The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-13 00:00:00

TUSCANY.

11614

Price

113
411(
319
1431

The Corriere Mercantile of the 7th has intelli-
)3 ence froth Florence up to the 6th. That capital
ad been the scene of disorders, attributed to the

exalted party ; two chasseurs and an officer of the
civic guard were wounded by stones thrown at the
armed force, whose coolness prevented any more
serious collision. The Prefect Puccioni published a
proclamation in consequence on the sth, re-
commending the citizens to avoid increasing
the groups of the ill intentioned by their presence
from the mere motive of curiosity, and an-
nouncing that in case the disturbances should take a
more serious turn the armed force will act, after
three intimations to make the crowd disperse. On
the 6th, Montanelli had a long conference with
the Grand Duke. A proclamations was posted at
Leghorn on the sth, signed by the new Governor,
in which, after thanking the Livournese for their
confidence in him, he declares that before he accepts
such a charge he must consider whether he can fulfil
it. Guerrazzi has left for Florence, and published
an adieu to his fellow-citizens, commending Monta-
nelli to their affections.

THE FINANCIAL REFORM ASSO

CIATION.
(From the Liverpool :Mercury of this day.)
The Financial Reform Association present to the
public the result of their examination of the salaries
and expenses of the House of Commons and the Go-
vernment offices.

At present it is scarcely possible to discover the
actual expense of any branch of the Government, for
almost every one is paid in three different ways,
namely, out of the consolidated fund, by annual
parliamentary grants, and by fees.
The association cannot discover any advantage
in separating the expenses of Government into the
different accounts of Civil List, Consolidated Fund,
and the Annual Estimates ; though they perceive
that the consequent complexity of the finance
accounts frequently prevents the detection of ex-
travagance. It would be a great improvement (and
by no means a difficult task) so to draw up the esti-
mates as to show at a glance the separate expenses of
the Royal, Civil, Judicial, Colonial, and Military and
Naval branches of the Government.
Concerning the public offices, the following evi-
dence was given before the Committee on Miscel-
laneous Expenditure, by Sir C. Trevelyan, whose
official position would give him ample opportunities
of forming a trustworthy opinion :—" I think there
is a great deal of work in. t„,lie public departments
which is superfluous? arising out of the perpetuation
of old forms. There are a number of offices which
are completely effete as practical offices for the tranl-
action of business, and exist merely for the preser-
vation of antiquated forms." The preservation of
patronage is perhaps a more probable reason why these
useless offices are not abolished. There is scarcely
any public trust more misused than the power of
appointing to offices. The common practice of
making such appointments on account of the rank
and connexions of the parties, without regard to their
competency, is deeply injurious to the State. It
betrays a lamentable absence of moral principle, when
a public officer, to whom is entrusted the responsible
duty of appointing others, is influenced in the
exercise of that high trust by personal and selfish
considerations.

The Committee above referred to recommend, in
their report, a general revision of all salaries, in
order that they may be made suitable to the altered
circumstances of expense and condition of the
country since they were originally fixed. They say,
that in the course of such an examination, it would
be found advisable, also, to establish a more uniform
rate of payment for similar services in different de-
partments. It is to be hoped that this excellent re-
commendation will be at once acted upon, as the need
for such a revision is very apparent.
It is a painful fact that the expenditure of the
House of Commons is, at present, on a most extrava-
gant scale. There is some hope, however, of a
change, since the Committee on iscellaneous Ex-
penditure have suggested many important reductions
in these expenses ; though, even these suggestions do
not go so far as, in the opinion of this Association, is
practicable and expedient.
The following is a list of the officers of the House
of Commons, and their present annual salaries :
Speaker £5OOO
Chaplain ... ..• ••• 400
Secretary to the Speaker ... SOO
Counsel to the Speaker ... ..• ... 1500
His Clerk ... • . •
150
Examiner of Standing Orders ... ... 1750
Taxing Officer ... •
1000
Librarian
... 1000
Assistant Librarian
Messenger ...
.• 140
Four Vote office Clerks, 800/, 300/, 180/., 1204. 1400
Four Clerks at the Table, 3,5001., 2,5001., 1,0004
Seven Public Bill Clerks, 1,900.1, 8001, 8001,
500/4 4001, 3001., ...
Seven Journal Clerks, 1,3491., 1,0301, 1,0004
9281., 5911., 3391., 2041. ... 5.4411.
Also for extra work ... 1,0901.

Thirteen Committee Clerks, 1,1001., 9001., 8001.,
7501.;' four at 5001., 4001., 2501.; and three at
Three Engrossing Clerks, 8004 550/., 300/.
Six Private Bill Clerks, 800/., 4501., 3501., 2501.,
2501., 150/. ... • • ... ... ...
The chief duties of the head clerks of these
offices are to make minutes of the decisions of the
House and the Committees. At the Vote-office a
register is kept of all papers printe4 by order of
the House. The journal clerks compile a journal
of the proceeding. The engrossing clerks make
copies of Bills on parchment.
Sergeant-at-Arms ...
Deputy ditto ...
Assistant ditto ...
Their duties are to maintain order (with the
aid of the police) in the lobbies and passages,
and at the command of the House to order the
messengers to take persons into custody.
Three Door-keepers, 8741., 4001., 2001
Four Messengers, at 300/. each ...
Four extra ditto, three at 1051. and one at 1201...
The messengers' duties are to wait in the
lobbies and galleries, and take persons into
custody when commanded to do so by the Ser-
geant-at:Arms.
Deputy Housekeeper 500/.
And in lien of apartments ... 100/.

