The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-11 00:00:00

sibility of dot' ,bt that the national prosperity has not
been impairer I by the
ise to
practical operation of the free-
trade measur es that ga
Jeremiads a nd gloomy vaticinatione on the part of
our Protectionist contemporaries, and of the would-be
prophets at agricultural symposia. These experiments
have been a ttended with the most triumphant success,
so far, at least, as the interests of the community at
large are concerned. We shall now proceed to exa-
mine the particular features of the present returns,
and contra st them with the corresponding items in
those of la st year.
In the first place, we find that there is an increase
on the entire year of 77,0721., and a decrease on the
quarter of 1,1971., when compared with the similar
periods of 1830. This might not appear so very satis-
factory as we, have stated, but a closer examination
will show that the improvement is in the ordinary
revenue, and under the very best heads, while the
falling off is in the extraordinary brancl es, chiefly in
the " repayment of advances," which afford no real
test of the national prosperity. In the ordinary re-
venue, however, we find that there is an improvement
of 233,972/. on the year, and of 121,646 on the
quarter.

In the Customs, in which reductions of duty on corn,
sugar, timber, and other minor matters have come into
operation during the interval since October 1850, we
find an increase on both year and quarter—on the former
of 59,4571., while on the latter it amounts to no less
than 83,1901. The removal of some of the restric-
tions on the trade and commerce of the country have
produced these happy results. We have. no doubt
that a perseverance in the course so happily entered
upon will afford still more decisive corroboration of
the "expediency" of the new commercial policy, its
"justice" being beyond the possibility of dispute or
difficulty.
The Excise, notwithstanding the abolition of the
duty on bricks, appears even in a still more favourable
light. Under that head we find the increase on the
,idwerhiltehaotn
thisthe
year amo.tunt s
is
3t60 no
,51 less
11. wthan 3
w43e,ocloBnls.
quarter 1.
item d c
ctlhaessedse,grseheoowfinegmptlhoeymceonmtfoarfftosrdwehdicth
the
are o o
g
theyenabledes to make available for use, it will
n r int
afford the purest delight to every philanthropist to
find that " a fair day's wages for a fair day's work',
can readily be obtained throughout the country.
While the statesman will reflect on the prospects of
tranquillity and peace, arising from the happy and
contented position of the labouring population.
Those who are well fed, clothed and lodged, who can
enjoy their glass of beer or ale, will not easily be
induced to participate in any disturbances, or to risk
the welfare they have been enjoying in grasping after
shadows.
The Stamps show more unfavourably than any
other branch of the revenue. The decrease on the y ear
is 179,995/, while on the quarter it is 74,4041.
When, however, we look to the alterations in those
duties that were effected last year, which, it was
estimated, would have occasioned a loss to the revenue
of half a million of pounds sterling, and also remember
that the dealers throughout the country were re-
placing their stocks, which had been considerably
reduced, we shall find no real cause of complaint,
but, on the contrary, for self-gratulation in the present
returns of the stamp revenue.
The Assessed Taxes, too, show diminutions on the
year and quarter of 33,9931. on the one, and 21,5881.
on the other. There is, however, less variation
in these than in other matters. A greater or less
degree of promptitude on the part of the collectors
or payers will fully account for what may at the mo-
ment appear to be an alarming deficiency.
The Property-tax is, however, of a different cha•
racter. That, as we have repeatedly stated, may be
looked upon as the index to the prosperity of the
middle classes, of merchants, traders, and professional
men. There is still a deficiency of 58,0041. on the
year (equivalent to a loss of about 2,000,0001.) in the
incomes of the parties. There is, however, a slight
reaction on the quarter, there being an increase
of 2,272/., and we hail with the greatest delight this
trifling proof that the tide is at length beginning to
turn. The Post-office, thanks to the energetic exer-
tions and prudent counsels of ROWLAND HILL, shows
an increase on the year and quarter of 150,0001. and
79,000/. respectively ; while the Crown Lands, ntirabile
dictn ! also show a change for the better, there being
an improvement of 10,000/ on the year, and of
20,000/. on the quarter. The Miscellaneous revenue
however, has diminished by 54,5111. in the year, and
2751. in the quarter.
The above are the only items that are of
any practical value in estimating the actual
condition and prospects of the country. Wo may,
however, add that in the Imprest and other Moneys
there is a deficiency of 26,1771. on the year, but
an improvement of 2,7151.: on the quarter ;
while on the Repayment of Advances the decrease is
132,723/. on the former period, and 128,5581. on the
latter. On the whole, the present document may
be regarded as highly favourable, fully realising the
most sanguine anticipations that had been formed
with respect thereto.

