The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-17 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 17, 1854.

ivy R. ALBERT SMI'TH'S MONT BLANC,
1... V IL Including the BERNESE OBERLAND and the SIMPLON,
THIS EVENING, and Every Evening at Eight o'Clock, (except
Saturday) ; and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Mornings, at Twu.
Stalls, 3s. (which can he taken at the box• office every day from
11
till 4; area, 25.; gallery, Is.—Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly.

CONSTANTINOPLE and the WAR at 'the
EGYPTIAN HALL.—" Had it not been for the cold, I should
have believed that I saw the Diorama at the Egyptian Had, with
the restless tide of London street life surging around me."—The
Eastern Correspondent of the Daily News. The Lecture is delivered
on Wednesdays and Saturdays by Mr. J. H. STOQUELLER, an i
on the other days by Mr. C. KENNEY—DaiIy at Half-past Two
and Eight.—Admission, Is

LAU RENT' S CASINO, ARGYLE ROOMS,
.K. 4 (Lessee, CUAS. C. LAURENT, Onslow-house, Fuaani-road),

—The 'above Rooms are now OPEN FOR THE SEASON.
and will continue open every evening, with LAURENVS
CELEBRATED BAND. Constantinople Quadrille, Sultan Polka,
Fair Star WiVtz, and Ovarian 4 Mail Galop, by D'Albert ; also, by H.
La•zrent , the following Waltzes - La belle Francais°, Leonora, Villi-
kins and his Dinah, Admission, Is. Doors open at half-past 8.
Dancing to commence at 9 o'clock, and ter:oinate at half-past 11.

PERIODICAL PRESS AND NE WSPAPE.R

STAMP.

