The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 31, 1854.

more, perhaps some, if not all, of tho venerable
judges of the land might feel disposed

"To do the same thing were they in the same place."
Let not the practice, then, be altered. Let not
the trysting be broken. Let us for once enjoy
ourselves and forget the progress of the war and
of taxation, the aggression of the AUTOCRAT and
the extra halfpenny on the pot of beer. Every-
thing promises a day of enjoyment, and let the
cup be fairly quaffed ; let the sport be witnessed,
but let there be no riot or intoxication to injure
the health, no gambling to empty the purse. The
suppression of the betting-offices will deprive the
flower of the thorn, that caused grief to many
families, and converted an innocent amusement
into a dangerous temptation.

The Abolition of the Newspaper Stamp must
soon become a serious question for the Govern-
ment to consider. The light in which it was placed
towards the close of last session as involving the
relative advantages of American and British skilled
labour, has evidently weighed much with our
statesmen of all parties. Mr. WHITWORTH'S Re-

port, as Commissioner to the New York Industrial
Exhibition, adverted in explicit and rather strong
terms to the great advantages enjoyed by an Ame-
rican artisan, who had his daily newspaper on his
own breakfast table as regularly as our metropo-
litan merchants and gentry ; and our Manchester
educationists have not been slow to urge the im-
portance of a cheap newspaper press as an instru-
ment of education. Our readers will doubtless
remember, that without canvassing the probable
bearing of abolishing the News Stamp on the me-
tropolitan press, we have always frankly acknow-
ledged the incalculable value of the newspaper
as an educator. We could hardly do other-
wise without discrediting our own profession, as
well as belying our convictions. Our grandfa-
thers, and even our fathers, can well remember
when very large numbers of the lower stratum in
the middle classes were quite unable to read, or
at least to read with ease ; " to mind their stops
and marks" was an accomplishment ; and to get

