The Sun.
London, England, 1822-04-19 00:00:00

I-MORNING CHRONICLE.]

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has consent-
ed at last to the appointment of a Committee for
devising a mode of keeping the public accounts
in an intelligible manner. At present no one can
tell the amount either of the Income or Expendi-
ture, or of any branch of them. The public are
greatly indebted to Mr. Maberly, who, by his
late exposition of the blundering and inaccuratei;
manner in which these accounts are kept, has
actually shamed the Chancellor of the Exchequer
into the nomination of this Committee.—ln the
• discussion on this subject last night, a very import.
ant matter was alluded to by Mr. Ellice, namely,
the expensive machinery now kept up far the old
or imaginary Sinking Fund, useless establishments,
as he observed, for the purpose of receiving with
one hand what was paid with the other. Mr.
Ellice's suggestion on this subject did not, how-
ever, seem to afford much satisfaction to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer.—We must keep
up both what is called a real, and what is called
an in,. ;inary Sinking Fund, though it is not easy
to see why both should not be abolished, because
the application of the surplus revenue to the dis-
charge of debt would be the most simple and effec-
tual way of going to work, relieving us, as it would,
from the apprehension of Ministerial misapplica-
tion. But, at all events, there can be no reason for
keeping up machinery for managing an imaginary
fund, except the naive and never-to-be-forgot-
ten reason urged by Mr.. Robinson some time
ago, namely, the necessity for establishments to
counteract the increasing intelligence of the age.
To sympathise with the feelings and wishes of a
people, as the American Government is unfortu-
nately compelled to do, is not governing, in the
Ministerial sense of the word.

[BRITISH PRESS.]
A Select Committee was appointed yesterday
evening in the House of Commons, on the motion
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for the pur-
pose of considering the best mode of simplify-
ing the public accounts relating to the national
debt, the national expenditure, and the trade and
.sj‘ navigation of the kingdom. The object proposed
to be attained by this Committee is not alone' a
change in the mode of stating receipts and dis-
bursements, for the purpose of rendering the ac-
counts laid annually before Parliament more easi-
ly intelligible. Were the labours of the Commit-
tee confined even to this point, they would be
very profitably and advantageously employed ;
but we collect from the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer's answer to one of Mr. Grenfell's ques-
tions, that the Committee will have to inquire in-
to the expediency of reducing the nominal sink-
ing fund of 17 millions to the actual one of 4 or
5 millions, or whatever it may amount to in re-
ality. Accounts have recently been ordered by
the House of Commons with reference to the in-
vestigation of this most important subject. These
accounts have been printed, and from them we
collect that the total capital of stock redeemed,
as it stood in the names of the Commissioners for
tt►e liquidation of the national debt on the sth
January, 1822., is 403,970,0951. To this is added
the capital contracted for by the sinking fund
loan of 1821, amounting to 16,296,8751. making
a -total of 420,266,9701. This capital includes
5,200,6331. redeemed on account of outstanding
Exchequer bills, but does not include the sum of
160,2961. Irish 5 per cents. redeemed in England.
The money in the hands of the Commissioners
which ought to be available for the redemption of
more stock amounts to about 17 millions, and if
s,ufrered to operate as was orininally designed,
would quickly relieve the country from its present
unnatural burden. The necessities of the Go-
vernment, however, have driven Parliament to
invade this sacred trust, and. to defeat the hopes
of the country. Twelve millions of the Sinking
Fund are annually diverted from the payment
of the debt to the current expenses of the
country, and after allowing for all charges and
demands, it is hoped that in the present year
there will be an actual sum of five millions
available in the hands of the Commissioners
for the redemption of so much capital stock.
There can be no doubt that if the sum of
twelve millions thus diverted from its legitimate
use, be merely received with one hand by, the
Commissioners for the purpose of its being trans-

(erred with the other on the instant to the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, it is an idle and an ex-
pensive mode of transacting so much of the pub-
lic business. Circuits ought by all means to be
avoided, and it will be a question for the Com-
mittee to consider whether it will not be expe-
dient to demolish so much of the machinery of
the Sinking Fund, and to cancel so much of the
redeemed stock standing in the names of the
Commissioners, as will be equivalent to the an-
nual interest of twelve millions. Such a measure
would not only tend directly to simplify the
public accounts, but it would also to save the coun-
try all the expence attending the management of
so much capital, and the, subsequent appropria-
tion of its interest.

