The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-20 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY.—The Queen and Prince
Albert took their accustomed morning walk.
The Royal Family took walking and pony exer-
cise to-day
The Marquis and Marchioness of Douglas, and
the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Whewell, are expected to arrive
at the Castle this evening, on a visit to the Queen.
The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening
will include her Royal Highness the Duchess
of
_Kent, the Marquis and Marchioness of Douglas,
the Earl of Liverpool, the Lady in Waiting on
the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Speth, and
the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Whewell.
The band of the Grenadier Guards attend during
dinner. Her Majesty's private band will afterwards
attend in the Castle.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester
visited the Princess Sophia yesterday, at her residence
at Kensington.
A Cabinet Council was held at three o'clock yes-
terday afternoon, at the Foreign-office. The Ministers
present were—Lord John Russell, the Lord Chan-
cellor, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir George Grey,
Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, the Earl of Auckland, Lord Camp-
bell, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, the Marquis of
Clanricarde, and the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay.
The Council sat two hours and a half.

The Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord President, ar-
rived in town yesterday, from his seat, Bowood Park,
Wilts.

Mr. Jennings, architect to the Grand Surrey Canal
Company, Mr. Smith, surveyor of the canal, and Mr.
J. C. Hall, solicitor to the company ; also Mr. Peter
Clarke, manager of the London, Brightont and Seuth-
Coast Railway Company, Mr. Hood, engineer, and
Mr. Parson, attorney to the company, had an inter-
view with the Right Hon. Edward Strutt yesterday,
at the office of the Commissioners of Railways in
the Board of Trade, respecting the mode of forming
a bridge over the Grand Surrey Canal.
Sir John Rae Reid, and a deputation of gentlemen
connected with the Mauritius, had a conference yes-
terday, with Lord John Russell, Earl Grey, and the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, at the official residence
of the First Lord of the Treasury, in Downing-street.
Viscount de Moncorvo, the Portuguese Minister,
transacted business yesterday, at the Foreign-office.
Mr. Cardwell, M.P., and a deputation from Man-
chester and Liverpool, respecting tea, had an interview
with Lord John Russell yesterday.
Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-office, for the Governors of Hong-Kong,
Ceylon, and Malta.

CHANGES IN THE EXCISE DEPARTMENT.---It was
currently reported yesterday in the Excise department,
that a minute had been received from the Lords of the
Treasury by the Commissioners of Excise, that in future
the licences taken out by wholesale wine and spirit-
dealers may be transferred from one occupier to another,
on the same principle as is at present acted upon in the
case of one licensed victualler taking to the business of
another before the expiration of the financial year, viz.,
the 10th of October. According to the present regula-
tions, should a wholesale dealer only :continue the busi-
ness for a day after that period, his successor is sub-
jected to the same charges as if no former licence had
ever existed, and in some cases three or four licences
have been paid for the premises within one yes
The injustice has been greater with regard to re•
tailers of beer, where the tenants are more frequently
changed ; and from information recently obtained
from surveying officers in many of the districts,
it is ascertained that in numerous instances six licences
have been taken out, amounting to upwards of 201. for
one year's excise charges for one house. This evil has
been long and loudly complained of, and there is no
doubt will be speedily remedied. Another on dit is,
that it is the intention of the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, on the meeting of Parliament, to bring in a Bill
for the purpose of legalising the sale by wholesale, by
wine and spirit dealers, of quantities of not less than one
pint and a half, to meet the earnest solicitations of that
body of tradesmen, and to assimilate the law in
ithis
country to what at present exists in Ireland; and
to bring in a Bill to facilitate the collection of the excise
revenue throughout the kingdom, and to includeinthe
same several duties at present received in the customs
department. speculation has
THE VACANT GARTEE.--Some
arisen as to the presentation of the vacant garter. It
will be recollected that on the demise of the late Duke
of Northumberland, the names of the Duke of Bedford
1 and the Duke of Norfolk were prominently mentioned
as the probable recipients of the blue riband then vacant,
and that the former nobleman received it, so that it is
probable that his Grace of Norfolk will receive the
present one.