through a column of their county town's chronicle
and gazette, without spelling, was almost held to
be a proof of " book-learning." The great ad-
vance since that time is very much due to the
increase of the cheap periodical press, above all
of the newspaper press. If education has created
a demand for the newspaper, the newspaper has
created a demand for .education; it could but
foster what was essential to its own existence and
prosperity, and what must be congenial with the
sentiment of most who could wield the pen.
But it has done more indirectly. It is
surprising how soon the power of reading
with ease and intelligence, if acquired in child-
hood, is lost if neglected in youth and manhood.
The reports of our gaol chaplains prove this be-
yond dispute. Of the thousands educated in day
schools and Sunday schools, it is to be feared that
a very large proportion do not retain through life
the ability to read with advantage anything
which could much elevate their thoughts or better
their hearts. Now, so far as it has pervaded so-
ciety, the newspaper has been the great preven-
tive of this retrogression to ignorance. All who
can read a newspaper do so when they can get one.
News is the object of universal interest. Few
even of the philosophers who descant on its tri-
viality as compared with their own profound
speculations, or of those of the clergy who de-
nounce the "newspaper press as worldly, ungodly,
and infidel," choose to dispense with a daily
or weekly paper themselves ; while the vast
mass of the middle class, from its humbler por-
tion upwards, if they are readers at all, are sure
to get a sight of some journal which tells them
what is doing in the world around them ; indeed,
a very large proportion if they did not read their
paper would read nothing. Not only, therefore,
does the opportunity of reading the news of the
day stimulate the child to follow his father's
example, whom otherwise, perhaps, he would see
reading nothing else that he cared about, but
it preserves, more than anything else, the habit
of reading when once acquired. For these
reasons we have always contended that even,
irrespective of the great amount of valuable
and interesting information to be found in
almost every newspaper in the course of the year,
the newspaper itself is the most efficient school-
master of the day, and would, if freed from all
burdens, be worth more to the cause of national
education than all the grants of Privy Council.
The latter aid education on the old bounty sys-
tem ; the newspaper is education by Free Trade.
Our attention has been called again to the sub-
lject so soon after the debate on Mr. M. GIBSON'S
motion on the inequality and injustice of the laws
affecting the newspaper press, by the striking let-
ter of Lord STANLEY, which appeared in The Sun
of Saturday. The affirmation of Mr. GIBSON'S
motion without a division, and a favourable article
in the journal which lately received such a
splendid premium from the Exchequer, were
indications not to be overlooked ; but Lord
STANLEY'S letter is a still more important
sign of the times. Like his letter on
Church Rates, its language is evidently that of
conviction ; it has not a tinge of party purposes
in it, urdess, indeed, its advertence to the press
of small towns could be twisted to that object.
Like his former letter, it consists of calm, practi-
cal, and statesmanlike reasoning, and is a sound
proof of the anticipation we then expressed, that
his Lordship belongs to a class of rising young
statesmen, who, though belonging nominally and
in their feelings to the Conservative ranks, are likely
to give us more practical reform than too many of
nix shifty Liberals. Lord STANLEY boldly declares
that he does not fear the increased dissemination of
political knowledge ; indeed, lie thinks the tax
chiefly operates to give advantage to the incompetent
teachers of such knowledge, over the competent ;
he also endorses Mr. BRIGHT'S calculation, that the
number of papers which would pass through the
Post-- office, and therefore still pay postage, would
probably raise, with the increased consumption of
paper, a revenue equal to that produced by the
present Newspaper Stamp.
His strong position, however, he conceives to
be the justice of the case. The stamp is pro-
fessedly a postage stamp, yet the majority of
papers, of country papers especially, do not pass
through the Post-office. A small borough
journal, not, he says, an imaginary case, with a
circulation of 1,000, must pay 41. 3s. 4d. for
each impression, while it does not send more than
100 through the Post-office, for which, of course,
it ought to pay but Bs. 4d. It is impossible to
deny the comparative hardship to which our country
cousins are subject, and there is little doubt that
the Conservative press of the country must feel
the burden of this tax even more than that of the
Liberals. It would be most ungenerous, how-
ever, to attribute this illustration to the slight-
est tincture of party feeling. His Lordship's
whole letter breathes a very different spirit ; it is
to remedy what he deems "at once a great im-
policy and a grievous injustice," that he " gladly
joins in attempting " the repeal of the tax.
It should not be forgotten that the repeal of
the stamp on news will accomplish but half its
objects if unaccompanied by the repeal of the
paper duty also. Paper is rapidly rising in price,
sufficiently in the case of most journals to inter-
fere seriously with their profits, and in that of
the cheaper ones, in which the margin for profit
was small, and the dependence placed on a very
large circulation, to render them almost unremu-
nerative. It appears, indeed, from the statements
of the manufacturers little likely to be cheaper,
since the high tax compels, the use of the better
class of raw materials, and of this the supply ap-
pears to be shorter every year. Lord STANLEY
and his friends must, therefore, press the repeal
of both duties.

DEATEI ON MOUNT VESUVIUS.—A letter from Naples
states that on the 14th inst., M. J. Delius, of Bremen,
having ascended Mount Vesuvius with a party of his
countrymen, went too near the edge of the crater, and,
the ground giving way under him, he fell into the abyss.
His groans weo heard from the bottom, but when some
persons descended by means of ropes he was dead.

LAW INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY).