[MORNING HERALD.]
It appears, really, that there is no keeping a
secret from the French Journals. They have
found their way even within the precincts of the
Seraglio—and give a formal report of the pro-
ceedings of the Turkish Divan Avit'a as much
circumstance as if they were recording the
business of the Chamber of Deputies, or of
the Institute. Even the presence of the Sul-
tan behind a screen has not escaped their vigi-
lance. 'We yesterday gave this curious docu-
ment. It has one sign of genuineness, the extreme
parsimony of speech with which, business was
transacted. The ancient Spartans were not more
sparing of words. The worst of it is, that, pre-
cious as this report of a debate in the Divan may
appear in expectancy, the reader is not much
edified by the perusal of it. There is, in fact,
nothing in it which may not have been got up
with perfect ease at Paris. It is, however, not
in the Turkish Councils only that they have
been admitted to private confidence. They
have come to the knowledge of secret and
even delicate negociations between this coun-
try and Denmark. A Princess of that na-
tion, they state, was or is still to bestow her
hand upon his Majesty. From the deliberate
pace, however, at which this affair proceeds, it
is to be hoped that experience will not have been
thrown away. The next discovery is that of a
negotiation between the King of Denmark and
his Majesty for the exchange of the kingdom of
Hanover against the capital of Denmark and the
Isle of Zealand on which it stands, with Jut-
land and Sleswick—in fact, all but the Danish
territory on the German side. There can be
little objection to such a bargain on our part—
if it can but be obtained. At the present moment,
certkinly, the Northern navigation is to England
an object of no small importance ; and it would
be difficult to prove that Hanover has been
an acquisition rather than a charge since the
accession of the House of Brunswick. There
is another territorial arrangement equally advan-
tageous and practicable—it is the cession of the
Dardanelles, by our good friends the Turks.
With these two checks upon t the naval preten-
sions of Russia, we should, no doubt, be per-
fectly secure ; perhaps the latter news will come
by the next French Journals. They are, how-
ever, as reserved, at least as unsatisfactory, in
their communications respecting the Turks and
Russians, as they are circumstantial respecting
matters of greater privacy, and less interest for
public curiosity.

[NEW TIMES.]

Among the numerous communications which
we daily receive on the Agricultural Question, it
is difficult to make a selection of the most inte-
resting, consistently with the great object which
we have in view, namely, to afford fair and equal
means of publicity to those conflicting princi-
ples, from the collision of which national utility
may be expected to arise. Having ourselves no
other object than the common good of all orders
of men in our country, we cannot profess to
advocate the agricultural interest in opposition
to the manufacturing and commercial, nor either
of the latter in opposition to the agricultural.
—lt follows, therefore, that we are not to be
considered as adopting the sentiments of any
Correspondent on these topics, merely because
we admit his contributions into our columns. In
another part of our Paper will be found a letter
signed J. P., on the general reasoning of which
it is not for us to offer an opinion ; but we insert
it, as an attempt to apply to practice a general
principle, on which there will perhaps be little
controversy, viz.—that the landed interest is en-
titled to as much protection from foreign compe-
tition as it contributes (exclusively) to the State.
What that proportion of the public burdens is,
and whether the best mode of compensating it be
by a fixed duty on the importation of foreign
agricultural produce, are certainly points by no
means so obvious.

[TnE TIMES.]
Some proceedings of the Supreme Court of
Calcutta have reached this country, which are
not perhaps so new or interesting in themselves,
as they are in relation to the scene on which
they have been exhibited. We understand that
it is a perfect novelty in India, that the Supreme
Court should entertain a motion for a criminal
information against the Editor of a Newspaper
for a public libel. Three years only 'are said to
have elapsed since Lord llastings gave up the
power of previous Censorship over the Press of
India. This concession was much applauded, as
being the result of a liberal anxiety for the circu-
lation of knowledge, and for the gradual improve-
ment of our native subjects throughout the East.
There, nevertheless, were many reflecting and re-
spectable mindswhich doubted the possibility of re-
conciling the privilege of perfectly unrestrained
discussion, and the consequent concentration
and ascendancy of national feeling, with those
principles on which a military empire depends
for its existence, and by which forty thou-
sand Englishmen, aliens to the inhabitants
in religion and in blood, lord it over as many
millions of Hindoos and Alahonletans recently
subjugated, already prone to combination against
their conquerors, restless, intriguing, subtle, and
impatient of the European yoke. With all our
reverence for right and liberty, we cannot shut
our eyes to those opposite circumstances which
render the enjoyment of them the best support
of a free Government, but the knowledge of
them a cause of unavoidable jealousy to a Go-

