The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-15 00:00:00

REDUCTION OF THE NEWSPAPER

STAMP DUTY.

This day a meeting of the supporters of Govern-
ment took place at the Foreign Office, according to
circulars issued for that purpose. The CHANCELLOR
of the EXCHEQUER explained to the Meeting what
the intentions of Government were with respect to the
consolidation of Stamps, and particularly of the News-
paper Stamp Duty. He proposed to reduce the
present Stamp Duty of fourpence, with a discount
of twenty per cent. to one penny, without any discount.
This is so far satisfactory ; but to make it both
satisfactory and just to all parties, there must be a dis-
count on the penny, in order to enable Papers to be
sold at fourpence, which is the amount Government
contemplates.
We understand that it is contemplated to abolish
some, or all, of the Libel Laws, which act so op-
pressively on the Press, and are no protection to the
public.

In the House of Commons last night, the Irish
Corporation Bill proceeded in Committee as far as the
forty-first clause, despite the opposition of Lord
STANLEY, who raised sundry specious objections,
which had no other effect than to show the wondrous
expedition with which he is descending to his level.
MARTLNUS SCRIBLERUS, it may be remembered,
wrote a treatise on " The Art of Sinking in Poetry."
We wish his Lordship would favour us with one on
" The Art of Sinking in Politics," for none can be

better qualified for such a task. His faculties of rapid
downward locomotion are incalculable. Those of an
avalanche are nothing to them. We thought he had
sunk as low as he well could sink, when he turned his
back on his old friends, on the plausible pretext of a
conscientious abhorrence of the Irish Appropriation
clause ; but we now find we did him an in-
justice ; for he has since sunk to a depth com-
parel with which his former station was one of
Himalayan altitude. In a word, his Lordship's repu-
tation now lies like truth, at the bottom of a well, and
long indeed must be the rope, and strangely fashioned
the bucket, that can draw it up again. He was never
at any time remarkable for his statesmanlike sagacity ;
the utmost that could be said of him, even in his most
palmy days, was that he was an ingenious, and occa-
sionally an effective, debater ; but since his secessior
from office even this small praise must be denied him ;
for not one speech has he made from the Opposition
side of the House, which has been characterized by
any higher qualities than those of extreme petulance
and acidity. But this is scarcely to be wondered at,
for it is the weakest wine that soonest turns to

v►negar.

The Ultra-Radicals have been constantly in the
habit of asserting that all morn! qualifications were
unnecessary in Members of the House of Peers.
This theory is more popular than sound. Common
sense and discretion are absolutely necessary to those
Members of the Upper House who desire to cut a dis-
tinguished figure as legislators. This proposition—
which three months ago would have startled the
country—has been so often confirmed in the case of
that rnbit magniloquent of Peers, Lord LONDON-
DERRY, that he must be a very infidel who will
henceforth question its correctness. But with all his
buffoonery, we could not help pitying the Noble Mar-
quis, when, after his harangue about Spain, in the
House of Lords last night, he discovered that he had
ran foul of the Duke of WELLINGTON. He looked
the very personification of mortified vanity, fear, and
despair. He had dared to take the lead when it was
his duty to have followed, and dearly did he pay for
his temerity. Plied with questions on all sides, he
knew not what to answer ; and in the hurry and con-
fusion, blundered on from bad to worse, till, in imita-
tion of his antitype, the bright satellite of the " Wor-
shipful Master SHALLOW," he fairly called upon the
House to write him down as egregious a noodle
as ever wore a coronet. The chastisement
thus inflicted upon the Tory Marquis will teach
the disciples of the Noble Duke, in both Houses,
a very useful lesson. They will learn in future
not to presume to attack Ministers without
having previously obtained his Grace's express sanc-
tion of such proceedings. In fact, upon the question
of Spain the Tories have, from the beginning, entirely
mistaken the sentiments of the Duke of WELLING-
TON ; and their organs, with the single exception of
the Times, have fallen into the same fatal error. This
is the real cause of the blundering exhibitions of recri-
minative buffoonery, which have been so repeatedly
exhibited in both Houses of Parliament since the
opening of the present Session. The MACLEANS
and the LONDONDERRYS must be more cautious for
the time to come in pretending to fathom the policy of
the Noble Duke. Long, deep, and bitter will be their
regret for the offences which they have committed;
but if they possess one grain of common sense, they
will henceforth distrust the promptings of that ambition
which induced them to move out of leading-strings. To