Conjectures as to the fate of the Arctic Expedition
really appear to be as interminable as the efforts made
for its discovery have proved fruitless. Each of the
enterprizing men who have at different periods gone
in search of Sir JOHN FRANKLIN and his companions

have unfortunately returned home about as wise as
when they departed. Yet, ineffectual though their
previous exertions have been, hopes are still enter-
tained by them of the ulterior salvation of the missing
navigators. The extraordinary circumstance which

hag just occurred in the county of Gloucestershire—a

circumstance which, however, apparently incredible,

requires on the part of the Admiralty the very closest
investigation—seems to afford an additional induce.

went for the indulgence of those anticipations of
ultimately finding the lost followers of Sir JOHN
FRANKLIN. Reading as the incident recounted else-

where in our columns of this evening does like a
passage from some fantastic romance, rather than like
the matter•of-fact mention of an actual occurrence, it

is still sufficiently possible that a balloon of the
kind described should have been dispatched from the
Erebus on the chance of its reaching the knowledge
of our naval authorities, to admit at any rate of a
searching and dispassionate examination. It is of

course marvellous to imagine that this aerial messen
ger should, of all places in the habitable globe, have
descended in Eogland—" this precious stone set in
the silver RC—selecting, as it were, in one of the
smallest points of terra firma the very spot where its
arrival would be calculated to effect the most good—
traversing the wildest regions, to drop at last com-
fortably down among the strawberry beds and cu-
cumber frames of a lady's garden at Gloucester.
Whatever may be the result of the scrutiny now
being made into this very singular incident, there can
be no question that there is still remaining a chance of
our at length communicating with the survivors of
the
missing expedition. While we are bold enough to
acknowledge
a conviction of this character, we must
a.t the same time admit that the three latest and most
was the Government expedition ismirpojrtant endeavours to afford assistance to
UN FRANKLIN have failed altogether. There
TIN, there was the expedition
PEN NT ; there under Captain Aus-
was the
and
dpedition headed •by the
under set on foot by Lady
FRANKLIN, and place the command of Captain
benevolence of a body of subscwriinbg its origin to the
atich has re-
veteran Sir Jouni Ross,
each of which
under the
expeditions left the shores of En ra
land
most propitious auspices, and each of
turned after a bootless effort of mingled hardihood and
philanthropy.
Several individuals are impressed with *tb a notion
that nowhere can there now be a chance of findingnh
FRANKLIN, CROZIER, and FrruamEs, after the
vigilant inquiry which has been made for their detec-
tion. The majority of those, however, who are
at all acquainted with the northern regions remain
up to the present moment sanguine of ultimately
finding those gallant commanders, if the authorities
persevere in their assiduous encouragement of those
maritime researches. Captain AUSTIN fancies that
the Expedition may be discovered in Jones's Sound,
whereas Captain PENNY persists, it would appear, in
still looking forward to its being found blocked up in
the ke beyond Wellington Channel. The latter
scuullriti"
tion by
of the two seems to us, moreover, parti-
Y deserving '
of attention • for, although in
s le
the nententiou
Captai,i_t_ter written in a moment of irrita-
enterprising sailor that
it is said by that gallant and
Channelrtcr.,__""qr that he considers Wellington
%"5 14° further seorch, all having been