vernment founded on force. It was upon some
discriminating notions of this kind that men who
looked at the essence. of things
_mere than at
their surface, described the surrender of the cen-
sorship by Lord Hastings rather as a showy and
dazzling tribute to popular admiration, than as
the sacrifice of a real power, or as, the announce-
ment of a bona fide rule of practical forbearance
by the supreme authority. The Governor-Ge-
neral still retained the prerogative of remanding
an obnoxious individual to Europe. But if
this check Upon indiscreet politicians was not
enough, the Government has now built up
another barrier, to overleap which, at the
height to which the Advodate-General, and
two out of three of the Learned Judges in
the Supreme Court, have raised it, would require
no small strength and agility. Criminal infor-
mations have found their way to Bengal. A
person of the name of Buckingham has been at-
tacked by one of them. It is well enough to
withdraw the gag from a man's mouth, but it
looks rather like a trick than an indulgence,
if the next minute you begin to bastinado
him for speaking. Mr. Buckingham's license
to remain in India was some time ago threa-
tened by the Secretary to the Government to be
annulled, if any comments which the Govern-
ment should judge to have violated " 4 the laws
" of moral candour and essential justice," should
appear in his paper, the Calcutta Journal. How
exact a type does this present of the conduct
more recently pursued in France, where, with
much parade, the censorship was relinquished,
but the power of annulling a license to print or
publish what should displease them was granted
in lieu of it to the King's Ministers ! However,
one or more of the Government agents,it appears,
soon after the above threat, indicted Mr. Bucking-
ham for a libel, which was found by the Grand
Jury at Calcutta. Pending the prosecution and
before the trial, some of his brother-journalists
(there is a " John Bull" at Calcutta) began to
bespatter Mr. Buckingham with a deal of Court
rancour, and provoked replies which appeared
in his columns. These replies to the virulence
of his contemporary and rival tradesmen the Go-
vernment prosecutor thought fit to denominate so
many attempts to impede the course of justice,
and moved this criminal information : the alleged
grounds of it were, that the'defendant had en-
deavoured, Ist, to influence the Petty Jury ;:.2d,
to intimidate future Grand Juries ! by reflecting
upon that which had found the bill against him-
self; and 3d, to attack the conduct of the pro-
secutors in the action now pending.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY.—TuunsDAY, APRIL 18.

This morning, the LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that it
might be useful to the Bar to know that he would rise at half-
past one o'clock, as he was obliged to attend elsewhere. At the
request of Mr. HART, the 'hearing of the petition Ex-parte
Carroll in the matter of Howard and Gibbs, bankrupts, was
postponed until to-morrow.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, APRIL 18.

ISBISTER AND OTHERS V. TEMPLAR.

The plaintiffs, who are ship-brokers, brought this action to
recover from the defendant 4071., the amount of their commis-
sion of one per cent., on the price of two East Indiamen which
they had sold for him.
The defendant contended that he was not liable to this de-
mand, inasmuch as it was not he, but the purchasers of the
vessels, who had employed the plaintiffs to negotiate the sale.
The usual per centage on sales of this description was admit-
ted to be one per cent. • and it was stated by several ship_
brokers, who were called, to be_always paid by the seller, even
though the negotiation should have originated with the pur-
chaser, the broker being considered as the mutual agent of
both. From the deed of sale it appeared, that'lo,oool. had been
given for the beneficial interest of the defendant's contract with
the East India Company, and 30,7921. for the ships, which
were then in an unfinished state.
The Lo RD CHIEF JUSTICE directed the jury, if they believed
the evidence, to give the plaintiffs the per centage on the price
of the ships, which in his opinion could not include the 10,0001.
which was formerly given for the contract.
The Jury accordingly found a verdict for the plaintiffs—
Damages 3071. 18s.

DOWSON AND ANOTHER V. LONOSTER AND ANOTHER.
This was an action brought by Messrs. Dowson, shipwrights
at Limehouse, against Messrs. Longster and Leek, as joint
owners of the ship Ranger; to recover 8471. for repairs done to
that vessel.

The defendant Longster suffered judgment to go by default ;
but Leek resisted the demand, on the ground that at the time
the repairs were done, he had disposed obis share in the owner-
ship of the vessel to Longster ; and although he had suffered
his name to remain on the register, by way of a collateral se-
curity for the payment of certain bills which he had received
for the purchase-money, yet having parted with the beneficial
interest in the ship, and the credit having been given to Long-
ster, he was not liable to this charge.
It appearing, however, that the defendant had not wholly
parted with his interest in the vessel at the time the repairs
were done, but had merely executed an agreement to transfer
his share to the other defendant, when the lastof the bills should
be duly paid, which was not until the following pear, the Jury
found a verdict for the plaintiffs.—Damages 8471.