The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-07 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 7, 1858.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET CRAVEN MEETING, TUESDAY.
Subscription Plate of 50 cove, for 3-yr-olds and upwards,
T.Y.C. (5 fur. 140 yds.)
Mr. T. Parr's Odd Trick, 4 yrs, Set 71b...(E. Forster) 1
Mr. S. Williams's Rosa Bonheur, 4 yrs, Bst 71b
• (Flatman) 2
Mr. Howard's Theodora, 5 yrs, 9st (Fordbam) 3
Betting-6 to son Theodora, sto 2 agst Rosa Bon-
heur, 3to 1 ages Odd Trick. Won by a length, bad
third.
Sweepstakes of 50 cove escb, for 3-yr-olds ; colts, Bst
101 b ; and fillies, Bs, Sib. Winners of a stake value
500 sovs, 41b extra ; of two such stakes, or one of
1,000 sovs value, 71b extra. D.M. (7 fur. 201 yds.)
8 subs.
Lord Derby's T,,xopholite, 9st (in. 41b ex.) (Flatman) 1
Baron Rothschild's Mentmore, 9st (in. 41b ex.)
(D Hughes) 2
Captain Saville's Pioneer, Bst 10Ib)
Duke of Bedford's Soldanella, Bst 61b (E Sharp) 4
Betting—Even on Toxophilite, 6 to 4 agst Mentmore.
Pioneer and Mentmore went away in advance, and ran
side by side to the new ground, where Toxophilite, who
had been lying with his nose at their quarters, took up
the running and won easily by a length and a half ; bad
third.
The Twenty-fifth Tuesday Riddles worth Stakes of 200
cove each, h ft, for now 3-yr-olds ; colts, Set 710 ;
fillies, Bst 4lb. Certain allowances. D.M. (7 fur.
201 yds.)
Duke of Bedford's Leontes, Bst 41b. (E. Sharp) W. o.
Renewal of the Sweepstakes of 50 cove each ; colts, Bst
101 b ; fillies, Bst 71b. P.M. (7 fur. 201 yds.) 4 subs.
Mr, Barber's Polly Peachum, 84 71b (Flatman) 1
Duke of Bedford's Killigrew, 8410 lb ......(S. Rogerc) 2
Mr. J. Noblis's Proud Preston Peg, Bst 71b
(J. Osborne) 3
Betting-5 to 4on Proud Preston Peg, 7to 4 agst
Polly Peachum. Won by a length and a half ; a head
between second and third.
The Third Sale Stakes of 50 soya, h ft, for year'
purchased at the annual sales in 1856 ; colts, 84 101 b ;
fillies, Bst 61b. Certain allowances. A. F. (1 mile 2
furlongs 73 yards.)
Mr. Howard's Eclipse, Bst 71b (Fordbam) 1
Lord Chesterfield's Telegram, 84 71b ..... (Fiatman) 2
Mr. R. Sutton's Euryd e., Bst (J. Kendall) 3
Betting-6 to 4 aget Eclipse, 7to 4 aget Eurydice, 7
to 2 agst Telegram. Won cleverly by three-quarters of
a length ; bad third.
The Newmarket Handicap of 25 sovs. each, 15 ft, and
5 only if declared, &c., with 100 added by the Jockey
Club and 50 from the Town Race Fund. Winners
extra. Clermont Course (1 mile 6 furlongs 55 yards).
(58 subs., 29 of whom declared.)
Count F. de Lagrange's Monarque 6 yrs., Bst 91b
(Flatman) 1
Mr. J. Barnard's Wouvermans, 3 yrs, sst 21b
(Ctistance) 2
Mr. T. Hughe's Worcester, 4 yrs, Est (Haley) 3
The following also ran :—Brother to Bird-on-the-Wing,
Queen of the East, Bel Esperanza, Newington, Siam's,
Fadladeen, Barege, East Langton, Pavilion, Bellefield,
Stapleton.
Betting-11 to 2 apt Pavilion, 7 to 1 each eget
Brother to Bir&on-the-Wing and Wouvermans, 8 to 1
agst East Langton, 9 to 1 agst Monarque, 10 to leach
aget Fa.lladeen and Worcester, 100 to 6 each aget Bel
Esperanza and Stapleton, 20 to 1 aget Sichaens. Won
by three quarters of a length ; Worcester was beaten
about seven lengths from Wouvermans. East Langton
was a bad fourth ; Stapleton was fifth ; Sichaaus, Pavi-
lion, and Bellefield were next.

