The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-24 00:00:00

grbtrb Xbition

EXHIBITION OF PICTURES.
(THIS DAY.)
SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOURS.
Copley Fielding is decidedly the master spirit in this
forty-third Exhibition of the Society of Painters in
Water Colours. His pencil has scattered exquisite
lights, and shades, and hues, and distances, and atmos-
pheric effects over the walls of the Gallery in Pall-
mall East. His genius blooming through the pigments
of his palette, have literally sown beauties about the
Gallery. Although there are upwards of forty distinct
compositions from the easel of Copley Fielding in this
year's collection, we have no hesitation in awarding to
him a superiority which he has never before possessed.
We are gratified and surprised at so much indisputable
excellence, accompanied by such extraordinary industry
and apparent precipitation.
No. 31. " The Isle of Staffs," by this gifted artist, is
of a prevailing neutral tint, giving the impression of a
dull, gross day, with the Hebredian waves surging up
towards the Cam-shell Cave; the sullen foam upon their
ridges blearing the view of lona on the horizon.
No. 80. " Italian Landscape, with Sea Port," by the
same, is a delicious contrast; it is glittering with a more
sprightly animation, and although the feathery cloudlets
overhead are less like the ghosts of the Sirus which we
could wish them, it is clear, from many of the other
paintings of Mr. Fielding, that he has been taking a hint
from the Oxford Graduate. So much is this perceptible
that we shall be disposed to anticipate, in 1848, from his
hand, a series illustrative of Shelley's poem, beginnicg—
" I bring fresh show'rs for the thirsting flow'rs,
From the seas and the streams;
I hear light shade to the leaves when laid
In their noon-day dreams, &c."
The suggestion, by the way, is not to be slighted. It is im-
possible to give any alequate impression of the merits of
the en:ire collection on a first day's hurried survey, nor
would it be scarcely fair to dismiss any piece (except the
most execrable) with a hurried ejaculation of contempt.
For the present, therefore, we shall content ourselves
with culling a few sentences from the note book of our
memory, mentally pencilled there as we traversed the

apartment.
No. 56. " Drumadown," by W. A. Nesfield, is a
very hazardous, and (because of its boldness) a very
praiseworthy venture. Turner in a &Urinal could
not by possibility have, produced a more phosphoric
blaze of yellow ochre and vermillion. But we cannot
induce ourselves, nevertheless, to stigmatise the picture
as an exaggeration. We have ourselves seen a land-
scape flooded with the pomp and magnificence of a sunset
almost as dazzling and gaudy : the beams flashing up
from the lea through a network of vapours, and dyeing
their extremities as with blood ; the combination of
gorgeous colours, looking indeed more like a peep into
some celestial kaleidoscope than the farewell glories of
Dan nimbus.
No. 67. " A Day in the Forest of Atholl," by W.
Evans, of Eton, is wonderfully clever. Seen in glimpses
through the cluster of people gathered about it, the
picture looks like a Turner—one of the great man's
least eccentric productions. The curling and gathering
up of the mists, the tawny blossoms of the heather in
the foreground, and the crouching figures of the deer-
stalkers, are the simple materials out of which the
painter has created a very charming and beautiful whole.
No. 172. " The Hallowed Relic," by Allred Fripp, is
certain to attract much attention, for it is a picture con-
ceived by a mind truly poetical. There is a pathos not
merely in the kneeling virgin by the sepulchral cross,
not merely in the sanguinary hue of the sunset, not
merely in the dim crescent of the moon, which,
" Like a dying lady,"
looks palely down upon the mourner; it is desolate and
pensive to the minutest adjuncts, and the colouring is
equally of a character.
Besides the foregoing, we observed a capital little
sketch of a " Page," by the facetious and inexhaustible
W. Hunt, as well as a sort of pictorial pun from the
same humourist, entitled " Drawing by Two Lights."
V. Bartholomew hai a very brilliant and natural com-
position of poppies in a china bowl, with orchard-fruit
scattered over the table. The exhibition is unusually
meritorious.
Mr. J Mei," ..
sweeping machine, submitted last _
the machine to the Minister of Public Works, the Prefect of
Police, Marshal Soult, M. Arago, and several of the =vans,
as well as to several members of the Muncipal Council, all of
whom were much pleased with its great simplicity and effi-
ciency; and its early introduction into France may be ex-
pected, as its services are much needed, and the system of
cleaning now employed, and the formation of the streets, are
both well adapted for its application,
AWFULLY DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN NEW ORLEANS.
