The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-24 00:00:00

THE POST-OPPICM' 143;it

CARRIERS.

The following is a copy of a memorial which is now in
the course of receiving the signatures of the letter
carriers who are scattered over the London district, and
which will in a few days be presented to the Lords of
her Majesty's Treasury by some Members of the House
of Commons :

‘4
TO THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF HXR MAJESTY'S

TREASURY.

" The humble Memorial of the undersigned Letter Car-
riers of the London District Post-office,
" Showeth, that your memorialists have for many
years petitioned the several Postmasters-General for du
increase of salary, rising according to years of service,
as recommended by the Commissioners of Revenue In-
quiry, in their 18th Report.
" That at two periods, eighty, and then sixty, making
in tall cne hundred and forty of the senior letter carriers,
were granted ss. extra per week, but with these excep-
tions, the wages of the London district letter carriers,
upwards of nine hundred in number, are but 20s. per week.
" Chat your me,morialikts for these wages, have in the
town districts to perform twenty-two deliveries, and
nine collections per week etch ; and v. hicit duties your
memorialists beg r, speetfully to observe are of great im-
portalice to the community, their services comprising
cot only the delivery of the general post letters in the
morning, with the London district Liters, but the deli-
very also of the home, colonial, and foreign ina,l3, which
arrive after the morning dispatch, and are of lorger
titivation than those discharged by any other class of
public servants.

" That your memorialists beg leave to represent to
your Lordships that a scale or salary has recently been
granted to the general post letter carriers, and whose
duties, we beg leave td represent, are but six deliveries
per week each, with evening sorting dudes, but without
any collections, and for these duties they, the general
post letter carriers, receive for wages 235. per week, on
entrance, aftervi ards 255., and finally 30s, per week ;
besides compensation for the loss of various privileges.
" That in the course of the various alterations that
have taken place in this department, the duties have
been increased from eighteen deliveries per week,. till
your memorialists now perform twenty-two deliver*,
and nine collections each, per week ; and in the carrying
out of these aforesaid alterations, a large portion of
your memorialists have lost extra duties, for which they
formerly received 3s. per week each, and which duties
are now made a part of their fixed duty, and they re-
ceive no compensation for such loss.

"That in the country districts of the office the greater
portion of your memorialists receive but twenty shillings
per week, notwithstanding they have in some instances
to perform even twenty.five deliveries per week (in-
eluding a delivery on Sunday mornings), besides collec-
tions, and have no means of earning any extra duty
money throughout the year.
" That the casual extra duties which your memorialiso
sometimes have to perform, often at a great sacrifice of
health, and the deprivation of the time allowed in the
intervals of their regular duty for rest, they are still
paid for ; but your memorialists beg to represent that
the general post letter carriers also receive extra duty
money over and above their wages, and that your me-
morialists cannot attain to the extra five shillings per
week allowed to the one hundred and forty seniors in
the London district, under fifteen years' service ; whilst
in the case of the general post letter carriers, they re-
ceive thirty shillings per week for that service, in a
much shorter period.
"That your memorialists beg leave to represent, that
our wages on entering the office are but nineteen shil-
lings per week, and that we are under the disadvantage
of being sent to various places for uncertain periods of
time, within thirteen and fourteen miles of the office,
thereby having to struggle to maintain two homes opt
of the above-named wages ; an expense and inconveni-
ence not suffered by the general letter carriers.
" That your memorialists have been officially informed
that her Majesty's Postmaster-General, in gracious reply
to our petition to his Lordship, presented in Auguet,
1846, and in consideration of the high prices of provi-
sions, has recommended, or is prepared to recommend
to your Lordships, that a gratuity of two shillings per
week extra be granted to two hundred of your memo-
rialists, whose wages are but twenty shillings per week,
and also, that one shilling extra per week be granted to
the remainder of your memorialists, being the junior
men, which extra sums we beg leave to represent to
your Lordships do not meet the demand which the
pressure of the times force upon us. And we, therefore,
humbly entreat of your Lordships to take the case of
your memorialists into your just consideration, and
pray, that any measure which may be considered neces-
sary to the well-being of one department, may be ex-
tended to the whole ; feeling confident it will do away
with the jealousy that does, and ever has existed be-
tween the two departments, and that we may work with
that unanimity, so essential to the service and the in-
terests of the public.
" And your memorialists will ever pray, &c."

LYCEUM THEATRE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR-A paragraph in reference to the Lyceum Theatre
appeared in The Sun of Friday last, quoted from the
Era of the 14th instant, which observes, speaking of the
rent, " The latest demand, report says, is enormous,
and equal to that asked for Drury-lane. The present
lessees have determined upon rejecting such an ad-
vance," Fte.

Allow me to say that no advance whatever has been
proposed. _ .

. The rent was fixed and the agreement signed on the
sth of February, 1845.

