The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-07 00:00:00

TILE BUDGET;

About the year 1760, flume said the public debt
amounted to the fee-simple of the whole landed pro-
perty of the country—a sum so enormous that he
affirmed it would destroy the national resources, and
lead in no long period to bankruptcy and ruin. What
would have been the astonishment of the philosopher
if some ministering angel prescient of futurity had told
him that in the year 1838 a Chancellor of the Exche-
quer of the name of Thomas Spring Rice, would
bring forward a Budget, in which he would provide
means for raising, by ordinary taxes, within the year,
a sum amounting to one-half of that debt that was
to crush the country—that the debt itself would be
increased eight-fold—that the English, besides this
enormous sum lent to their own Government, would
lend million upon millions to other nations, with-
out receiving back either principal or interest—
that, as a .matter of ordinary occurrence, they
would spend ten millions in making a road from
London to Liverpool, and twenty millions more
in making a few other roads throughout the
country ; and that after all this vast expenditure,
money in the City of London would be so.plentiful,
that the capitalists would not be able to find out means
to dispose of it. The arch-sceptic would sooner have
believed in any of the miracles recorded by Moses,
than given the slightest credit to a tale so full of won-
der, and equalled only some of those recorded in the
Arabian Nights. His wonder, however, would have
been still increased, had he been told that all this was
to be accomplished, not by treasures dug up from in-
exhaustible gold mines in Mexico or Peru, but by
laying on taxes on articles of consumption, which at
that period were little or not at all used, and by ma-
nufactures from a plant that but a few years before
was known only by name.• In his time, the revenue
raised by a tax on tobacco was little more than nomi-
nal. It now produces three millions and a half sterling
yearly. In 1787, ten years after his death, malt produced a
revenue of half a million ; in 1837, the gross amount
was nearly six millions. Sugar and Tea together pro-
duced two millions—in 1837 they produced more than
nine millions, and most other articles in proportion ;
but the greatest revolution has been effected by the in-
troduction of an articleof f •by which
foreign produce,
the people arc cheaply clothed ; employment is found
for a population more numerous than the whole of the
manufacturing population in the time of flume ; and
goods exported annually to the amount of twenty-five
millions more than one-fourth of the whole National
Debt in 1760. Whether this has been equally bene-
ficial to the morals of the people is another question ;
but without it Mr. Spring Rice, or any Budget-maker
now, would be sadly puzzled.

AsPHALTE.—Perhap4 there IS 110 spot more fa-
vourable for the experiment of a bituminous layer than the short pub-
lic footpath by Chelsea Hospital. The cost would be trifling (a tem-
porary toll, too, might be put) and the ready concurrence of the autho-
rities in 4 1,14 n which afforded a prospect of removing the cji4tin.
might be safely counted on. A t ompapy conflUent in the quality of its
composition, cannot have a better opportunity of advancing their own
interests and Coincidentally benOtting stip p4blie!

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SO-

CIETY.-(THIS DAY.)

The thirty.third Anniversary Meeting of this Society took place this
day at Exeter l all. At an early hour the large room was crowded by
amost respectable audience.

On the platform we observed C. Lushington, Esq., M.P.,
E. Baines, Eiq., M.P., Sir C. E. Smith, R. Slaney, Esq., M.P.,
Revs. J. Sherman, J. Lpifchild, John Burnet, and Dr. Morison , G.
Bennett, Esq., W. Allen, Esq., and a host of ministers and influential
gentlemen of all denominations.
At twelve o'clock, Lord J. Russm.t. (the Vice-President of this most
valuable and importwat Society) took the Chair. The Noble
Lord, (who was most cordially and enthusiastically cheered),
in opening the business of the meeting, highly eulogised the Society,
and sppke of the benefits it conferred upon the country by diffusing the
influence of a scriptural education, thus promoting the present and
eternal welfare of the population —(Cl.eers ) The Noble Lord also
stated that her Majesty took a deep and favourable interest in the pro-
ceedings of the Society.—(Loud cheers.)
From the report which was read by the Secretary, it appeared that
the number of scholap received during the past year had been, girls,
450; boys, 752; and the total number received since the
origin of the establishment, was near 50,000.—(Cheers.) The criminal
returns for the last year showed that nearly 30,000 persons had been
taken into custody who could neither read nor write, and as many who
could but read and write imperfectly—(Hear, hear)—while only 6,500
possessed these necessary qualifications in any thing like au adequate
degree.—( Hear, hear.)
The Bishop of NORWICH moved the adoption of the Report, in an
able speech, in which, incidentally alluding to the Church of England,
he expressed his hope that all the Clergy of that Church would be
brought to do their duty faithfully, and that all clerical absenteeism and
sinecures be entirely abolished, sentiments which were greeted with
tremendous and long-continued cheering.
E. Beta es, ESQ., M.P., seconded the resolution, which was put and
carried unanimously.

R. SLANEY, ESQ, M.P., in moving the second resolution,
dwelt strongly on the urgent necessity of diffusing useful and
Scriptural information among the middle and lower classes.
of the people who had lately been intrusted with the Parliamentary and
municipal franchises.—(Cheers.) The resolution expressad the grati-
tude of the Society, for the munificent support of her Majesty the
Queen.

The Rev. J. LetecntLn (of Craven Chapel) seconded the resolution
in a very eloquent address.

The resolution was carried by acclamation.
Several other gentlemen addressed the meeting, a liberal collection
was made, and it was near five o'clock when the vast assembly se-
parat ed.