The House of Commons was last night employed in
discussing a resolution worded singularly in accordance
with the difficulty of the subject and the present state
of public affairs. If there is one thing harder than
another it is to decide what is news and what is not
news ; and, if there is one time more unfavourable than
another for a process which may probably end in sacri-
ficing
an important item of revenue, it is a European I
war. So the resolution proposed by Milner Gibson,
and adopted by the house, was, that in the opinion of '
that house "the laws in reference to the periodical press
and newspaper stamp are ill-defined and unequally en-
forced, and that the subject demands the early conside- I
ration of Parliament." A milder resolution it would
be impossible to devise. In the abstract it is uncle- ,
niable ; for the smallest thought is sufficient to remind
one that the legal idea of a newspaper and the present
application of the stamp are so capricious as to escape
all ordinary powers of understanding. As to the " early
consideration" which it is said the subject demands,
that is a very small affair ; and when Lord Palmerston
professed himself ready to acquiesce in the resolution,
supposing it was understood to make no malicious
reflections, he doubtless thought the prospect
of a committee on the subject remote enough to
give him little concern. On the whole, we
cannot say we think the evening very profitably
employed. What is to come of the resolution I
Wnat fact is better known, what opinion is advanced,
by the revelations of the debate or the unanimity of its
conclusion? The real difficulties of the question are in-
herent in the matter, for, practically, it would be impos-
sible to insist on the stamp in every case where a weekly
publication communicated a single_ incident of the pre-
vious week ; yet, the moment the'isgonr of the rule is
mitigated with mercy and common sense, the law be-
comes, in the words of Mr. Milner Gibson, " ill defined
and unequally enforced."
Mr. Milner Gibson, indeed, seems purposely to con-
tent himself with stating the imperfectious of the law,
and urging consideration, just stopping short of any
practical result, or any intimation of the result which
ho thought the proposed consideration should lead to.
That intimation, however, was more than supplied by
Mr. Bright, who took up the subject exactly where Mr.
Gibson had left it, and thus moulded a vague resolution
into a very distinct proposal. It would hardly be fair to
assume that Mr. Gibson and Mr. Bright were last night
hunting in couples, and that the former was only driving
the fish into the latter's net ; yet we cannot see what
consistent conclusion can be come to except that which
Mr. Bright has supplied. Take the periodicals in-
stanced in the course of the debate. Here are the
Household Narrative of Current Events, the Penny Com-
mercial Journal, the Musical Times, the Racing Times,
the Athenceum, the Literary Gazette, the Law Times,
the Medical Gazette, the Potteries Free Press, the
Political Examiner, and the English Republic. Of
some of these we cannot be expected to know more than
the titles ; but, if their titles stand for anything, they
contain news as well as comments, for it is impossible
to comment upon events without stating them. But
when the reader has added to the list various periodicals
within his own knowledge, he will perceive that it is
impossible to draw the line between a periodical that
gives news and one that does not. It is true, we can
readily imagine a publication not giving news. A clergy-
man might publish his sermon every Monday morning
as preached the day before ; a moralist might publish a
paper such as those in the Spectator or the Rambler of
last century ; and in these cases there certainly need be
no news and no allusion to passing events ; but the pe-
riodicals under discussion are of a very different sort
They relate facts of some kind or other. This they do
on their own admission, for there is not one that we are
aware of that has not a stamped edition for the purpose
of passing through the post. Yet it would be little less
than ridiculous to pounce upon any one of them and
compel it to be stamped, simply because here and there
it told us news which was possibly old, possibly of no
general or considerable importance, but still news. Here,
then, is the difficulty. For the purposes of revenue we
are obliged to tax news, as a species of mental luxury.
In so doing Government has in its view the broad sheet
of the British newspaper, with its interminable columns
of Parliamentary, foreign, domestic, military, civil, scien-
tific, and legal intelligence. But, unfortunately, the de-
finition must embrace more than such cases, yet it can-
not, without a sort of reductio ad absurdum, embrace all.
As to the abstract propriety of removing the tax
there can be but one opinion, since news cannot be
classed with spirituous liquors or tobacco—luxuries
that do more harm than good, and which therefore it is
right to discourage. Just now it is not very likely that
the Chancellor of the Exchequer will give up a source
of revenue. There is, perhaps, some sort of fanciful
propriety in making those who were so anxious for the
war, and who are now still more anxious for tidings
from 'the seat -of war, contrebutela its expenses. 0 ther-
w ise, with all our talk about knowledge, about the
achievements of science, about education, schools,
churches, enlightenment, and Heaven knows what not,
there is something positively ridiculous in taxing that
intelligence which really constitutes the great medium
of a civilised country. We make a great stir about
teaching everybody to read, and the State, that is, the
nation, pays a quarter of a million a-year in teaching
children to do little more than read. Then we proceed
to tax the first thing that everybody reads. In this
way the newspapers pay for the education of the coun-
try, for they find their expenses aggravated and their
circulation restricted by an impost about equal to the
sum spent in educating the masses. But we have
several times enlarged on the absurdity of a tax
which, as it is a tax on news, is a tax on know-
ledge, and is thus a tax on light, a tax on educa-
tion, a tax on truth, a tax on public opinion, a
tax on good order and good government, a tax on society,
a tax on the progress of human affairs, and on the
working of human institutions. Mr. Milner Gibson,
however, left all this to Mr. Bright, and judiciously
stinted his expectations to some possible interpretation
or declaration of the existing law that should remove all
obscurities as to its sense, and all inequality of opera-
tion. For the reasons above stated we do not think he
will ever obtain these results. We cannot think he
seriously desires them. There is no such distinct line
between news and no news, so long as we permit any
allusion to passing events, unless it is of a purely moral
or religious nature. A sermon is not news, but almost
anything short of a sermon is news, and would come
within the range of a tax scientifically and unsparingly
levied. However, the House of Commons is only com-
mitted to an opinion on the subject, and may attach
what meaning it pleases to the " early consideration''
which it has unanimously declared the subject to re-
quire. It will be time to discuss the question more
closely when the Russians have left the Principalities
and our fleets the two seas ; or when the unquiet spirit
that now molests the peace of Europe shall have
descended to that grave whither myriads of his victims
have preceded him.--Times.