convince the Marquis of LONDONDERRY that we really
sympathize with him, instead of taking any pleasure in
his repeated mortifications, we will let him into a
secret that may he of use to him on some future oc-
casion. The secret, which is one to nine-tenths of
the Tories, is this : --The Duke of Wellington is as
eager for the triumph of the Queen of SPAIN and
the utter defeat of Don CARLOS as are the Mem-
bers of His MAJEsTy's present Cabinet. The only
question upon which the Noble Duke differs from
Lord MELBOURNE'S Administration, is as regards
the efficacy of a vo!untary auxiliary force. His
Grace holds it as his opinion that if England inter-
fered at all—beyond supplying the Queen of SPAIN
with military stores and money—such interfCrence
ought to consist in marching an army into the country
sufficient to overwhelm the Carlists. We cannot
see the distinction between granting military stores,
which the Duke of WELLINGToN did, and
permitting volunteers to enlist in the Spanish ser-
vice. But this is a point of no particular
consequence. In all essential matters the Noble
Duke Cs views exactly coincide with those of his MA-
JESTY'S Government ; and with respect to direct in-
tervention, we have always maintained the same opinion
as his Grace. We have said from the commence-
ment of the war, that Great Britain was bound by the
spirit of the quadruple treaty to march a regular army
into Spain, and to effect the expulsion of Don CARLOS
from that country. We have never swerved from that
opinion.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER is pledged
to bring the question of the Newspaper Stamp Tax
before the House of Commons this evening. We will
not attempt to anticipate the measure which his MA-
jesty's Ministers may propose as a remedy for an evil
which is no longer endurable. A few hours, and the
whole scheme will be before the public, in a form of
which the leading points cannot be mistaken. Our
principal object in referring to the question is to re-
peat the substance of our article of yesterday, with respect
to the total abolition of this impost. We stated then,
on the maturest deliberation, and after having examined
the question in all its bearings, that we preferred a
large reduction to the total abolition of the tax, as
nothing would tend more to widen the circulation of
Newspapers than the facility of sending them free of
postage. Every inquiry strengthens this conviction.
In the Panzphlet published by Mr. CHARLES
KNIGHT, from which we made some. extracts yester-
day, we find this view of the question so ably stated,
that we are induced to quote the passage at the hazard
of its being thought too long. It is as follows:

" There is no one who has contemplated the entire aboli-
tion of the Newspaper tax, who has not also contemplated the
circulation of Newspapers by the post upon the payment of
a small rate of postage. The precedent for this mode of
charging for the circulation is to be found in the practice of
the United States. Magazipes and pamphlets are also cir-
culated in the United States upon the payment of a postage.
We copy the following regulations upon this matter from the
American Almanack for Is36:

' NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
' For each Newspaper not carried out of the State in which
it is published, or if carried out of the State, not carried over
180 miles, 1 cent. Over 100 miles, and out of the State in
which it is published, 11 cents.
' MAGAZINES AND PAMPHLETS.
' If published periodically, distance } 100 miles I i cents per
not exceeding sheet.
' If published periodically, distance
over lOO
' If not published periodically, dis- }
100
tance not exceeding
4 If not published periodically, dis- }
100
tance over
_ _ _ __

' Every printed Pamphlet or Magazine which contains more
than 24 pages on a royal sheet, or any sheet of less dimen-
sions, shall be charged by the sheet ; and small pamphlets,
printed on a half or quarter sheet of royal or less size, shall be
charged with half the amount of postage charged on a full
sheet.'