—Our city has not, for a great length of time, been visited by
as destructive a fire as broke out at about three o'clock this
morning. On both sides of Chartres-street, from the Cus-
tom-housee half down to Bienville, nearlye alidofttrhee
eettenge
establishments there have already
suet andbe been destroyed.
in the second
fire originated in the store of
estno
hour a going to press nine of our largest
rossed
street. At the eo
pwp
sC
tset osmi
d-ehoofucs eh-:tr
tr es
stocks of dry goods, &c., are already
uiitldtbinegn,cone
stores, with immense
scary
Chartres ttrbese b;
Ravalet and Hunt, dry goods, ; Albert,
dry goods ; .
Heilman, dry goods, &c. ; Gerringer, Yignaud.
.6"Rtorav thb:
burnt. Among those who have suffered are Simpson,
a fancy
and
Sylvester, Simmonet, Emanuel, and Co., Du-
mngie, druggist ; Mace. It would be difficult at the present
moment to estimate the amount of loss, nor could we get
any particulars of the extent of insurance ; but perhaps
300,000 dollars is as near as may be the loss up to the time
of going to press. We have again visited the scene of de-
struction, and as our firemen seem to have overcome the
element, we judge that it cannot extend much further.—New
Orleans Times, March 25.
SEIZURE OF AN ILLICIT DISTILLERY.—A seizure
of an illicit distillery was effected yesterday by the police,
in a very private-looking dwelling-house, No. 12, Eden-
grove, Holloway. The police constables effected an en-
trance at the back of the house, and in a lower room
found a distillery completely fitted up, with the still at
full work, and running off strong spirits. A quantity of
molasses wash was prepared for working, and everything
was in readiness to dispatch it from the premises as soon
as it was reduced to spirit. The stock of spirit seized was
small. The fermented wash was destroyed, but the rest of
the seiztue was conveyed to the Excise warehouse, in Broad-
street.
TUE PARIS SPRING RACES.—The first spring
mgeetoidn gd e
ay's sspoprltacise
eoxn Speuctnedda.y, oFnivtehdeiffCehraemntpptllielsawraillanbed
a run for—viz., the I,ooof. Stakes for horses and mares of
three years and upwards, 100 f. entry for which eight entries
have been made; the 2,000 f. Stakes of the Administration
des Hares, for three-years-old colts and fillies, 100 f. entry,
eight entries made; the Prix du Cadran 3,000 f. for four-year-
old colts and fillies, entry 500 f., 10 entries made; the Prix
de l'Esplanade I,ooof. for ,horses and mares of three years
and upwards. entry 50f., five entries made; and the Pre-
miere Cetus de Haies 1,500 f., entry 100 f., seven entries
made.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, April 23.
ROYAL ASSENT.
The Royal Assent was given to-day by Commission
to the following Billet--
The Exchequer Bills Bill, the Mutiny Bill, the
Marine Mutiny Bill, the Indemnity Bill, the Markets
and Fairs Clauses Bill, the Gas Works
Clauses Bill, the Commissioners Clauses the
Waterworks Clauses Bill, the Troops during
Elections Bill, the General Register House Edinburgh
Bill, and the District Fire Insurance Company of Bir-
mingham Bill.
The Lord Commissioners were, the Lord Chancellor,
the Earl of Minto, and the Marquis of Clanricarde.
The LORD CIiANCELLOR took his seat upon the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
Lord LYTTELTON presented a petition from Stour-
bridge in favour of a national poor-rate.:
In reply to a question from the Earl of WICKLOW,
The LORD CHANCELLOR said it was his intention
to move the second reading of the Encumbered Estates
(Ireland) Bill on Tuesday next.
Lord REDESDALE presented a
petition from the
guardians of the North Eastern Union of the county of
Suffolk against the Poor Removal Bill.
etitions against
The Duke of RICHMOND presented p
the Poor Removal Act.
CUSTOMS' DUTIES BILL.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the cor-
poration of Dublin against the
atheCu itionstoms from' Duti
the es Biight
11.