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Sittings in Banco.)
THE QUEEN V. STIMSON.
This was an appeal against a rate made by the church-
wardens of Whit:ock, in Leicestershire, and the case had
been made special for the purpose of taking the opinion
of the superior court.
Mr. Sergeant Mereweather appeared for the church-
wardens, and Mr. Bovill for the respondent.
It appeared that a rate of 14s. 9d. had been made
upon the respondent by the churchwardens, for the joint
purposes of the church being repaired and the burial
ground enlarged, and the respondent carried the case
before the justices there at the Quarter Sessions.
The ground upon which he refused the pay-
ment of the rate was that they, the churchwardens,
had not the power of levying a joint rate, but merely
one for the purpose of repairing the church. The
Justices, upon hearing the arguments, refused to confirm
the rate, and the appeal was by consent made special.
The argument, similar to that urged before the jus-
tices, was argued at great length by Mr. Bovill.
The Court said they were of opinion that the statute
pointed out very clearly the purposes for which the rate
could be made, and that there was no power in it given
to make one for joint purposes. There was a special
power given for making a rate to enlarge the grounds
for the purposes of burial, and, therefore, although this
rate had been made in open vestry, and with the con-
sent of four•fifths of the vestrymen, it was bad.
The rate was, therefore, refused, and the Court
ordered each party to pay their own costs.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.
(Sittings in Banco.)
JONES V. NICHOLSON.
This was an argument upon the question of the in-
surance of a vessel, and occupied the court all the

morning.
Mr. Cowling and Mr. Wilde appeared.
The point involved was whether baratry committed by
the captain, who was part owner of the vessel, was not
an answer upon the part of the insurance against paying
the claim of the owners of the vessel.
Judgment had not been given when we went to press.

TWO NEW WAR MAPS.

MONEY MARKET

AND
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWO o'CLOCK.
The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimate(l. at 6,000 bales, including 1,800 American
taken for export, and on speculation. The market
closed steadily without alteration in prices. The
...ales comprised 5,000 American, 100 Bahia at
6d., 200 Egyptian at 6d. to 7id., 600 Surat at
2-34 d. to 34d., and 30 Sea Island at 110. to ls. 2d.
per lb. Railway shares were flat.
The Admiralty Commissioners require tenders on
the Gth of June for conveying 920 tons of navy
provisions to Malta.
Many of the large houses in the iron trade will
not accept contracts for manufactured iron at the
present prices, although the Staffordshire masters
have made no alteration in their terms. Scotch
pig iron is at 225. m.n. cash.
In the Melbourne accounts received yesterday
there are several hints of an important character
for shippers from this side. In a letter from Mr.
Henry Slaney, it is stated that the consumption
could not have been above half the importation of
last year, and unless the shipments are materially
lessened there is no chance of an adequate re-
muneration to shippers from England. The
cost of storage is likely to be diminished, as
numerous spacious buildings have been erected,
but lighterage and the damage from unsound
packages absorb in some cases what would
amount to a fair profit. As a great deal of
loss is stated to have arisen from want of know-
ledge of the Australian seasons, exporters are re-
minded that there are but two for trade, the sum-
mer and winter. The former commences about the
first of October and ends the middle of February.
For the summer season, shipments from England
by sailing vessels should not be later than June.
A concluding piece of advice to intending shippers
is, that they should send superior articles, sound
' packages, and original invoices. It is mentioned
also that :

"The Manchester trade has been very quiet for some
ime, stocks being heavy, except in some few articles,

which fetch good prices. The retail dealers _ buy from

hand to mouth, and the warehousemen with extreme
caution. We shall feel the effect of the glut for some
time to come, yet the market will, we believe, become

steady eventually. Many English houses and private
individuals have shipped goods, not knowing the wants
of the colony, and will 'nave to suffer heavily in conse-
quence other houses who know the market may be
small losers for a time, but will find in the long run
that the trade of this colony is not one to be despised,
but one desirable to cultivate."
There are ono or two Australian ships off the
coast, but it is not expected that they bring much
bullion, one being from Hobart Town, and the
other, with dates as old as December, from
Adelaide.
According to a communication dated Vienna,

