The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-09 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 9, 1854.

ITNIVERSAL PROVIDENT LIFE
ASSURA.NCE, 52, King William•street, London-bridge.
LIFE ASSURANCE. Allowance in sickness. •
EDWARD PUGS RAWSELL, Secretary.

ANNUITIES ON THE MUTUAL PRINCIPLE
ENGINEERS', MASONIC, and UNIVERSAL
MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
_ •

345, Strand, London.
PURCHASERS OF ANNUITIES ADMITTED TO PARTICI-
PATION IN THE PROFITS.
Policy Stamps paid by the Society.
Assignments of Policies Registered Free of Charge.
A. Liberal Commission allowed to Solicitors and Agents on the
introduction of business.
ANTHONY PECK, MA., Assistant-Actuary.

GUARDIAN FIRE AND LIFE
ASSURANCE COMPANY,
No. 11, Lombard-street, London.
DIRECTORS.
Sir WALTER R. FARQUHAR, Bart., Chairman.
FRA.ICCIS HART DYKE, Esq., Deputy-Chairman,
Henry Hulse Berens, Esq. Stewar M t arjoribanks, Esq.
John Dixon, Esq. John Martin,Esq., M.P.
Sir W. M. T. Farquhar, Bart. Rowland Mitchell, Esq.
T. Hankey, jun., Esq , M.P. James Morris, Esq.
John Harvey, Esq. Henry Norman, Esq.
John G. Hubtard, Esq. Henry R. Reynolds, jun., Esq.
George Johnstone, Esq. John Thornton, Esq.
John Labouchere, Esq. James Tulloch, Esq.
John Loch, Esq. Henry Yigne, Esq.

tTORS.
A. W. Robarts, Esq. Henry Sykes Thornton, Esq.
Lewis Lloyd, jun., Esq. i John Henry Smith, Esq.
• SECRETARY—George Keys, Esq.
ACTUARY—Griffith Davies, Esq., F.R.S.
LIFE DEpARTMENT.—Under the provisions of an Act of Par-
llainent, this Company now offers to future insurers Four-fifths of
the Profits, with Quinquennial Division, or a Low Rate of Premium
without participation of Profits.
The next division of Profits will be declared in June, 1855, when
all participating Policies which shall hive subsisted at least one year
at Christmas 1554, will be allowed to share in the Profits.
At the several past divisions of Profits vaade by this Company, the
Reversionary Bonuses added to., the 'Policies from O ne-half the
Profits amounted, on an average of the different ages, to about One
Per Cent. Per Annum on the sums insured, and the total Bonuses
added at the Four. Septennial Divisions exceeded 770,000/.
FOREIGN RISKS.—The Extra Premiums required for the East
and West Indies, the British Colonies, and the northern parts of the
United states of America, have been materially reduced.
INVALID LIVES.-• -Persons who are not in such sound health as
would enable them to insure their Lives at the Tabular Premiums,
may have their Lives insured at fixtra Premiums.
LOANS granted on Life Policies to the extent of their values, pro-
vided such Policies shall have been effected a sufficient time to have
attained in each case a value not under 501.
ASSIGNMENTS OF POLICIES.--LWritten Notices of, received
and registered.
Medical fees paid by the Company, and no charge will be made for
Policy Stamps..
FIRE DEPARTMENT.—lnsurances effected upon every descrip-
tion of property at the usual rates.

AUDI

PURSSELL'S BRIDE CAKES,I to 10
Guineas ; Dessert Cakes, Is. to 10s., viz., Dundee, Madeira,
School, and Savoy Cakes; Swiss an I French Pounds Ca
Is. 6d.
per lb. ; Swiss and Italian Pastry, for evening parties, Is. to 3s. per
doz. ; 15 sorts of Almond Cakes, Ratidas, and Maccaroons, 2s. per
lb. ; Rout Cakes, 3s. per lb. ; Mixed Cakes, is. 6d. ,per lb. ; Mixed
Biscuits, Is. 2d. per lb.; Biscuits in bags or boxes, 14 for Is.,
viz., Arrowroot, Brown, Digestive, Milk, Abernethy, German
Cuddy or Captain's Biscuits ; Mince Pies, 4s. and 6s. per doz. ;
Jellies and Soups, 4s. per qt.; Creams and Ices, Gs. per qt.; Made
Dishes, Raised Pies, Hams, Tongues, Fowls. Caution.—John R.
Purssell, 162, Regent-street, and 20, Ludgate-hill, only. •

APPETITE AND DIGESTION IMPROVED.
JEA and PERRINS' WORCESTERSHIRE
SAUCE imparts the most exquisite relish to Steaks, Chops,
and a'.. Roast Meat Gravies, Fish, Game, Soup. Curries, and Salad,
and by its tonic and invigorating properties enables the stomach to
perfectly dige.t the food.
The daily useof this aromatic and delicious Sauce is the best safe-
guard to health.
Sold by the proprietors, Lea and Perrin.% 19, Fenchurch-street,
London, and 68 Broad-street. Worcester; also by al e:.srs. Barclay
and Sons. Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell, and other oilmen and mer-
chants, London ; and generally by the principal dealers in sauce.
.11.—To guard against imitations, see that the names of "LEA
and PERRIN S" are upon the label and patent cap of the bottle.

JOZEATTS COPAHINE-MERGE, or Saccharatt,
C tPSULES, approved by the French College of Physicians,
successfully administered in the Paris and London Hospitals, and
acknowledged by them to be the best remedy for the cure of
certain diseases (see " Lancet " 6th Nov., 1852.) Price, per 100,
4.. 6d. ; 50, 2s. 9d.—To- be had of the Inventor, Gabriel Jozeau,
French Chemist, 49, Haymarket, London, whose name is printed on
the Government stamp ; and all the principal chemists.

