The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-11 00:00:00

SALE OF VAUXHALL GARDENS.

This celebrated property, which was for so many years
the favoured resort of rank, fashion, and beauty, was on
Thursday submitted to " the hammer" by Mr. Leifehild,
at Garraway's Coffee• house, pursuant to an order of the
Court of Review, under the bankruptcy of Messrs. Gye
and Hughes, the late proprietors. The room was
thronged.
Mr. Leifehild, in opening the sale, observed that the
property he was about to submit to public competition
was not only of great intrinsic value, but possessed very
peculiar claims to attention. The fame of Vauxhall
Gardens was not confined alone to this country—it had
travelled to' every 'nation, in Europe. Even foreigners
commonly admitted there was no such place of amuse-
ment in the world. The term " Royal" was not a mere
honorary distinction conferred by the patronage of
Royalty, the Gardens being copyhold of the manor of
her Majesty, as lady of the manor of Kennington, in
right of her Duchy of Cornwall, and it was. subject only
to a small quit rent of 1/ 3s. 7d. The property extended
over about eleven acres, a great portion of which was in-
valuable for the purpose of building, independent of the
large rental Which that portion of the estate set apart for
public amusements would never fail to command. (The
clerk here read over the particulars of the estate and the
conditions of sale.) Mr. Leifehild, in continuation, re-
marked that he had no wish to enter into any powerful
description of a property, the peculiar features of which
were already so well known and so fully appreciated.
Not being very conversant with theatrical matters he was
not so competent as others of bis profeSsion to enlarge
upon that point. He was far better acquainted with the
value of land, and looking at Vauxhall Gardens simply
as a site for building, he declared that he knew of no
investment more eligible in every respect. On casting
his eye over the plans prepared by an eminent dral.ti-
man, he saw within the circle of the estate an area for a
small town, with all its streets, squares, markets,
churches, and chapels—(Laughter)—and what greatly
• enhanced its value was, that it was situated in the very
heart of a rapidly rising neighbourhood, and that it lay
within a short distance of the three bridges. It was
calculated that there was ample space for the erection of
300 houses. It would be at the option of the pur-
chaser to build over the whole or only over a part, re-
serving a portion of the gardens for public exhibitions
and amusements. It was said that the days of Vauxhall
had gone by—he believed they were only coming on.
The rising generation would be naturally anxious to
see that justly celebrated place of which they had heard
so much. It was proved by a recent experiment that
the "Royal property" had not lost its attraction with
the•public. During the last two months, notwithstand-
ing the unpropitious state of the weather, the gardens
had been most numerously and brilliantly attended.
There had been as many as 12,000 persons there of a
night, which showed that it had not declined in public
estimation. The property had cost the late proprietors
upwards of 60,0001. ; and the various improvements
effected by these gentlemen, in the erection of buildings
of various descriptions, and the planting of trees and
shrubs, • very greatly enhanced its value. There was
one point which he would beg to urge most strenuously
on' the attention of all present—namely, that this was to
be a bona fide sale. His instructions were peremptory ;
he was bound to sell, if he could only get a bidding,
without reservation. The vendors would not offer a
shilling, and there was no possibility of effecting a pur-
chase. by private contract., With respect to the title, the
purchaser should have the fullest satisfaction previous to
the completion of the purchase ; but he was authorised
to assert that it was a good, clear, marketable title.
.Having said thus much, he should be happy to receive
any bidding to begin with. He was not instructed to
name any sum.

After a long pause a gentleman bid 10,0001. The auc-
tioneer smilingly thanked the bidder for offering 10,0001.
for a property which cost the late proprietors 60,000/.;
would some gentleman say 20,0001. ? A long pause en-
sued. At length another gentleman said 15,000/., and
then followed, in rapid succession, thousand after thou-
sand, until the bidding stopped at 12,000/. After some
further delay, 19,500/. was offered, and the spirit of spe-
culation becoming more active, the bidding went up to
20,200.; but all the eloquence and persuasive powers of
the auctioneer could get it no higher. The hammer
eventually fell and closed the sale of Vauxhall Gardens.
The purchaser is -William Fowler, Esq. Our reporter
could not ascertain whether it is this gentleman's inten-
tion to devote the gardens to their original use, or to
break them up for building ground ; the latter opinion
was that moss prevalent in the room. The deposit mo-
ney, 2,0204, was paid down immediately after the sale
by a check on a London banker, drawn by Mr. Thomas
Watts, who attended as agent for Mr. Fowler. There
can therefore be no doubt that the sale, as Mr. Leifchild
stated, has been a bona fide sale.

NORTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION.

(From the Liverpool Mercury.)
On Wednesday evening last a new writ was issued for
the Northern Division of this county, in consequence of
Lord Stanley having accepted the seals of the Foreign
Department, under the Administration of Sir Robert
Peel. We have not yet heard of any opposition to the
renegade 'Whig; and we fear that, in the present state of
the registration, it would be unavailing were it attempted.
Neither can we imagine on what grounds, consistent with
his former professions, he can ask the electors of North
Lancashire for their suffrages, in the capacity of a sub-
ordinate of Sir Robert Peel, a man in whom, as he de-
clared but a few years ago, he felt no confidence what-
ever. Doubtless he will enter into some sort of explana-
tion on this knotty point in his forthcoming address, for
which we look with much curiosity. In the meantime,
and for the purpose of comparison with that document
when it shall appear, we submit to the electors of North
Lancashire a copy of Lord Stanley's address to them
seven years ago. requesting their particular attention to
those parts of it which we have taken the liberty to mark
in italics :

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE NORTHERN DIVISION OP

TIIE COUNTY PALATINE OF LANCASTER.