;he 27th inst., an important conference, which

lasted several hours, had taken place there, at which "
were present—the Duke of Coburg, Lord West-
moreland, Baron Bourqueney, Arif Effendi, the
Turkish Envoy, Minister Bach, and Count Griinne,
the chief adviser of the Emperor of Austria. When
the Conference terminated, a distinguished Russian
officer left immediately for Frohsdorf. It is stated
by another writer that Baron Meyendorff's position
at Vienna was becoming so unpleasant that his de-
parture might be fully expected. Although a
brother-in-law of Count Buol, the latter by no
means favours the Russian policy.
There was yesterday afternoon a slight improve-
ment in the rates for bills of exchange upon the
principal Continental cities, Trieste being au excep-
tion viz., 13 45 to 13 48. Paris, 90 days, was at
25 25 to 271 ; Amsterdam, at 11 17/ to 18k ; Ham-
burgh at 13 51 to 6i ; and Frankfort, 1181 to
1181.
Large parcels of gold, part of the late arrivals,
continue to be sent into the Bank of England,
there being no profit now on its exportation.
The absence of many of the principal dealers
from the Stock Exchange in consequence of the
Derby Day, has caused the Stock Market to wear
a dull appearance, but prices have been very firm
at a slight advance upon the closing rates of yes-
terday, Consols being 91 to 91i. The news from
the seat of war is considered to be so far favour-
able that Silistria is not yet in such jeopardy as
was imagined. Consols have been 91 to 91g for
transfer, and 91 to 91i for account, showing still
a scarcity of stock. The New 31 per Cents. have
been at 90,1 to 91, and the 3 per Cents. at 89i to
901. Bank Stock has been firm at 204 to 206.
India Stock has realised 233. Exchequer Bills
have been ls. discount to 3s. premium. The Ex-
chequer Bond. Scrip is par to / premium. The
scrip has been delivered to the holders.
In the Foreign Market there has not been much
doing, but the quotations are firm. Mexican
Bonds have been quoted at 241, and Equador at
3. There have been bargains in Venezuela at
251. Spanish Certificates have improved to 4g.
Russian 5 per Cents. are worth 961, and the 4-i
per Cents. 84. Sardinian Bonds have been at 841.
Railway shares have been very good 'again, and
with a moderate business doing in the principal
lines. Great Northern have been at fuller prices,
and also North-Western, South-Eastern, and
York and Berwick. The French lines are mostly
nominal.
In the Gold Mine shares there has been scarcely
anything doing, and the other Mines realise about
previous rates.
The Anstralian and other Banking shares have
been quieter.
The Australian Agricultural shares have ad-
vanced in prices about 1/. upon yesterday morning's
rates, and the Peel River are also firm. Crystal
Palace B shares have been in request, at a slight
advance.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
(From the 014cictl List.)

Business (inne.
Bank Stock ...
per Cent. Reduced Annuities ... 90 891 904
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 9l a
New 34 per Cent. Annuities 9Ol 1 901
Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 4 9-16
India Stock
tlonsols for Account tth June 9lB 1
Exchequer Bills, 24d.
£lOOO
1d 3 p
Ditto Advertised 1 4 d
Exchequer Bonds Scrip
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Equador Bonds
\lexican 3 per Cent.
Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £ St 964
Ditto 46 per Cent B4
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. . . 844
Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun. 4a
Venezuela Bonds, 36 per Cent.
Dividends on the above payable in London.

Consols
Ditto June Account

HALF-PAST TWO.
914 a
91i 4

ATA.RLBOROUG.H-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)

A VERY SUSPICIOUS CASE.—Jane Hodges and Mary
Ann Joyce, servants, in the employ of Mr. Charles
Lange, hotel-keeper, 1, Leicester-street, Leicester-
square, were brought before Mr. Bingham under the
following suspicious circumstances :
Mr. Lange deposed that last night he went into the
bed-room occupied by the prisoners, which he found full
of smoke. He looked round to see what was burning,
and on the floor, close to the foot of the bed, he found a
mass of half-consumed paper. At that time the paper
was extinguished, but still smoking. Prosecutorasked the
prisoner Joyce, who was in the room, what she had
been burning. She replied nothing ; she knew nothing
at all about it. The other prisoner, who was in an ad-
joining room, also denied all knowledge of the affair.
The carpet was burnt, and the floor much scorched ;
and from the suspicious appearance of the case he called
in a constable, and gave them into custody.
The prisoner Joyce, in defence, said she and her
fellow-servant had not sufficient food all day, and in con-
sequence they shut themselves up in their bed-room.
While there she dropped some money, and lighted some
paper to enable her to find it. She denied lighting the
paper for the purpose of setting fire to the bed.
Mr. Bingham said her evidence was full of suspicion,
and he should remand her till Thursday.
The other prisoner was discharged.