PAINS in the BACK, GRAVEL, LUMBAGO,
RHEUMATISM, GOU r, INDIGESTION, FLATULENCY,
NERVOUiNES4, DEBILITY, &c.—Dr. DE 74005' COMPOUND
RENAL PILLS as their name Renal (or the Kidneys) indicates, are
a most safe and, efficacious remedy for the above dangerous com-
plaints, discharges of any kind, retention of the urine, and diseases of
the kidneys, bladder. and urinary organs generally. For depression
of spirits, incapacity for society, study, or business, confusion, giddi-
ness, drowsiness, nervousness, and insanity itself, when arising from
or combined with urinary diseases, they are unequalled. Price Is.
lid , 2e. 9d., 4s. 6d., lie., and 335. per Box, through all Medicine
Vendors, or sent (free) on receipt of the amount in postage stamps,
by Dr. De Roos, 35, Ely-place, Holborn, London. At home for con-
sultation daily from 11 till 4, Sunday excepted. Advice and Medi-
cine, £l.

THE FIRE AND LOSS OF EIGHT LIVES

IN SOHO.

No fire that has occurred for some years in the metro-
polis has created such a painful sensation as the one
which occurred in Princes-street, Soho, on Tuesday
morning last, a report of which appeared in this journal
that day. Owing to the excited state the survivors
were in on the day the fire took place they were unable
to give many particulars respecting the melancholy
catastrophe, consequently much remains untold, particu-
larly of the scenes which occurred before the arrival of
the engines.
During yesterday morning Mr. Paul Giraud, the en-
gineer left in charge of the ruins, together with the
brigades-men under him, made a searching inquiry, for
the purpose of ascertaining how, and in what part of the
building the fire commenced. The result of that inquiry
was as follows :—Mr. Arthur, house-decorator and
grainer, who occupied the first floor, stated that he was
awoke by the servant, who slept along with his daugh-
ter on the same floor, but nearest the street, by hearing,
her clapping her hands, and crying "murder" and "fire.'
He got out of bed, and found the room so full of smoke
that he could scarcely breathe. He, however, shook his
wife for some time, and at last succeeded in awaking her.
Owing to the confusion they were both in, neither of
them were able to unlock the room door. Mr. Arthur,
therefore, was obliged to force it, when on entering the
front room he found an exceedingly small portion of a
wooden cornice, immediately over a cupboard running
from the floor to the ceiling, in flames. So dense, how-
ever, was the smoke that neither he nor his wife had
time to collect a single article of wearing apparel, and
they were obliged to rush into the street in their night
dresses. _ __ _ _

rs tl he
theeal nri
dni
morning
ooi
osrf
nnni opinion,tnohg not returning
offrom
floor
t hoverfi tr fire,
he
home
hsmfaateoe
on loose
enol
oft
hoi Mrlas
deh as.
plhPfopuvbagi
asnebttgl
y3sig
chiMldrieAn
e
o'nd
clock o a::
struck a match to light a candle before going to bed, and
by that means had dropped a spark amongst the straw,
which had smouldered for some time, and eventually had
broken out in flames.
The same person also stated that Hannah Daday, his
servant, on discovering the fire ran up stairs in her night
dress to Mr. Puget's floor, when on entering she found
the room in flames. She cried out " Murder and fire,"
but was unable to awake him for some time, and when
she at length succeeded he jumped out of bed, said
nothing, but opened the window and, without attempt.
ing to arouse his wife and family, leaped out, and met
with the serious accident of which he is still suf-
fering, and which it is feared will cost him his life.
After that the woman had time to return to
her room on the first floor and save her boots and two
or three articles of wearing apparel. She is thqrefore of
the same opinion as her master, that the fire caamenced
in Mr. Puget's apartments. Giraud, on the other hand,
entertains quite a contrary opinion, for as fire always
ascends, and from the examination he has made he has
no doubt that the fire began in or near the cupboard in
Mr. Arthur's front room. He is led to this conclusion
from the flames having devoured everything in that
particular part of the premises, whilst the joistings and
girders over are comparatively only triflingly charred,
which he imagines could not have been the case had
the fire broken out in the upper instead of the lower
room.
It is an extraordinary fact that the fire took place
within a few yards of the engine-house connected with
St. Ann's parish—so near, indeed, that Spendlow, the
engineer, an old experienced fireman, formerly connected
with the County Fire Insurance engine, could, had ne-
cessity have required it, set the engine to work from a
pump in front of his engine-house, and thereby have
confined the fire to whatever part the house was then
on fire. Strange to say about 12 months ago Spendlow
received orders in writing that he was not again to take
his engine out to any fire that might occur in the parish.
How far the churchwardens who issued the orders were
justified in preventing the engine from running will no
doubt be fully discussed and inquired into at the coroner's
inquest, which will not take place until Friday evening.
Before the arrival of the engines many of the inmates
were seen at the front and back windows, and so loudly
did they scream for aid that their cries could be heard
as far distant at Newport-market, and had some of the
neighbours taken a few carpets to the spot, there is
little doubt entertained but that those in the upper part
of the house might have jumped out of the window and
been rescued in safety in the carpet.
Mr. and Mrs. Reeves, who tenanted the ground floor,
knew nothing of the disaster until they heard the cries
of those above, and even then they guarded their doors,
thinking that one ofi the lodgers had come home again
drunk, and was beating his wife ; and it was not until
the females cried " murder," that she consented to open
the street door. She then saw the policeman and told
him that the person, had, in her opinion, murdered his
wife, and had likewise set the house on fire. Those
parties have unfortunately perished, and it will be diffi-
cult, it is thought, to decide how the fire took place.
Several houses near were preserved from injury.
The official report states that the upper part of the
house, from the second floor, is destroyed, and the con-
tents consumed. Eight persons burned to death, and
the lower part of the house damaged by water.

GROG AT THE DIGGINGS.-It is expected that licenses
for the retail of spirits will be extended to the diggings,
and that several respectable storekeepers on each field
will be selected. There can be little doubt but this plan
will have a good effect, as the licensed parties will
always br ready to assist the authorities in rooting out
that class of grog-shops which are notoriously the haunts
of the idle and vleious.—Austrodian and New Zealand
L (Motto.

TAXES ON KNOWthDt;E-SOIREE TO

MR. MILNAR GIBSON, M.P.

