The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-13 00:00:00

the whole of the advantages which have resulted
from the extension of commerce, consequent upon the
greater facilities afforded by amore liberal tariff. They
have, gained all the advantages of that trade, the greater
amount of which has contributed proportionately so
much more revenue. They have profited by a better
employment of our shipping—by commissions upon the
increased amount of our imports—by the profits, whole-
sale and retail, which have applied to the distribution of
this increased quantity of commodities ; and finally,
though most important of all, the whole public have
benefited by the increased supply and lower cost of ,all
that contributes to their material wants. Again—a
comparison of the Excise duties for the year furnishes
an equally gratifying result. An increase on the year
of 18,7171. is shown in the Revenue tables ; but it must
be borne in mind that in 1845 a reduction took place in
this branch of revenue, by the repeal of the glass and
auction duties, amounting to 892,000/. on the year, but
which reduction applied only to one-half of the year
ending October 6, 1845, while it applied to the whole
of the year ending the 10th instant ; so that.. to make
the comparison of the two periods perfect we must add to
the receipts of the present year one half of that sum.
The quarter's accounts—and especially as far as regards
the Customs—are, even in a greater degree than those of
the year, illustrative of these advantages. Notwith-
standing the reductions in the Tariff in the last session
of Parliament—which for the single quarter are equal
to about 100,0001.—the increase in the present year,
compared even with -the prosperous and busy quarter
ending the 10th October, 1845—is no less than 462,4721.
Vire have relinquished import duties upon the quarter
equal to 100,0001; we hare gained revenue to the
amount of 462,4721. Nor is this attributable, as somo
may suppose, to the large amount of duty received on
corn when the new corn-law , first came into operation,
that sum having been included in the quarter ending the
sth of July. ..
ADVERTISER.—Wre publish to cliy the revenue
accounts for the year and quarter ending on the 10th
instant ; and our reader:, we are sure, will share with
us the gratification we feel at the prosperous state of the
nation's affairs, as unfolded in these returns. It will be
seen that the total increase on the 3 ear, as compared
with the year ending October 10, 1845, is 88,2641.,
while on the quarter, as conspired with the correspond-
ing quarter of last year, the increase is no less than
539,064/. In the Customs department there is a
decrease on the year of 501,619/„ but on the quarter
there is an increase of 462,4721. This is a most
cheering fact, inasmuch as the Customs have always
been regarded as affording the best test of the pros.
perity or otherwise of the trade and commerce of the
country. The only two beads under . which we
find a deficit on the quarter, are those of the
Scamps and Miscellaneous. In both instances, the
defalcation is insignificant. In the first-mentioned
department it only amounts to the trifling sum of
5,8111., in the second it is 59,5481. Under the head
Post-office we have an augmentation on the
year of 114,000/., and on the quarter of 8,000/.
This addition will bo hailed by the country as an indi-
cation of an increasing intelligence among us. In the
Excise department there is an augmentation amounting
to 182,717/. for the year, and of 226,820/. for the quar-
ter. This is a most gratifying increase; for there can-
not be a better proof of the prosperity of the country,
next to that afforded by an augmentation in the Customs,
than is furnished by the immense additional consump-
tion of excisable articles which is indicated by the
figures last quoted. The Property-tax, too, has largely
partaken of the general prosperity; for on theyear we
find an increase of 205,0311., and on the quarter of
148,245/. These returns, we repeat, are of a most en-
cJuraging kind. It is a long time since any revenue ac-
counts were so much calculated to afford gratification to
the country. They prove that the finances of the na-
tion are in a most healthy condition. The depression
under which the country laboured is now rapidly passing
away, The gloom which has, for nearly twelve months,
hung over the money market, will be forthwith dispelled,
and confidence, which is the very life and soul of mone-
tary and commercial prosperity, will be everywhere re-
stored.

HERALD.—We have before us the official return of
the revenue of the nation for the quarter and the year
ended on Saturday last. The figures there fixed afford
to us much more reason to congratulate the British

public upon the condition of the country, thus evidenced,
than sanguine hope could before to-day have bespoke or
predicted. There are but two departments of the na-
tional resources which exhibit a decrease—Stamps show
a diminution of 5,8111. upon the quarter's calculation;
but there is an increase from them upon the year ipf
21,7591. over the receipts of 1845. Again, there isle
diminution of the quarter's receipts from " Miscella-
neous " sources, which amounts to 59,5481., but there is
an increase in the revenue derived through this &antler'
during the year,. which amounts to 421,5881. With re-:
gard to this " Miscellaneous" item there is seldom much
to say, infrequently food for a paragraph of spe •
culation; but in reference to Stamps let us just
write a phrase or two. The consumption of stamps
is generally a strong evidence of the condi-
tion of our commercial prosperity or adversity.
It is true that stamps are largely " used up" for purposes
not strictly mercantile, and that the test of our stamps
revenue cannot be always applied to the condition of the
commercial affairs of the country. Yet we must say
that we do not like the aspect of this decrease in that
department. So much for decrease. Let us now turn to
that which appears to be the position of the nation
manifested by the statement of the national resources
before us. The official table shows an increase of

