The Sun.
London, England, 1815-02-07 00:00:00

. .. ~ . .....• ..
imppitTANf
,0171,-icLui, yNiq_)lßlATios

RELATIVE TO
ASSESSMENTS UNDER THE PROPERTY TAX ACT.

(From the Bristol Journal.)

- • •
Very considerable misapprehension having lately
arisen relative to the construction of the-Property
Tax Aat, as.far as concerns the Shipping Interest,
we are happy to be enabled, through the medium
of our respected Member, 'Mr. Davi*s, who has
been particularly alive to the interests of his eo;1-
stituents, to give publicity to the following iht'or-
'natio!, ; 'by" which it appears, that upon applica-
tion to the Treasury', relief will be afforded iri all
cases where the iadividual is assessed to more
than 10 per cent. upon the average profits Of the
whole of hisconcerns,; and it will be particularly
gratifying to the public to learn, that a limit is
fixed to any revision of returns already made.

" Tre4als.)yi chanthers, SOth .lan: 181 5.

" GENTLEmEN—I am commanded by the Lords Commis-
sioners Of his Majesty's Treasury to acquaint you, that upon
an attentive perusal of the papers stihmitted by you to their
Lordships in respect to the mode of Assessing the Profits of
Shipping in the Port of, Bristol, it appears to my Lords, that,
mistaken apprehensions have prevailed at Bristol, in respect
to the consequences to follow from the mode of assessment
contended for by the Inspectors and Surveyors of Taxes.
" The clear: intention of the Legislature ttroughout all the
provisions and clauses of the Property Tax Acts was, that
Merchants should pay fur the exigencies of the State 10 per
cent, of their net -pyofits and .no more. If, therefore, a
merchant poSsessed of four or more ships should be found 'a
gainer upon one or inure adventures,and a loser Upon the
others, the loss must in justice be deducted • from the gain,
and the assessment finally made of his profits be regulated
accordingly. .igain, supposing a merchant engaged in the
commerce of shipping, and also in generdi men handize, the
profit or loss to be made in the one would be to be deducted
from the other, and whatever might be the net gain of both,
the proportion of 10 per cent. would be that share, which
such merchant would be called upon to pay to the Gorern-
went.

" This explanation will at once remove all ill-founded ap-
prehensicius of any oppression from the conduct of the sur-
veyors and inspectors of taxes, and satisfy the merchant that
nothing more is sought for than the fair return of the profits'
of his trade. This just object it has appeared to the Commis-
sioners of Taxes, and my Lord§ concur in that opinion, wduitt
be more effectually.accomplished by a strict adherence• to the
principle established as legal by the judgment. of the Court of
Exchequer, namely, that each managing husband of every
ship should be chargeable with the income tilt upon the whole
profits of such ship ; leaving to the parties interested; and
who may be concerned in other ships or in general merchan-
dise, the final adjustment, upon" 'dire proof before the Com-
missioners of the distHet, of their yearly profit or loss upon
the whole of their concerns. • -

, « But 'in carrying this principle into exception with per-
sons who may have been ship-owners in preceding years, my
Lords apprehend that some difficulty and distress would arises
if the law s'.-tonld now be rigorously applied.
". Whatever delay may have arisen, beyond the usual term
for making surcharges and hearing appeals, is not attrebut7
ahle to, the skip-owners, but to an impression. upon which
the Commissioners of the district profess to have acted of
the real construction of the law. "Therefore, whilst my Lords
maintain that construction as pronounced by the Court of
.Exchequer to he the true and legal construction, they are'Ll
opinion that it will not be expedient to extend the revision
beyond the sth April, 1813,, in the cases of ships uponwhich
no return of profit has been made ; and in those cases where
the return of profit has been charged by the Inspector-as in:-
,sultivient, that the revision be not extended beyond the (Ala
April, 18i4.

" I am, Gentlemen, your Oedient Servant, •
" LUSHINGTONT.

" To the Merchants and Ship-owners

of the city of Bristol."

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF CLIANCERY, FEB. G.

TheLoRD CHANCELLOR was occupied the greater
part of the morning in hearing Counsel in causes,
of no public interest.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, FEB. 6.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the judgment
of the Court, on J. C. Horpheth-vtho had at one
time held a commission ilk a Volunteer Corps, for
receiving 100/. as a remuneration for recommend-
ing the donor to an Adjutancy in a Yeomanry
Corns.

. .
After hearing the ATTORNEY-GENERAL for the
pro3ecution, and Mr. GURNEY far the defendant,
Mr. Justice LE BLANC declared the sentence of
the Court to be; that the defendant, for his said
offence, be committed to the custody of the Mar-
shah of the Marshalsea of the Court, for twelve
calendar months.