THE WAR._

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

THE SCREW FRIGATE AMPBION.—The electric tele-
graph from the north appears to be playing some strange
tricks with the Amplii on, 34, screw, Capt. A. C. key.
We scouted the report of this ship having run ashore,
and her officers and crew having been made prisoners at
Revel. The telegraph now formally contradicts the
"unfounded rumour, and we have a letter from the ship,
from which we extraob the following :—" Amphion,
11th May, Memel. All well on board," &c.
TEE FRENCH FLEET.--The French Baltic division
was left by the Tyne, storeship, Master-Commander
Tucker, in Wingo Sound, on the 9th inst. Simulta-
neously with the launch of the Royal Albert, 131,
at Woolwich, the French:launched from Rochefort the
Ulm, a screw ship of 100 guns. The French, it is said,
are behindhand with their machinery ; but it is an-
nounced that the two screw ships of the line, Jean Bart
(new ship) and Napoleon, were in the roadstead at
Toulon. _ _ _

By the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Iberia, which arrived at Southampton yesterday,
we learn from Gibraltar that the Bth company of Royal
Sappers and Miners, under the command of Captain
Bourchier, R.E, consisting of Lieutenants Baynes and
Graves, and 100 rank and file, embarked on the 29th
ult. onboard the screw steamer Albatross, for convey-
ance to the East. A number of Spanish draught mules,
purchased at Gibraltar for the use of the Sappers and
Miners, had also been shipped by the Albatross.
The.3otb. Regiment embarked from Gibraltar for Con-
stantinople on the Ist inst., on board the Cunard steamer
Cambria.
The horse transport ship Mangerton, with a battery
of artillery, passed the Straits of Gibraltar on the 29th

ult.
The Courier, No. 50 transport, with the left wing of
the 39th Foot, under command of Major Wolf, and the
Star of the South, No. 49, with the head-quarters of
the same regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
Munro, arrived in the Bay of Gibraltar on the 30th ult.
The Timandra, No. 51, with the head-quarters of the
89th, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ferry-
man, likewise arrived on the same day. They disem-
barked at the New Mole on the Ist inst. The Earl of
Lonsdale steamtug had been engaged by Government.
The Caduceus, No. 19, horse transport, put into
Gibraltar on the 28th ult. having Colonel Dupuis, of
the Royal Artillery, and staff officers belonging to the
expedition. _ _ _

The screw transport ship Victoria, with the main
body of the 19th Foot, passed through the Straits of
Gibraltar on the 29th ult. en route to the East.

The Miranda, 15, screw corvette, Captain Lyons,
arrived at Spithead during the night of Monday, and
went into Portsmouth harbour yesterday morning to fill
up with coal, provisions, &c. with all despatch.
The Sphynx, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, was un-
docked at Portsmouth yesterday, after a thorough
repair, and will haul into the steam basin this day to be
fitted for sea.

The Curacoa, 30, new screw steam-frigate, will be re-
moved from the steam basin at Portsmouth to-day, to be
coppered in dock, and hastened for commission.
Her Majesty's screw steam-ship Algiers, 90, was
warped from the jetty at Plymouth to her sailing moor-
ings on Monday, and will commence receiving her guns
on Tuesday.
The Calcutta, 84, Captain Stopford, was placed in the
north dock at Plymouth on Monday, to have her copper
examined and repaired.
The Indus, 80, having been coppered, was taken out
of dock at Plymouth on Monday.
The Portland, 50, was towed to the jetty at Plymouth
on Monday to be examined.
The Rhadamanthus, paddle-wheel steam storeship,
Master Commander John Belam, passed Woolwich on
Monday for Deptford, where the will remain two or
three days to unload and reload stores, and then go to
Woolwich to complete her cargo of stores, previous to
again proceeding to the western ports.

-Capiain Gascoyne, 1 subaltern, 2 sergeants, 2 corpo-
rals, 1 drummer, and 90 privates of the Chatham divi-
sion of Royal Marines, will come up to Woolwich by the
North Kent Railway this morning, and there be joined
by 1 sergeant, 2 corporals, 1 drummer, and 46 privates
of the Woolwich division, and the whole, consisting of
2 officers and 144 non-commissioned officers and men,
will then proceed to Loudon en route to Portsmouth, to
embark at that port for service in the Powerful, 84.
The period of service of the Captain Superintendent
of Pembroke Dockyard, Sir Thomas Pasley, expired on
the sth inst., his full term having then been completed.
An extension of time has been given, but it is not yet
known who will be his successor. Sir Thomas, by his
kind and considerate conduct, has won the good wishes
of all classes.