" This postage, it will be seen, is a graduated postage ;
but not varying for more than a farthing according
to distance. The Newspapers of the United States, as we
have bofore shown, arc multiplied precisely in the ratio of
local demand. Few circulate, we conceive, out of the State
in which they are published ; and not a great many 100
miles from their place of publication. The local character
of the Newspapers of the United States is an inevitable re-
sult of the immense extent of the territory. The national
character of the Newspapers of the United Kingdom is an
inevitable result of the concentration of the territory. The
returns of the amount of Newspaper postage of the United
States, shew, that if the low rate of postage was charged on
all paper, 25,000,000 out of the 75,000,000 would go by
post. But take three-fourths at the low rate, and one-fourth
at the higher rate, and then 22,000,000 go by post, or about
two-sevenths of the number printed. Of the British papers,
at least four-sevenths go by post. Large as the amount is of
American Neaspapers sent by post, we are still in no condi-
tion to say that the system of charging a postage could be one
of practical application in this country. Of the 20,000,000
of papers annually published in London, 13,000,000 were
transmitted through the General Post Office to various parts
of the United Kingdom in 1830. A great number of London
papers are transmitted daily and weekly by rapid coach con-
veyance, and a great number remain in London. But here
are nearly seven-tenths of the whole number published that
have circulated through the General Post. Taking the pro-
portions of the stamps delivered to the daily and weekly papers,
these seven-tenths would give a daily transmission through the
post of about 25,000 newspapers, but on a Saturday, when the
weekly newspapers are transmitted, the number would be about
50,000, making a total of 200,000 weekly. The number of news-
papers, therefore, at present sent through the London post is more
than the number of letters, of which 196,000 were dispatched.
in an average week in 1828. The yearly total of letters
transmitted through the General Post Office from London in
1828 was 10,219,000. The yearly total of newspapers trans-
mitted through the General. Post Office, from London, in
1830 was 12,962,000. But take off the stamp from news-
papers, and their circulation by post would be at least
doubled—it might be trebled. With the present machinery
of the Post Office, or indeed with any machinery but one
most cumbrous and expensive, newspapers could not be cir-
culated at all from London, if they had to be examined and
charged. They now have only to be sorted. They are put
in at the last hour, and they can only be arranged accord-
ing to their places of destination. Thus it is, that although
a partial examination occasionally takes place, by way of
punishing a stray delinquent, a great deal of correspondence
is carried on by writing on newspapers. With a doubled or
trebled sale of newspapers, the mechanical difficulties of their
being charged with postage are so formidable, that the advo-
cates of this mode of raising a revenue, in substitution for
the stamp, abandon their American precedent, and give up
the notion of a graduated charge according to distance.
Whether a newspaper go therefore from London to Windsor,
or from London to Thurso, the one being 22 miles, and the
other 783, the charge of postage is to be the same. But
there is another difficulty, if that of the assessment of dis.
tance were got over, and that is the assessment of weight.
There must be sonic limit, of one ounce or of two ounces,
for the weight of a single newspaper. A double Times will
weigh very nearly two ounces. If there were no limit many
papers would be put under one cover. And then, again,
magazines and pamphlets, and indeed every description of
printed book, would be thought to have as much claim to be
circulated by the post as the newspaper, provided the news..
paper did not pay a stamp duty, which gives it a privilege
of circulation. The graduated scale of the United States
for the postage of magazines and pamphlets, would be ex-
ceedingly difficult of application for London, from which
Heady 250 periodicals issue every month. The regulations
of the United States charge the postage of pamphlets at a
certain rate per sheet, distinguishing between those which
are periodical and those not, and charging the non-periodical
much higher than the higher. Who would be able to deter-
mine all these nice distinctions in the hurry of a London
Post Office? We once thought that a stamped frank, re-
gulated in price according to distance and weight, to be
purchased by the person transmitting the newspaper or
pamphlet, would have surmounted all the difficulty. But
we have long been satisfied that the plan would be imprac-
ticable, because, being incapable of any satisfactory check, it
would have opened- a door to fraud of the most various
description, or would have constantly led to mistakes that
would have been punished as fraud. In point of fact,
with the exception cf prices current catalogues, and a few
other commercial announcements, circulation by post would
not be advantageous in this country to any printed production,
excepting newspapers.
Newspapers, in our mind, have peculiar and exclusive
claims to an unlimited, and, we may add, authorized cir-
culation by post. The whole course of our legislation and
our jurisprudence is now happily one that has essential re-
gard to publicity. •
" The newspaper has become indispensable to the conduct
of public affairs in this country. It is the interest, therefore,
as well as the duty, of those who are concerned in the ad-
ministration of public affairs, to render the newspaper as
efficient as possible. It stands alone in its claims to an
unauthorized circulation by the post. Other works, how-
ever valuable they may be for the education of the people,
are not so perishable as the newspaper, and therefore
do not require this assistance. By commercial arrange.
ments such other publications may be brought within the
reach of the entire population at one and the same time ;
but the printing of the newspaper cannot be anticipated,
and every means ought therefore to be directed to its rapid
distribution. Of late years the Post Office has had a due re-

