The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-22 00:00:00

MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.

"That while the returns of the London fire brigade
show that even in London the neglect of fire assurance
prevails to the event of more than one-half of the pro-
perty, and there is reason to believe the proportion to be
much greater in the provinces, the great obstruction to
the extension, of thi3 prudait precaution is found in the
enormous duty charged upon this method of providing
against a sudden calamity.
"That this tax, tieing 3s. per cent. per annum, with an
additional duty of is. on the first year, while common
assurances are tffected at the premium of is. ed. per
cent., a duty of from 200 to 300 per cent, upon the
price, becomes to a large extent prohibitory.
"That inasmuch a, the tax is charged upon fire as-
surance, while other descriptions of assurance are almost
free from duty, it is exceedingly unfair and unjust.
"That, being a tax levied only upon one class of her
Majesty's subjects—the prudent-- while the improvident
and car&ess go free, it is highly oppressive.
" Th3t, inasmuch as the tle-truetion of property unin-
sured—leaving debtors without any property to meet
their obligations to their creditors, and occasioning the
sudden ruin of many families, !cads on to pauperism and
crime, 3 tax which obstructs and prohibits file insurance
is, in a great commercial country like this, most im-
politic.
"That, for these reasons, the principle of a tax upon fire
assurance has been generally censured by the greatest,
statesmen and writers on political economy.
" That your hon. house has given its high sanction to
the wholesome principle, that prudent habits should be
encouraged and promoted, by passing various measures,
with that object, during the last few years, and especi-
ally by taking off, to a great extent, the duties on life
and marine assurance, by allowing the sums paid fur life
assurance to be free from income tax, and by exempting
farming stock, agricultural produce, and implements of
husbandry, from the fire assurance t a altogether ; thus
virtually condemning such tax as inexpedient, unequal,
and unjust.

"Your petitioners therefore pray your hon. house to
extend the benefit conferred upon the owners of agricul-
tural property to all classes of her Majesty's subjects, by
totally repeali g the duty on fire assurance.

"And your petitioner's will ever

Sporting Intelligence.

TATTERSALL'S.-MONDAT.

A number of members having left town for York, th•
Room was thinly attended, and very little bueiness wha
transacted.

For the Flyina Dutchman's Handicap Uzella and
Zeta fell back to 6 to 1 each, and were passed by Hospi•
tality and Pumicestone.

Yellow Jack again obtained a distinct lead for the
Two Thousand, notwithstanding the fierce demonstration
which within the last two days had driven him back
from 6t04 to 7to 2. An opinion prevailed in well-in-
formed quarters that the movement against him wa■ a
mere ruse. Be this as it may no strong effort on the
part of his friends was required to enable him to return
to-day to 2to 1. 7t 2 would have been taken freely
about Porto Rico. Fly-by-Night was "nowhere."
500 to 200 and 450 to 200 were taken about Went-
worth for the Derby, and 12 to 1 was laid once to 501.
against Cannobie-10 to 1 was afterwards taken and
offered.

The transactions relative to the Great Northern Handi-
cap and the Chester Cup were few and unimportant.

CLOSING PRICES.
GREAT NORTHERN HANDICAP.
10 to 3 agst One Act ,(taken)
11 to 2 agst The Earl (taken)
6to 1 agst Fandango (taken)
Bto 1 agst Heir of Liiin«i (taken)
FLYING DUTCHMAN'S HANDICAP.
sto 1 agst Hospitality (ta,,en)
sto 1 agst Pumicestone (taken)
6 to 1 asst Uzella (taken)
6to 1 agst Zeta (aker.)
THE TWO THOUSAND.
2to 1 agst Yellow Jack (taken )
3to 1 agst Porto Rico (take 7to 2)
Bto 1 agEst Milton
CHESTER CUP.
8 to 1 agat Hohpitality (taken)
Bto 1 agst Imogene
10 to 1 agst Yorkshire Grey (taken)
25 to 1 agst Fatalist (taken)
25, to 1 agst Scythian

DERBY.
9io 4 agst Wentworth (taken)
sto 1 apt Ellington (take 11 to 2)
10 to 1 agst CAnnobie (taken and offered)
33 to 1 a ff,,t, Peter Wilkins (taken)

THE ALLEGED POISONING AT BIIIINTIVOOD, NEAT
LICHFIELD.—BURNTWOOD, Monday.—The adjourned
inquiry into the cause of death of Mrs. Catharine Ash-
matt, of Edial, Butntwood, near Lichfield, wife of Mr.
Joseph Ashmall, a farmer, was resumed this morning
at the Star Inn, Burntwood, before Wm. Webb Ward,
Esq., the district coroner for Staffordshire. The inquiry
had been adjourned for the purpose of Dr. Monckton,
of Ru:!eley, making a post marten; examination of the
body, and an analysis of the stomach and intestines by
Dr. Taylor. Dr. Monckton, phfsican, of Rugeley, was
next examined. He said the appearances indicated bili-
ous diarrhea. Supposing such diarrhcea to have been
present, it might have ari.een either from natural causes
or from the administration of medicinal or poisonous
drugs. The coroner then submitted to the jury a repor
which he had received from Dr. Taylor, containing the
result of his analysis of the contents of the stomach of
the deceased. The report detailed at considerable length
the experiments and tests which he had made en the
various portions of the viscera, the result of which was
that he bad been unable to discover any traces f poison
which would produce the symptoms from which the de•
ceased suffered. The coroner, having briefly addressed
the jury, they returned a verdict that the dect seed died
from natural causes. Immediately on the verdict being"delivered, loud cheers burst from the. friends of Mr. AA-.
wall, who had a,sembled in considerable numbers instil&
around the court.