liagr~

BETTING UP TO SIX O'CLOCK.
TWO THOUSAND.
6to 1 aget Toxophilite (offered)
GREAT METROPOLITAN.
l 0 to 1 agst Telegram (taken and offered)
10 to 1 agst Monarque (taken and offered)
DERRY.
14 to 1 agst Toxopholite (taken and offered)
14 to 1 apt The Hadji (taken)
20 to 1 aget Cock-a-doodle-doo (t. and offered)
1,000 to 20 agst Menttnore (offered)
In the town in the morning, 1,000 to 10 was taken
about Fadladeen.
MONDAY.—Handicap. T.Y.C. —ln the hurry of
transcribing, 8 to 1 agst The Royalty colt was omitted
from the return of the betting on this race.

DURHAM RACES.—MONDAY.
The Trial Stakes of 5 goys each, with 25 added, for
3-yr-olds, let ; four, 84 101 b ; five, 9st 41b ' • six and
aged, 9st 71b. Mares and geldings allowed 31b, and
maiden 3-yr-olds at the time of starting allowed 41b;
4-yr-olds and upwards, 71b. A winner of 100 sovs in
any year, 51b ; twice, or of 200 sovs, 10lb txcra. One
mil,. (4 nubs.)
Mr. G. Forster's Bradley, 3 yrs, 7st
Mr. Masterman's The Early Bad, 3 yrs, bet 101 b
(Bullock) 2
Betting-2 to 1 on Bradley. Won easily by a
length.
The Hopeful Stakes of 5 soya each, with 50 added by
the members for the City of Durham ; for 2-yr-olds ;
colts, Bst lib ; fillies, Bst 3ib ; a winner before start-
sing, 41b extra ; twice, or 100 love., 61b extra; horses
having started twice, and never won, allowed 31b.
T.Y.C. (10 subs.)
Mr. J. Bateman's The Dutchman's Daughter, Bst
(Challoner) 1
Mr. F. W. Hayward's Amazon, Bst 31b ...(Chatton) 2
Mr. Masterman's Sir Walter Scott, Bst 31b (Scott) 3
The following also ran Grace Darling, Fabius, b c
by The Flying Dutchman.
Betting-7 to 4on The Dutchman's Daughter, 4to 1
agst Amazon, and sto 1 agst Grace Darling. Won in
a canter by a length a half ; a neck between the second
and third ; good fourth.
The Durham Handicap of 10 'ors each, 5 ft, 3 only if
declared, with 50 added. A winner after the weights
were published of any handicap value 50 sovs, 41b, of
two fifties or 100 sovs, 7lb extra. The second to save
his stake, and the winner to pay 10 soya towards ex-
penses. One mile and a half. 14 subs, Bof whom
declared.
Mr. Dawson's Gorsehill, 3 yrs, Oct 101 b (in. 71b ex.)
(Bullock) 1
Mr. J. G. Henderson's Logie o' Buchan, 4 yrs, let 121 b
(J. Forster) 2
Mr. Shipley's Breeze, 5 yrs, Bst 71b ............ (Austin) 3
R ga and Mauchline also ran.
Betting—Even on Gorsehill, 6 to 4 agst Breese, 9 to
2 agst Mauchine. Won cleverly by half a length, two
lengths between the second and third, bad fourth.
The All-aged Selling Stakes of 5 sovs each, with 30
added ; for 2-yr-olds, 7st ; three, Bst 121 b ; four, lOst;
five, lOst 9:b ; six and aged, lOst 121 b. Mares and
geldings allowed 31bs. The winner to be sold for 100
sovs ; if entered to be sold for 801., allowed 7113 ; f,a•
60/., 121 b ; for 501., 17Ib ; for 401., 211 b ; or for 30/.,
281 b. The winner to be sold. T.Y.C. 7 subs.
Mr. Green's Caliph, aged (301.), Bst 9 b ...... (Munclay) 1
Mr. Waldy's Omen, 3 yrs (301.), Oat 121 b --(Austin), 2a
Mr. Marson's Milksop, 3 yrs (301.), Est 121 b (Porteus, u
Bating—Even on Milksop. Won by half a length,
bad third, Hagar was four b, the rest nowhere. The

