The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-23 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TOMORROW,
Nanning.— ...... 6 minutes after 21 Evening

On the bit of May will be published, price 25. 6d., No. 111. of
THE MONTHLY CHRONICLE.
Principal Contributors—
E. L. BULWER, Esq., M.P., Dr. LAklbtiElt, &C. &C.
Principal Contents—
Life and Writings of Scott. !Warming and Ventilating—Ar-
Character and Speeches of Lord nott's and Joyce's Stoves.
Brougham. Zicri, a Tale (continued).
The Irish Church. &e. &c. &c.
London : Longman, Orme, and Co.

The publication of Tux SUN NEWSPAPER commenced this day
at I minutes past Three o' Clock.

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WITH WHICH
" THE TRUE SU;" IS NOW

INCORPORATED.

LONDON :
MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 23, 1838.

In another part of our Journal will be found a re-
turn of the Number of Newspaper Stamps issued the
year before the reduction of the duty on Newspapers
and issued since, which has been laid before the
House of Commons, with a view to show, prior to the
Budget being brought forward, the effects of the re-
duction.. We believe the return will scarcely justify the
anticipations of the most zealous advocates of lowering
thi duty, though it bears out fully the opinion of those
who stated that the reduction from three-pence one-fifth
of a penny to one penny, would cause a loss to the reve-
nue of one half. In the year ending September, 1836, the
whole amount of the Stamp duty on Newspapers was,
443,2781., and ending September, 1837, 217,480/. The
return embraces also the first half of the present year,
and indicates a slight falling off as compared to 1837.
This was perhaps to be expected, as the change natu-
rally tempted more persons to embark in the Newspaper
trade at first Than could finally be successful.
The increase in the number of Journals in 1837,
was in London 14, English Provincial 43, in Scotch
11, being in each class an increase of about one-fifth ;
the greatest comparative increase being, by a trifle, in the
English Provincial Journals, one-half of which increase,
however, seems to have been suppressed in the pre-
sent year. The number of Irish Journals has dimi-
nished since the reduction by no less than 16, or
nearly one-fourth, though the number of stamps
issued on the whole to Irish Journals, increased a very
little in the year 1837, and indicates no falling off in
the present year. But it must be recollected that the
reduction of the stamp duty on them was about lid.
only, it having been 2d. formerly, and being at pre-
sent id.

The increase in the number of stamps.in 1837 was
for London, and for Scotch Journals rather more,
and on English provincial journals rather less, than one
half on the number issued in 1836. Thus the alteration
has tended considerably more to increase the circulation
of journals previously existing, which has augmented
one-half, than to call new ones into existence, which
have inereased in the proportion of only one-fifth. The
number of London and of Scotch Journals is slightly
increased in the first half of the present year, while the
number of English provincial Journals is considerably
diminished, as compared to 1837. It is therefore to
be inferred that it is onl♦ in the provincial towns of
England where the demand for Newspapers has been
overrated, and where the progress of intelligence is
less rapid than was anticipated.
It must be remembered that in 1836 the excitement
caused by the Reform Act was not wholly passed
away, and that in 1837 and 1838 the political world has
been remarkably dull ; nor have there been any events of
commanding interest to give an impulse to the circu-
lation of Newspapers. On the whole, therefore, the
returns may be considered as affording another proof
that to reduce taxes greatly promotes consump-
tion. We may on this ground recommend to the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER wholly to
abolish the Stamp duties both on newspapers
and on advertisements. The sum obtained by
the Exchequer from those two sources is trifling, and
though it would then get nothing directly from news-
papers, the great increase of general business which
the increase in their circulation would cause, would
prevent the revenue suffering much by the total
abolition of the Stamp-duty. The high and proper
ground, however, on which to place our advocacy of
the total abolition is that newspapers are the means of
diffusing intelligence, and that the wealth and happi-
ness of the community will be at all times propor-
tionate to the sum of intelligence existing among the
people. Flow much that would be augmented by the
abolition of the stamp duties, we cannot tell, but
we may affirm, that the increase of newspaper circula-
tion consequent on the reduction of taxation, is an
index to the immense mass of business in every branch
of human life, which is suppressed, stifled, and anni-
hilated by taxation. The reduction of the tax has
done much to promote the circulation of newspapers ;
the abolition of it would do more ; and there does not
exist a single other tax of which it may not also be
said, that the reduction and abolition of it would, in
like manner, and to some similar degree, promote the
use and consumption of the articles on which it is
levied, and greatly increase the mass of business and
of enjoyment.

The Herald of Saturday informs us that the price
of corn is already rising abroad :
" In consequence of vast purchases by English corn mer-
chants ; and the reason assigned for these purchases, is, the
expected_ effect of Colonel Seale's Bill in opening the British
Market to the introduction of Foreign grain."
The fact of the rise of prices abroad is, we believe,
correct, and though the purchases of our merchants
may have caused that rise, we are induced to attribute
them, in part at least, to a more provident foresight than
the expectation that Colonel SEALE'S Bill would be-
come law. Our merchants know the influence of
the landlords in the House of Peers too well to
speculate on the chance of their passing that
measure. Their purchases are made in relation,
we believe, to a much more interesting, and for the
half-starved people of England, a fearful anticipation.
The store of corn on the Continent is by no means
large. An absolute dearth is already said to have
made itself felt in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
The season has commenced here most inauspiciously.
All the provincial newspapers received in town within
the last few days speak in the most gloomy terms of
the cold and wet weather. It has long ago been ob-
served that a cold, wet Spring, is, in England, the
sure forerunner of a greatly deficient harvest. To a
knowledge of all these circumstances we attribute
the reported purchases of our merchants ; and
their provident conduct, which is precisely what we
should recommend, will probably be rewarded by a
corresponding gain. We hope that they will in good
time—and they have ample means—cram every granary
in the country, under the custom-house lock, with
in spite of the Corn-laws,
corn, so that our people,
may be saved from famine. So determined are the
unblushing advocates of that unrighteous scheme, to
enrich the landlords, by stinting the people of food, to
uphold it, that they object to Colonel SEALE s Bill,
that it may enable our ship-owners to victual their
vessels at a cheaper rate, and so compete with
theyshippi, r nations. The selfish landlords
down Great Britain's commer-

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