The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-30 00:00:00

THE INDIAN BUDGET,

The arrival of the Indian mail with news up to April 9,
brings loud complaints respecting financial affairs. Sir
Richard Temple's second Budget has, according to the
Bombay Gazette, excited a feeling of indignation which all
the leading newspapers are of one accord in expressing.
"Its leading feature (adds the Gazette) is an increase of
the income-tax from 1 to 3i per cent. This is the
means which is adopted to restore a financial equilibrium.
In addition to all the objections that can be urged against
an income-tax, whether light or heavy, and the special
objections to so high a percentage as 3i, it is with reason
maintained that the increase involves something very like
a breach of faith. The additional impost of a half per
cent. last year, raising the tax for the year to
was itself regarded as very objectionable, but the
exceptional financial condition disclosed at the time
was given as the reason for a high temporary taxa-
tion, and there was no ground to think the extra
half per cent. would be continued. But still more taxa-
tion has been considered necessary, and no other means
could be devised than that of doubling the income-tax.
The Calcutta press, which, writing on the spot, might
have some hope to influence the decisions of the Legisla-
tive Council, condemned the Budget with a severity and
unanimity it rarely displays, and evidently had the sup-
port of the community. In the Council also there was
opposition—from the ' additional' members, we presume,
for the Budget is understood to have had the
approval of Lord Mayo and the Executive Coun-
cil. It was on the 2nd inst. that the financial state-
ment was delivered, and at the same meeting the
Bill for taxing trades and professions was introduced and
referred to a Select Committee, with instructions to report
on the following Tuesday. On the sth, accordingly, as
we learn by telegram, the bill again came up, and was
passed after ' considerable opposition.' So public opinion,
unmistakably expressed, has gone for nothing; and
though condemnation of the Budget still occupies the
press (a Calcutta telegram of the 6th says the papers
again severely condemn the budget '), the taxation of
India is now definitely fixed for the financial year of
1870-71."

Mdlle. Carlotta Patti is turning the heads of tho
New York public by her brilliant singing of popular
ditties, the well-known ballad, " Comin' thro' the rye,"
with which she used to delight the audience at our own
promenade concerts, being among the favourite items in
the programmes.—The Choir.
PROGRESS OF CIVILISATION IN THE EAST.—
Two Turks, quarrelling on Monday in Galata when drunk
—a circumstance which, thanks to the rapid spread of
Western civilisation, is not so rare nowadays as formerly
—drew out their knives, and one killed his companion on
the spot. The homicide was intantly arrested by the
police.—Levant Times.
THE FRENCH BISHOPS AND THE PLEBISCITE.—
A number of the French bishops at Rome have announced
their intention of sending instructions to their vicars
general to use all their influence in the cause of order and
the maintenance of Conservative views. Many bishcps
have likewise requested M. de Bonneville to arrange that
votes may be taken at the French Embassy, so that the
prelates and ecclesiastics who are detained at Rome in the
service of the council may be parmitted to record their
plebiscitary vote.
THE UNIVERS AND THE FRENCH NOTE.—The
Univers says positively that M. de Bonneville received
the memorandum from M. Daru upon the express under-
standing that the Pope should be requested to transmit
it to the Council, but that it seems equally certain the
Holy Father refused to comply with the request, and
that M. de Banneville was not suprised at the occurrence.
The Univers insists upon the importance of the French
Government making known whether the Memorandum
has been withdrawn, and declares that categorical expla-
nations must be given before the vote on the Pldbiscite is
taken. The Catholics are not disposed to vote in the
affirmative unless they receive these explanations.

LADY FRANKLIN.—Among the passengers by
the Limena are Lady Franklin and niece, en route to
California. Her ladyship looks very well, and not at all
the worse for her travels. The late discoveries made by
Captain Hall in the Arctic regions leads her, we believe,
to seek an interview with him. The Weekly Standard of
Buenos Ayres of February 16 announced her arrival on
the coast as follows : " Lady Franklin, who arrived at
Monte Video from England in the Patagonia, is on her
way to California, from whence, it is said, she intends to
dispatch further exploring parties to the north, in the hope
of encountering or obtaining a trace of the remains of her
late husband, the world-renowned Arctic explorer." We
are glad to be able-to notice her progress so far in good
health.--Panama Star, April 5.
RARE BOOK PRINTED BY WYNKEN DE WORDE.—
The valuable library of the late lamented John Bruce,
F.S.A., is now being dispersed. The following rare
book, printed by Wynken de Worde, was disposed of on
Thursday. It is thus described :—Contemplation
of Sinners.—" Colophon, Here endeth the treatyse
called the Contemplacyon of Synners, for every
Jaye of the weke ; a synguler medytacyon.''Black
letter, small 4to, with woodcuts, interspersed with poetry.
Fine copy
t
s, q. Gregoryuiteco and s
mete,int.
Barbara stamped on theoriginalbinding,with
figures the
sides. Emprentyd at Westmynstre, by W en de Worde,
the x daye of July, the yere of our lorde,lllis mecCoCO3pLiteXdXa.lnXd.
The Prologue informs us that this book va
fianmisheadndat
Ltheredrep,ruievsyt osfeallticehf arEdn(gFlaonx)
d.Bishltopioef
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com-
posed in an uncommon manner. Here are seven diffe-
rent topics or meditations, divided according to the
seven days o
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because the
rianpEhrastical translation
marinalLpahtilinos.opThheresi.l ffaetlhleewrse,aandpa
thereof, or a kind of concordance,
fly, leaves are composed offour leaves of the romance of
Merlin, printed by Wynken. de Worde in 1510. This
volume was secured by Mr. Toovey, of Piccadilly, at the
high price of £2lO.
VICEREGAL EXPERIENCES.—The Denisons are
unquestionably an extremely remarkable family. After
the Napiers, truly called sons of Zeruiah, there is hardly
any similar band of brethren. One of them is the Speaker
of the House of Commons, and although he has not
attained to the perfection which characterised Lord
Eversley,, he has well earned the peerage and pension
looming in the future. Another brother was that kind-
hearted and saintly Bishop of Salisbury whowas so deeply
endeared to his friends and his diocese. A third is that
hearty and able archdeacon who discharges his " archi-
diaconal functions " with such mingled force and urbanity—
St. George without the Drag on, as he has been affec-
tionately and truly termed. Another brother is Sir
William Denison, late Governor-General of the Aus-
tralian colonies and Governor of Madras, who has just
summed up his many official experiences by two of the
most interesting and remarkable volumes which it has
ever fallen to our good fortune to peruse. Sir William's
experiences have been of all sorts and sizes. He has been
autocrat of the small and most singular community of
Pitcairn's Island, the smallest of our possessions, and,
while awaiting the appointment of Sir John Lawrence,
was fora brief space of time Governor-General of India.
His volume (" Varieties of Vice-regal Life,") are replete
with vivid, accurate, and and careful descriptions of colo-
nial life, and in many respects will form a treasury of
valuable opinions and information on colonial matters.
Of his own home interior he gives us many glimpses, and
it is impossible not to feel the deepest interest in himself
and his family, and earnestly to hope that his return home,
after twenty years' hard work, may be attended with all
blessings and benefits.—London Soczety.