The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-16 00:00:00

CTIF-4
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CM lot auk.

HER MAJESTY, &e.

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OSBORNE, Jan. 15.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Christian,
drove out yesterday afternoon, attended by the
Dowager Duchess of Athole ; and her Majesty
walked in the grounds this morning with Princess
Christian and Princess Louise, attended by the lion.
Dully Cathcart..
His Royal highness Prince Arthur arrived at
Osborne yesterday afternoon from Buckingham
Palace, attended by Major Elphinstone.

Prince Arthur and Prince Christian went out
shooting this morning, attended by Col. Ponsonby.
Prince Leopold, Princess Beatrice, and Prince
henry of Prussia walked in the grounds.
The Hon. Emily Cathcart has succeeded the Hon.
Flora Macdonald as Maid of Honour in Waiting.

-

The Duke and Duchess of Argyll and family are
expected to return home from their tour in Italy the week
preceding the opening of Parliament.
The Duke of Buckingham arrived in town yes-
terday from Stowe.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Kildare and
family arrived at the Duke of Leinster's residence on
Carlton-house-terrace, yesterday morning, from Carton
House, Maynooth.

The Earl and Countess of Bessborough are enter-
taining a succession of visitors at Bessborough House,
Kilkenny. Lord Straithnairn, commanding the forces in
Ireland, has joined the party.
The Earl of Lonsdale has arrived at his residence
on Carlton-house-terrace from Ventnor, Isle of 'Wight, for
the season.

• The Eall of Harrington has arrived in town from
Elvadon Hall, Derbyshire.

A marriage is arranged between Colonel the
Hon. Frederick Augustus Thesigor, of the 95th Regiment
eldest son of the Lord Chancellor, and Miss Heath,
daughter of Major-General J. C. Heath, commanding the
Muds division, Bombay.

REPEAL OF THE MALT DUTY.

IMPORTANT DEPUTATION TO THE CHAN-
CELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER.
Yesterday afternoon a very numerous and influen-
tial deputation of members of Parliament and other
gentlemen, representing the Central Anti-Malt Tax
Association and the Midland Counties Association,
had interview by appointment with the Right Hon.
B. Disraeli, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at his
official residence in Downing street, for the purpose
of urging upon the right hon. gentleman the neces-
sity of taking steps for the abolition of the malt tax.
Lord, CURZON, M.P., introduced the deputation,
and in doing so said that the object of the deputa-
tion was to urge on the right hon. gentleman that
the present was a fitting time for dealing in some
measure with this most important question. He be-
lievedthat the malt tax repealers had a very strong
case, and they had confidence in the intentions of the
right hon. gentleman to dealjustly with their claims.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER expressed
his extreme regret that as he had to attend a Cabi-
net Council at three o'clock he was under the neces-
sity of requesting the favour of the respective
speakers of confining their remarks to as brief a
term as possible.
Mr. PUNNETT (of West Kent), as chairman of the
Central Association, expressed the pleasure with
which himself and colleagues waited upon the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the present occa-
sion, the right hon. gentleman being the only states-
man of the present day who had, when in office,
made a practical attempt to abolish the duty. The
members of the deputation were grateful to him for
what he did on that occasion, and they believed that
all that had since transpired still tended to strengthen
the case for the repeal of the malt tax.
Mr. FOWLER, of Aylesbury, complained that he
as a farmer found the tax seriously to interfere with
the due and natural rotation of crops by restricting
the use of the inferior qualities of barley—which
were well qualified for the production of good beer
--which, in consequence of the weight of taxation,
could find no market with the brewers in comparison
with the higher qualities of barley, upon which only
the same amount of taxation was levied. He also
urged the consideration of the serious question of
rearing stock which was involved in the malt-tax.
Young stock was growing more valuable, and it was
well known amongst dealers that no better article
of diet could be given than malt, but its use was
practically denied by the existence of the present
duty. Another reason which brought the deputa-
tion there was that the consumption of beer by the
labouring poor was greatly restricted by the duty.
In his own case he paid in beer between £5O and
£6O a-year to his labourers, and of that amount
some £2O or £25 went for duty. Upon one of his
farms there was a heavy clay soil, which he was
unable to turn to the best advantage, because ho
found it unprofitable to grow certain descriptions of
barley which but for the tax now levied would be
most valuable for conversion into beer.
Mr. PELL, as chairman of the Central Chamber
of Agriculture, and a considerable farmer, said that
he found amongst the labourers he employed beer
was really a necessity of life and essential to the re-
storation of their strength when it had become el-
hausted on the field or by other work. He hoped
that as there had been very beneficial changes in
the legislation of the country with regard to the
duties on the great necessaries of life, justice would
not be allowed to stop at malt.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, having
heard the arguments of the various speakers, said
he need scarcely assure the gentlemen present of
the pleasure and willingness with which he had re-
ceived the deputation. The case had been ably and
fairly put before him—he might indeed say in
quite an artistic manner. His sympathies, they all
knew, were deeply with the cultivators of the sort
and the labouring classes of the country generally'.
He had never concealed his opinion that the malt,
duty was a bad tax, and be had shown that
by the proposal which he made when Chancellor el,
the Exchequer in 1852 to reduce the amount 01
the tax by one-half. But he must remind theme
that when that proposal was made it was not 0"
ceived with any enthusiastic support from the
I agriculturists themselves. The opponents of that
measure told him that his proposal was not sufficien.b
to be appreciated by those who might have bell,
expected to feel the greatest amount of interest
in the question ; and he was also told that the
repeal of one-half of the amount of the malt tat
would not meet the exigencies of the case. But 11.,
(the right hon. gentleman) would tell them 23"
that if they had then assisted him, and the reduc'
tion of one-half the duty had been effected, no 13°!:0
tion of the tax would now have remained. 1.%
Government of that day, however, did not receive
support where they might have expected it; but
then the malt duty had become a question which Pa
doubt excited a very large amount of interest s.ut.o
anxiety throughout the country. He assured tPso
gentlemen before him that all that bad been said
well that day would have the best attention of bet
Majesty's Government, and would be fully relueel‘
bered and considered.
Lord CURZON having thanked the right h°,
gentleman for their courteous reception, the dePll
tation then retired.

Two IMPORTANT LITERART ANNOUNCEMENTS '
made by the Messrs. Ptoutledge. First and Prec;
most that they about to publish is a new edition of Vro,
Lytton's novels, at ls. each ; and secondly, that the Rev' l'ils.
Wood is preparing a companion book to his large 11..,,90
trated Natural History, under the title of ,i Doutleog-o
Illustrated Natural History of Man," in all countries of
t-Lit
woill The work is to be issued in 32 monthly pots:;vo
is. each, and will be embellished with designs illustrng
of the manners, customs, religious rites, superstitions, di.eo;
habitations, weapons, instruments, implements, &c., iu, -De.
among the inhabitants of every part of the gi
Part I. is to appear at tho end of March. f, th°
A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at ill
official residence of the First Lord of the Tre3sull,llol
Downing-street. The Ministers present were - the
'-'O,
of Derby, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Buck 0,
the Earl of Idahnesbury, the Eight Hon. Spencer col
Walpole, Lord Stanley, the Earl of Carnarvon, Geilat,
Peel,Viscount Cranborne, the Chancellor of the E:c-ebeLrO
Sir John Pakington, Sir S. Northcoto, Lord John Nft'll-
tllo Right lion. cothorne /Lardy, and Lord Nog.