour, for three months.

TUESDAY'S HURRICANE•--SO tremendous a
sea rolled into Ramsgate and Margate on Tuesday
last from the N.E., that no steamer was expected to
venture out. At the usual hour of departure, how-
ever, it was found that the Red Rover, Captain Read,
was away from the harbour of the latter place, and
at first fears were entertained that she had broken
anchorage and drifted. These apprehensions, however,
were soon removed, by notice, that the Captain, find-
ing it impossible in the tempestuous state of the weather
to take in passengers, at the time, and knowing the
anxiety of many to get to town, had ventured to steam
to Herne Bay, where he intended to take in passen-
gers at a quarter before twelve o'clock. In accom-
plishing the distance from Margate to Herne Bay, the
Red Rover had two of her men knocked from the helm
to the deck, and at one period shipped two tons of
water, but she arrived safely at a quarter before twelve
o'clock at Herne Bay, where she took in 95 passengers,
30 of whom had arrived from Margate, though not
without having encountered several land disasters. The
Red Rover reached London Bridge having sustained
but little injury in her bulwarks, but she was the only
vessel that ventured out. Many persons expressed
their opinion that the experiment was a very rash and
unnecessary one.

Some geologists at Chalons-sur-Soane have
recently discovered a fossil elephant in a quarry at
Pretez, near Tournus, in the Saone-et-Loire. The two
tusks were nearly entire ; they are of a large size, and
the ivory is white, but brittle. One of them has been
uncovered to the extent of three or four feet ; but on the
least exertion being used to raise it from its bed, it breaks
into pieces. :These are not the first bones of this species
of animal found at or near the same spot. A gentleman
in that neighbourhood has two large teeth, found in dig-
ging a well, one of which is that of an elephant, and the
other of a mastodon. The site of this commune, the
calcareous strata of which run under the left bank of the
Saone, was formerly, according to the opinions of geolo-
gists, an island in a great lake which covered the plains
of La Bresse.—Galignomi.