gard to this point, especially since the exclusive privileges of
clerks of the roads have been abolished. That this care may
be maintained, and that it may be commensurate with the ex-
tended circulation of newspapers under a new system of taxa-
tion, we would not encumber the Post Office with any
enormous addition of labour or responsibility. To transmit
200,000 newspapers every week from London, put up as
they are singly, is a considerable labour. 'l'o transmit
400,000 in the same way,—a number that would in all pro-
bability require to be transmitted if the price of newspapers
were greatly reduced,—would be a large addition to that
labour ; but to assess a postage upon those 400,000 news-
papers, according to distance, or even according to weight
alone, would, in our minds, involve a labour and expense
that would not be adequately purchased by any advantages to
be derived from an entire absence of stamp duties. The
embarrassment of such a system would not, however, end
with the first labours of the Post-office. If newspapers and
all other printed papers were to be sent through the Post,
the receiver paying the postage, the quantities of papers
refused to be taken in would be enormous, for all sorts of
announcements would be thus circulated without limita-
tion. Upon the whole, we can see no practical plan that
will secure the circulation of newspapers through the Post,
without an inconvenience that could be complained of from a

large increase of that circulation, but A LOW STAMP DUTY
UPON ALL NEWSPAPERS."

Here we have an answer to all that has been urged by
the advocates of a total abolition of the Newspaper tax,
arguing from the analogy of the practice in the United
States. At first we expressed ourselves indifferent as
to whether the tax was reduced or abolished ; but now
that we have paid more attention to the possible ope-
ration of the new system—now that we have satisfied
ourselves as to the means of evading the postage of
Newspapers by smuggling, and the door which would be
opened to litigation and abuses of every kind—we are
convinced that a Stamp Tax on NewSpapers sufficient
to cover the •xpense of postage is absolutely necessary.
Of course it r. out of our power to state precisely
what amount of Stamp duty would be required for this
purpose. We believe a halfpenny stamp would suf-
fice : but the country would not grudge a penny—a
sum which would realize a greater amount of revenue
in the course of a year, than the present enormous
impost.

