The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-26 00:00:00

THE NEW STAMP ACT.

A difficulty has arisen in connexion with the new
Stamp Act of this session, which is understood to conic
into operation on the 11th of October next, on the point
as to whether it is to apply to foreign bills dated before
that day, but payable on 'r after it. The fifth clans,.
seems to admit of such an interpretation, while the in
tention of the first clause appears to have been to ex
elude all bills drawn on or before the date in question.
13y the wording of the one clause the stamp would ap-
pear to be necessary on every bill that may be negotiate('
or presented for payment after the 10th of October
while in the other the exemption of all bills drawn previ-
ously to the 11th of October is plainly shown to have
been intended, although the phraseology in this case
omits all reference to foreign bills. The matter is 01
considerable importance to the mercantile world, and an
application has been Made to the Stamp-ottice, that it
may be definitively cleared up. If it should prove that
foreign bills are liable in the manner supp tsed, the mea-
sure will have a very unfair restrospective operation.
The extremely inartificial wanner in which the act
is drawn, and which has caused the annoyance now ex-
perienced, is a defect which seems to increase in pro-
portion as the necessity for accurate wording in acts of
Parliament becomes more essential.

DEATH OF Mn. THICKNESSE, M.P.—lt is with un-
feigned grief that we announce the mournful fact of the
decease of Mr. Ralph Anthony Thicknesse, one of the
members for Wigan. The honourable gentleman had
been spending a few days at Harregate with his wife and
daughter, aid was apparently in good health. On Sun-
day last, however, he was seized, while in church, with
something like a I heurnatic affection, which, ultimately
reaching the heart, proved fatal in the course of Tuesday.
Of course the void caused in the House of Commons by
this event is already the subject of local discussion.—
Liverpool Mercury.
THE CIVIL SERVICE. —Audit-office, Somerset-house--
Messrs. Ortolan, Copland,- and Alexander Keith have TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
been appointed assistant-examiners. Mr. Thomas Hodg- Sir,—Your account this morning of the trial of tho
kin has been appointed temporary clerk, vice Howell, first steam despatch gunboat designed by the Admiralty
resigned. Mr. Riches has been appointed temporary for the Baltic fleet shows whether the requisites of a
clerk, vice Baker, acting with the Commissariat Depart- despatch gunboat are to be found in this class of vessels
went in the East. General Board of Health—Mr. J. or not.
F. Campbell has been appointed assistant-secretary, at It is wise to make such trials at home before these
6001. per annum. Messrs. Mauls and White have been vessels are depended on for actual service. It is also
appointed clerks under the new Board of Health. Cus- important to the public service that the class of vessel
toms—Mr. R. Staples has been appointed searcher at best suited for such service should be at once decided on,
Belfast. Mr. A. James has been appointed searcher at because wo have still time before us to construct a flotilla
Swansea. Mr. C, J. Mark has been appointed clerk for, for next year, suited to take Cronstadt or other fortresses
general business, in London.. Mr. C. J. Gibson has that .may require to be attacked from shallow water,
been appointed clerk at Plymouth. Mr. W. H. Tucker provided it be at once determined what kind of vessel
has been appointed clerk at Plymouth. Mr. J. Broad- that shall be, or shall not be. Let us therefore examine,
head has been appointed clerk at Plymouth. Post-office as far as this experiment may guide us, to what extent
—Messrs. Adolphus Burckhardt and Win. White have the present vessels, or others, possess the necessary qua-
been appointed junior clerks in the secretary's depart- lities of good steam boats.
ment. Mr. Robert Winter has been appointed a clerk As far as we have yet any practical experience, there
in the Railway Post-office. Mr. John Shea LaWlor has are only two classes of steam despatch gun-boats pram-
been appointed clerk in the Inland-office. Mr. Charles tically kr,own to the public,—those of which you this
Compton, who has been for many years the accountant- morning give an account, designed by our own Admiralty
general of the Post-office, has just been superannuated, for the Baltic, and of which the trial yesterday, in pre-
and Mr. Geo. Hyde, the present chief clerk In the Re- settee of her Majesty, was a failure, and those which the
ceiver-General's office, has been appointed controller of i Admiralty of Prussia had constructed in this country for
the new department called the Accountant and Receive!. the Baltic, and of which the Russians are said to have a
General's. Ordnance office, Pall-mall—Mr. Orlando copy in the Pruth, which was used with so much advert-
Fitzroy has been appointed to a clerkship, vice Mr. tage on the Danube against our allies. From a cons-
' Marston, superannuated.—Ciril Service Gazette. parison of what we know of these, we may gather some
APOTHECARIES' HALL.—Nantes of gentlemen who important results. Ist, the most important quality of
passed their examination in the science and practice of gunboats appears to be their small ,draught of water,
medicine, and received certificates to practise, on Thurs- combined with a large capacity for troops, stores, and
day, August 24 :—David King, Ayr, N.B. ; Thomas armament ; now, in this respect, it appears that the
Windsor, Manchester; Be.-jamin Ke-81-144.w, Rochdale; Prussian
gunboats Nix and Salamander draw five to
Henry Gray Phiipott, Brighton ; Whytehead seven feet water. The English gunboats Arrow, am,
Morris, Stalbridge, Dorset; Thomas Turner, Langport, draw 11 to 13.
tho le fot, Fet4ablargs rind Mlar OUT- Flee'