The Sun.
London, England, 1833-08-19 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,-In the last Number of the Edinburgh Review,
Art. viii, entitled " thmervations on the Income and Ex-
penditure of Great Britain, during the years 1831.1832,"
appears to me to be neither more nor less than an out and
out defence of the measures of the Whig Ministry, and of
whatever mode of taxation they may be pleased to adopt.
" The system of taxation in the country being bottomed
on sound principles, no new system could be substituted
in its place that would not be infinitely more objection-
able." So says the Reviewer, and the astounding decla-
ration is followed up by an attack on the Radicals or Revo-
lutionists, as they are termed. Allow me, Sir, to show
that our present system of taxation is not bottomed on
sound principles ; and I shall, for the present, confine
myself to the assessed taxes. . . .

The Reviewer says, " Nothing has occurred to lead
us to modify or change the opinion, that in all respects,
save that of making a direct payment to the tax-gatherer,
they (the house and window duties) are really among
the least objectionable taxes that can be devised." Now,
Sir, I will venture to assert, that no tax is more com-
plained of, or more justly so ; and what is still more to
the point, no tax is so unfair, so unequally levied, as that
on houses. The Reviewer goes on to say, " Any indivi-
dual who should form a nation of the house and window
taxes from some of the speeches made during the recent
discussions, would certainly suppose that they fall with
the utmost severity on the lower classes, and that the rich
enjoy an almost total exemption from their pressure ;" and
then adds, " But they reckoned without their host, if
they supposed that their fallacies could not be detected and
expo-ed," concluding with the following assertion, " that
they were so in the clearest and most convincing manner,
by Mr. Spring Rice." Now, Mr. Editor, what I ven-
ture to assert, even in opposition to the Reviewer, and his
friend Mr. Spring Rice, is, that so far from " the poor
being totally unaffected by the house and window du-
ties," the aristocracy are unduly favoured, particularly in
regard to the house duty ; and consequently that as this
tax produces less than it ought to do, the deficiency thence
arising is wrung out of the poor in some other form ; and
when he proceeds to state, "It would be quite as correct
to say that they (the people) are pressed to earth by the
French contribution fenciere, or the Hindoo land tax, as
that they suffer sensibly from the assessed taxes," and
that " they fall wholly on the middle and upper classes."
I must at once state that such is not the fact, and that the
middle and upper classes, so far from being the sole con•
tributors, do by no means contribute what they justly
ought to do--as for French contributions and Hindoo land
taxes-..and their relative values—l leave them for the
reviewer's cogitations.
Now, Mr. Editor, to prove the fact of the middle and
higher classes being unfairly relieved from their just
proportion of the house duty, at least in this district, I have
to state, that there are only 43 houses rated at 101. to 301.,
and three above 301. therein. Amongst these is a castle
inhabited by a Noble Earl, with above 70 windows, and
extensive pleasure grounds, rated at 201. ! !—a splendid
modern mansion, surrounded by beautiful lawns, &c., at
301.—and another, still handsomer, at 401. !—whilst an
inn, which cost less than one-third of the most inferior of
the a ove mention .d mansions, is rated at 501. !! ! The
house-duty actu lly levied on, and what ought to be,
the above ineiiti.o,e i mansions, is as follow, :•—•
My Lord's castle is assessed at 20/. and pays duty XI 10 0
My Lord's mansion is assessed at 301. and pays duty 3 '7 6
Sir -'s mansion is assessed at 401. and pays duty 513 4

---
House tax actually paid £lo 10 10
The first ought to be assessed at 3004,
and pay £42 10 0
The second ought to be assessed at 2 01
and pay
The third ought to be assessed at ::00/
and pay 2B 6 8

99 3 4

Sum lost by the public, and allowed Proprietor .688 12 6
being nearly nine-tenths of the whole!!!

Sir, 1 trust 1 have m tele good my assertion, that
the house duty is a grievous burden, and that it does not
" fall wholly on the middle snd upper classes," and that it
is not " really am .ng the least objectionable taxes that
can be devised," as asserted by the reviewer—and I shall
conclude in the words of an Han. Itlems.er of the Lower
House, " That the house duty, in particular, as at present
sessed and levied, as regards indivipludls, towns, and dis-
'ricts, is grievously unequal and unjust."
I sin Sir, y..ur most obedient servant,
August 13, 1833. VERAX.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

FROM LLOYD'S,

DEAL, AUG. 18.—Wind S W.—Arrived the Manuel, An-
dereochan, from Cadiz; and Enterprise, Zellinger, from Ame-
rica. Arrived from the river the General Palmer, Thomas,
for Madras, and remains; Diadem, and sailed for the Cape of
Good Hope.