Yesterday evening a soiree was given at the Whit-

tington Club, by the Association for promoting the Re-
peal on the Taxes on Knowledge, to Mr. T. Milner
Gibson, 2,1.13., in honour of the repeal of the advertise-
ment duty. The speeches of the evening were preceded
and interspersed with music and singing. The chair was
taken by Sir J. V. Shelley, M.P.
The CHAIRMAN said that the meeting had somewhat
reversed the usual course of things. They had had the
" flow of soul," and it was now his duty to bring them
to the " feast of reason." He should not detain them
long, as others would follow him better able to deal with
the subject before them. He would remind them that
they had met at the institution for promoting the repeal
of the taxes on knowledge, to commemorate a great vic-
tory gained by the independent liberal party in the
House of Commons last year, obtaining the repeal of the
advertisement duty, and. to do honour to the president
of the association, Mr. Milner Gibson—(great cheering)
—through whose' zeal, talent, and assiduity, was mainly
owing the great triumph which had been achieved. He
(the chairman) did not profess to be able to do justice to
this great subject ; but he felt obliged to the association
for allowing him to preside on this occasion, as it
enabled him to show, besides, what little support he had
been able to give Mr. Gibson in the House of Commons,
how sincerely he felt the importance, to the great mass
of the people, of the spread of knowledge and education
among all classes. After the severs 'struggle which they
had gone through for free trade in food for the body, he
hoped the time was not far distant when they would obs
taln, free trade in f (iced-for 'Ee wonld only
say, as one who had been engaged largely in agriculture,
that, as free trade had been obtained at the expense of
his business, he did not see why other trades should not
be subjected to free trade ; and he thought the press
should not be exempt from the free trade for which
they were now fighting. There was no doubt that the
great newspapers of the metropolis were the pride of the
nation ; but as regarded the working classes, the Times
was a thing which certainly they heard of but which they
never met with. It was such publications that assisted
to spread education ; and it was only proper that they
should wish to see good and cheap publications open to
all classes. It was the claptrap of all parliamentary
addresses to constituencies, and especially of Tory ad-
dresses to talk of our glorious Constitution of Church
and State, and Tories always said they were anxious for
the education of the people. But what they meant was
"parson education." (Hear, hear.) Such education as
the parson approved, and not such as would be of prac-
tical benefit to all classes. He (the chairman) wished
to see in the hands of every Englishman newspapers as
you saw abroad and in America, which enabled him to
judge of men and things, and did not leave him at the
mercy of a paper (he spoke especially of the agricultural
districts) which he could not see, except at the beershop
or when he borrowed it from his neighbour, after it had
become so dirty as hardly to be readable. (Hear, hear.)
Those gentlemen who advocated the education of the
people were of opinion that there should be no duty on
the means of obtaining knowledge. Take the duty on
foreign works. No one who wished sincerely to see
good books in the hands of every one would desire to
see such books dear. As to the duty on paper, it was
now only a question of time, after the speeches of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, last year, who said it was
only of insignificant amount. And he was glad to say
that in all the communications he had had with Mr.
Gladstone, he found him to be conscientious, and anxi-
ous to do right—.("hear, hear," and loud cheers)—and
that was much' to say for a Chancellor of the Exchequer.
(Hear, hear.) He looked forward to the duty on paper
as soon likely to go by the board. Then there was the
stamp on newspapers. They heard a great deal and
prided themselves a great deal on a free press, but
in fact they had but the shadow and not the substance of a
free press ; as things were there was no greater mono-
poly than newspapers. As far as he had ascertained the
effect of the repeal of the advertisement duty it had
worked well. Newspapers of merit, which had previously
been struggling, were now doing well and thriving; and
this had been brought about without doing any harm or
causing loss to the great newspapers. The servant could
now advertise and get a place without paying an enor-
mous tax to the Government. The liberal party had
gained a great victory, and his experience enabled him
to say that the independent liberal party, which was
sometimes called the radical party—he had no objection
to the name—(hear, hear)—was composed of men who
were not to be driven from their course, when fighting
for any object which was for the material welfare of the
people. As to the security which publishers were re-
quired to give, he believed the effect of it was that it
enabled scandal to be published in any paper which was
not unstamped with impunity. It was objected that
this was not the time fur paessing these questions, as we
were on the eve of war ; but, on the contrary, he be-
lieved that if ever there was a time when it was the duty
of independent members of the House of Commons to
endeavour to remove great social impositions, it was
when the people were about to be called upon to bear
increased taxation, in order to defend the honour of the
country. He hoped and trusted that this association,
which had done so much, would pursue that course
which the victory of last year so much encouraged them
to pursue. He could only add, that as he was the
representative of one of the great constituencies of the
country, and one in which the interests of ;he people
had found so many advocates, in comparison with whom
its present representative must appear somewhat unwor-
thy, he would always do all in his power to advance
every matter which tended to promote the morality and
happiness of the people.
Apologies were offered for the absence of Mr. G. Daw-
son, Mr. Miall, and Mr. W. J. Fox.
Mr. SAMUEL LUCAS spoke at some length to a senti-
ment—" The right of free speech a primary right, and
a means of obtaining all others." He addressed himself
principally, howover, to the question of national edu-
cation ; and vindicated '' stump oratory," as a means of
reaching large classes unable to read, and deprived of
other means of education.
Mr. IliciesoN proposed " Mr. Gibson and his sup-
porters in the House of Commons." (Cheers.) The Liberal
party had sometimes been reproached with a misplaced
jeolousy and distrust of our public men, and there had
perhaps been too many instances of political time-serving
to warrant that want of confidence : but the more nume-
rous such instances had been, the greater should be their
anxiety to give full recognition to those public men who
were actuated by higher and purer motives. They had
the
that evening. (Cheers.)
T he
fio
rpspt o
publicr tue i tym oe
ef t
idnogi doing so that
question was held 24
years ago, on the 20th of April, 1830. Since then, how
numerous had been the public questions carried to a
successful issue—the Reform Bill, municipal reform, the
Dissenters' Marriage Act, free trade, repeal of the win-
dow duties, and many others ;but this had not been car-
ried, and that it had not was owing to the apathy and
ssnfthepress
men could not find any report
(Hear, hear.) Lord Brougham
launlr t
haer
most distinguished
inwhen, in those days, they
spoke
favourb Liberal
fait. journals,
In
those
days, the utmost notice
they could get in some of the most Liberal papers was
the
most
Li
but the corner of an obscure coleeon,
printed in their
most invisible type. (Laughter.) It eves not till upwards
of thirty persons had been immured in prison for the
infringement of the stamp duties that the
public began
to take any notice. The newspapers themselves talked
of the blessings of a free press ; but if a dear free press
was a good thing, would not a cheap free press be a bet-
ter ? Yet, even now, when there was
not so much heard
of "opening the flood-gales of derneeeacv,e and "poi-
soning the poor with cheap sedition,''
they did not get
very extravagant eulogies in the daily papers— (laughter)
—though they did occasionally get some admission of
what they were doing. The speaker concluded, amid
symptoms of impatience, with some complimentary ex-
pressions regarding Mr. Gibson and his colleagues.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON, M.P., was received with the
most enthusiastic cheers. He could assure them, with
perfect sincerity, that he had accepted with great plea-
sure and satisfaction the very complimentary invitation
which he had received to be present on this occasion.
(Hear.) His hon. friend who had preceded him had
spoken in too flattering terms of the exertions made in
Parliament up to the present time in order to carry the
repeal of the taxes on knowledge. For himself, he could
only say that the course which he had taken he believed
to be consistent with his duty as a representative of
popular interests. And, with respect to
the other gen-
tlemen with whom he had had the honour of acting, he
felt confident that they would bear hini out, when he
said that they had upon this question not only expressed
their own conscientious convictions in Parliament, but
had also let the House of Commons know
what were
the feelings of the Liberal portion of ther constitutents.
(Hear, hear.) It must not be forgotten, indeed, that
members of Parliament were frail reeds to rest upon
unless they were backed up by the public voice, and
unless intelligent public opinion in the country should
sustain them, and carry them through in the course
which they had chilked out for themselves. (Hear,
hear.) Their strength consisted in the pressure from
without ; and a speech from a member of Parliament
—be his talents what they might—be his energy and
zeal what they might—would bo but like the idle wind,
which men regarded not, unless it were felt that his
words were echoed by large numbers of people without
the walls of the house, and were baoked by intelligent
public opinion. (Hear, hear.) This question had not
been dealt with altogether as a party question. It had
had support from both sides of the house. (Hear.)
They had had votes from gentlemen whose votes they
did not expect, and they had a right to presume that
those gentlemen had probably received an intimation
from some of their influential friends that such
votes would be acceptable. (Hear, hear.) He was no
advocate of an absence of deliberation or of a want of
knowledge' of the subjects upon which they were to vote
upon the part of members of Parliament ; but What he
wished to impress emphatically upon the meeting was