winner was bought in for 32 guineas.
with 20
The Tally-Ho Handicap of 5 soya each, 3 ft,
added, for horses that have been hunted with any
established pack of hounds during the season 1857-8.
A winner of any Handicap Stakes of 50 sous after the
weights appeared 71b extra ; the second to rave his
stake. Gentlemen riders. Pr-fessionals sib extra.
Two miles. (7 subs.)
Mr. J. G. Henderson's Logie o' Buchan, by Ariel,
4 ,rs, 11. t (Mr. R. I'Anson) 1
Mr. Coxon's Phoenix, aged, 104 131 b ...( Mr. Coxon) 2
Mr. Hepple's Canny Fellow, 5 yrs, 103 t 101 b (carried
10-t 13'b) (Mr. Cowen) 3
Mr. J. Casson's Actress, aged, lOst (car. lOst 9lb)
(Owner) 4

Betting-2 to lon Logie Buchan, 3to 1 agst any
other. Won easily by a length. A length between the
second and third. Bod fourth.

DIIRHAM.---TuEsnAy.
The North Durham Handicap. One mile.

Herne ....
Florence.

The New Stakes. T.Y.C.
The Dutchman's Daughter
Harraton.. .

The Scurry Handicap. T.Y.C.
b f by Burgundy out of Prioress
Florence

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171 E ISLAND OF PERIM.

Of late years the French newspapers have so
much fallen in importance and ability that their
articles are rarely read by the general public in this
country, and they may be engaged for a long time
on a subject before we become aware of it, even
though the matter concerns ow selves. Be it
known, then, that the great question debated at
present by whatever of journalism still exists in
Paris is the Island of Perim, the reek at the entrance
of the Red Sea hich the East India Oempany oc

cupied some months since. So great is the interest
excited by this new theme that even the Isthmus of
Suez is f 4. a time forgotten. This great philan-
thropic project has, indeed, cause to complain of
the inconstancy of the Parisian j.mrnalists ; several
newspapers have not had an artic'e on the subject
for nearly a week. Those who will-glance over the
broadsheets of our neighbours are aware that be-
tweena scientific essay on the Artificial Alimenta-

tion of Prawns and an antiquarian essay on Car-
thaginian Horseshoes an article on the piercing of
the Isthmus of Suez h is a right to a distinguished
place about every three days. Judge, then, of the
importance of Perim, which has for a time carried
the imagination of our neighbours to the other ex-
tretni,37 of the Red Sea
The two queslions are, however, one ;an as
they have received comparatively little attention in
this country, while the Continental press his been

ringing witti them, it may be as well to offer a few
words of explanation. Ever since the establish-
ment of the Overland Route to India the political
gossips of the Continent have seen with extreme
jealousy the extension of what they call " English
influence" in Egypt and the parts adjacent. It
might strike them that a nation which acts is likely
to have more influence than nations which merely

talk ; and, moreover, that t free commuuity of
active men must necessarily extend its 'relations

