The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-01 00:00:00

This generous law does not leave me- alone even with
paying 201. 16s. Bd. in proportion to my lord's 11. 55.,
but I may be called upon to pay more pence ; for in-
stance, it may occur that some of my customers will
only pay me by instalments. If so, I shall have to use a
penny stamp for every payment I receive. For instance,
I may have a demand upon a customer for 241. I may
have to receive this amount by instalments of 21. each,
I shall then have to use stamps for this single amount,
whilst my neighbour may receive as many thousands,
and use only one stamp for the whole payment.

Is this equality of taxation? or is it equally just that

if I make a bad debt of say 1001., and, after having
waited (out of all reasonable time) for a dividend from
the Bankruptcy Court which may amount to 21., I must
also use a penny stamp to receive this portion of my
hard-earned and equally hard-lost capital ? How many
more comparisons of this description could I not make ?
I could fill your pages, but I must be content for the
present. I must look even more closely than ever to my
business, or I may find the pence, and the pounds too,
on the wrong side of my books when I next take stock.
Does not all this go to prove that there is but one
just system of taxation, and that is direct upon real pro-
perty ? I remain, Sir,

One of the Middle Classes,
B. C. J.

October 31.

ENGLISH V. AMERICAN CLIPPERS.—The Stornoway,
Captain Hart, has made her appearance at Liverpool,
after a very favourable run from China of 107 days.
The Stornoway was built at Aberdeen, for the purpose
of competing with some of the far-famed American
clippers ; and while under the command of Captain John
Robertson she beat all those which attempted to run
against her, and under her new commander she bids
fair to maintain her reputation. The Challenger, a
powerful and fast-sailing American ship, left Whampoa
before the Stornoway, and has not yet arrived, althougl
many of our English houses in China patronised her,
thinking that their teas would be brought to an early
market ; but in this instance they have been disappointed,
as the cargo of the Stornoway will in all probability be
disposed of before that of the Challenger is landed.
FATAL ACCIDENT IN A CHURCH.—Mr. G. S. Brent
has just held an inquest on the body of George Pearce,
aged 30, who had for some time past been engaged at
work at the large Irvingite church now building in
Gordon-square, Saint Pancras. On Tuesday evening
last, after leaving work, he met some companions, with
whom he indulged to excess, and on making his appea-.--
a,nce next morning, the foreman, observing him to be
labouring under the influence of the previous night's
libations, sent him away, telling him to go home and
get himself all right. Instead of doing so, however, lie
recommenced drinking, and the police being about to
take him into custody for creating a disturbance in the
neighbourhood, he ran away towards the building above-
named and ascending into the belfry, it is supposed fell
asleep, his body being subsequently found on the ground,
a distance from thence of ninety-six feet, by some of his
fellow-workmen, in a frightfully mutilated condition.
He was forthwith conveyed to the University College
Hospital, but it was found that he was quite dead, and
that his back was broken, and his head dreadfully shat-
tered. Verdict, "Accidental death."
SINGULAR PHENOMENON AT ABERDARE.—A curious
circumstance has just occurred at the Gadlys Iron and
Coal Company's works in the vicinity of Aberdare, in
Glamorganshire, where, as some workmen were sinking
a shaft at a distance of 53 yards below the surface, they
came upon a most extensive mass or " blower " of ex-
plosive gas, which burst out of the solid rock. This
occurrence impeded further operations for some time ;
but at length a plan was devised by Mr. E. Williams,
the manager, by which the explosive agent was collected
and carried to the surface in a succession of pipes. This
was properly and successfully carried out, and at a
height of five yards from the ground the gas was ignited,
when it burst out into a flame three yards in length. At
night this luminous mass attracts great attention, and
can be seen for a great distance. Competent judges
state that it will last for a length of time.
TELEGRAPH TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT.—Tho tele-
graphic communication between Lymington, in Hamp•
shire, and Osborne House, in the Isle of Wight, is nearly
completed. The telegraph cable across the Solent Ni ill
be laid down this week. It will cross from Hurst
Castle to near Yarmouth. Three submarine cables
be required for this line—one for Keyhaven, another
across the Solent sea, and another across the Medina
river. The telegraph is laid under the ground from
Yarmouth to Cowes. It will cost several thousand
pounds. It would be most desirable to remove the
telegraph station from Lymington to Hurst Castle,
where a look out could be kept, and with a proper
system of signals every mail packet could be telegraphed
to Southampton or London, night or day.
CITY MONUMENT TO THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.—
We are given to understand that the Well;.ngton Statue
Committee, of Guildhall, of which Mr. John Wood is
chairman, have selected the models sent in by the six
following sculptors as those entitled to the premium of
100 guineas each :—Adams, Behnes, Bell, Foley, Smith,
and Thomas. The number of models before the com-
mittee was thirty. The committee have not yet deter-
mined upon the selection of a model for the monument,
and it is not known whether any one of the above-men-
tioned artists is to be engaged to carry into execution
the great work.