this, that nothing could be done in Parliament through
the representative system except the exertions which I
were made within the house were aided by the cordial
co-operation and the strenuous endeavours of those who
influenced opinion Without the walls of Parliament.
(Hear, hear.) Notv they had endeavoured, as he had
said, to conduct this question in Parliament not as a
party question. (Hear, hear.) He deliell that it was
necessarily it party question. (Hear.) I\o doubt the
independent portion of the Liberal party had at all times
taken great interest in this matter, but there were intel-
ligent and enlightened Conservatives who had taken au
interest in it also ; and Mr. Disraeli himself, from his
sympathy with literature, and his desire not to stand in
the way of the spread of knowledge, had on many occa-
sions done whet had been in his power to promote the
success of their cause. (Hear, hear.) They had been
charged with what hail been called "an unprincipled
coalition," but he would put it to the meeting whether
the member of Parliament who submitted a motion to
the house, and made no compromise of principle, was to
reject the support of those who did not happen to agree
with him in his general political views ? (Hear, hear.)
He did not think such coalitions at all unprincipled ;
and he was glad to get support for a good measure
wherever it could be found. (Cheers.) Another diffi-
culty had been started in the House of Commons. It
had been said, .".You should not embarraas the Govern-
inpnt, you should place confidence in their general
good intentions, and trust that they will, at a fitting
opportunity, carry out the views you desire." lie had
seen that course tried on many public questions, but
never with much success. (Hear, hear.) In fact, when
the gentlemen who had trusted :implicitly to Ministers
had expressed disappointment at nut finding their wishes
respected, the reply which they had received had been,
" Why, you said nothing at all about it—there was no
pressure upon us. You could not expect us to volun-
teer a measure which was sure to bring upon us con-
siderable political opposition, or to run our heads against
a stone wall without any necessity." (Hear, hear.)
Tho best thing to do therefore was to pursue ,a straight-
fo'rward and honourable course—not embarrassing the
Government unneces,arily, but, at the same time, not
allowing party or political feelings to stand in the way
of carrying out an object which they conscientiously be-
lieved to be right. (Cheers.) Ho believed that this
fear of embarrasing the Government, which led many
timid men of good intentions to shrink from supporting
a cause which was likely to win, though they were ready
enough to vote !for it as long as they could be guaran-
teed a minority, was the very reason why so many re-
forms had taken years of agitation to accomplish. With
respect to the advertisement duty they bad certainly
been more successful than they had been in former years
with reference to the stamp duty on newspapers. (Hear,
hear.) Sir Edward Bulwer's motion for the total repeal
of that tax, was met by the then Government with a
suggestion that instead of being repealed it should be
reduced, the result was that—a division taking place
upon this Ministerial proposition—it was found that a
large number of members, who had professed in the first
instance to be favourable to total repeal, disappeared
when asked to vote for it, so that in fact only two were
left to register their votes in its favour. (Hear, hear.)
With respect to the advertisement duty, they had been
in a better position. They had carried a resolution, of
which he was himself the mover, in favour of its total abo-
lition. The Minister proposed a compromise and offered
to reduce it to 6d. There was therefore the same
battle to fight as had been fought formerly with respect
to the newspaper stamp, but had been fought with a
different result. Their friends in the House of. Com-
mons had stood sufficiently true to enable them to have
a majority against that proposal of sixpence, and to get
rid of the duty altogether. But it would be wrong to
lead them to suppose that no credit was due to the
Ministers ; for, although no doubt their success had
been considerable, it would have been quite competent
tb Mr. Gladstone, if he had thought fit, to have defeated
them at last by perseverance, and to have carried his
own plan of a sixpenny duty into effect. (Hear, hear.)
Let them, therefore, speak frankly, and give credit to
all concerned—to the Liberals who voted for the repeal
---to the Conservatives who voted for it also—and to
the Minister who made a graceful concession, when he
might, if he had chosen, have persisted in the proposal
which he had himself submitted to the house. (Cheers.)
He believed that the effect of the repeal of the advertise-
stient duty must be beneficial, but he did not think that
the full advantage of "that measure would be felt by the
country until they had an increase of the number of
vehicles for advertisements by the abolition of the penny
tax—free advertisements and free papers, in which
the advertisements should be inserted. They there-
fore proposed in the course of the present session to press
on the attention of the Government the necessity of re-
pealing the stamp duty. (Cheers.) The difficulties of
that question remained pretty much the same as they had
been, for although in the last session an act of Parlia-
ment had been passed avowedly for the purpose of defin-
ing what a newspaper was, he thought it had failed in its
object—that a newspaper was still as undefined a thing
as ever—and that difficulty and litigation must, of
necessity, from time to time arise, in the present state
of the law. (Hear, hear.) The act in question was, in
fact, nothing more than an act to exempt the interesting
Household Narrative of Mr. Charles Dickens from any