It gives us the sincerest pleasure to find that
Government have at length come to the determination
of granting a free pardon to the Dorchester labourers.
The determination is highly creditable to them, both
as men and as Ministers ; but while we say this, we
cannot but express our regret that it had not been
come to long before. Kindnesses unduly delayed lose
half their value, as wearing the appearance of having
been extorted from the benefactor, rather than as
acceded to by him from motives of pure good-will ;
and so, possibly, in the eyes of many, may it seem
to be on the present occasion. The Dorchester
labourers are no greater offenders now than they
were a year ago ; yet a year ago they were not
deemed worthy of his MAJESTY'S free pardon !
How is it, then, that they are discovered, at this
late date, to be so worthy of the Royal favour ?
If Ministers in all transactions of this kind, where acts
of grace and kindness are to be performed, would bear
in mind SHAKSPEARE'S remark, that "if 'twere
done, then 'twere well, 'twere done quickly," they
would not fail to find their account in it. The people
have been so long habituated to Governments who
hurry forward coercive measures, but procrastinate con-
ciliatory ones, as if the latter could afford to wait, but
the former demanded the utmost energy, that they have
naturally become distrustful of all kindnesses flowing
from a Ministerial fount. However, in this instance,
the courtesy is a well-meant one, originating in the
best motives, and though, unquestionably, it has been
too long withheld, still it is not to be churlishly re-
ceived by the people. Had the Tories been in power,
the Dorchester labourers would have served out their
full time.

The presentation of petitions against some of the
railways projected in the eastern part of London, pro-
duced a conversational discussion in the House of
Commons on Friday night, not altogether unworthy of
remark. The petitions seem, by the statements of the
Hon. Members who presented them, to have for their
object,to oppose the introduction of railroads into the
City or its immediate suburbs, on the principle that great
numbers of persons would be turned out of their houses
were such plans carried into execution. Now, we really
think a more untenable, not to say absurd, ground of ob-
jection than this could not have been taken. Where, we
ask, would have been the improvements which have
taken place during the last twenty years in the metro-
polis, and which have added so much to its beauty, as
well as to the comfort and convenience of its inhabitants,
had this objection been listened to ? Had the princi-
ple contended for in these petitions been adopted, we
must have been content to put up with narrow, crooked
lanes, where we now see wide and handsome streets ;
and as to opening a new street where none existed be-
fore, that would have been out of the question. The
London Docks, the St. Katharine's Docks, and
others, removed a very large proportion of the:po-
pulation of the districts in which they are situated :
but who objected to the removal ? So far from finding
fault with it, it was hailed as a blessing ; for the popula-
tion was crowded together in so dense a mass, that those
localities were the constant abodes of typhus fever, and
other diseases, which arise from a confined and impure
atmosphere. Twice the number of persons who will
have to change, their habitations, on account of
Railroads, have been displaced by the improvements
to which we have alluded, and others of a similar kind
Let those who exhibit so much sqeamishness upon this
point, look to Field-lane, Saffron-hill, the neighbour-
hood of Whitechapel, and many other parts of the
metropolis that might be mentioned, and say whether
the entire depopulation of such districts, compared to
their present state, whether moral or physical, would not
be a consummetion devoutly to be wished ?
To the great bulk of those whom the rail-roads will
remove, it is a matter of little consequence where they
reside ; and to the rest—to all who can show that they
sustain any injury—adequate compensation will be
made. And what more can be required? Some indi-
vidua:s may perhaps prefer remaining where they are to
taenryl y c
jommppocsi
ba
lt
ei o
tno n
s they
the
feelingsreceive,
individuals-
in such cases. The real question is, are rail-roads a
ic'aotu lt
public benefit or not ? If they are, as is universally
acknowledged, then private interests must give way.
We cannot help suspecting that these petitions
speak the sentiments of an exceedingly small minority,
not only of the inhabitants of the parishes through
which the railways complained of arc to pass, but of
the householders who now occupy the proposed lines.
Are the rate-payers aware that in some parishes in
England half the parochial rates are paid by railway
companies ? This is a consideration which we think
the inhabitants of Bethnal-green are not likely to lose
sight of, to say nothing of the many other advantages
which cannot fail to accrue from the rail-road pro-
jected through that poor and populous parish.