with countries which lie on their way to a most

valuable dependency. This country has, indeed,
done wonders for Egypt since Waghorn suc-
ceeded in his notable enterprise. The
whole mail traffic and a large part of the passenger
traffic between England and India, China, Australia,
and the Indian Archipelago has been diverted to
the route of Suez and the Red Sea. The perishing
cities of Egypt are, living again, touched by the
renovating influence of British enterprise and civili-
sation. Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez are becoming
places of the highest importance, and the Vice-
royalty is taking its position as the wealthiest and
most prosperous state of the East. All this has
been done by Englishmen, and what has been done
is as nothing compared with what will be effected
before a few years have passed away. Already the
Railway is nearly finished between the Mediterra-
nean and the Re i Sea. The Indian Mail now
traverses the country twice every week, and it is
certain that with the rapid increase of trade, the de-
partures of first-class English steamers from Suez
will soon be almost daily. Our telegraph lines will
soon be laid along the Red Sea an 1 the shores of
Arabia to Kurrachee'or Bombay. Thousands of
British solders will yearly cross the Desert on their
way to and from our Empire in the East. We
may add that the direct trade of Egypt with this
country is of thc.very greatest importance, and that
the Viceroyalty is linked to England by continually
strengthening interests. Such facts as these, one
would think, might show other nations the illibe-
rality and folly of endeavouring to thwart the in
much
tercourse which has done sofori a country
but lately plunged in poverty andbart barbarism.
.Butf
national jealousy and national vanity
against reason and good feeling. The areFrench
people, not content with their high position on the
Continent, not recognising the truth that their des-
tiny, though great, is merely European, seek to
follow us over thel world, and, wirhout an ()eject
but the gratification of an uneasy self-esteem, to
force themselves into all our concerns. France has
no interestsin the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean. She
As represented in Egypt only by a few adventurers,
who, with a pliancy which Englishmen have et)
desire to rival, ingratiate themselves with the
Mahomedans, and adopt the manners, the morals,
and sometimes the faith, of the race among which
they live. This clique has always been animated
by a bit, er jealousy of England, and. even in the
midst of the Rus-ian War, when France and Eng-
land were in arms together, it did not care to dis-
semble its hostility. To the inspir.dion of these
French fortune seekers is to be attributed the plan
of making a canal from the Mediterranean coast to
Suez—a scheme so wild and impracticable that no
man can believe it to be sincerely propounded for
commercial and maritime objects. Our conviction
is, that if a concession were granted by the Porte
the canal would not be made—that it is not in-
tended to be made, but that the installation of a
French company, under French protection, on the
route which our mails and pa'sengers follow, would
be used as a means of thwarting us in all plans for
perfecting the system of transit. In fact, it is
merely a political scheme for operating on our
_line
of communications. Whenever we proposed an
extension of railway, cr another line of telegraph,
or an improvement of the port, or the erection of a
warehouse, or any practical object, we should be
met with the rights of the Lesseps Company, which
we should be told was in a year or two to com-
mence that great workofcivilizationby which
France, to whom alone belongs the initiation of
ideas, was to attract . the gaze of the universe. We
sincerely trust that if there are any persons who
believe that an improper opposition has been made
to the Suez scheme, they will be content to give
the successive Governments of the country credit
for understanding the question better than them-
selves. Enhas done everything for Egypt,
and she aloneg is interested in the traffic across the
isthmus. If, then, the canal wore feasible, English
engineers would have executed it long ago. All
that can be done is
stomakea railway, anellhathas
hi
been effected,those
whoclamourf or wonder-
ful projects have been sitting idly at horns.
The occupation of the rock of Perim is a
question of a similar nature. English steamers,
as we have said, are passing and repassiug the en-
trance of the Red Sea daily. No other European
flag ever appears on the waters of this tropical gulf.
Neither France, nor Russia, nor Austria has the
slightest concern with it. It is in the exclusive
occupation of England, and must in the nature of
things remain so as long as England has vast pos-
sessions beyond it, and these other countries have
none at all. Perim, which is advantageously sr :nate
at a point where the navigation is difficult, has been
au uninhabited rock, except at rare intervals, since
the creation of the world ; it was occupied when
Sir David Baird was about to invade Egypt from
India nearly
oursixty years ago, and when, a few
months hack,people returned they found, we
are told, the fortifications and reservoirs just as
their grandfathers left them. And yet, because
we form a settlement on this desert rock in a sea
where no flag but our own ever comes, we must
listen to an outburst of spite from the Continental
press t We are to forego the possession of a spot
which is found to be a convenient halting-place for
our mail steamers and transports, simply out of
deference to the susceptibilities of Continental poli-
ticians, who have not the smallest interest in those
regions of the world, and who never heard the
name of Perim in their lives. Perim may be
necessary for the intercourse between Europe and
Asia, but Perim must be left destitute because
France thinks that the occupation will too much
increase the influence of England on the Arabian
and Abyssinian coasts. This is what the science
of politics has come to among the publicists of the
Second Empire.
We have had enough of such trifling. Ever since
the French press has been forbidden to discuss
domestic subjects it has always been searching for
some paltry matter of this kind, and seeking to
elevate it into a great political question. The Con-
tinental journalists have also thought fit to insinu-
ate a proposition which we may as well repudiate
at once—namely,
that the policy of this coun-
try in Asia is to be subordinated to some
general Council of European powers, and we con-
sequently hear of the occupation of Perim being
brought before the Parisian Conference, and of
collective notes being meditated on the subject.
There is probably no truth in all this ; but still,
the existence of the report is evidence of notions
which we may as well dissipate at once. As for
Egypt and the Red Sea, the intentions of this
country are soon stated. We have no wish to
acquire territorial possessions in those parts, but
we will not for a moment tolerate any scheme for
interfering with the great system of intercommu-
nication which we are now building up. As for
any nation pretending to a superior or even an
equal position with England in Egypt, it is out of
the question. We have not laboured so much to
give up now the fruits of our labour. Twice within
the last sixty years have British arms preserved
Egypt to the Porte. In the first of these conflicts
a great French army and fleet, led by the first of
modern generals was utterly defeated and destroyed.
Forty years afterwards, when an ambitious Vice-
roy made war agst his Sovereign, it was again a
British force that crushed his pretensions. The
policy and spirit of England are whet they were in