further persecution on the part of the Stamp-office autho-
rities. (Hear, hear.) The precedent would have to be
followed. (Hear, hear.) The litigation which would
arise would compel the Government to bring in acts of
Parliament from time to time, to declare particular pub-
lications not newspapers. And the only way to avoid
it—to get rid of litigation and render special legislation
unnecessary—was to declare at once that news was a
thing which was not fit to he taxed, and to repeal the
stamp duty at once. (Hear, hear.) The same difficulty
which had arisen in the case of Mr. Dickens existed at
this moment in other cases also. He held in his hand a
correspondence between Mr. Timm, the solicitor to the
Stamp-office, and the proprietor of the Bacilli' limes.
[Mr. Gibson read the correspondence.] Mr. Timm
pronounced the publication of the Racing Ti,ies, on un-
stamped paper, a breach of the Stamp Laws ; the pro-
prietor insisted that his paper was not a newspaper,
according to Mr. Timm's own definition of the term,
but a mere " class paper," to which, by that gentleman's
own showing, the Stamp Laws did not apply. Mr.
Timm replied, that no man could entertain a doubt that
the publication in question was liable to the tax, and
threatened to commence proceedings if its issue upon
unstamped paper were persisted in. The proprietor re-
joined that he had taken advice, and was ready to abide
the consequences, and would furnish the name of his
solicitor whenever Mr. Timm should require it. It ap-
peared that no proceedings had yet been taken. What
sort of a protector of the revenue was this Mr. Timm,
who, when he had got an article which, he said, no man
could doubt was liable to a tax, knowingly and wilfully
allowed it to remain untaxed ? No doubt he was deterred
by his knowledge of the uncertainty of the law and of the
fact that what was held to be a newspaper one day was
held not to be a newspaper the next ; and he was probably,
acting wisely in not exposing his friends to the difficul-
ties in which that uncertainty might involve them.
But who could tell what effect these threatening letters
might have had on those who had not the courage or
the means of standing out against them ? Who could
tell how many small publications might have been
frightened out of existence by these petty persecutions ?
Some person had thought that their object was only to
cheapen those newspapers which were read by the higher
and the middle classes. He should be glad to see those
newspapers as cheap as they could be made. (Hear.)
Considering the ability with which they were conducted,
the labour bestowed on them, and the amount of infor-
mation they contained, it was only astonishing they
could be sold at the price at which they were now pub-
lished. But it was not in reference to this class of papers
that they were mainly engaged in advocatir'e the aboli-
tion of the stamp duty. (Hear.) They wanted the cheap
penny newspaper to be allowed to contain the facts of the
day, and to circulate them among the great mass of the
people. They were told that a newspaper could not be
published for a penny. The objection was answered by
the fact that the London Journal, with a circulation of
400,000 was distributed throughout the country without
the aid of the post-office, and that the whole cost in-
cluding carriage, was covered by the penny which was
charged for it. (A. Voice—John Cassell.) Yes, there
were others, and John Cassell's publications among
them. What was the meaning of preventing such pub-
lications from containing the news of the day ? It was
said that they might contain it if they would submit to
a tax 'of a penny ; but this was in effect a prohibition.
(Hear.) Itwas worthy of remark that the tax had been
repealed as to comments on the news of the day, while
retained as to the news itself. Surely, if they were pre-
pared to allow cheap comments to be circulated among
the great body of the people, it would be a wiser policy
to allow the facts themselves to be circulated, so that
delusive theories might not find favour, in consequence
of the absence of the facts on which they professed to be
founded. (Hear.) The maxim of olden time, however,
appeared to have been completely reversed. Lord Castle-
reagh was more afraid of comments than of news. But
now sedition and blasphemy was free from tax, while
news, that dangerous thing—the debates in Parliament,
and the deoisions of the judges—must be dealt out cha-
rily to the working classes, and they must pay a toll for
a knowledge of the law as laid down by the judges of
the land, which they were, nevertheless, required to
obey. (Hear, hear.) The middle classes bad a deep in-
terest in the policy which would place the news—the
facts of the day, within reach of the great mass of the
people. (Hear.) They were going to extend the fran-
chise—to give political power to numbers who never
hitherto enjoyed it. Did not common sense tell them
that they ought to remove all restrictions which stood
in the way of the circulation of sound knowledge—for
facts were the only sound knowledge—among those who
were to vote at elections of members of the Legislature,
and so to be instrumental in making laws for the govern.
ment of
thethe
pop
peoplee
leon a
of thiscco account
o f religious
untry y I f the
educate
differences,could in t
Heaven's name, let them not stand in the way of the
people educating themselves. Mr. Gibson proceeded to
refer to the law which required securities to be given to
the Stamp-office, in certain cases, against the publication
of blasphemy and sedition, and to characterise it as ab-
surd, anomalous, and impracticable. In conclusion, he
expressed his opinion that the working classes and the
capital, of this country would be obliged under the system
of free commercial policy which ,we had adopted to enter
more and more into competition with formidable
rivals, and that in order to enable our people Wea it d