The Noble Lord also presen pet e
inst the further reduction
distillers of England . g
a
of the ;differential dutiesa
he
rum. After reading ex-
tracts from the petition, e said that although there
were only eight
signatures to this petition, the
interests which they represented might be judged
of from the amount of Excise duty they paid,
into the revenue. This amounted to no less a
sum than 3,500,0001- a year, the whole amount of
the revenue from the Excise being about six millions.
He had also to present a petition from Scotland regard-
ing a case which was somewhat different to the one he
had just troubled their Lordships with. It was from
the distillers of Scotland, and they complained that
while they were subjected to both the Customs and
Excise duties they were only allowed a draw-
back of half the duty they had originally paid.
He had also petitions to the same effect from Suther-
land and numerous other places in Scotland.
Lord MONTEAGLE presented a petition from seve-
ral large distillers in Ireland against the Bill, and pray-
ing their Lordships not to pass the Bill into a law with-
out bestowing upon the subject the gravest considerations.
He also presented a petition from some gentlemen of
the highest respectability in some part of Scotland, the
_name of whom did not reach the gallery, complaining of
_Ae hardship inflicted upon them by the present regula-
tions with respect to " the allowances.
VENTILATION BILL
The Earl of FITZWILLIAM gave notice of a mo-
tion on the subject of the Ventilation Bill.
tM'e'STOMS' DITTIES BILL.
The Earl of CLARENDON moved the second read-
ing of the Customs' Duties Bill. The differential duties
of 6d., would be sufficient to meet all the incidental ex-
penses. The duty on rum at present was, for England,
Bs. 7d., for Scotland, 4s. ld., and for Ireland, 3s. sd.
The duty last year was reduced from Is. 6d. to ls., and
there was no complaint heard from the distillers in
consequence. His Noble Friend ascribed that to the
circumstance of the alteration being made nearly at the
close of the session, but this could not operate to pre-
vent the distillers from expressing their feelings on the
subject, bad they felt aggrieved. A claim, however, had
since been put forward for a differential duty
of Is. 4d. per gallon, but it was estimated on the other
hand, that making every allowance they were not en-
titled to a differential duty of more than 2d. He would
now the state the grounds on which this claim was sought
to be supported. The Noble Lord then went over the
various details, which in the estimation of the distillers
entitled them to this difference. The claims of the dis-
tillers in Scotland reached so far as Is. 6d., but on a
careful examination of the subject they were allowed
9 id. only. But the Irish distillers had an allowancelof Is.
made to them, because it was supposed that
they laboured under greater disadvantages than the
distillers of England. Originally the allowance made
to the Scotch distiller was ls. 4d., but it was
afterwards reduced by a Committee of the House of
Commons to Bd. The Irish distiller claimed a penny,
but he thought the claim could not be supported, in as far
as the Irish distiller was amply compensated by the 31d.
allowed to the English rectifier for his loss in the pro-
cess of rectifying. If the whole of the spirit distilled in
this country wore to be distilled from malt, the duty
must be charged as a differential duty, in the same way
as it was charged upon the foreign or colonial export
introduced. The Scotch distillers did not, however, use
malt. It was used only for the purpose of making a
better spirit, in improving its quality ; and if the Scotch
distiller were allowed a drawback on the malt, he might
just as well claim something for the spices and essential
oil which were used in their manufacture. Now, if they
were to give protection according to the ingredients
used in the manufacture of spirits, they ought at once
to listen to the claim of the English distiller for protec-
tion against the competition to which they were sub -
jectedby Scotland and Ireland. The quantity of spirit
manufar lured in England was 5,500,000 galls. per annum.
The quantity imported from Scotland was 2,150,000 galls.
and from Ireland, 1,400,000 gallons; making a total of
3,550,000 gallons imported from the two countries,
showing a competition with British spirits to the extent
of three-fifths. He did not think, therefore, that the
clai us of the Irish and Scotch distillers to further pro-
tectien could be entertained. They were already in a
most favourable position to enable them to compete with
the British manufacturer, and with that advantage they
ought to be satisfied.
Lord STANLEY said, the great question to be eon-
sidered was, what amount of deity ought to be paid
which would be most equitable between the English dis-
tilleries, and those of the colonies.