1798 and 1840. Our own rights and the rights of
the Sultan we will support, as we have done before,
against either European or Egyptian ambition. So
we would advise those journalists who are busying
themselves about English proceedings in the Red
Sea to attend to matters which more nearly con-
cern themselves. Perim can only possibly belong
to the Sultan of Turkey or the Imaum of Muscat.
If either of these potentates chooses to make a re-
clamation we shall know how to deal with it ; but
any other State will only lose its time and temper
by interfering with the question. Probably all
that has been said on the matter proceeds only
from the ill-humour of the Continental press, but,
should any Government be so ill-advised as to give
Affect to these suggestions, we trust that Lord
Malmesbury will simply decline to listen to any
such meddling with our national affairs.—Times.

THE POSTAL SYSTEM. OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM DUREN 4 THE PAST YEAR.

The report of the Postmaster- General for the past
year was issued yesterday morning from the govern-
ment printers, from which it appears how greatly
the postal system has extended itself during 1857.
The number of letters transmitted through the Pest
Offices of the United Kingdom was 504 millions,
which is au increase of 51 per cent. on the number
of the previous year. In England 410 millions of
lei ters passed through the Post Office, being about
5i per cent. increase on the number of 185 C. In
Ireland 43 million letters passed through the Post
Office, which is an increase of 24 per cent. on the
number for 1856 ; and in Scotland the number was
51 millions. These figures give 21 letters to each
individual of the population for the year for Eng-
land ; 7to each in Ireland ; and 16 to each person
in Scotland.
At Leeds the proportion of letters to the popula-
tion is as high as 24 letters to each person ' at
Glasgoir and Birmingham, 27' ; at Liverpool, 29 ;
in Dublin and Manchester, 30 ; in Edinburgh, 36;
and in London, 43.
As compared with 1856, this number shows an
increase of 26,000,000 ; and as compared with the
year previous to the introduction of penny postage
(1839), an increase (omitting franks) of 428,000,000;
making the present number of letters more than
sixfold what it was in 1839. During the last five
years the rate of increase in letters, as compared in
each instance with the number in the preceding
year, has been as follows :-1853, 81 per cent.;
1854, 8 ; 1855, 21; 1856, q ; 1857, 5t : average,
nearly 6.
Of the whole number of letters last year nearly a
quarter were delivered in London and the suburban
districts ; and counting those also which were dis-
patched, nearly one half passed through the London
office. The number of letters given in the fore-
going statements include colonial and foreign letters
delivered in the United Kingdom as well as inland
letters. The great bulk, however, are inland ; the
colonial and foreign letters forming less than one-
fiftieth of the whole number delivered. According
to an official return in a recent number of the
Journal de St. Petersbourg, giving various Russian
statistics for the year 1855, the whole number of
letters posted in Russia was about 16,400,000, or
almost exactly the same as the number pasted in
the single city of Manchester and its suburbs. The
number of registered letters last year was rather
more than a million and a quarter, or about one
registered letter to 400 ordinary letters. The num-
ber of newspapers delivered in the United King-
dom last year, as in the previous year, was about
71,000,000, nearly three-quarters of which bore the
impressed or newspaper stamp, the others having
been paid by postage stamps. The proportion of
colonial and foreign newspapers and books sent
through the post is much greater than that of
letters ; for while of letters the portion, as already
stated, is less than one-fiftieth of the whole, of news-
papers and books it is about one-fifth. This differ-
ence is probably owing, in part, to the means
by which large numbers of inland newspapers and
books are distributed otherwise than through the
post, not being available for newspapers and books
sent here from abroad, and to the rates of postage
on colonial and foreign letters being much
higher, compared with newspapers, than is the
case with inland letters. This great disparity in the
rates of postage gives rise to much petty fraud in
using foreign and colonial newspapers for letter-
writing. The number of letters returned to the
writers last year, owing to failure in the attempts
to deliver them, was about 1,700,000. Owing to
the same cause about 580,000 newspapers were also
undelivered, being about one in 122 of the whole
number. There were about 6,000,000 of bookpackets
