The Sun.
London, England, 1837-05-20 00:00:00

NEWSPAPER STAMPS.

RETURN to an Order of the Honourable the House of Com-
mons, dated 13th April, 1837 ;—for
ACCOUNTS explanatory of the Effect produced upon the Reve-
nue by the Reduction of the Stamp Duty on Newspapers.
RETURN of any Informations or other Legal Proceedings in-
stituted in respect to the Stamp Duty on Newspapers, or
the Sale of LTnstamped Newspapers.
RETURN of the Number of Persons who may have been corti-
mitted since the Reduction of the Stamp Duty on News-
papers, for the Violation of the Stamp Laws, by Printing,
Publishing, or Selling unstamped Newspapers.
RETURN of the Number of Prisoners now in Custody charged
with such Offences.

AN ACCOUNT explanatory of the Effect produced upon the Re-
venue by the Reduction of the Stamp Duty on Newspapers.
The reduction of the Newspapet duty took effect on the 15th
September, 1836. _

in the half year ended sth April, 1836, the number of News-
papers stamped in Great 13,-itain was 14,874,652, and the net
amount of duty received was 196,909/.

In the half year ended sth April, 1837, the number of
Newspapers stamped in Great Britain was 21,362,148, and the
net amount of duty received was 88,502/. ; showing an in-
crease in the number in the last half year as compared with
the corresponding half year before the reduction of 6,487,496,
and a loss of revenue of 108,3171. Of the above number of
Stamps taken out in the half year ending sth April, 1837,
11,547,241 stamps have been issued since Ist January, 1837,
when the distinctive die came into use ; whereas only
14,74.652 were issued in the six months-ending April, 1836.
Since the reduction of the duty, one daily Newspaper, once
published twice a week, twenty-three weekly Newspapers, one
published once a fortnight, one occasional, have been esta-
blished in London; of which eight are now discontinued, and
two are incorporated with other Papers.
Within the same period, thirty-five weekly Newspapers and
one three times a week have been established in the country,
of which six are now discontinued or incorporated with other
Papers.

A RETURN of any Informations or other Legal Proceedings
instituted in respect to the Stamp Duty on Newspapers, or
the Sale of Unstamped Papers; of the Number of Persons
who may have been committed since the Reduction of the
Stamp Duty on Newspapers, for the Violation of the Stamp
Laws by Printing, Publishing, or Selling Unstamped News-
papers; and of the Number of Prisoners now in Custody
charged with such Offences.
ENGLAND—One Information.—The printer of a duly regis-
tered provincial Newspaper having published 25 copies
of his Paper of a particular day on unstamped paper. The
proceedings were stayed on payment of the duties on the
unstamped copies and a mitigated penalty.
SCOTLAND.—One Information.—The printer of a duly regis-
tered Newspaper having published 507 copies of his Paper
of a particular day on unstamped paper, the proceedings
were stayed on paym.ent of the duties on the unstamped
copies and costs out of pocket.
One Information.—The printer of a duly registered News-
paper having published 75 copies of his Paper of a pailti-
cular day on unstamped paper, the proceedings were
stayed on the payment of the duties on the unstamped
copies and a mitigated penalty.
One Infor►nation.__The printer of a duly registered News-
paper having published 202 copies of his Paper of a parti-
cular day on unstamped paper, the proceedings were
stayed on payment of the unstamped copies and a miti-
gated penalty.
IRELAND.—None.
Total number of Informations, &c. in the United Kingdom—
Four.
Note.—lt will be observed that all the above proceedings
have been taken against the printers of Newspapers which are
ordinarily printed upon stamped paper, but who under particu-
lar circumstances printed a certain number of unstamped copies
on the occasions referred to. There have not been any prose-
cutions against the proprietors of Newspapers constantly
printed without stamps, nor are any such known to exist.
THOMAS KEOGH, Assistant Secretary.
Stamps and Taxes, 6th May, 1837.

GRAND REVIEW AND SHAM FIGHT.

In consequence of its being announced in the papers of Thurs-
day that a review, on a large scale, would take place on
Woolwich Common, the roads leading to this well-known
Champ de Mars were crowded at an early hour with parties
on foot, on horseback, and in vehicles of all descriptions, from
the four-in-hand fashionable to the demifortune and buggy,