" The memory of Francis Place, Henry Hetherington,
and the agitators of 1336." -
Mr. RICHARD COBDEN, M.P., was received with great
cheering. After complimenting Mr. Gibson upon the
zeal and ability which he had displayed as Parliamentary
leader of the opposition to the advertisement duty, and
congratulating him upon the success which had attended
his exertions, Mr. Cobden said that- there were before
them two questions with reference- to- the future—ethe
question of the paper. duty and that of tithe newspaper
stamp. The former of these was simply a fiscal question,
involving about a million of revenue annually ; and he.
believed that there was in this country- no party who
had any prejudice to gratify by the retention of the paper
duty. It would, however, be a waste of time now to
dwell much upon a theme the burden of which was the
removal of a million of taxatienl, becanee the present
t o prospectsk for7aans tilniacrte-a.seery eolfili ely
the iiNnV.
coGiniead
-tafi :Ox.Rewwhoeutlid have
ier
ve
pssa,ernetrtdoo win
woarsrenunitailaiedpraantdc)eaalcethe questioli,citi esbteiocrianosfetilh:
took it that the peeparatioris ' for war • Already made
would prevent any possibility of the repeal let that duty
in the present year. The question of the newspaper
stamp involved revenue amounting to only about
150,000/. or 200,0001.
.per annum, air amount so sinall,
that it 'would not require any great dexterity on the part
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer -to elspense with it
under any circumstances. The opponents of the stamp
proposed that instead of every one who printed a
periodical with news in it being obliged to put on
the, paper • that beastly red stamp which was the
badge of intellectual servility in this country--e(cheere)--
any man should he allowed to print news—facts, on
paper, as freely as he (Mr. Cobden) cotild :peak facts
and arguments from the platform ; and that if the
printed paper were sent through the post, postage
should be paid for. it in the same manner as for the
transmission of a written paper. But the abolition of
this stamp was opposed on grounds apart from conside-
rations of revenue. There was a party in this country
that was afraid of cheap newspapers ; and the very
object of the Stamp Act, as stated in the preamble, was
to prevent cheap newspapers from circulating among
the people. If there was an overflowing revenue this
year, as there was last, still 'this question would be
shirked in the House of Commons. Other taxes would
be repealed, and this one would be retained, because it
served as a most important check upon the dissemination
of cheap news. This might be said to be illiberal, un-
charitable, and unjust, but it was true. (Hear.) He was
afraid, too, that there was another opposition. He did
not think that the established newspapers generally were
enthusiastically in favour of the removal of this restriction,
by which the number of newspapers was confined. In
this opposition he thought they mistook their own in-
terests, and in this imitated the example of the oppo-
nents of the repeal of the corn-laws. • As he told the
landowners who opposed that measure that there were
persons who eat little or no bread who would consume
any foreign corn which might be imported, and thus
prevent their land being thrown out of cultivation, which
they anticipated would be the result of the repeal of the
corn-laws, so he would now say to the newspaper pro-
prietors, that there were in the United Kingdom three
millions of adult males who either never saw a newspaper
or habitually never read one, and that if by allowing per-
fect freedom of the press they could cultivate a taste for
reading in this lower stratum of the social system
which now did not read at all—if, by allowing them
to get a scrap of news, through the medium of a
penny paper, now and then, they could stimulate a
taste for reading, every man of this class who had
learned to read, and took such a paper, would be
cultivating a taste which might afterwards raise him to
such an elevation that he might he a customer for the
high-priced newspaper. (Applause.) He (Mr. Cobden)
did not seek the abolition of the stamp witli the idea
that he was going to promote a system which would
supersede any of our able and well-established news-
, papers. If the peasant took the Times and supplement
home to his cottage, he had not a table large enough to
spread it upon ; and if he held it in his hand, the rays of
his feeble rushlight would not illuminate the vast surface
of print, and he could not find what he wanted. Besides,
the news contained in it was not such as he wanted. He
did not care for advertisements of estates to be sold, nor
for information as to the price of funds, for he had no
prospect of having any money to invest ; the letters of
" our own correspondent " from Vienna or St. Peters-
burg had no interest for him, because he had never
heard of such places. What such a man wanted to see
was the news of the place and neighbourhood in which he
had been born, lived, and was destined to die ; and if a
system of freedom was allowed to prevail in the news-
paper press, there would, within five years, be a weekly
paper containing such news published in every market
town, and sold at the price of about a penny. It was the
knowledge that a paper contained the news of hie im-
mediate neighbourhood—the conviction of any of his
neighbours for poaching, and so on—which would first
stimulate a man to read it, or to get it read by his child
when it came from school. (Applause.) It was
because they could not give such news as this—as
stated by Lord Brougham in a letter which he (Mr.
Cobden) read at the last anniversary meeting of this
society —that the Society for the Diffusion of Useful
Knowledge were unable to obtain for their Penny Ma-
gazine a circulation in the rural districts. What we read
daily was not extracts from geographical works, travels,
or histories, but the broadsheet of news, and our reason for
reading it daily was that the events of one day were
connected with another ; we got upon a sort of electric
chain of sympathy, and read on to see whither the chain
would lead us. But for this stimulus, how many of us
would read at all ? (Applause.) The opponents of the
stamp wanted to supply a want which never would be
supplied so long as this restriction was maintained, be-
, cause it kept the price of papers at a rate which pressed
heavily upon the great mass of the population in the
agricultural districts. And let it be remembered that
I you could never permanently keep the intelligence of
towns above that of the agricultural districts, because it
was from the latter that the population of the former was
constantly recruited. If they were to bring the working
class in the country up to a state deserving the name of
civilisation, they must let them have cheap newspapers,
in order that they might be stimulated to read. At
present, the newspaper press was designedly kept out of
the reach of these poor people. (Applause.) In a rural
district with which he was very familiar, containing
140,000 inhabitants, and returning nine members to
Parliament, there was not a single newspaper published.
A Very respectable individual started a penny newspaper,
under the delusion that if it were published fortnightly
it would require no stamp- It circulated in all the vil-
lages within twenty miles, in some of which a newspaper
hpre eoviasavepciercr-
neighbours,m en t.
thish e
had not been seen since the creation of the world.
Mr. Timm, of the Inland Revenue Office, heard of this
paper, pounced upon the proprietor, extorting from
him - some miserable 5/—it was very like obtaining
money. under false pretences—and compelled him to
stamp his paper. The result was that the price had to
t. hsa
eegm..yedb:e.
elas
:t
of a
known r
be raised to 2d., and at the 'next issue a circulation
of forteafive in three villages fell to five, all of which
were
_taken by persons other than labourers. Every
labourer left off taking the paper as soon as its price
was raised to 2d. If it had been'desired to offer a pre-
mium upon ignorance, drunkenness, and vice—to incite
the poor labourers to go to the beershop, instead of
sitting at home—if it had been desired to take away
from them all motive for learning to read themselves, or
sending their children to school, it could not have been_n
done more effectually than by stopping this pnapmerbe.
rOof
the very same day acre was, published a •no. in
some penny novel, thehero
ito live upon his
every kind of villain, went
We talked about
from Mr.
Timm or
alien°, and were at the same time
being in favour of edeo
to provincial local
p tempt-u
b li s
strangling a systemt.
plunder, and this could be snoeldanti:t.hont any obstruction
whicha enabledofib': afterp
people eentgoa g
educate
themselves,H n was
as h
tbheegyi beginning nr ge
thing to have cheap
c
people thoughtaonlr,e
dtahtoafltlenettistotwh,
was
a so
hypocrisy.
u by
sv
vae d
et
he am(
(Applause.)
as p
means
se a
ufao s
alone,
e 0.
nr
ea
,sdhni
on
Some
how-
ever, local newsPaPers* •
nhoet
did
dubhliesht isneehanaisny
people
under to
he was not an enemy
the responsibility p oprietor, who generally
lived in
reason would
a shop and was a man of some intelligence, who
rael°l:isapelintk itnhge,
had given bonds to society, by being known amongst
anything which was very inimical to morals goodpaperg
ob-
jection to the encouragement of local What
papers.
he aimed at, however, was, that
the people should be
able to buy what they pleased. He did not want to set
expense up any class of newspapers at the ex o fany
other.
•
He only asked for freedom, that the people should not
be restrained in the interest of any newspaper press.
was certain, that if there were any party in
this country d engege upon the newspaper press who
thought that they were interested in preserving the re-
striction of the stamp, to prevent competition in news-
papers, their interest was not the public interest. He
had expected to get rid of the stamp in seven years from
the time of the commencement of the agitation, and if
we remained at peace he still hoped to do so. The op-
ponents of the stamp wero often asked what they pro-
posed to do about the postage. Mr. Rowland Hill had
stated that he was prepared to deal with that matter
when it was brought before him ; and as the great bulk
of the newspapers were sent into the country, not by
pest; but by private parcels, there could not be much
diCcisaltylbout it. .4gailie it Was urged that under the
preset sysieni a newspaper could be sent by poSt two
or three tikes fer the eiugle payuleat of the &imps while