7100

4900

6800
1650

2250

1500
1000
525

1474
1200
435

The duties of this office are thus described by
himself:—" I have the charge of all the stores,
the ordering of the stationery, and the coals and
candles, and the housekeeping in general, except
the eating and drinking; I have nothing to do
with that.,' The present deputy-housekeeper is
also secretary to the privy purse, at a salary of
3001 a year.
Superintendent of Waiting-room ... 200
Assistant and Porter to ditto ... 132
Attendant on Ventilation ..• ... 105
Watchmen, &c. ••• .:. 1002
Temporary Messengers, and Porters ... 900
Retired allowances and compensations
... 5399
Considering that the foregoing officers are only
employed during the Parliamentary session, or about
six months in the year, and that none of the work
requires more than ordinary intelligence, and much
of mere copying, it is evident that most of the sala-
ries are grossly exorbitant.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
(From this night's Gazette.)
An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 33, for
the Week ending on Saturday, the 7th day of October, 1848.
15802 DIYAILTMENT.

Notes inned........ 26,823,655

4 26,823.633

Dated the 12th day of October,.

BANKING D,

Proprietors' capital.. 14,553,000
Rest t .. 3,846,485
Public deposits (in-
chiding Exehequer,
Commissioners of
National Debt, Say-
ings-banks, and Di-

S.
Government debt • • 11,015,100
Other securities .. • 2,984.900
Gold coin and bullion 12,313,726
Silver bullion •• • • • • 509,909

viaend accottnts).. 6,912,466
Other deposits 8,0.53.104
Seven day and other

NBA • • :• • • • • •• • • •-•
1,028,171

.£ 26,823,635
M. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier.
1848.
lEPAATXEN T.

£34,443,226

Government securi- .
ties (including Dead
Weight Annuity) .. 12,862.296
Other securities .. 11,639,164
[Notes • • • 9,348,160
Gold and silver coin .. 593,606

I A
34,443,226
M. MARSHALL. Chief Cashier.
1448.

Dated the 12th day of October.

COURSE OF EXCRE
Amsterdam 12 134
Ditto, at sight • ..... 11 19%
Rotterdam • • .... 12 1N
Antwerp.............. 25 80
Ham burgh .... • • M.B. 13 11%
Altona ......
Paris, 3 days' sight ...• 25 4734
Ditto, 3 months '.... 25 70
Marseilles ••..••• • .. • . 25 7236
80urdeaux........ • . 25 7234
Frimkfort on Maine.... 122
Petersburgh, Sil. Rble.• 3674
Berlin • • .• • • • •• • •
Vienna, effec. flo ••• • • • 11 9
Trieste, ditto.... • • .... 11 9
Madrid •• . ••• • • 474
Barcelona .• ........

LNGE.-(THIS DAY.)
G1bra1tar............ _
Leghorn ........ •• ~.. 31 95
Genoa ........•• •• •• .. 26 10
Milan .. •• Venice........... •• ..

Palermo,
Lisbon ........
Oporto •
Rio Janeiro • .
Messina .. • • • • .. • • ....

39%
51%
51N

Sitville•• •• •• ...• •• ••

Buenos Ayres ...
New York, 21 days'sight
Ppiladelphia ..
PRICES OF BULLION, PER Os
Foreign Gold is bar5...43 17 9
Now Dollars • • 0 4 10
Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 0
Spanish Doubloons .. 0 0 0
'Silver in bars ...... •• 0 0 0

THE LATE CHEAP TRIP TO NEWMARKET,—The
train of the Eastern Counties Railway, that conveyed
second class passengers at six shillings each, and third
class at four shillings, to Newmarket and back (a dis-
tance of 130 miles), on Tuesday last, was composed of
31 carriages; each containing nearly 50 persons, and the
total number conveyed was 1,537. Two of the company's
most powerful engines drew it at the average rate of 23
miles an hour, including several stoppages. The expe-
riment has been so successful, that the directors have
determined to repeat it at the Houghton Meeting,
MILITARY MOVENtERTS. A detachment of the
Ist Royals (about 150), under the command of Captain
Isaac, art ived at Aberdeen on Monday night, to replace
the 93d Highlanders, who are about to proceed to Dun-
dee, Perth, and Stirling (bead-quarters)—the first de-
tachment leaves to-day, and the remainder on Friday.
During the time the 93d have been in Aberdeen the con-
duct of the officers and men has been in every way
worthy that distinguished corps, and their departure is
generally regretted.—Edinburgh Witness._