The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-11 00:00:00

(From the Times.)

The Revenue accounts for the quarter ending yester-
day have been published in a completer and more sensi-
ble form than those we have hitherto had to deal with.
To the Submarine Telegraph, which will enable the
Treasury to know the state of the Irish revenue to as
late a date as that for this island, and also, we must
add, to the light of common sense now admitted into
these matters, we are indebted for the novelty that the
return of the Revenue, which has hitherto been confined
to Great Britain, is to-day a complete account of the
net revenue of the United Kingdom. The partial cha-
racter of the return has always been felt to be a great
imperfection, and even discreditable to a Government
which professes to keep the nation thoroughly and con-
stantly acquainted with the public accounts. This de-
fect is now removed. Another novelty is introduced,
which, though only a matter of form, is very conve-
nient. The only comparison hitherto made has been
that of quarter with quarter, and year with year. A
fairer and more important period of comparison is ;,dried
in the return before us--viz., the six months of the
financial year from its cammencement up to the date of
the return. The third and last alteration relates to that
mysterious document, which but few of our readers, we
are well assured, have hitherto possessed the confidence
or the hardihood to approach—viz., the table hitherto
appended to the revenue return, and purporting to tell
us " the income and charge of the Consolidated Fund,"
as compared with that of the previous corresponding
quarter. A new style and title has been adopted, or,
rather, a new form of return altogether has been intro-
duced, under the title, "An Account showing tile Net
Revenue and other Receipts of the Quarter ended Octo-
ber 10, 1854 ; the application of the same, and the
Charge of the Consolidated Pure.' for the said quarter,
together with the surplus or deficiency upon "ch
charge." In fact, it is a " complete debtor and creditor
statement of all public moneys received in the quarter,
and of the appropriation of the same."
There is a net increase of 550,188/. on the quarter,
16,5801. on the year, and 77,8971. on
the last six
months, as compared with the
previous corresponding
periods. In all these cases the increase would be much
more but for the very great decrease in the repayments
of advances. The Customs of the
quarter are less by
150,1071. than in the corresponding quarter last year.
There has been so great a falling off in the importation
of corn, owing chiefly to our own excellent harvest that
in the very moderate duties still levied on it there is a
decrease of 95,000/. The diminished duty on tea is
answerable for 190,0001., while there is a fall of 10,0001.
in the duty on tobacco, and 55,0001. in the duty on wine.
These losses are counterbalanced to some ,extent by an
increase of 184,0001. in the receipts from sugar, and
50,000/, from brandy and rum. On the whole six
months of the financial year there has been a decrease
in the receipts from corn, currants, and raisins, rum,
tea, and wine ;
and an increase from sugar and tobacco.
The result is a decrease of about half a million in the
Customs for the half-year.
In the Excise the quirter shows an increase amount.
ing to 344,9121. - This is chiefly owing to greater re-
ceipts in malt, counterbalanced. by a falling off in the
spirit duties. On the whole year an increase of 600,0001.
on malt, and greater receipts from licenses, paper, post-
horse duties, and spirits, have been largely counterba-
lanced by the duty on soap. It will be observed that
there is no variation worth notice in the revenue from
Stamps. On the whole year there has been a decrease of
160,0001, from advertisements, 20,0001. from newspaper
supplements, and 40,0001. from attorneys' certificates,
while from fire insurances, legacy duties, and receipt
stamps there is an increase amounting to 155,000/.
The slight variation in the item of "Taxes" is ascribed
to the redemption of the land tax, the proceeds of which
are paid over to the National Debt Commissioners.
But, perhaps, the most interesting figures of the return
are those of the property-tax, on the one hand as the
main sinew of war, on the other as the particular
impost en which the bulk of our readers are probably
most sensitive. Those figures represent an increase of
569,6861. on the quarter, 1,351,241/. on the year, and
854,7901. on the first six months of the financial year.
We have been favoured with an explanation of these
figures, giving the following results :—The additional
duty of 5.1. has produced about 140,0001. in the quarter,
and 280,0001. in the year. The extension of the duty
to Ireland has produced about 126.0001. in the quarter,
496,0001. in the year, and 370,0001. in the half-year.
The double duty, as yet paid only on dividends and pub-
lic salaries, has produced 267,0001. The rest of the in-
crease in the Property-tax is referred to improved assess-
ments. The only other increase that calls for -remark is
certainly remarkable. The Post-office exhibits an im-
provement of 108,0001. in the quarter, and still more in
proportion for the first six months of the financial year.
ave will no' ,rev--, the ptll.'ic -a 41: fresh collo-o'ola-
tiwis 00 tioe tiilatiei,il 000110,i00,t10s tabitt ta:closts. Its
true character cannot be understood without much exa-
mination, and the net totals are the result of taxes re-