APPOINVIENTs.
Chaplain—The Rev. C. 0. 'Ye° (1854), to the James
Watt, 91, screw steam ship, at Devonport,
Surgeon—Charles K. Nutt (1840), from the Excellent, •
gunnery-ship, at Portsmouth, to the Edinburgh, 53,
Fcrew steam flagship of Rear-Adiniral Henry D. Ch4tls,
0.13., at .Devonport. . _ -- -
EdNinabvuarlolnstructor—Charles R. Tompkins (1854), to
the Dauntless, 24, screw steam frigate, at Portsmouth.
Assistant-Surgeon—Joseph Coulter, M.D. (1845),
from the Excellent, gunnery-ship, at Portsmouth, to the
53, screw steam-ship, at Devonport.
Clerks
l sto.
Assistants—John
st er —R C
Impregnable,
. ..D ,
flagship, yEe.i
r( lvBa4s),,
at
Hf
Devonport.r 0.0 is .th,
Be.
GiCoastGiles,
GueSa
and John Hastey, to the Victory, flag-ship, at Ports-
mouth..

WOOLWICH, F. 8.
The Sprightly; paddle-wheel steam-vessel,: tender. to
the VietorYilag-ship at Portsmouth, arrived here yes-
terday afternoon from Devonport, Portsmouth, and
Sheerness, and left to-day for Portsmouth. Lieutenant
Robertson, of the steam reserve, Naster Commander. H.
W. Alien, of the Lightning, with a portion of her crew,
and of the Medea and Fisgard, returned to Woolwich
in the Sprightly, after having navigated the PrObaethens
from Woolwich to Devonport, where she is now stationed
as an advanced war steamer. _ _

The Manceuvrer . arrived at Woolwich on Monday, .
from Portsmouth, and brought round the furniture of
Commodore John Shepherd to this port. - •
A number of young men were inspected to-day on
their applying to be entered in. the flag-ship at this port,.
and the total number of those passed and joined for the
naval service is about 60. _ _ _

The Coldstream Guards, at present doing duty at
Deptford Dockyard, are to be relieved by a detachment
of the 38th Foot from Chatham. _

Captain Rea and Lieutenant Harrison, with two ser-
geants, two corporals, one drummer, and 150 privates of
the Woolwich division of the Royal Marines, left the
Dockyard station of the North Kent Railway at six
a.m. today for Devonport, the greater portion to em-
bark and do duty in the Nile, 91, screw steam-ship, at
that port, and the others to remain with the Plymouth.
division until draughted for embarkation from that
division.

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 8.

Vice Admiral Sir Charles Napier, 1C.C.8., will have
the command of the Baltic fleet, with Rear Admirals
Corry and Chads under him.
Her Majesty's ship Blenheim, 60, screw, Captain the
Hon. F. T. Pelham, will be ready to leave the basin to-
morrow or Friday, and will be one of the Baltic fleet.
She is painted like a frigate, with only one streak of
ports, so that any enemy falling in with her, and mis-
taking her for a single-decked frigate, will be taken in.
We regret to say Rear Admiral Martin, Superinten-
dent of this dockyard, is indisposed.
We understand Mr. Ash, foreman of shipwrights, has
accepted a present of plate from the officers of the
Russian corvette, Navarin, lately refitted in this dock-
yard.
The Cmlar, 91, Captain Robb, received her bowsprit
this afternoon, and will be masted to-morrow.
The Dragon, 6, paddle-wheel steam frigate, Captain
Willcox, has been placed alongside the jetty to -day, an pre-
paratory to her being docked to-morrow, to have her
copper, &c., examined.
Orders were received at this port to-day for the Nep-
tune, 120,' Captain Scott, and the Excellent- gunnery
ship, Captain Sir Thomas Maitland, C. 8., to prepare
for the reception of 300 coast-guardmen each 'to-
morrow.