anxious to share in the pleasures of the day. A vast Con-
course of people having assembled on Woolwich Common
by one o'clock, it then transpired that it was intended by
the General in Command, Sir Andrew Bavard, that a
sham-fight should take place. The country n Belvidere,
Bostol Heath, the adjoining wood, Wickham, and the Plum-
stead Hills, had been determined on as the scene of action.
This ground, possessing from its steep hills and deep ra-
vines peculiar capabilities for the display of Light Infantry
manoeuvres, is situated about four miles farther from London.
All were instantly in motion to crown the hills where it was
anticipated this splendid military spectacle would commence.
Owing to the celerity with which the troops moved, consist-
ing of a battalion of that splendid corps the Rifle Brigade of
500 men, exclusive of Officers, several parks of Artillery, with
some squadrons of Horse Artillery acting as Cavalry, few of
the most eager of the multitude had the good fortune to reach
the farthest part of the field of battle, if we may so speak, ere
the action had commenced by a heavy cannonade upon a posi-
tion taken up by the Rifle Brigade upon the further side of
Bostol Heath, supported by four pieces of Artillery.
The plan of the action now began to develope itself. It
was an attack of a large park of Artillery supported by Ca-
valry, upon the Rifle Brigade and Artillery. It was a con-
siderable time ere the Rifles were dislodged from their posi-
tion. They were now observed retreating to the left of
Wickham lonely church, over the rugged ground between
the wood and the steep hills of Plumstead, under the heavy
fire of Artillery from the opposite height they had just left.
In executing the orders for a retreat, conducted with great
order by the retiring party, it was observed, and no doubt
intended to be displayed by the General in command, how
unequal Cavalry were to cope with such a corps as the Rifle
Brigade; for wherever the Horse attempted to act singly, their
advanced was checked by the (supposed) precision of the
Rifle fire, situated as the detachments of the corps often were,
in the angles of roads, farm-yards, and copses of underwood.
One farm-house and yard in Wickham-lane, was contested
with all the obstinacy, si parva licet componere magnis, of
the far-famed la Haie Sainte, on the 18th of June, in some
year since the flood. Nothing could now exceed the interest-
ing character of the scene ; the detachments of the Rifles in
the valley of Wickham, supporting each other with all the
vraisemblance of actual warfare. Here, however, they con-
tested the fate of the day so long, that two of their guns,
situated on a commanding eminence in their rear, so as to
sweep the valley, were upon the point of being captured by
the enemy, who had outflanked them on their left, through
the Plumstead Wood. Through the deep ravines and wild
scenery of a country which seems to have been thrown
together, if trot by a convulsion, at least by a freak of nature,
at a loss what to do with so much rubbish and unprofitable
masses of materials, the fight was continued with various for-
tune, the attacking party sometimes repulsed, but in the main
gaining ground, till the whole Rifle Brigade, occupying the
summit of a precipitous position on this side of the windmill,
displayed in full line, supported by its cannon at intervals in
the centre, enfilading the approaches on either extremity for
the hostile cavalry. This position, however, had not been at-
tained until the sharpshooters had been obliged to form several
times into rallying squares. In every effort to dislodge these
squares from their position the cavalry were defeated, until
' they brought up piece after piece of artillery to play upon the
masses, when they immediately extended and commenced an
independent firing. Colonel Eeles, the veteran, command-
ing the right of the Rifle Brigade, occupied the high road
in force, checking the approach of the Cavalry, though re-
peatedly charging. The whole line now opened a constant
fire of small arms, sad of their artillery upon the advancing
party, and we must say that though present at numerous
displays of military manoeuvres, we never before witnessed
a scene of so much interest and excitement. The result was
as preconcerted—that the Brigade were forced from their com-
manding position by a furious cannonade and a concentrated
charge of cavalry.
There were upon the ground Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Secre-
tary to the Commander-in-Chief; the Marquis of Douro,
tmLh
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amongst
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tehorfied
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he numerous Adventures
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the
Rifle," formerly the efficient Adjutant of the Brigade.

- - - -
TIIE COURT I‘IOURNING.—There has been an
uncertainty prevailing, for a few days, as to whether persons
were expected to dress in black for public places, and parties
not at Court; we can inform our readers that at all fashion-
able parties the ladies have appeared in black velvets or satins,
and at the opera, on Tuesday night, there was not a coloured
dress in the boxes.

Yesterday morning, between six and seven o'clock,
the body of a man, apparently about 45 years of age, and having
bad three fingers of the left hand amputated, was found floating
in the river Thames, opposite to Pickle •Herring Stairs.
A lamentable and awful occurrence has recently
taken place in Barnstaple. A man named Thomas Kelly, by
trade a mason, who resided at Newport, was apprehended on
Friday week under suspicion of forging two checks on the
West of England and South Wales District Bank. It appears
that, in the afternoon of the above day, he went to the shop of
Mr. Alexander, a watchmaker, in High-street, to purchase a
watch, in
Payment of which he tendered a check of 161. Bs.,
drawn in favour of Richard Gilbert and signed Francis Squire.
Mr. Alexander suspecting that all was not right, went imme-
diately to the Bank, leaving Kelly in the shop, for the purpose
of getting the check cashed. On his way thither he met Mr.
not no, the manager, who discovered it to be a forgery. Kelly
was in consequence apprehended, and identified as the person
who had succeeded in passing a forged check for 14/. Ss. at
the shop of Mr. Kennard, linendraper, on the 17th of April
last, when he purchased some cloth, and received about 122. in
cash. The deposition of Mr. Ken ward was taken before a ma-
gistrate, and Kelly was remanded to prison till the following
day. In the course of the night, however, he put an end to his
existence by hanging himself, being discovered by the turnkey,
on going his round in the morning, suspended, quite dead, in
his cell; a handkerchief was round his neck, which had been
affixed to the grating. A Coroner's Inquest was held on the
body, and the Jury returned a verdict of Felo-de-se. The
body was interred in a rough shell at 12 o'clock the same night,
in the churchyard, without any prayers being read over it,
amidst a moat revolting scene front nurnero4s half-drunken by-
tanders.--. Western Luminary. -