On the 12th instant an application was made by
Mi ssrs. Strutt and Keeley, the lessees, for a reduction of
that rent which, not being acceded to, led to their
giving notice on the following day of determining their
tenantcy.

As report speaks of Mr. Strutt as one of the propri-
etors of the Era, it must be a matter of surprise how a
statement so erroneous should have originated in that
paper.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
_

S. W. ARNOLD.
31, Golden-square, March 23, 1847.

THE REVENUE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—It appears the quantity of British spirits con-
sumed in 1846 was 24,106,600 gallons; consequently,
the loss to the revenue was 9,039,9751., British spirits
paying half the duty levied on foreign spirits. I have
no objection to a moderate protection to domestic in-
dustry—such, for instance, as Sir Robert Peel has given
the British sawyer, viz., 20 per cent. If the English
distiller had no more protection (and why he should
nobody knows), the Exchequer would have been richer
by 5,423,9851., which would have enabled the Govern-
ment to abolish the window-tax, the duty on bricks, and
several other most objectionable imposts, even if they
dare not yet do justice to England by compelling pro-
perty in Ireland to pay the income-tax, which the Whigs
may depend they must do, or else go out after the next
general election. The Irish landlords have so dygusted
the English people, that few candidates Air raye
chance without pledging themselves to do justice to
England.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A CONSTANT READER.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT SEA. - Mr. Baker held an
inquest yesterday, at the Lundon Hospital, on the body
of John Gilbert Middleton, aged 37, a cuddyman of a
ship at present in the East India Dock. About six
weeks since, whilst the vessel was about five degrees
north of the Line, the deceased fell with his arm against
the boom of the ship, which strained it very much, and
caused it to become swollen. When the vessel arrived
in London he was removed to the above hospital, where
he died from the injury he had received. Verdict,
" Accidental death."

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE NEWCASTLE AND CAI.
LISLE RAILWAY.—On Saturday, as the twelve o'clock
mail-train from Carlisle to Newcastle was passing Ridley
Hall, three miles from Haydon-bridge, a man was oh-
served on the line. The engineman immediately blew
the whistle, and put on the reverse motion to stop the
train ; but before this could be accomplished, the
engine struck the trespasser, and threw him underneath
the wheels. The greater portion of the carriages
passed over him, severely crushing his legs, causing
severe injuries. He was placed in one of the car-
riages, and brought to Haydon-bridge, but ho expired
before reaching that place. It was found that he was a
joiner, named Brown, residing at Hexham, and who has
left a widow and seven children. No blame appears to
be attached to the conductors of the train, as the accident
occurred on a curve of the line, and means were used to
give warning to the deceased
ACCIDENT ON THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.
—Yesterday Mr. Baker held an adjourned inquest, at
the London Hospital, on the body of William Prior,
aged 35, a labourer on the Eastern Counties Railway.
The deceased had entered one of the trucks of a coal
train, which was strictly prohibited by the company.
The trucks opened at the bottom to allow the coals to
fall through, and were not considered safe for any one
to ride in. William Perry said, that the deceased and
himself. on the evening in question, having missed a
train that was to have conveyed them to London, got
into one of the coal trucks. Shortly afterwards witness;
fell asleep. When the train arrived at Ponders End, the
flap at the bottom of the truck he was in must have given
wan'and the remainder of the trucks, 22 in number,
have passed over deceased's leg. Mr. Day, house-
surgeon, said that when the deceased was admitted the
Accidental
left leg had a compound fracture ; amputation was
re-
sorted to, but deceased expired on the 14th instant, from
the effects of the injuries received.—Verdict,
martial
aAsTseenattleznaAt Ate.
Death.
h hue miqßo na
rdralyc k sa,
genCeOrlialßcTo-ul‘ritA-
Rfoirflethheritgriaadleo,fonWt.heGe.hargeof
Williams,tra private in the 60th
drunkenness, and of hay-
ing struck Sergeant James Corrigan, a superior officer,
wKl,l,leiny,inpt.hte.,exNeycaustion of. his duty. Lieutenant-Colonel
Major Wood, actinpgraessiddeerntutyof:
judge
aCdovuorctat;e. Brigsde
Sergeant-
statedhaving
James Corrigan
d thethe
said he
offences charged,
which occurred on March- prisoner said
pleaded guilty, but trusted that the Court would consider
that ho struck the sergeant whilst in a state of intoxica
tion, not that he wished to make any excuse for being so,
but many persons whilst in that state, have committed
acts for which they have been truly sorry when sober.
He had received a severe fall some years ago when at
sea. which had affected his head, and whenever he drank
he was unconscious of what he did. He had many
respectable friends in the army, among them a milObr in
the Royal Engineers ;he had him, formerly been in
the royal navy. Lieutenant Percival Heatheote, acting
that there were no former con-
quarter master, stated
• • against the prisoner ; that he had been seven
con-
victions
months in the service, and his character was good. This
terminated the proceedings, the issue of which will not
be made known until promulgated by the Horse Guards.