The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-11 00:00:00

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r,()NDON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1849.

THE QUARTER'S REVENUE.

The Revenue Returns for the year and quarter,
ending the 10th of October, will be found in
another part of this day's impression. They appear
to be of a satisfactory character, and afford indications
of a gradual improvement of the nation from the
financial difficulties in which it has been involved for
some time past. The industrious classes have, indeed,
passed through a fearful ordeal during that disastrous
period. Two years since ,there was a monetary
panic,: a total) cessation of credit—the interest of
money was three or four times the usual rate. The
Bank Charter Act, which, if not the cruse of this
fearful state of things, had at least materially in-
creased the intensity of the crisis, had been virtually

suspended. Its most en thusiastic advocate was compelled

reluctantly to admit that if it bad been maintained
in all its stringency there would have been a cessation
of cash payments. The Bank of England, with
8,000 0001. sterling in its coffers, would have been
unable to have met its engagements. The very
measure that was intended to have secured the con-

vertibility of the banknote would have had a totally

different effect. The Chancellor of the Ex
chequer, however, yielded at the eleventh hour.
The apathy and indifference with which he had lis-
tened to the representations of the merchants and
bankers of the United Kingdom' immediately
vanished when convinced of the danger of the Bank
it-elf. The celebrated letter of the 25th October,
1847, was written, and its beneficial effects were
almcst immediately apparent, confidence was im-
mediately restored. There had never been the slightest
doubt as to the real solvency and stability of the
national establishment; the only danger was occa-
sioned by th• mischievous restrictions of the Act of
1844, which prevented the directors from rendering
_ _ _

available the large amount of bullion lying idle in

their coffers. Notes were as acceptable as gold, but
it was feared that those notes could not be issued,
and the natural result was the run upon the deposits
that threatened such calamitous consequences. The
permission to dispense with and disregard the provi
sions of the Act removed the danger, and the nation
was preserved from a catastrophe of which it was
impossible to foresee the result.
Since that period there has been a gradual but
slow improvement, which would have been much
more perceptible but for the undue caution
exhibited by the Bank authorities. "The screw"
was still kept on, the discounts were limited until the
private securities were reduced to less than half the
amount at which they formerly stood. Had greater
liberality been exhibited, the difficulties would long
since have passed away, and the country would have
been restored to prosperity. We must, however, be
contented with the scanty measure which our rulers
are inclined to accord, and to rejoice at the symptoms
of returning vitality afforded by the National Balance-
sheet for the past year. There is an improvement of
the total revenue, both on the year and quarter—on
the former of 235,571/., and on the latter of 281,3841.,
the greater portions whereof are on the ordinary
branches of revenue, which for the year is 222,3671.,
and for the quarter 276,093/. ; and it is
satisfactory to be enabled to state, that the ameliora-
tion is to be found in the most important items. It
is true, that there is a decrease in the Customs' re-
ceipts on the quarter of 153,2111. This falling off,
can, however, be fully accounted for by the removal
of the tax on corn, from which a considerable sum
was realised during the corresp.inding quarter of last
year. There have been several important reductions
of duties, which have come into operation during the
past year without any mischievous results ; indeed,
the increase under the head of Customs on the
twelve months is no less than 298,736/. This result
is conclusive as to the accuracy of the financial propo-
sition, that the reduction of taxation does not tend to
the proportionate reduction of the net revenue.
The Excise, which may be regarded as the index to
the condition of the labouring population, exhibits,
we are happy to say, an ircrease on the quarter of
185,0031. The tide has at length turned in this most
important branch of the national revenue. The year,
however, still exhibits a falling off of no less than
443,9451., which may partly be ascribed to the defi-
cient crop of' barley last year, and partly to the post-
ponement of the collection of the hop duties, in
consequence of the difficulties and embarrassments
experienced in the hop growing districts. The chief
increase in the quarter is in the spirits and paper
duties, the former of which is in some degree attribu-
table to the fearful epidemic raging throughout the
country, which led to a greater consumption of ardent
spirits than is usually the case.
The Stamps exhibit an increase on both the year and
quarter—on the former of 125,1081., and on the latter
of 224 8051. This in some degree warrants the infer-
ence that there is a greater degree of activity in the
oeninercial world than during the preceding year.
A portion of the increase is owing to larger receipts
for probate and legacy duties. Taxes, while they
exhibit an increase on the year of 18,4271., show a
decrease on the quarter of 12,3991. This may pos.
''ll-11Y be outing to greater indulgence being ex•
hibited in the collection. The amount must be pretty
nearly the same, for the assessment must be pail
sooner or later, whatever may be the consequence.
The Property-tax, which indicates the condition of
the middle classes, as the Excise does of the working
population, is also recovering from the shock it
sustained during the disastrous years 1847-8. The
falling off on the entire year is but 2,2996, while the ,