We have advices from Madrid to the 4th instant.
They are neither unfavourable nor otherwise, as re-
gards the capital ; but the accounts which they bring
from the Basques are disheartening enough. The
Canon EL BATANERO has been driven beyond
the Ebro, and his band dispersed ; but this good
news is counterbalanced by the sufferings of the
British Legion, and the discontent of General
EVANS, who appears in no humour to remain much
longer in Spain. The sickness of the Legion is attri-
buted by the Spanish and French journals to exces-
sive drinking, ►n a country requiring an abstinence
from spirituous liquors. Five thousand French auxi-
liaries, well officered, were in readiness to march against
the Carlists, on the first summons.

DUBLIN ELECTION COMMITTEE.

The Committee met at half-past 12 yesterday.
Mr. TuEssiGER banded in a list of 42 names fur the pur-
pose of striking them off the majority for the sitting Members.
The list had been agreed to by the agents on ci:licr side in
consequence of the decisions which have been come to by the
Commit tee.

Mr. TIIESSIGER then objected to the vote of John M‘Mahon,
of Upper-Dorset-street, and proposed to read the evidence of
Caleb Palmer in support of his objection.
Mr. Joy contended that the evidence of Palmer could not
be received by the Committee, inasmuch as that evidence had
been placed upon a rejected sheet by the Dublin commission-
ers, in consequence of Palmer being in the room during the
examination of other witnesses. In support of this position
the Learned Gentleman mentioned the fact that the Drogheda
Committee refused to receive the evidence of Mr. O'Connell,
although his evidence only related to the extent of a certain
boundary in Dublin, simply because that Gentleman was in
the committee-room during the examination of other witnesses.
The Learned Gentleman cited other cases in support of his
view of the case.

Mr. THESSIGER in reply contended that the evidence of
Palmer ought to be received.
The Committee retired, and in about ten minutes returned,
when the Chairman stated that it was the opinion of the Com-
mittee that Caleb Palmer's evidence was admissible.

This decision will affect 20 of the sitting Members' votes.

THIS DAY.

The Committee met this morning at the usual hour, and
proceeded with individual cases, where the rates for the year
1834 had not been paid. Ten votes were struck off the
majority of the sitting Members, and at one o'clock, by
arrangement between the parties, the Committee adjourned
till eleven o'clock to-morrow, in order to afford the agents an
opportunity of agreeing, out of Court, upon the votes to be
struck off on both sides for the non-payment of rates.

THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

This morning we have no foreign mails—only ship letters
from Rio Janiero, and Calcutta, Oct. 1; and Mauritius, Dec.
12, all old dates.

THE FUNDS.

The boisterous state of the weather has prevented the ar-
rival of foreign mails this morning, which causes a very great
dearth of intel►igence in the city.
Consols opened this morning at the leaving off quotations
of yesterday, 91; for the Account, and 911 for Money.
Exchequer Bills, 19 21 ; India Bonds, 3 5 ; Bank and
India shut.

In the Foreign Market, owing to a prevailing opinion that
the French Government will interfere in the affairs of Spain,
Spanish Active Bonds have improved on the closing price of
yesterday, from 444 4 to 451 ; Passive, 141; Deferred,
211 22 ; Portuguese, 771 781; Three per cents, 481 ; Co-
lumbian, 301; Mexican, 33 34 ; Dutch two-and-a-half per
cents, 55,1 56/i-; Five per cents, 1024 1934.
BALI-PAST ONE.

The Express from Paris being still due as well as the Fo-
reign Mails cause a great dulness in the operations of the va-
rious Funds to the present hour. Consols have been during
the morning at the opening quotations of 91 1 i for the Ac-
count ; and 911 for Money; Exchequer Bilfs, 19 21 ; India
Bonds, 3 5.

