The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-06 00:00:00

no enactment can reach such transactions.

We

have not the least doubt in the world that we
could obtain an immense amount of insurance for
a French office without rendering ourselves amen-
able to such a law as Sir C. LEWIS proposes.
If he will not, however, repeal the duty, the
only course worth trying is to reduce it to one
shilling at least. Mr. HADFIELD has, we are glad

;0 see, given notice of an amendment in commi

tee to that effect. Mr. HADFIELD ought to be
vigorously supported. The Lancashire Company
seat a deputation to the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, which urged the abolition of the duty;
a deputation from the Unity, we believe, did the
same ; and the British Empire Fire-office sent
petitions, from its members and others, with
some 17,000 signatures attached. If other fire-
offices would act with equal spirit the end would
be readily accomplished. The duty would, of
course, be laid on farming stock as on other pro-
perty, now that protection was abolished, and
this, with the large increase of insurances, would
go far towards raising the duty to its present
amount. A whole staff of officials also might be
got rid of at Somerset House, by taking the duty,
as in the case of railway companies, on the total
amounts insured each year, instead of requiring
minute accounts of every little policy. As rea-
sonably might every railway ticket be taken to
Somerset House.

There is yet time for both offices and indivi-
duals to petition. We respectfully suggest that

it should be done. Sir C. LEwLs is known to
waver. A considerable number of the members
have expressed themselves strongly in favour of
a reduction of the duty to one shilling ; the ma-
jority would gladly vote for it ; letters from con-

stituents to members and petitions would enable
them to do it with confidence. From what we
have ascertained, we believe that a very little
effort, on the part of the community, would attain
the desired result. It is calculated, fairly, that
the injury to the revenue would be small, perhaps
a, quarter of a million ; while the reduction
would enable persons to insure much more
largely at the same cost, and induce thousands

o insure who will not pay the exorbitant duty

a addition to the office premium.

WRECKS.—During the month of April 157 vessels
were wrecked. In the month of January the number
wa.s 26.5 ; in February, 174 ; and in March, 145 ;
making a total in the past four months of 741 vessels.
The well-known Spanish General, Prim, was married
in Paris on Saturday morning, at the Madeleine, to
Mdlle. Gonzales, of Aguero, a young lady of Mexican
birth, who brings to the general a dowry of 7,000,000 f.

REPRESENTATION OF LANCASTER. -The Lancaste
Guardian states that Mr. Robert Baynes Armstrong
has expressed his intention of appealing to the suffrages
of the electors at the first opportunity. Mr. Armstrong,
who comes forward on the liberal interest, will be op-
Pcsed, as has been already intimated, by Mr. Robert
Gladstone, of Manchester.
A.liadjourned meeting of the creditors of John Mac-
kenve and Co., Belfast, was held on Thursday, when a
s'atement was presented, showing liabilities amounting
to 87,4421., and assets amounting to 21,4031., and a
dividend of 4s. 6d. in the pound was proposed and
adopted by the meeting;