The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-16 00:00:00

IN RE WIGDAIIL.

This was a certificate meeting under the estate of the
bankrupt, a most extensive coal exporter. The losses are
set down in the balance-sheet at nearly £lO,OOO, sustained
in consequence of the sudden closing of the late Italianwar.
Mr. Lawrence, for the assignees, called attention to the
accounts, and said that probably about 2s. 6d. in the pound
would be realised. The losses had excited the anger of the
trade assignees. Now, it appeared, that the loss was
through a shipment of coals as a speculation during the late
war. The Emperor of the French had, however, purchased
very largely, and the speculation proved a failure. Mr.
Lawrence contended that the bankrupt had, with only a
capital of £285, gone most rashly into these speculations,
and, in fact, was placing his counters against his creditors'
guineas. The bankrupt had kept good books, and had
exerted himself most energetically in assisting the assignees
to realise his estate.

Th 9 bankrupt then read a long statement, at the conclu-
sion of which his Honour awarded the bankrupt au imme-
diate certificate of the second class.

SHERIFFS' COURT.

MR. HARRISON AND THE SUPER-MASTER.-HARRISON Y,

HOLLINOSWOUTIL

This was a judgment summons. Plaintiff is the well-
known atklete, and defendant was lately connected with the
supernumeraries at one of the London theatres.
Ms. Abbott appeared for the defendant.
_ _

Mr. Harrison said the debt had been contracted under
the following circumstances :—Defendant was a super-
master, and the debt was for refreshments supplied.
Mr. Abbott offered S 2 down, and £2 per month.
Plaintiff declined, and said that he really could not agree.
His Honour inquired how plantiff would take it ?
Plaintiff—l really cannot take it after standing so long.
Mr. Abbott—The defendant is here and oan tell your
honour his exact position.

His Honour again asked plaintiff how he would take it,
and not being quickly answered, made the order as required
by defendant.

POLICE INTELLIGENOE-(THIS DA Y.)

TUE BUDGET.

--

The following letter has been addressed by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to Mr. Glyn, M.P.:—
Downing•street, Feb. 16, 1860.

My dear Mr. Glyn,—l think the suggestion which you
have conveyed to me that contract notes, like receipts under
405., should be exempt from stamp is a very good one ; and
it likewise seems clear that the law should be so altered as
to permit the transactions which are known as Time-
bargains.
I will avail myself of this opportunity to mention certain
points chiefly, though not exclusively, with respect to such
of the resolutions now before the House of Commons as im-
pose what I may call collectively, for convenience, the new
penny charges.

1. These resolutions differ broadly from those which re-
late to the imposition or removal of Customs duty with re-
spect to the time when they take effect. For immediate
practical purposes the former have the force of law when
the resolution itself has been adopted. The latter will have
no effect whatever until bills shall have been brought in,
shall have passed through all their changes, and shall have
received the royal assent.

Indeed, as most of these changes will be laid in the form
of stamp duties, a further interval for the preparation of
stamps, and for various executory arrangements, will in
general be required.
Even the preliminary resolutions themselves cannot be
proposed until the greater questions of Customs and Excise
shall have been submitted to the judgment of the House of
Commons. In this part, therefore, of the subject there is
ample time for the consideration of details.
2. It is likewise important to recollect that, from their
nature, all those resolutions which contemplate increased or
new charges cannot in general fully explain the measures
of which they are to be the basis. The salutary rules of
the House of Commons require that for the greater security
of the subject, all now taxes shall first be submitted, not in
the shape of bills, which admit of clear and full detail, but
in the shape of resolutions, which are intended to state the
general outline only.
Unless this be borne in mind, such resolutions must of
necessity create uneasiness, as they cannot set forth the ex-
emptions or the modifications with which the application
of the general principle is usually accompanied. The place
for the consideration of all these is the subsequent commit-
tee on the bill. It is, on the other hand, necessary that the
resolutions should be drawn so largely as to include every-
thing which might come within their range; fur by the
rules of Parliament, as you well know, charge may be
limited, but cannot be increased or extended in the discus-
sions on the bill.

3. I have no doubt that in the adjustment of these pennp
and minor charges we shall find many details requiring
consideration. At the present moment the course most
favourable to the progress of public business would be that
those gentlemen who are immediately concerned, should, if
they think fit, make known to me, in writing, the modifi-
cations which they may think most necessary, and should
set forth whatever they may think the extreme cases in
which the application of the general rule would be produc-
tive of inconvenisrlce to trade.

I should thus be enabled to bring together the results of
much general experience, and should be prepared to enter
advantageously into personal examinations a little later.
4. With respect, however, to one or two of the measures
I may mention the general rule by which the Government
intend to be guided.
(a) As respects the registration due of one penny upon
imports and exports, I compute that its average amount
will be about one shilling and tonpence upon the hun
dred pounds, while it will be levied off the ships' papers.
In particular cases it will be lower and in some others
higher; but speaking generally I should regard .1 per cent.
as the maximum, and I do not think it can be found ne-
' eessary for the purposes of simplicity of adjustment in
any case to carry it so far as to make it equal to one-half
per cent. I anticipate from it a material improvement in
the statistics of our external trade. In fixing the details
of the charge we shall have to consider the number and
complication of the entries, as well as the values of the
goods.
(b) In the charges upon certain operations performed
with respect to goods in warehouses the Government stand
upon a two-fold principle, just I think in both its parts.
The first is, that the very heavy cost of the warehousing
system to the nation, as it is connected with certain. opera-
tions, especially upon wines and spirite, may be equitably
reviewed, and moderate charges imposed upon such ope-
rations in relief of the department against the cost to
which it is put. The second is that by means of a charge
on removals we propose to lay the ground for a system of
Inland Bonding on principles which will be fair and equal
as between inland towns and ports which have the priviteg,:
of warehousing with respect to articles that they do not im-
port. As to the particular rates to be fixed, I think that
they will require to be carefully considered in detail.
(c) As respects the proposed change upon contract notes
and dock warrants, we shall have to consider carefully the
definition proper for the first with respect to the ordinary
course of trade ; and as respects the latter I have no hesita-
tion in saying that if we find the charge of 3d. likely to
amount in a large number of instances to a serious burden
we shall not hesitate to reduce it.

5. Leaving the subject of the new or penny charges, I
subjoin information which I ought but fur the pressure of
other matter to have convoyed on Friday night with re-
spect to certain articles subject to excise at home, which are
to be imported from abroad on altered terms. The proposed
changes will take effect for the foreign article only at the
time when the duty on the domestic production is re-
duced or removed. The duties of Customs will not be re-
moved from articles of paper until the first cf July—and
the duty on foreign hops will not b 3 reduced to 14s. until
the first of January.

6. Lastly. With respect to desires which have been ex-
pressed in various quarters for further changes in the
French Customs' Laws, over and above those which are
comprehended in the Treaty. These cannot, I apprehend,
be made the subject of any communications which can
affect the course of Parliament with regard to the
Treaty itself. But inasmuch as the Government have
proposed to Parliament various measures favourable to
French
commerce, in addition to those which the treaty
contains, they will, if those measures shall be adopted by
Parliament, feel no difficulty whatever in making repre-
sentations to the French Government in support of any de-
mand which may appear in itself to be reasonable, so far, at
least, as to recommend it to favourable consideration.—
I remain, sir, your sincerely,
W. E. GLADSTONE.
G. C. Glyn, Esq., M.P.