The last draught of the Coast-guard has been fetched
from the Pembroke district, the whole of the able men
under 50 years of age having been now taken.
The small detachment of the Royal Artillery have been
actively employed in mounting the remainder of the guns
sent for the arming of the fort at the west end of the
yard at Pembroke. A large quantity of shot and shell
is in store ; there is not a single gun afloat for protection,
as the Saturn, moored out in the haven, has not one
mounted. _ _

The following appointments have been made :
Captain Thomas Hope (1852) to command the Inde-
fatigable, 50, commissioned yesterday, at Devonport.
Commander Frederick A. Campbell (1846) to the Hor-
net, 16, screw steam-sloop.
Lieutenants Charles 0. H. P. St. John (1846), from
the Excellent gunnery-ship at Portsmouth, and James
A. 11. Dunlop (1853), to the Indefatigable, 50, at Devon-
port. _ _

Several of the Russian prisoners who were on board
the Crocodile, having signed the parole engaging not to
serve against England or France during the present war
with Russia, have been allowed to join the British mer-
chant service, and they have accordingly shipped them-
selves on board the Virginia, bound to Honduras.
The Paramatta, troop-ship, 56, was towed out of Kings-
town Harbour at half-past one o'clock on Saturday, and
on getting outside made all sail with the wind .at
There were loud cheers from the shore, heartily re-
sponded to from the ship.
The headquarters and two troops of the 4th (Royal
Irish) Dragoon Guards, arrived in London on Monday
from Newbridge, to await embarkation for the East.
Six transports have been taken up for the conveyance of
this regiment from Kingstown to its destination.
The Ajax arrived in Cork on Sunday morning from
Portsmouth, with 100 men of the Royal Artillery on
board. We are informed that 75 of them, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant Annkettle, will be quartered in Spike
Island, Carlisle Fort, and Camden Fort.
Her Majesty has been pleased to appoint Brevet Lieu-
tenant-Colonel William M. G. M‘Murdo, of the 78th
Highlanders, to serve as Assistant-Adjutant-General on
the staff of the army in Ireland, vice Lieutenant-Colonel
Charles Hastings Doyle, appointed to the staff of the
Expeditionary Army under Lord Raglan.
On Monday last the 97th Regiment (Earl of Ulster's)
had a brilliant field-day in the Home-park, Windsor.
After marching past in slow time, they formed hollow
square, and medals were presented to Sergeant-Major
Derman, Colour-Sergeant Lapham, and privates Hart
and Hughes, for length of service and meritorious con-
duct, by Major Weleford, commanding the parade, who
embraced this opportunity of saying that be hoped ere
long he should see every officer and man with a well-
earned medal for distinguished service in the field, and
at the same time rewarded by their country's gratitude.
This corps, we understand, leaves Windsor on Monday,
the 22d, for Southampton, having secured the best wishes
of the inhabitants, who part with great regret from so
well-conducted a body of men. Its destination, be be-
lieve, is Athens, being part of the force told off for spe-
cial service.
The depot of the Bth (Royal Irish) Hussars will em-
bark at Bristol on the 20th inst., for Newbridge, there
to be stationed.

The depot of the 3d Buffs arrived in Dublin on Mon-
day evening from Naas, and proceeded to the terminus
of the Drogheda Railway, em route for Newry, there to
be stationed. _ _ _