Gentlemen—The expected dissolution of Parliament
being this day announced, I hasten again to offer myself
as a candidate for the honour of representing the
northern division of this county. My public conduct, in
office and out of office, is before you ; my political prin-
ciples are well known to you ; and my conscience tells
me that I have taken no step, since I last was honoured
with your confidence, by which I should deserve to for-
feit it.

I am, as I have ever been, a zealous and earnest advo-
cate for such reforms in our institutions, ecclesiastical as
civil, as may remove just causes of complaint, may extend
their usefidness, and increase their efficiency ; I am, as I
have ever been, anxious to protect those institutions
against such innovations as, may endanger their safety or
their existence. I ceased to belong to the late Adminis-
tration, because, having cordially, co-operated in the
various measures of Reform which they had introduced,
I feared the destructive tendency of an important step
to which they had been led to give their assent ; 1 de-
clined to join that which is now formed, because I had no
pate grounds for confidence that they would boldly and
strenuoudj ,act upon those principles VBeforna which I be-
lieve to be esssntia Ito dm national we flare. I come before
you, therefore, unfettered by any tie of party ; bound
ody by those principles which I have unvaryinLli pro-
fessed—on which I have constantlylacted, and, professing
which, I have already been twice honoured with your
support. Should you again return me to Parliament, I
go thither, pledged neither to support, nor to oppose, the
present, nor any other set of Ministers. Should I find
that the King's Government, however composed, gives
full and free scope to the principles to which every day's
reflection serves but to confirm my attachment, I shall
give them my humble but cordial aid towards carrying
them into effect ; should I find them rashly endangering
the institutions of the country, I shall labour earnestly
to protect those institutions ; should I find them slow to
remedy acknowledged grievances, or madly resisting the ra-
tional desire of temperate improvement, my vote will be but
one among the vast majority of my, countrymen who will com-
pel them to advance in the steady progress of unflinching but
Constitutional Reform. •
Resolved to act on these principles; having. 'no object
in view but the welfare of our common country ; and
ready to offer the fullest explanation upon any part of
my past comuct, or future intentions, which you may
'deem to require it, I respectfully solicit at your hands the
renewal of the high trust which you have already twice
confided to me.—l have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
your obliged and faithful servant,
Bewsley, December 31, 1834. STANLEY.

THE STAMP DUTIES.—The Duke of Bed-
ford, having lately purchased Ampthill Park estate, say
at 150,0001., the lease and release duty (for Mr. Stew-
art's Bill works no amendment as to the lease duty)
would be 1,0011. 15s. The Duke of Buckingham also
purchased an estate, said to be at 63,0001., the stamp
duty on which would be 6511. 15s. Now, in each of
these cases the stamp is literally a flea-bite, and is wholly
unthought of by either party in their advances towards
,a contract; the concern felt about the single 1,0001, or the
-650/4 in matters of this magnitude, being as nothing
compared with the last IL in Bill Smith's close bargain
of 1501., or the last 10s. in Tom Jones's of 621. ; these
have got to look at every pound—nay, every shilling,
;as of vast importance, whilst the former are wholly
.unaffected by any such comparative trifles ; but
When, in addition to this fact of every pound be-
coming so much more valuable, or at all events import-
ant, in proportion as we descend to the contractors upon
a small scale, we bear in mind also that these have to
encounter a rate of duty falling as dead-like upon their
narrowed means as that does feather-like which applies
to those of the wealthy : we then have the full measure
of injustice made manifest. This very pound, you see,
makes no less that five-and-twenty shillings difference in
the stamps. "The latter," quoth Bill, " are high enough
on 1491. (being 21. 10s. on that amount) but drat your
even 50, that runs the stamps up to L. 15s. like wink-
ing." However, poor Bill must have a house over
his bead if •he can, and he gives the 15c1. he pays
'the 31.-15 s. duty, and he hears with wonder how that the
great Duke of Bedford has purchased an estate of
150,0001. " Mercy on us," says Bill, and he begins
chalking on the mantelpiece in characters which no one,
save himself, can decipher ; his looks of amazement in-
crease, and at length he tells you, with stupified but
positive earnestness, " Why, I'll be hanged if he ain't
got to pay 3,75 a. for stamps." Thou art right in thy
chalk, honest but wrong in thy very natural sup-
position. 'The Duke pa,,vs only 1,001/. 15s. for the
stamps, and hads't thou been made to pay but in pro.
portion to a great Duke thy hard earned a 15s. fur
stamps would have been reduced to 1/. leaving 2/. 15s. to
help out, by its interests, for the yearly duty of 4s, 6d.
which thou must pay (but which the Duke has no oc-
casion to pay) for insurance_—Letter in the Times.
The approach to Plymouth by the beautiful
yOley of the Exe, made suc'h. an impression on a legal
,cpatell-top paSsenger, that he declared,;if he were judge,
he'would issue on the river a writ _Ye Exe-at I?eyno.
This would be a breakwater Z—Literary Gazette.