THREE SUICIDES.—Thii morning information was for
warded by the Metropolitan Police of the discovery of
the body of a respectable female, who committed self-
destruction near Waterloo-bridge, by drowning herself
in the river. The following description of the deceased
has been issued :—Female, 30 years of age, 5 ft. 4 inches,
stout, dark hair, dark blue goss-n, white petticoat, jean
stays, white stockings, Adelaide boots ; severe marks of
violence on the nose and forehead. The body was re-
moved to the dead-house, Waterloo-church, to be owned.
The second case is also that of a female that was found
in the river Thames, near Chelsea-church, about 35 years
of age, 5 feet 3 inches, dressed in a brown stripped cot-
ton gown, black stuff petticoats, and was removed to
Chelsea-workhouse • and the third that of a young gen-
tleman, named Watson, who was found in a pond
near the Whittington-college, Highgate.
QUICK PASSAGES.—The Australian advises, received
by overland mail, mention the arrival at Melbourne on
the 20th of March, of the Marlborough, Young, from
Plymouth, after a very quick passage of 781 days ; and
at Sydney, of the Speedy, op. the 22u of March, from
London, in 81 days.

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

THE WAR.
THE SIEGE OF SILISTRIA.

The fOrtress of Silistria was in the hands of the
Turks on the 26th inst. The fire on Silistria had
not produced any effect ; the external defences of
the works had not even been damaged ; and no
more fires had taken place in the town. Mussa
Pacha, on the 16th, caused fire to be set to all

the warehouses exposed to the shells of the enemy,
and in general to all edifices, trees, &c., outside
the town which might have offered them shelter.
The fortress is completely barricaded. Women
and children have been obliged to abandon the
place, and to seek refuge at Basardschik. In the
interior of the fortress entrenchments are being
thrown up, which is a proof that it is intended to
defend the place, even should the walls be de-
-stroyed. It was perceived by the Russians that
the Turks were resolved to sell their lives dearly.

Despatches received from Shumla of the 23d of
May, state that the Russians had been repulsed
four times, with heavy loss, at Silistria.

THE BALTIC.

The Journal de St. Petersbourg says that on the
19th two frigates cannonaded the batteries at Witts-
land, and on the 20th approached Ekenas, but were
repulsed.
From Berlin we learn that on the 17th a squad-
ron of two-deckers anchored off Hango-Head.
The Magicienne had brought intelligence to
Copenhagen that a portion of the fleet bombarded
Gustaysvarn on the 22d without result.
The main attack was expected on the 24th.
The French fleet was to leave Kiel on the 16th, for
three days' gunnery practice in Balk Roads.
The Hamburg Correspondent has tho fol-
lowing from Stockholm, 23d :—" The accounts
from Finland come down to the 16th. Wiborg
has been declared in a state of siege. Great
activity was displayed in strengthening the ci-
tadel cf that town, which is not very strong.
Some hundreds of perscns belonging to the town
were forced to dig trenches and aid in raising the
fortifications. Fears seem to be entertained of a
! landing, Wiborg being only 18 miles from St.
Petersburg. The arrival of a regiment of Cos-
! sacks of the Don has produced a general sentiment
of terror. A part of tne Swedo-Norwegian squad-
ron will quit Elfsnabben the day after to-morrow
to cruise in the Baltic."

Up to the 10th nothing had occurred to interrupt
the regular course of navigation at Cronstadt ;
merchant vessels belonging to neutral powers enter-
ing and leaving as usual. By order of the Grand
Duke Constantine, who commands that fortress,
as well as all the coast on the gulf, the wives and
children of the soldiers of the garrison were not
allowed to remain in the town. The Government,
however, had undertaken to find them food and
lodging until the conclusion of the war.