vv
The depot of the 2d Regiment, which has been for
some time stationed at Fermoy, has arrived in Belfast,
to replace the 12th Regiment, removed to Cork.
Another depot, that of the 68th, is expected from
Newry, in Belfast, so that the depots of two regiments
will in future form the garrison of Belfast.
The head-quarters and last troop of the 11th Hussars
left Portobello Barracks at half-past eight o'clock a.m.
on Monday morning, under the command of Major
Douglas, and proceeded to Kingstown for embarkation.
On their departuro from Portobello Barracks they were
preceded by the bands of the Royal Horse Artillery, 3d
Dragoon Guards, and 16th Lancers, and were accom-
panied to Kingstown by a large number of mounted
Dragoons from the different cavalry corps in Dublin and
crowds of civilians. The depot of this corps left Dublin
on Monday, and proceeded to Newbridge, there to be
stationed.
Lieutenant Bamfield, 2d, or Queen's superintending
officer in Limerick, received instructions on Friday to
raise men in this district for the following cavalry regi-
ments :-4th and sth Dragoon Guards, Ist Royal Dra-
goons, Bth and 11th Hussars, 13th Dragoons, and 17th
Lancers. The standard is for heavies 5 feet 61 inches
to 5 feet 9 inches for men under 25 years, and growing
lads under 19 years 5 feet 6to 5 feet 8 inches. For the
lights, 5 feet 61 to 5 feet 8 for men under 25 years ; for
lads under 19 years 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 7 inches.
An order is daily expected in Limerick to raise men
for the Royal Artillery.
Orders have been received to fit up the military bar.
racks at Clonmel and Parsonstewn as places of confine.
ment for Russian prisoners who may be taken during
the war, it being deemed advisable to locate them wher-
ever suitable and safe accommodation is found as far
inland as possible.
The 90th Light Infantry has been held in readiness to
prooeed to India.
The depot of the 11th Hussars left Dublin on Mon-
day for Newbridge.
A troop of the 16th Lancers left Dublin on Monday
for Cork, there to be stationed.
Major the Hon. A. Spencer's troop of Royal Horse
Artillery has arrived in the garrison at Woolwich from

[PRICE SD.

••
Christchurch., where the troop had been stationed fo r
some time past. • •
It is understood that the 27th Regiment (under orders
for India) will leave immediately on the arrival of the tran-
sport chartered for their conveyance, which is expected
in the course of the present week.