revenue for the present year compared with the last
amounting to 88,2641., and the increase for the quarter
is 539,064/. In the Customs department there is a
decrease for the year of 501,6191., and an increase for
the quarter of 462,472/ In the Excise there is an increase

for the year of 182,7171., and for the quarter an augmen-
tation which amounts to 226,820/. From the Property-
tax, there has been derived an increase for the year of
205,031/, and for the quarter of 148,2451. The Post-
office returns an increase of its income for the year
of 114,0001.; but upon the quarter just completed
the augmentation is but 8,0001. With the other items

included in this return remark can have but little to do,

as they cannot exhibit any means convertible to the salu-
tary purposes of deduction in reference to the financial

state of .the United Kingdom. We may now proceed
briefly to analyse the materials of which this official do-
cument is made up, and endeavour to glean from them a
glimpse of the position in which the country is as a re-
ceiving and a paying nation—of its capacity to contain
within itself the resources from which it may derive sub-
siatence, and of the immediate results of the measures
which Governments have of late thought necessary to be

carried out for the public weal, for the imperial Welfare.
We have said that we.do not like the aspect of the de-

crease in the revenue derived from stamp;;but when we
compare it with the quarter's revenue obtained from the
Post-office we must confess that in reference to our trade
and commerce the appearances are yet more unsightly.
The increase on the year from the Post-office is 114,0001.
Throwing into the scale the obvious comparative de-
crease in the quarter's revenue from this department, we
should nevertheless have had an augmentation for the
quarter just ended, when compared with the other three
quarters of the year, which should amount to 28,2001.
For this sum we are compelled to read 8,000/. But we
will not descend to metaphysics when plain figures are
before us—we will merely reiterate our impression, that
with regard to a wholesome state of commerce the ap-
pearanceal are unseeming.

MANCHESTER CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.

ITS REPRESENTATIONS TO GOVERNMENT.

(From the Manchester Courier.)
We stated in the Courier of Saturday, that the navi-
gation laws had attracted the attention of the Manchester
Chamber of Commeree. We now present a copy of
the memorial which has been forwarded by the Directors
to the Lords of the Treasury, and officially acknow-
ledged :

"T 0 TILE RIGHT HON. THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OP
HER MAJESTY'S TREASURY.

" The Memorial of the Directors of the Chamber of
Commerce and Manufactures at Manchester

" Showeth—That your memorialists are extremely
desirous that her Majesty's Government should take into
earliest consideration the present state of our navigation
laws.

" That whatever may have been the motive under
which those laws were originated, it will not now be
denied that the intelligence of the age demands a revi-
sion, if not a total abandonment of them.

" That for many years pact the impossibility of re-
taining them against the United States of America, and
subsequently against several other nations, was ad-
mitted, and specific relametions decreed by tbe Legisla-
ture ; but the wise policy adopted in the last session of
Parliament calls, in the opinion of your memorialists,
for an immediate reform or abolition of them as against
all the world.

"That your memorialists call for such reform or
abolition on the grounds of sound policy and justice, the
injurious consequences of those laws having been often
practically experienced ; but they grieve to add, that
the dispensations of Divine Providence seem to them to
render the correction instantly necessary.
" That, under the most afflicting circumstances in
which many portions of this empire are now placed in
respect to food, your memorialists would fain hope that
a paternal Government will not suffer to remain upon
the statute-book for one unnecessary instant those mis-
chievous and partially devised provisions of law, which,
operating at all times and under all circumstances against
the true interests of the bulk of the people, aggravate at
the present moment their ordinary injustice, by adding
to the difficulty of providing against impending famine.
" On the grounds, therefore, of policy, justice, and ne-
cessity, your memorialists humbly, but most: urgently
pray, that your Lordships may take into immediate con-
sideration the whole of the provisions of the navigation
laws, with a view to provide such remedies as the well-
being of the people imperatively requires.
e of India by the system
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pursued in respect to bills and the rate of exchange by
the East India Company has also been fore d upon the
attention of the Manchester Chamber of Comm?rce, and
the following memorial to Lord John Ru •sell, in his
capacity of Ent Lord of the Treasury, has been the
result;--