The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-17 00:00:00

PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.

The following letter appears in a contemporary :
Sir,—lt was possible to treat of the sources of the
public revenue from the vantage ground of recog-
nised principles of economy ; but what guide is com-
petent to take even the most patient and resolute of
inquirers through the intricate labyrinth of the
public expenditure ? A labyrinth, did I say ? That
of Crete was a straight pathway when compared
with the windings and intricacies of the public ac-
counts. There was an end to the one, but to these !
Have the miles and millions of figures that no A' lay-
before me any conclusion ? Does the financial Dae-
dalus exist who could give an intelligible account
of them ? All that Homer could do with the nations
represented on that classic heathen battle-field—all
that Moses did when he wished to tell of the great
old families of the tribes of Israel, was to give a plain
and undecorated list of names; and I am not sure
whether this would not be the most effective man-
ner of dealing with the public accounts. But as
on a moderate calculation, this method would oc-
cupy the whole of your columns every day for the
next two or three weeks, it will be doubtless more
convenient that a briefer, though certainly a less
impressive plan, should be pursued.
I propose to commence my examination of the
items 31 the national expenditure with the civil
charges. The various estimates, accounts, and re-
turns connected with a single year's expenditure
under this head alone will fill rather more than 500
folio pages. This fact will perhaps give your readers
some notion of the vast extent of the national book-
keeping ; but as it is necessary to cross a glacier in
order to know what a glacier is, so is it necessary
readily to read through these papers before it is
possible to obtain an adequate impression oC their
magnitude ; only there is no Jardin des Plantes in
this field to refresh the eyes that have become
wearied with the monotony of column after
column of statistics, and figures upon figures
.piled. Any one who may undertake this
labour will not wonder that Mr. Fitzroy
should gabble through the estimates at such
express speed, or that members should allow
them to pass almost without question. It seems a
hopeless task to attempt any remedy for such
gigantic financial profligacy ; all that one can do is
to live and hope that some day a Hercules will be
born who will have the power of turning the full
tide of the public resentment right through this
heap of waste and extravagance.
Let justice however be done. The expenses which
come first in logical order are those which relate to
the collection of the national revenue. Owing
partly perhaps to an improved public morality, and
partly to a better system of administration, there
has been a comparative reduction in this charge
within the last tan years. It is a mere cheeseparin g
to the whole sum, but when compared with the
revenue it is a reduction, and the government should
receive the benefit of it. The following are the

figures :
COST OF COLLECTION, 1849.
Customs 51,312,709
Excise 919,161

Starnps
Taxes 334,056

Total
COST OF COLLECTION, 1858.
Customs (apparent) £843,757
Excise
Stamps
Taxes 484,262

Total
I have taken the above figures from the Pull&