last year. The average weight of a book packet is
about 51 ounces, and the average postage about
21d. Excluding official packets, the average weight
of an inland letter is rather more than a quarter
of an ounce ; that of a colonial letter rather more
th=in a third of an ounce ; and that of a foreign
letter rather more than a quarter of an ounce. The
average postage of an ordinary inland letter is
about lid. The average weight of a newspaper
passing through the Post-office is rather more than
23/4 ounces.
During the year the number of post offices in the
United Kingdom was increased by 235, making
the total number at present open 11,291. Of these,
810 are head offices, and 10,291 sub post-offices.
295 road letter-boxes (some in towns and some in
rural districts) were put up last year, making the
whole number 703. At 1,041 places free deli-
veries were established for the first time last year ;
and at 297 other places, including Dublin, Bristol,
Bath, Oldham, the thickly inhabited district round
Manchester, Perth, and the neighbourhood of Bel-
fast, the free delivery was extended or otherwise
improved. Measures are in progress, though they
must necessarily proceed gradually, for still further
improving the postal service in the suburban dis-
tricts. These measures include an acceleration
(where this has not already been accomplished) of
the general post letters arriving in London by the
night mails ; the extension to all places within six
or seven miles of London (isolated houses and scat-
tered neighbourhoods excepted) of a late evening
delivery, so that letters leaving the Lond Al office
about 7.30 p.m. may reach the hands of the public
the same night, instead of remaining undelivered
till the next morning ; a greater approach to equa-
lity iu the periods between the despatches from
London • and, where requisite, more numerous
despatches and collections, longer periods for post-
iiig, and an earlier morning collection. So far as
its object was to expedite the interchange or cor-
respondence between district and district, the sys-
tem of postal divisions in London is still, owing to
the want of offices, only in very partial operation.
In some districts no suitable building, or even site,
has yet been found ; and in others unforeseen ob-
stacles have arisen to retard the completion of the
arrangements, even when considerable progress
had been made. During the last year 59 additional
towns were provided with day mails to or from the
metropolis of one or other of the three parts of the
United Kingdom, and some of them with mails in
both directions. Supplementary mails, moreover,
being the third dispatched from or to London in a
single day, were established with Manchester,
Liverpool, Birmingham, Cambridge, Southampton,
Sheffield, and other towns. The distance over
which mails are now conveyed within the United
Kingdom by railways, mail coaches, &c., steam
packets, boats, and foot messengers, is nearly
130,000 miles per day.
During the year 138 new money order offices
have been opened-95 in England and Wales, 34
in Scotland, and 9in Ireland. The to tal number
at present open is 2,233. Notwithstanding the de-
pression of trade during the year, 6,389,703 money
orders were issued in the United Kingdom, for a
total sum of 12,180,2731., showing an increase of
185,467 orders and 374,7111. over the previous
year. The rapid increase which has taken place in
this method of transmitting money may be under-
stood, when it is stated that in 1840 313,1241. was
sent through the Post-office in 1850, and it had in-
creased to 8,494,498/.
The following results give a curious illustration
of the relative prosperity of the three kingdoms :
—From England there is an evident outgoing of
money orders, inasmuch as orders for 10,410,8631.
were granted, and 10,281,6681. paid, leaving a dis-
crepancy of 129,195/. In [reland orders for
818,5371. were granted, and, 893,7891. paid, leav-
ing an excess paid of 75,252/. In Scotland orders
for 950,8731. were granted, and 1,002,8571. paid,
giving an excess of 51,985/.
The rate of postage on letters conveyed by pri-
vate ship between this country and all parts of the
world has been reduced, where it before exceeded
that sum, to a uniform charge of 6d. the half-ounce.
The rate of increase in the gross revenue in the
two years was as follows :-1856. England, nearly
6 per cent. ; Ireland, nearly 5 per cent.; Scotland,
nearly 7 per cent. ; United Kingdom, rather more
than 51 per cent —1857. England, rather more
than 6 per cent. ; Ireland, about 2i per cent.;
Scotland, about 61 per cent.; United Kingdom,
nearly 6 per cent. The increase of expenditu.re
properly appertaining to the year 1857 was at, lie
rate of nearly 2i per cent., as compared with §
per cent, in 1856.
The net revenue; taken as the differeuc. 1244 Ween