In the Foreign Market, Spanish Active maintains the morn-
ing price of 451 ; Passive, 151; Deferred, 211 22 ; Portu-
guese, 774 78; ; Three per Cents., 481 4 ; Colombian, 301-
31 ; Mexican, 33 34 ; Dutch Two and a Half per Cents.,
554 .561.
Not much doing in Shares, and no material alteration in

the prices.
Letters from Rio Janeiro of the 24th January state that the
Exchange has got up a farthing. Coffee in demand there,
the Americans purchasinc, largely.
The current report (which has prevailed for these two days
past) that the French intervention is about to take place, was
owing to letters being received from Paris, from good autho-
rity, and in which it was stated that leave had been asked of the
English Government in order to agree for 15,000 French
troops to enter Spain, with the view to garrison the Spanish
towns in the North of Spain, in order that the whole of the
Spanish army may be brought to act in the field.

THREE O'CLOCK.

Censcis fir tic Account, 91i
THE FUNDS.-C 1
BRITISH

OSING PRICES.

FUNDS.

rank Stock
1 per Cent. Red .99.14
3 per Cent Cons 91%
15, per Cent.
3% per Cent. Red -101
New 3% per Cent 99,74
I per Cent. Assented
Dissented
Long Annuities to expire
JAL 1860
Oct 1850..... —
Jan.lB6) 1614
FOREIGI

Omnidnn pm
India Stock
___

Ditto Vonds
South Sea Stock
Ditto Old Annuities
Ditto New Annuities
!... x. Bills, 10,0/ 2l pm.
Ditto 500/ 2l pi.
Ditto 5001 2l pm.
Bank Stock for Opg. 219%
India Stock for Act. ..... •,59%
Consols for Act.
FUNDS.

Austrian, 5 par cent
Belgian, 5 per cent lO3
Brazilian Bonds
Buenos Ayres, 6 per cent
Chilian, 6 per cent
Colombian, 6 per cent.
Ditto, 104

rartuguese Bonds, 5 per cent.
Ditto, Now Ditto ",711y,

Prussian. 5 per cent.
Russian Bonds, 5 per cent.
Ditto, Metallic
Spanish, 5 per cent

Danish, 3 per cent
Greek Bonds, 1825, 5 per cent
Mexican, 5 per cent.
Ditto, 6 per cent., 1325
Peruvian, 1825, 6 per cent,

Ditto. don;ohdated 4514,
French, 5 per cent ...... ... IV9f. 60c,
Exchange
French, 3 per cent —l. —c.
Dutch, 22 percent. 56
Ditto. 5 per cent. ........ ..... . 103

The Countess Guiccioli, la belle blonde of Byron,
is at present amongst the leaders of haul ton in the French
capital.
Sir Francis Burdett still continues indisposed in con-
sequence of the fall from his horse.
The health of the Marquis of Anglesey seems to
have been improved from his visit to France. He looks much
better since his return to Uxbridge House.
Lord Stowell, in his will, which has been proved by
Viscount Sidmouth and W. Chisholm, Esq., two of the exe-
cutors, Lord Eldon, the other, having renounced the probate,
gives annuities of 100/. to each of his servants. To the Uni-
versity and Corpus Christi Colleges, Oxford, 2001. each are
given, and to the Middle Temple and College of Doctors' Com-
mons, 2001. each. The will is dated 30th April, 1830 ; but
his Lordship must have been infirm, his signature being
scarcely legible.
The brig Britannia, of Swansea, Gilbert, master,
is on shore behind the pier at Abcrystwith, and is likely to
become a wreck.—Crew and materials saved.
CUSTOM IN DERBYSHIRE.—The ancient custom
of hanging a garland of white roses, made of writing paper,
and a pair of white gloves over the pew of the unmarried villa-
gers, who die in the flower of their age, prevails to this day, in
the village Eyam, and in most other villages and little towns in
the Peak of Derbyshire.