- - .
PORTSMOUTH, AUG. 17 AND 18.—Wind W.N.W.—Passed by
the Alfred, Talley, from Madras, sailed the 17th March ;
George the Third, Waterhouse, and Jane and Elizabeth, WV-
kinson, from Jamaica ; Zodiacus, Meyer, from St. Thomas's ;
Harriet, Lowell, from Virginia; and Ebenezer, Long, from
Lisbon. . _ _

PLYMOUTH, AUG. 17.—Wind variable.—Arrived the Eliza
and Nancy, Macy, from Venice; Red Rover, Wilkinson, from
Naples ; and Francis, Brown, from Cadiz
FALMOUTH, AUG. 16 AND 17.—Wind N., fresh.—Arrived the
James, Perry, from Smyrna ; Violet, Childs, Active, Snell,
and Earl of Leicester, Dowring, from off Oporto. Off port the
Mermaid, Evans, from Singapore, out 150 days. Sailed his
Majesty's ship Pike, for Oporto and Lisbon, with mails.
BRISTOL, Auu. 18.—Arrived the Emily, Keppell, from Gre-
nada ; John Cabot, Crawford, from Africa; Hero, —, and
Kingston, from Quebec.
DOVER, Am. 18.—Arrived off port the Ajuida de Druro,
Rego, from Aveno.
HASTINGS, AUG. 18.—Arrived off port the Spinet, Middle-
ton, from Madeira.
COWES, Au°. 18.—Arrived the Antelope, Hemery, from Rio
Janeiro; and Rosanna, Jennings, from Bahia.
LIVERPOOL, AUG. 17.—Sailed the Laura, Taylor, Lawrence,
Gill, and Golden Fleece, Greaves, for Bengal; and Lady Gor-
don, Harmer, for Bombay. Offport the Indian, Ravenscroft,
from Batavia and the Cape of Good Hope. Arrived the Nymph,
Carstairs, from Jamaica; Clutha, Cowan, from Buenos Ayres;
Henry William, Lacy, from Pernambuco; Thomas Wallace,
Bealby, from Sierra Leone; Amelia, Lake, and Mary Queen
of Scots, from Trieste; Rusco Castle, Gibson, from Messina;
Eagle, Barnes, from Leghorn; Edmond Castle, Boyes, from off
Oporto; and Triton, Miller, from St. Petersburgh. Off port
the Charlotte, Sloan, from Quebec.
Coax, Auo. 16.—Arrived the Orestes transport, from Mil.
ford.

HOLYHEAD, Atio.l7.—Arrived the Matthews, Donaldson,
from Quebec.

The Hebe, Domanshy, from Topsham to Dantzic, and the
Picter and Jan Dense, from to Ham'Jurg, were stranded
on Eyeiland the 14th instant.

The following was posted at Lloyd's this morning :
" Extract of a letter from Bristol, dated Aug. 17 :--‘ The
John Cabot, Crawford, arrived here this morning, left Accuib
June 2. She received from his Majesty's ship Favourite, the
following intelligence, a few days before leaving the coast :
That Lander was returned from the interior to Fernando Po,
in one of the steam-boats, having purchased ten tons of ivory
for a trifle ; the other steam-boat was left a-shore in the River
Niger. Lander was very ill, and many of the white people of
the expedition had died. His Majesty's ship Favourite may
be daily expected.' "

MYSTERIOUS DEATH.--.On S iturday Mort-
ing the budy of 4 female, unknown, was tound fluting on
the surface of the New River, Islington. An alarm was
given, and assistance being procured, it was taken out,
and cmveyed to the vaults of the par sh church, On ex-
amination there appeared several marks of violence on the
head, but whether they were inflicted before or after
death, and in what manner, remains to be inquired into
before a Coroner's Jury. The unfortuntre creature ap-
peared about twk nty years of age, hrd dark brown hair,
and was dressed in a black gown, rel shawl, and straw
blnoet.

Some seeks since, Mr. SIMPSON, of Vaux-
hall, in an attempt to oreserve decorum in ttie Royal gar
dens, by 16 eparating two pugnac;ous drunkards, received
an unlucky blow, which lamentably discoloured one of his
eyes. A friend was suggesting to him the propriety of
seeking satisfaction by legal proceedings, when our ac-
complished Master of the Cermonies exc'aito d, with an
indignation in his voice and manner which those who
know him can conceive, but which we shall not attempt
to describe---" Legal proceedings! No, no. How can I,
Sir? Certainly, my eye is touch discoloured, Lid the
gentlemen were wrong to get intoxicated ; but th -n, re •
collect that they were intoxicated with wine drunk on the
premises."

SMITHFIELD MARKET

This day's supply of Beasts, Sheep, and Lambs, was great ; of
Calves good ; and of Porkers limited The trade with each kind
of meat was very dull at Friday's prices.