The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-06 00:00:00

MALTA.

A letter of May' 30th from Malta says :—The
French mail steamer Thabor has just arrived. She
has on board a Queen's messenger, and one of the
aides-de-camp of the Prince Napoleon, with des-
patches for the French and English Govern-
ments. Her mail closes for Marseilles at 10
p.m., before her mails are delivered. The
melancholy news of the loss of the Tiger is too
true. She got ashore in a heavy fog, and used all
efforts to get off, by throwing all her guns over-
board, and discharging her ammunition into her
boats. When the fog cleared off, she found herself
about five miles from Odessa, under the telegraph ;
and a large body of 9,000 men with 15 guns were
already assembled. These commenced a fire, and
very soon a shot carried off poor Captain Giffard's
leg, and another killed his nephew, a midshipman,
by his side. The captain, seeing his hopeless posi-
tion, struck his flag, and the enemy took all the
crew prisoners. Just before leaving the ship, the
Niger and Vesuvius hove in sight, when the
Russians demanded they should be quick in
getting on shore, threatening to fire on them if
they delayed longer. The two steamers, seeing
the enemy assembled in numbers, began to throw
shell among them, when the Russians placed
the British in front, and led the steamers
to discontinue the fire. The prisoners were
then marched to Odessa. Captain Giffard was
placed in the Governor's house and treated with
the greatest kindness. The Russians refuse to ex-
change prisoners, but allow every liberty to the
captives, who have been also permitted to write to
their friends, and were visited, under a flag of
truce, by the First Lieutenant of the Vesuvius.

TEE NEW STAMP ACT.-STAMPEDCIIEQUES

AND PENNY RECEIPT STAMPS.

The New Stamp Bill contains two provisions which
will remove anomalies in the existing law, and which
have led to more discussion than all the rest of the pro-
visions in relation to the penny stamps.
1. In relation to cheques. Our readers are aware that
the exemption in favour of bankers' cheques is extended
to those drawn payable to bearer, and issued within fif-
teen miles of the bank upon which they are drawn. With
regard, therefore, to cheques drawn beyond that distance,
no difficulty has existed, and a penny stamp is required to
be used in such cases. But a serious question arose as
to the operation of cheques drawn upon a bank within
the prescribed distance, but remitted by the post to a
distant part of the country and then negotiated. It has,
however, been ruled that a cheque is "issued " when it
is posted, and, therefore, if the posting takes place
within the limit of fifteen miles, it is held that the
receipt may he remitted to any place however distant,
then posted and negotiated as and long as frequently as
the party pleased. Thus, from London a great part of
the remittances to Liverpool, Glasgow, or Manchester is
made in some cases unstamped, and being negotiated in
those cities ultimately find their way back to Lon-
don. This is an obvious abuse of the exemption in
favour of the bankers' cheques. The new act, therefore,
provides that no unstamped cheque shall be sent, or shall
circulate, or be negotiated beyond fifteen miles limit.
In future, therefore, all such rernittancea must be made
in cheques drawn upon a penny stamp.
2. In relation to the penny receipt stamp. The old
stamp act contained a provision, and which was not altered
last year, that an acknowledgment of the safe arrival of
money made through the post should be made exempt
from charge. But that exemption was so limited in the
terms, that it was extremely difficult to know when it was
legally made and when not. When that exemption was
first altered, the postage rates and receipt stamps were both
so high, and there may have been a reasonable ground
for it. But now that postage is reduced to a uniform
penny, and receipt stamps to the same sum, there is no
longer any charge for such an exemption, and all the
difficult questions arising out of it are solved in the new
act by the repeal of the exemption altogether.
We are glad to understand that it is intended to adopt
for the future one and the same penny adhesive stamp
bOth for cheques and receipts. This will simplify their
use very much and save both the public and bankers
much trouble and inconvenience.—Economist.