improvement on the quarter is 21,1161., which would
show an improvement in the incomes of persons of
the middle class to the amount of nearly 3,000,0001.
per aimurn more than it was in the quarter ending
10th October, 1848.

The Post-office still appears in a highly satisfactory
position, thanks to the indefatigable exertions of Mr.
ROWLAND HILL. Many improvements have been
effected at a considerable expenditure, affording
greatly increased accommodation to the public, and
still there is an increase of 66,0001. on the year,
and of 3,0001. on the quarter. In the Crown
Lands there is an increase of 39,000/. fer the
year, no change whatever on the quarter.
A vast improvement could be effected in the adminis-,
tration of this department ; if managed with the same
attention which a private individual bestows on his
own affairs, it is not too much to say that 500,0001.
per annum could easily be realised. What can we
think, however, of the stewardship under which " The
New Forest," containing more than 60,000 acres of
land in one of the finest counties of England, which
would probably sell for 1,800,0001. or 2,000,000/, if
submitted to public competition by auction, not only
produces no revenue whatsoever, but there is actually
a charge of 2,3041. 103. for management during the
past year, over and above all returns what-
soever ? This glaring abuse, this flagrant waste
of public money, must speedily be reformed.
The nation requires it I The over-burdened
tax-payers demand it, and the Government must
comply with their reasonable request. The only
remaining item of the ordinary revenue, the Mis-
cellaneous, shows an increase both on the year
and quarter—on the former of 121,340/., and on the
latter of 7,979/.
Of the extraordinary branches of the revenue there
is an increase in the " Imprest and other Monies,''
and also of the " Repayment of Advances" during
the year. The improvement is, however, nearly
balanced by the China Money, of which the last
instalment was received- daring the year 1848.
We cannot conclude our observations without
alluding to the pleasing fact that the country is no
longer expending more than its income. In place of
a deficiency, which has so often been apparent, there
is at length a surplus revenue after providing for the
charges on the Consolidated Fund, and for the pay-
ment of Supply Services in England in the quarter
just terminated of 544,887/.