The Frolic, 16, Commander Nolloth, sailed from Spit-
head this evening for a cruise to exercise her ship's cog-.
pany.
The Argus revenue steam cruiser, Commander Grandy,
came into harbour this morning, and the Mermaid reve-
nue cruiser, Lieut. Stokes, anchored at Spithead this
afternoon. These vessels, we believe, are to be employed
in collecting the coast guardmen, and conveying them
to the different stations as they may he required.
The Hecla steam-sloop, for surveying service in the
North Sea, adjusted her compasses to-day, and will be
ready to leave about Saturday.
Capt. Fremantle, of the Juno, 26, at Spithead, is in-
disposed, in London.
Rear-Admiral Corry's squadron are expected at Spit-
head by the 14th, and provisions are being prepared for
them at the Royal Clarence-yard.
The Talbot, 26, jury-rigged, in charge of Mr. King,
master of the Neptune, sailed this afternoon for Dept-
ford, to be fitted as a store-ship for the Arctic regions.

PLYMOUTH, FEB. 8.
Her Majesty's sloop Racehorse, 14, Commander Bar-
nard, was towed into the Sound on Monday, and took
her powder and shell on board the same day.
The screw steamship Edinburgh, SS, Capt. Hewlett,
bent sails in Hamoaze yesterday. She has been ordered.
to Portsmouth, and will go out of harbour to-day.
The steam-vessel Avon left on Monday with super-
numeraries for Portsmouth. .

The guardship St. George, 121, Capt. Kingoornbe, is
ordered to be taken into dock and to receive her top-
masts and other spars. She is to be ready to leave for
Portsmouth on the 7th of March.
The screw steamship Royal George, 121, Capt. Henry
J. Codrington, is also ordered to be ready for sea on the
7th of March.
The screw steamship Nile, 90, was commissioned on
Monday by Commander Augustus S. Booth.
The ropehouse boys in the dockyard have been granted
2s. per week additional wages. Twelve shipwrights', four
caulker?, and two ropemakers' apprentices were entered
yesterday.
BRITISH SEAMANSHIP.—The brig Sea Adventure, 192,
tons register, Capt. Glazebrook, belonging to Shoreham,
has arrived here in a most perilous condition. She left
Buenos Ayres three months since, viz., on the Bth Nov.,
with a full cargo of hides and bones, for Cork or Fal-
mouth, for orders. On the 19th of Jan., when about 250
miles north-west of the Azores Islands, she experienced
a hurricane from west north west, which carried away
her foremast, bowsprit, cutwater, figurehead, cook's
galley, boats and stanchions, and bulwarks on the lar-
board side. So powerful was the sea that the galley,
cooking apparatus and all, were floated clean over her
side. On the 22d she encountered another storm, which
cleared the remainder of her bulwarks and stanchions,
started her stern frame and carried away the companion,
compelling the master to batten down the entianee to
the cabin, abandon the use of it, and take 'his quarters
among the crew in the forecastle. The mainmast and
the cabin skylight were all that was left standing. There •
was not a single spar to rig a jurymast, and the loss
the foremast and bowsprit sent the brig down by the,
stern, in order to remedy which it became necessary to
throw some of her after cargo overboard; but this could
only be got at by entering the hold from the forecastle,
N o Nothing
nign
and dragging the hides forward. The tedious 'and tire-
some duty was rendered more irksome through the salt
with which the hides are cnred, having penetrated the
hands of the men, one of whom was obliged to desist.
providentially
jeinbtsiaallsy
staysails,
recovered.ysails
persevered
During the gale one of the crew was washed overboard
daunted by this series of misfortunes, Captain Glaze.
gvnt:set
bringing his disabled craft a distance of 1,300 • miles; he
courageously declined assistance
on entering the Chan-
nel, and completed his twice,brook,
lb)
auvt n
s purpose by steering her safely into
the Sound yesterday. The Sea Adventure is, we believe,
insured in the Topsham Club for 1,0001., and fOr a simi-
lar sum in the Shoreham Mutual Association. The -un-
derwriters will, no doubt, justly appreciate ;this cam-
mendable instance of the f d
preservation o e
cargo through the determineddpVeriinee Of a master,
mariner. The crew of the brig consists of ten hands,
including Captain .Glazebrook.
Contracts for the supply of 3,000 quarters of wheat
were entered into to day at the Royal William Victual-
ling yard. The piantity taken is unprecedented, it
being ordinarily 1,000 quarters. The parties to the.
• contracts are—Mr. Hurrell, 1,000 quarters, 'at ;
Mr. Boswarva, 1;000 at 87s. 4d.; 100, at .88s. 9d. ; and
1 l 500, and 895.; and Mr. Edwards, 400, at-1395. 10d.

LECULEY VA-vu.—This cause is specially fixed to be
tried in the Court. of Queen's Bench, on Monday, the
20th instant, and is expected to occupy more 'than one
day. The action, it will be remembered, is brought by
Mr. Lumley, of her Majesty's Theatre, against Mr.Gye,
of the Italian Opera, Covent-garden, to recover compen-
sation for the non-appearance of Mdlle. Wagner. The
damages are laid at 30,0001. For the plaintiff Sir P.
Thesiger, Sir Fitzroy Kelly, Mr. noggins, Mr. Cowling,
and Mr. Huddleston have been retained ; and for the
defendant the Attorney General, Mr. Willes, and Mr.
Creasy will appear. A special jury has already been
nominated by Messrs. Lewis and Lewis for the plaintiff
and will be reduced in a few days. The case has created
a great deal of interest in the theatrical world.
in flu ence
SOUTH DEVON ELECTION.—The writ for the election
of a representative for the southern division of the
Sseihrave been
county of Devon has been received by the High Sheriff
(Mr. IL S. Gard), who has appointed Tuesday next,' the
t asltlecaaeld:
datesl4th ianrset.
at, a
present
theres e daynt
in of
the
field,
butnomination. a
third
dy twois
in 'the person of a ballot advocate. The electors are
odiord
issued calling on the Radicals to reserve their votes for.
Nbs
seems
oei being
eaoteottei
,vbelela.
arcltam.7:73atns canvassed
on
diimabr y.
par.
Lt h. e
Palk,friends
rlPlacards
a whose
os
the ballot-candidate. _lt is doubtful whether he wal-
make his appearance, as he will not have the "Vetted
awe of mow.