The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-21 00:00:00

amount of income tax ; so in every way both the
State and the individuals composing it suffer, and
are minus all that amount lent also ; we are short
the profits as well as the tax that would be deriv-
able upon the money lent abroad to foreign Go-
vernments.

It is a game that answers well the purpose of
foreign countries, but it is astonishing that this
nation remains so short-sighted, or not so short-
sighted, knowingly and selfishly carrying on this
money traffic regardless of the injury we do to
commerce and to the nation.

Foreign countries may argue that gold is sent to
England first of all, and by these foreign supplies
England is enabled to resupply other countries,
but this is an argument without analogy, for when
bullionists receive gold bars they buy them; they
do not borrow them, but pay for them in bona fide
currency.

England has become the emporium both for the
receipt anl export of bullion, but England bor-
rows not from other countries, so that other coun-
tries productive of gold stand in no different rela-
tion to England, than do countries that supply
other articles for manufacture, since they do not
lend to England. In order to illustrate my mean.
ing more clearly, take the round sum of £2,000,000
as the amount at present lent abroad.
This amount, taxed as .a tributary tax, at the
rate only of our present income tax of 10d. in the
pound, would yield annually £8,333,333 6s. Bd., a
good round sum to apply to the reduction of taxes
at home.

But 10d. is placed on the income, not on the
property, will be argued
.with much seeming
cogency. My answer is made by the fact of the
earnings of labour, which is property as much as
money lent. This, already, is taxed at 10d. in the
pound.

We shall find that £200,000,000 is only a small
item in foreign loans. When we take out of the
amount of European nations the two great national
debts of England and France, estimating one to be
£780,000,000 and the other £340,000,00. we shall
find in round figures the sum of £1,023,000,000 to
be the amount remaining of the European national
debts, composed of—Russia, £300,000,000 ; Aus-
tria, £315,000,000; Spain, £147,000,000; Holland,
£96,000,000 ; Prussia, £32,000,000; Sardinia,
£35,000,000 ; Belgium, £25,000,000 ; Denmark,
£23,000,000 ; all others, £50,000,000 total,
£1,023,000,000.

Taking therefrom £600,000,000 to have been
borrowed from England, at least, 10d. in the pound
would leave, as a tributary tax to Great Britain,
the enormous sum of £24,999,999. Now, 25 mil-
lions of money is enough to attract the attention of
a Chancellor of her Majesty's Exchequer. This
would be only placing the money lent abroad upon
the same rate of taxation as money earned at home.
If it be said that 10d. is too much, so much the
better; for foreign loans having furnished English
commerce so muck, they ought to bear a prohibi-
tory tax, as home commerce is suffering just in pro-
portion to the amount lent abroad.

MERCATOR.

THEATRE ROYAL, NEW ADELPIJI.

The burlesque extravaganza here is from the pen of Mr.
Henry J. Byron, and is entitled, "Blue Beard, from a
New Point of Hue." The subject is one which will bo a
lasting one to the burlesque writers, as the story is popular,
admits of any amount of glitter and show, and, above
all, peculiarly dramatic. The novelty in the treatment of
the Adelphi version consists in making Blue Beard not
merely a tyrant, but a kind of Othello, with much that is
good in him, but with a jealous ear too ready to listen to
the suspicions poured into it by Sister Anne (Miss Kate
Kelly), an envious young lady, bearing a strong hatred
to her sister Fatima (Miss Woolgar), who has supplanted
her in the affections of Selim (Miss Emily Thorne), a dash-
ing young officer of Spahis. Abomelique (Mr. J. L. Toole)
succeeds (by picturing to Fatima the wretched existence
her family must lead should she refuse to relieve her insol-
vent parent by wedding him) in carrying her home as his
bride. Fatima, in the third scene, which is supposed to
take place six weeks after the first, exhibits affection for
Abomelique, who has treated her with kindness and atten-
tion, and although she has raised some little uneasiness in
his mind by exhibiting the trifling caprices peculiar to par-
venues, appears to have settled down to her lot with cheer-
fulness. But Sister Anne, who suspects Selim to have a
hankering still for his lost love, and burns to remove her
sister altogether, plots her downfall and destruction with
the fiendish malignity peculiar to melodramatic monsters
in female form. She inflames the jealousy of the already
slightly irritated Abomelique, who (as in the old story)
goes a journey, leaving the keys with Fatima, strictly
enjoining her not to enter, a certain Blue Chamber. The
obedient Fatima, who has no intention of crossing her
husband's will, is however induced by the artful Anne
(who suggests the possibility of the Blue Chamber
being a seraglio) to enter the fatal apartment. The sequel
may soon be told. She enters the room, drops the key, and
is discovered in her disobedience by her husband, who re-
turns, unexpectedly, rather inebriated, and particularly
sulky. Fatima, who has been informed by Shacabac (Mr.
Paul Bedford), a sort of Turkish Jeames, and Beda (Miss
Laidlaw), of the fate •of the 19 previous spouses of
Abomeliqne, attempts to escape from the turret, but is pre-
vented by the watchful and considerate sister. Abome-
lique, on discovering his wife's disobedience, is
about to despatch her, when Selim and a select
party of Spahis rush in at the right moment and
arrest the fatal blow. Reflection, combined with the fact of
his being run through by Selim, turns Abomelique from
his purpose, and he forgives his wife, who has refused to
have anything to say to her former lover, and also Anme,
to whom Selim has refused to have anything to sart, All
the desired effect is obtained in this scene witho'a disclos-
ing to the audience the disagreeable spectaci.e of the Blue
Chamber with the headless wives, always 'father a revolting
picture at the end of a comic drama. The overture and in-
cidental music composed and arranged by Mr. Chas. Hall.
The scenery, painted by Mr. P. Phillips and Mr. Thomp-
son, is peculiarly brilliant and appropriate. The procession,
dances, and groupings arranged by Mr. W. Smith, and the
entire mounting of the piece characterised by Mr. Webster's
invariable taste and liberality.