SUSPECTED MURDER.—The inhabitants of Cross
have been much excited within the last few days, in conse-
quence of the sudden death of a man, named John Edney,
which has since been ascertained to have been occasioned by
poison. It appears that the deceased, who was a poor but
industrious man, contrived to obtain a livelihood by retailing
butter, water-tresses, &c., which he frequently conveyed on
foot from Axbridge to the Bristol markets. On Friday, the
4th inst., Mr. Wade, surgeon, of Cross, was called to attend
the deceased, whom he found in so deplorable a condition as
to afford no hope of his recovery. From the symptoms of
the disorder, and other circumstances, Mr. Wade suspected
that the dying man had partaken of something which had
caused his illness; and, upon questioning him, he stated that
he bad been unwell on Thursday, but was taken much worse
on Friday, after eating some fried potatoes prepared by his
wife. Notwithstanding every effort was made by the medical
gentleman to afford relief, it proved unavailing, and the un-
fortunate man continued rapidly to decline until the next
morning, when death put an end to his sufferings. Imme-
diately after this event Mr. Wade proceeded to analyze the
scrapings of the frying-pan, which he had previously taken care
to procure, and, after applying various chemical tests, suc-
ceeded in establishing the presence of arsenic. On opening
the body, the stomach was ulcerated, and bad the appearance
of containing poison : upon part of it being subjected to the
tests, the results were the same as in those of the particles of
potatoes. Under these circumstances, the Coroner for the
county, D. Ashford, Esq., was written to, and he immediately
issued his warrant for the apprehension of Mrs. Edney. The
deceased was 54 years of age.—Bristol Mercury.

" LEGS" OF TIIE BOUTII.-The impunity with
which professed gamblers carry on their trade, and the course
of crime consequent upon it, throughout these southern coun-
tries, is one of the most crying evils existing in this society.
The Legs are associated in gangs, have a system perfectly
organised, and possess a large capital invested in this pursuit;
they are seldom alone, always armed to the teeth, bound to
sustain each other, and hold life at a pin's fee. Upon the
banks of these great waters they most commonly rendezvous;
and not a steam-boat stirs from any quarter but one or more of
the gang proceed on board, in some guise or other, according
to the capability or appearance of the agent. Thus every pas-
senger's business and means become known—no difficult mat-
ter amongst men whose nature is singularly simple and frank,
and who are as prompt to detail their own affairs, as they are
curious to know those of their fellows ; a little play carried on
during the passage, opens to the observant gambler the habits
of his prey, chiefly the planters of the up-country. These
planters arrive in New Orleans or some other cntrepot, settle
with their agent or broker, and often receive very large sums
in balance of the crop of the past season, or in advance upon
the next, intended for the purchase of slaves, &c. Meantime
the sharper is on the pigeon's track ; the toils are spread
abroad by the gang, some of whom inhabit the same hotel pro-
bably, drink at the same bar, or, it may be, occupy the same
chamber; thus, with nothing to do, and his naturally excitable
mind fired by an addition of stimulant, if the victim escape it
is by miracle. Hundreds are plundered yearly in this syste-
matic way ; nor, if at all troublesome, does the affair end
here, for these gamblers are no half-measure men—they have
a ready specific to silence noisy pigeons, and arc right prompt
in applying it.—Power's Impressions of America.
ROAD FROM NICE TO GENOA.—This road is
near 150 miles over the edges of mountains, bordering the
sea for the whole distance. The road is cut into the sides of
the precipice, often hundreds of feet perpendicular above the
surf, descending sometimes into the ravines formed by the
numerous rivers that cut their way into the sea, and mounting
immediately again to the loftiest summits. It is a dizzy busi-
ness from the beginning to the end. There is no parapet
usually, and there are thousands of places where half a shy by
a timid horse would drop you at once some hundred fathoms
upon rocks met by the spray of every sea that breaks upon the
shore.— Willis's Pencillinys.
A SECOND MILD.—The following is an advertise-
ment in a Hobart Town paper Found on a suspicious per-
son, two remarkably fine working bullocks," &c,