DESTRUCTION OF THE JASPER, GUN-BOAT.
We announced in yesterday's impression the loss of
the 3-gun paddle-wheel steam-vessel Jasper, on her way
from Plymouth to the Baltic, where she was to be em-
ployed as a gun-boat attached to the fleet of Vice-Ad-
miral Sir Charles Napier, for which service she was
commissioned about three weeks since by Lieutenant
Crawley, R.N., with a crew of 25 men and seven officers.
She was one of the few makeshift gun-boats hurriedly
commissioned and equipped for the Baltic when the ne-
cessity for a flotilla of that craft became apparent to the
Admiralty. The Jasper was an old packet on the Pem-
broke or Hobbs' Point station, and was latterly used as
a tug, similar to the Pigmy, a sister vessel, and also
adapted at Portsmouth to the service of a gun-boat for
the Baltic. She was 112 feet 6 inches long, 21 feet 4
inches in breadth, having 12 feet 5 inches depth of hold,
of 233 tons, and 100 horse-power, and stowed coals
equal to two days 11-12ths steaming. She carried the
upper part of her lower paddle-floats 1 foot 51, inches
under water, and her draught as a packet, without ar-
mament, was 8 feet 7i inches forward, and 8 feet 9
inches abaft. She was lately fitted with one long 32-
, pounder of 56 cwt., and two 18-pounder carronades,
which, doubtless, immersed her several inches more.
Having been equipped for sea, she left Plymouth Sound
at 4 p.m. on Saturday last for the Baltic. It seems all
went well until the morning of Monday, when, at
6.40 a.m., Beachy Head bearing north and by west
about 14 miles, the commander, who was keeping the
morning watch, perceived some flame issuing from the
air-casing of the funnel, and sent for the engineer, Mr.
Hall, to ascertain the cause; the "report" was speedily
returned that the bulkhead at the after part of the boilers
was on fire. The engines were stopped, and all hands
piped to quarters to extinguish the fire ; the hose of the
engine-room pump was instantly rigged, and every avail-
able bucket or other vessel was brought into use, but
without success. The hands, under the directions of their
officers, worked at the engine-room pump until the brass
nozzle was burnt off the hose, by which time the smoke
and heat had become so intense that all hands were
obliged to let go the hose. In the meantime, Mr. Batt,
supernumerary second-master, had been sent with a party
of men and Mr. Blellock, the gunner, to drown the pow-
der magazine, but, there being no watercocks fitted for
such a purpose, water was obliged to be poured in by
means of buckets and such other utensils from above as
could be brought into play at the moment.
At 40 minutes past 7, as the flames broke through the
bulkhead of the spirit-room, which was next the maga-
zine, it was necessary, for the preservation of life, te
abandon the vessel. The ship's boats were accordingly
cleared away and manned w;th their proper crews, and
then the word was given for every one to save himself
and take to the boats, which was done with much order
and coolness, the commander remaining on board the
burning vessel until every other person was safely in the
boats, and all had been mustered and answered to their
names. The boats were then rowed away from the ves-
sel to about half a mile distance, and there lay to, await-
ing the inevitable explosion.
At about 8 30 the smoke on board appeared to sub-
side ; and a consultation was held by the commander
with his officers, at which it was deemed proper to at-
tempt to revisit the ship, and volunteers were asked for
that duty. The master, Mr. Dyer ; Mr. Hall, the en-
gineer ; Mr. Blellock, the gunner ; and Mr. Batt, super-
numerary second master, with four men, rowed back to
the burning wreck to reconnoitre ; they arrived within
half-a-cable's length of her, when the flames suddenly
burst forth again, setting fire to the mainmast, and the
afterpart of the deck fell in with a crash. The boats
then pulled out of harm's-reach to about half-a-mile dis-
tance, and again lay to, and at 9 30 the fire had reached
the shell magazine, and an explosion took place, rending
the vessel and sinking her, stern foremost, in about 20'
fathoms of water. Two ships having perceived the fire
bore down to render assistance, when Lieutenant Craw-
ley despatched a boat to each to warn them not to ap-
proach too near the vessel, as an explosion was inornen,
tarily anticipated, One of the ships, the Vanguard, of
Liverpool, belonging to Messrs. Nicholson and M'Gill,
Crosby master, took the Jasper's boats in tow, and pro-
ceeded with them towards Brighton. The other ship,
whose name we are not in possession of, also sent a boat
to offer assistance, which was declined, with imitable
acknowledgments. Captain Crosby showed the officers
and men of the Jasper every kindness, and offered
theta everything in his possession for their comfort
and assistance, the whole of the unfortunate Jas-
' per's officers and men having barely escaped with a
little clothing. At 5 o'clock on Monday evening the
lost ship's party were landed, after every demonstration
of kindness from Captain Crosby, at Brighton, whence
Lieutenant Crawley telegraphed the destruction of the
vessel to the Admiralty, and asked for instructions. He
was promptly telegraphed back to proceed at once to
Portsmouth, and place himself under the orders of the
Port Admiral. In the meantime, and before that order
from the Admiralty was returned, Mr. Dyer, the mas-
ter, and Mr. Hall, the engineer, communicated with
the local authorities of Brighton, with the view of re-
lieving the temporary wants of the crew (25 men).
The local authorities, the " superintendent of police,"
and the " high constable" of Brighton rendered them no
assistance, but, after keeping them waiting for a long
time while they searched for records for information as
to what was usual to be done in such cases, replied to
their application for aid,—" If you had been soldiers we
could have billeted you, but the act of Parliament says
nothing about seafaring people !"
At about 20 minutes past 7, however, the gallant tars
were relieved of all anxiety respecting a meal and lodg-
ing, by the order arriving by telegraph from the Ad-
miralty for Lieutenant Crawley to take his officers and
crew by railway to Portsmouth, where they arrived be-
tween 10 and 11 last night, and were well accommodated
on board the flag-ship Victory, where they await their
trial by court-martial for the loss of their ship.
In contrast to the cold-heartedness of the " local
authorities" of Brighton, we are pleased to report that
Lieutenant Pratt, chief officer of the Coastguard station
there, exhibited the utmost sympathy with his wrecked
comrades, and tendered them the best assistance in his
power, for which, and the unbounded kindness of the
captain of the Vanguard, the officers and men express
the warmest gratitude ; and all speak in the highest
terms of Lieutenant-Commander Crawley, his coolness
in the hour of danger, and his kindly consideration for
the safety of all around him.