The Duke of 'MONTROSE said this question had
never been fairly discussed. The Scotch distillers did
not ask for further protection. What they wanted was,
to be placed in such a position as to be enabled to com-
pete successfully with the colonies. The pro-
tective and differential duties were originally pro-
posed by parties who never consulted the dis-
tillers, or any 'portion of their body, upon the
subject, or a broader distinction would have
been drawn between spirits produced in Scotland and
the spirits of the colonies. The consequence was the
excise regulations inflicted great loss upon the Scotch
distiller In cold weather the excise did not allow
sufficient time to admit of malt going through the pro-
cess of distillation. Besides the foreign distiller was
only charged for the amount of spirits which was taken out
of bond, whereas the British distillers were charged for
the spirit when it left the still. The loss incurred by
this alone amounted to a considerable sum, and entitled
the distillers of this country to the differential duty they
claimed. The various processes also which the English
distillers -were obliged to carry on in different places,
and at different times, in the manufacture of their spirits,
was an additional argument to induce the Government
net to propose' any reduction on the differential duty.
Mr. Guulburn stated that the case of the Scotch distillers
had been much over-rated, but he (the Duke of Mon-
trose) thought that the ex. Chancellor of the Exchequer
did nut come to a correct conclusion in making such a
statement; for when the various excise regulations and
restrictons were carefully considered, there could be very
little doubt that the estimate of claims had not been over-
stetettl. He had not the least hesitation in saying, that
if these various restrictive regulations were removed,
there would be some grounds for proposing a further re-
duction in the duties, but so long as they remained as
burdens on the British distillers, it was only fair and just
they should have that protection, which placed them on
a level with the colonial spirit producers. He would,
therefore conclude by proposing, as an amendment, that
the Bill be referred to a Select Committee. He
did not think their Lordships were competent to judge
of the present question without a knowledge of details
with which they were not at present acquainted. It
was his firm belief that if their :Lordships acceded to
this Bill they would arrive at a judgment without a due
knowledge of the subject. They had to deal with a question
in which is vast amount of employ...st,vas required. The
only Gar...A ',Quid be to throw a large amount of poor
on their respective parishes, and that at a period when
the landed Interest and the poor were enduring their
respective necessities with the greatest forbearance.
There was another view in which the measure was to be
considered. The taste for whisky was so strong that it
was not to be supposed that the inhabitants of Scotland
would quietly accede to a measure like the present.
Lord CAMPBELL—This was a subject of consider-
able importance to the interests which it would effect.
lie earnestly hoped that their Lordships would refer
this matter to a Committee of the whole House.
-The Duke of RICHMOND said that perhaps his
e Noble Friend knew better how to drink Islay whiskey
than how to make it. His Noble Friend did not appear
to be very conversant with the subject in all its bearings.
A mature consideration had been promised for this
measure at the close of the last session, and the result of
that promise was a further protective duty imposed by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer. That addition of 31,
'which_e was made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to
the sum which he at first proposed, was made on the
representation Of the distillers themselves. His Noble,
Frienti thought that the sum of 6d. was quite sufficient'
for these distiller
still stronger rettaso"al then unconsciously, made out a
and
dr trusted
inquiry, which was de-
manded. He hoped
tax
wotthaidtbae lroenvgeatiem: would not elapse before the malt
e tax was a burden which ought since to have
been removed from the statute book."g
The people had
long since agitated for cheap bread
astst upTen cheap beer. , and they would now
• Lord STANLEY said that it might be true
that
the
question of free trade did not enter into this disu
but a question of justice to two great interests diccliensitoetnr-
fere—two interests which might be materially afre
d
by the course which might be taken by the House. He
had heard with much astonishment the declaration of the
Noble Lord opposite, that 6d. was a fair and sufficient
compensation to the distillers. He was not one of those
who would call upon their Lordships to make great sa-
crifices for the West India interests, but he did say that
neither the West India proprietors, the Brazilian, or the
Cuban proprietors, had any right to ask to be placed in
our markets, in a position superior to the native menu-
feeturer.—(Hear, hear.) He granted that they might be
admitted upon an equality. This question was ono
•shich turned upon the accurate calculation of the smallest
rums. NotrltAciejld had said that he would give
!ci these distillgrslnheft tlerlAimed 6d. His reason
wing oilleqiestre4--fsetleat.-ft thought, from caf-
e ,l,tr.ons - ,e that that sum would
meet the dpiaffili• •.4 - \was really begging
the w the consideration
ofel.;. ft was . r- re d or the distillers.
There were
upon the distiller
ri4y-restectioxisi
which
wero\sviitiojuriotit Due notice had to
performed in
tie given of evegy opP,ration-dititotis to be