The Earl and Countess of Jersey entertained the Earl
of Dalkeith, the Earl and Countess of Desart, Viscount
and Viscountess Newport, Lord Grey de Wilton, Lord
George Manners, the Hon. F. Villiers, Mr. R. Knight-
ley, M.P., Mr. G. H. Heathcote, M.P., Mr. W. Rose,
and a select party, at dinner, on Saturday, at their resi-
dence in Berkeley-square.
The Duke and Duchess of Hamilton and a select party
dined with Mr. and Mrs. John Massey Stanley last
evening in Curzon-street. Their graces are expected to
leave London at the expiration of the ensuing month on
a visit to the Dowager Grand Duchess Stephanie of
Baden at her chateau near Mannheim. The noble duke,
we understand, will not occupy Beaufort House, pur-
chased from the present duke, until next season.
We are happy to learn that the Hon. and Rev. Neville
Grenville, Dean of Windsor, has, during the last week,
greatly improved, and expectations are held out of his
ultimate restoration to health.

DEATH OF MRS. BAILLIE.—WO announce with re-
gret the demise, at her house in Lowndes street, on
Saturday evening of the Hon. Mrs. Baillie, wife of Mr.
Henry Baillie, M.P. for Inverness-shire. This most
amiable lady was the last survivini, daughter of
count Strangford, and was born aCStockholm, during
her noble father's sojourn there, in 1819. She has left
five children, of whom the youngest was born on the
19th of last month, Mrs. Baillie has only survived a
few months her younger sister, the lamented Mar-
chioness of Sligo.
AMSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM PRODITCE-MAP.KET.—
The reviews from the Amsterdam and Rotterdam pro-
duce-markets state that business was limited, and that
prices generally exhibited a tendency to decline. In
sugear the transactions were unimportant, and sales
could not be effected, although lower rates were quoted.
For some descriptions of coffee tht-re was a better de-
mand, at a slight improvement. The operations in rice
and and tea had not augmented, and quotations Were
weak. Indigo w‘e heavy, at the late deg.4e:

LAW INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS DAY.) .

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Coinrnissioner Ilolroyd).
IN RE P. LEICESTER.

This bankrupt was described as of Birchia-lane, City,
ironmonger and bill-broker, and to-day came up to p—iis
his last examination.

The accounts prepared by Messrs. Glover and Son,
Bucklersbury, extend from February 1852 to M",rclit
1354, and shows debtor to creditors, 3,2541. 13s. 2d. ;
to ditto holding security, 1,9311. 17s. 6d. ;
2,5831. 14s. 2d. ; by creditors good debts, 3881. ;
doubtful, 3,330/. ; property in the hands of creditors+
1,2221. 10s. ; ditto given up, 280/. ; and a deficiency in.
February of 3,486/. 13s. 7d.
The bankrupt passed.
A NOVEL APPLICATION FOR DISCUARGE FROII CUSTODY.—

IN RR J. J. mu,.

This bankrupt was in custody in the Queen's Bevch
prison, and now came up for his discharge under pecu-
liar circumstances. An application was made yesterday
t* Mr. Commissioner Goulburn for a warrant to brim;
the bankrupt before this court, as a petition in banh:-.
ruptcy had been filed against him, and it was necessar2r
for him to come up and surrender before the time ex-'s
pired, in order that he might be discharged from ens•
tody to prepare certain accounts.
His Honour said that some strong cause must be i
shown for the adoption of such a course, as he was not t
the commissioner before whom the proceedings woul, 1
be taken.

The bankrupt's solicitor said there was not theslightc at
objection on the part of the petitioning or the other cr e-
ditors, for the discharge of the bankrupt would be of t
greatest benefit to the creditors and every day was of
importance. The bankrupt had been employed to wo rt
for the Court of Chancery, which only settled accourrds
every half year, and this was the week for audit, are .4
unless the bill was sent in it must stand over t ill
Christmas, and the creditors considered it the bet+ ,er
course to get any money in Chancery out of it as soon
as possible.
His Honour concurred in this and issued his warrant.
The bankrupt was now discharged.