The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-08 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL NETV,,sPAPER SOCIR TY.

The 20th anniversary of this society was held yesier-
day at the London Tavern ; Mr. T. P. Austin irx the
chair. After transacting the usual business, the mem-
bers preen*, including representatives from many of the
most influential country journals, dined together. The
Chairman, in proposing the toast of the evening, " Suc-
cess to the Provincial Newspaper Society," dwelt t tpon
the beneficial results which had flowed from its crxer-
tions. There was no member of the House of Coins a one
whom the society's delegates had waited upon with. re-
ference to the repeal of the newspaper stamp who bad
not listened to them with the greatest possible attent ion.
Unfortunately, the Government were too strongly
pledged to the Manchester party, the chief inemb, trs of
which—Messrs. Bright, Cobden, and Milner Gibson,
had found in a well-conducted press a complete coun-
terpoise to their own influence, and hence the exertions
they had made to Americanise the English newspaper.
The repeal of the newspaper stamp hail, however, sig-
nally failed. The chief object was to ruin the Tidies,
but the Times was now as powerful and influential as
ever. The same might be said of one or two others of
the London newspapers ; but the effect of the measure
had been to injure many old and respectable journals,
without in the least benefitting those who had attempted
to supersede them. During the first year after the re-
peal of the stamp no fewer than 130 cheap papers had
been started in the country, and he would venture to
say that not 30 of them were now in existence. It re-
quired many qualities to render a newspaper successful.
Mere money would not do it. It needed Ability, tact,
principle, character. He was well acquainted with the
quarters from which many of the new speculations bad
proceeded, and he could state that the parties were deft..
cient in the last-named most important pre-requisite,,
He trusted that more unity of action would be exhibittei
by the newspaper proprietary aur ye
newspaper upperon pr?po of the
rking do m ; for th ey
might depend it could not per na•
nently prosper at the expense of the rest. The toast
was received with loud cheers. An elegant candela-
brum was presented to Mr. F. White, as a testimonial of
respect for his exertions on behalf of the society, more
especially in connection with the legislative enactment
of last session with regard to the newspaper press.

PRIVATE AND JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

The Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of circu-
lation of the private and joint-stock banks in England
and Wales for the four weeks ending the 12th of April,
1856, and gives the following as the average weekly cir-
culation of those banks during the past month, viz.:—

Private banks _ £3,855,060

Joint-stock banks 3,133,083

Average weekly circulation £G.,983,14S

On comparing the above with the returns for the pre
ceding month, ending the 15th of March last, it shows—
An increase in the circulation of the privato
banks of £165,519
An increase in the circulation of the joint-stock
banks of 139,546

Decrease on the month ............... 1?305,065
And, as compared with the return for the correspond
ing period of the preceding year—viz., April 14, 1855, it
shows—

A decrease in the circulation of the private
Mbanksof ................................................
A decrease in the circulation of the joint-stock
banksof ................................................

257,618

18,334

Decrease on the year

£75,052

On comparing the above with the amounts of the fixed
issues, the following appears to be the comparative state
of the circulation :
The private banks aro below their fixed issues £715,171
The joint-stock banks are below their fixed
issues

TotAl beim ttoir Axed issues, P398,926

. .

MGR SV %TER 2T LONDON BRIDCIE.

_THIS DAY—Morn. 8 min. aft. 4—Evening 26 min. aft. 4
T 51. min. aft. 4 —Evening 13 min. aft. 5