After a multitude of victims, averaging in round
numbers from 10,000 to 20,000, have been sacrificed
to that devastating scourge which may now-a-days
be as correctly termed the European as the Asiatic
Cholera—the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers has
been determined by a writ of supersedeas. How
many individuals might have been spared from de-
struction by a somewhat more humane display of
unanimity among the late Commissionerslwe shall not
pause to conjecture ; but certain it is that
hundreds, nay thousands, have been cruelly
sacrificed to squabbles as disgraceful as they
were ill-timed and interminable. With the
successors of these very crochetty and quarrelsome
gentlemen rests the responsibility of making up for
their.deficiencies, by the wholesome and practical re-
forms introduced in the more vitiated quarters of the
metropolis. Until we see any sufficient indication to
the contrary, we shall continue sanguine in our esti-
mate of the ability and the good intentions of the new
Commissioners. It will be observed with satisfaction
that among them are comprised members of some
of the most important classes of the community—a
nobleman of active business habits, an engineer of
world wide celebrity, a karrister• at-law, a general
officer, four officers of the Royal Engineers
a Fellow of the Royal Society, a builder of great emi-
nence, and among the foregoing two of the popular
representatives. Profiting by the example of their
predecessors, it is earnestly to be hoped that these
gentlemen will avoid all those occasions of dissen-
sion which, while bringing odium upon them col-
lectively, is calculated to paralyze all their better
exertions. They must have recognized, in the de-
clension of credit perceptible in the public feeling
evinced towards the late members of the Commis-
sion, that no possiole advantage can accrue
from the irritable advocacy of theories as
fantastic as they are chimerical. W hat is
required in these periods of oublic emergency, when
a terrible disease is ravaging he capital, is not any
ingenious device, principally remarkable for its
novelty, but a speedy, simple, and general employ-
ment of the ordinary measures of purification. GOD
knows there is ample room, for labour in this direc-
tion, and that the energies of the Commission may
be readily engrossed in the routine of such plain and
un-intricate proceedings. As if to illustrate the state-
ment that there are nests of disease festering amidst all
the wealth and magnificence of London, the same
im-
pression of our journal, which announces the appoint-
ment of the new Commissioners of Sewers, contains
the account of a deplorable case brought under the
attention of the magistrate of the Thames Police-
court yesterday. It will be there observed that the
brutality of a ruffian' who'is son-in-law to the keeper
of a penny lodging-house in Blue Anchor-yard, Rose-
mary-lane, brought to light the excessive filth of that
miserable locality. On rescuing from the prisoner
two unfortunate boys who had been beaten by him
over the head and shoulders in a savage manner with
a blackthorn stick, the policeman witnessed in the room
of this penny lodging-house a scene of squalor and
wretchedness, the existence of which is a blot on the
civic escutcheon. The room in question, according
to the witness, was a very small one, containing no
furniture of any description. Sixteen men, women,
and children were huddled together on the floor, all
of them in rags, and some of them almost in a state
of nudity. The apartment did not appear to have
been cleansed for a considerable time, and the impu-
rity of the atmosphere-,was consequently intolerable.
Aka these particulars, there cannot surely be felt
any surprise at the supplementary statement of
the policeman, that several cases of cholera bad
occurred in the house and in the adjoining ones, which
were equally filthy. If such is the foul condition of
those localities on the surface, it may be conjectured
how much attention is paid to their subterranean
purification. But the case is far, unfortunately, from
being isolated. Instances equally distressing might
be multiplied from all the metropolitan pari,hes
indiscriminately. In one direction we find the atmo-
sphere polluted by the deleterious gases'lssuing from
an overgorged graveyard, where the very sods are
reeking with rottenness ; .in another: the air is
poisoned by the vapours rising from an open cesspool,
or by the equally obnoxious exhalations from the
premises of some disgusting manufactory. Here
ventilation is rendered impossible by the closeness of
some miserable little court, the resort of habitual
mendicants ; there the water consumed by a whole
district is pumped in the immediate vicinity of a
stagnant sewer. Surely these evils betoken by their pro-
longed continuance an insane indifference on the part of
the community, as well as a most culpable negligence
on the part of the authorities. So long as the Thames
is contaminated by the vast quantities of decomposing
substances and feculent refuse poured into it daily,
hourly, and even momentarily, while the metropolis
itself is still choked up with filth, and rendered
the perpetual abiding place of contagion—so long
will the Commission of Sewers be disgraced in the
eyes of the suffering community. It remains with
the newly appointed members of this Commission to
remove their official discredit, and in 50 doing to
benefit the entire population, and render the capital
of England salubrious, instead of destructive. In
expecting them to do this we are looking for the per-
formance of no miracle. We are only demanding
what is required at once by common sense
and common humanity. We feel that, with-
out making on our own part some exertions
of this character, the national prayers and
humiliation will be only a mockery of GOD'S infinite
beneficence—recoguisingjes we do the wisdom of the
hacknied truism that 4 GOD helps: those who help
themselves. Let the newly-elected Commissioners but
enter upon their important labours with a due recog-
nition of their responsibilities, and the ill repute of
their office may be happily -and speedily dissipated.
Let them feel that although those labours are in
many respects Herculean ; though they have, in the
sewers of the capital, to cleanse more than the stables
of Elis ; though, in the shape of many deadly
epidemics, they have to destroy a more horrible
monster than even the Lernean hydra ; though they
have, in the indignation of the public, to grapple
with an Antagonist stronger than the lion of Nelms

—that, nevertheless, al these things are clearly
practicable ; and that the most difficult amongst
them may, by a combination of probity and energy,
be reduced from a dream to an achieve.nent.