The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-22 00:00:00

from abroad, and gives rise to many disagreeable dis-
putes. This practice is the more indefensible, because
the very parties who thus dishonourably endeavour to
frustrate the purpose of a partial, rapid, and polite
search, are the I.)udest and most vehement in their com-
plaints if that search be minute or tedious."

After taking a general view of the customs de-
partment, the commissioners proceed to report
more especially on the changes and improvements
that were introduced in 1856, which, in fact, com-
mences their annual report. After noticing vari-
ous trifling alterations in the tariff, improvements
in the arrangements for assessing sugar, and the
introduction of the patrol system on shore in sub-
stitution of boarding tide waiters, the report gives
the following particulars of the arrangements made
for the examination of passengers' baggage at Lon-
don-bridge, and their results :
" For nearly three years it has been the practice to
acccommodate the through passengers from. Paris to
London res Dover, by the night mail, by allowing them
to have their baggage examined at the railway terminus
in. London-bridge, instead of at the place of landing.
The packages registered, in Paris were placed in 1 eked
vans, and continued in charge of the railway guard till
delivery in London, by which means the travellers were
relieved from all anxiety and necessity for personal vigi-
-1 lance during the journey ; while, as the trains arrived
punctually ata fixed hour (7.45 a.m), little inconvenience
was entailed upon our officers by the arrangement. Early
in last year the directors of the South-Eastern Railway
memorialised your lordships, praying for the extension
of a similar privilege to the baggage of travellers
arriving in London from Paris, Amiens, and Boulogne,
by the special tidal train via Folkestone. It was obvious
this arrangement would entail upon the customs
, officers
a considerable amount of inconvenience, inasmuch as the
trains in question varied their hours of arrival every day,
and sometimes reached the terminus in the middle of the
night. Bat as it appeared that these 'trains bad become
the favourite mode of transit for passengers between the
two countries—the number of passengers from London
to raris by the sight mail in the six months ending 30th
November, 1855, having been 3,151, while thcse arriving
by the tidal trains was 41,788—it was thought properto
concede the privilege requested, and arrangements were
accordingly made, commencing on the lst of August, by
which officers were in attendance at the specified -hours to
examine the arriving baggage, while the directors of the
railway facilitated the operation by the enlargement of
the building employed for the purpose.
" The number of packages belonging to through pas-
sengers thus examined 'was in August 2,749 ; September,
3,970 ; October, 3,563; November, 1,538.

e •
"The board were careful to order the attendance of a
sufficient number of officers to insure all possible de-
spatch ; and in Sept., when the system of examination
had been perfected, the number of packages on each
occasion averaged 153, and the time occupied was only
21 minutes.

"Early in Nov., however, the special trains from Paris
to Boulogne in connection with the tidal service ceased,
and the South-Eastern Company followed the example,
and availed themselves, wherever practicable, of their
ordinary trains; The rapidity of transit was thus greatly
diminished ; and this circumstance, iti connection with
the advancing season, so materially diminished the num-
ber of passengers, that the railway company ceased to de-
sire, and your lordships deemed it advisable to discontinue
at the end of Nov., the privilege conceded in August.
" "There can, we think, be little doubt .that, while the
arrangement lasted, it was attended with considerable
comfort and advantage to the public ; but we submit, as
a matter for consideration on asubsequent occasion, whi-
ther the same objects might not be obtained as effectually,
and with less trouble and expense, by the adoption of
some arrangement—which it appears to us migbt easily
be contrived—for examining the registered through'
baggage at Folkestone (giving it precedence of the
effects of other passengcrs) during the interval that
always elapses between the arrival of the boat and the
departure of the train—an interval which usually exceeds
)that (21 minutes) which experience has shown to be
sufficient for the examination of the baggage at London-
bridge station." '

The increase or diminution of trade and revenue
at particular ports is an object of great general, as
well as of local, interest, and on this subject the
commissioners report :
" With a view of showing the condition of trade and
revenue in each different district throughout the king-
dom, we. have •prepared a series of tables giv.ing a con-
densed comparison of the produce of the revenue in
1855 and 1856, and of the more important articles in
which increase or diminution bad taken place in the
!atter year, with such remarks respecting the causes
,of the fluctuation as seemed instructive or sugges-
tive. These tables are full and complete, but
it is impossible to concentrate their substance into a few
sentences, or, indeed, to convey their information in a
terser form than that which they themselves present it.
They offer a most encouraging picture of the general ac-
tivity and prosperity both of the commercial interests
and of the community at large. Some of the increased
importation of the year is attributable to the cessation of
the war, and it is observable in nearly all districts. Be-
sides London and Liverpool, the most remarkable in-
crease of business has taken place at Hartlepool, Hull,
Folkestone, Gloucester, Snsderland, Plymouth, and
Southampton, in England ; and at Greenock,- Glasgow,
and Leith, in Scotland ; and perhaps timber and wood
goods are the articles in which the most universal in-
creage is reported.

a -
"The accounts from Ireland are especially satisfactory.
There has been an increase in the revenue receipts at
every port, with three exceptions, and in these the aggre-
gatadecrease scarcely exceeds 1,0001. This general im-
provement is by our officers unanimously attributed to
the flourishing state of agriculture, and the remunerating
prices of farm produce, which enable the cultivator of
the soil to indulge in the comforts and luxuries of life to
a far greater extent than formerly.
"It was deemed advisable in 1854 and 1855 to increase
the customs duties on four of the principal imported arti-
cles of consumption, with a view of providing means to-
wards defraying the expenses of the war. The taxes on
tea, coffee, sugar, and rum imported into Scotland and
Ireland were severally augmented to an extent of which
the details are given in the appendix. No more striking
illustration can be adducer: of the continued prosperity
and vast consuming power of the country than the very
trifling degree in which-this augmentation in the tax af-
fected the use of 'the articles in question. The duty on
coffee was raised 33 per cent.; the utmost diminution of
consumption was only 6 per cent. The duty on tea was
raised 17 per cent.; the falling cff in consumption was
not a quarter per cent. The duty on sugar was raised on
the average about 25 per cent., and the price of the arti-
cle in bond rose also upwards of 30 per cent. between
1854 and 1856 ; yet the entire difference of consumption
in these two years was short of 10 per cent. In all
three articles, it must be remembered, the duty forms a
very large proportion of the cost to the- consumer."
At the conclusion of the report the commissioners
allude to the improvementswhich have been already
effected, and to the further improvements contem-
plated in the statistical tables furnished by their
department ; noticing particularly that they have
substituted the real value of each article—carefully
ascertained from the most reliable sources—for the
unsatisfactory official values heretofore given.
There are many valuable appendices to the report,
stating in detail numerous facts connected with the
improvement of the customs depa:ctment, and the
increased revenue and commerce of the kingdom.

THE LATH EXPLO .510 N AT LUNDBILL.

LUND HILL, APRIL 21.
The drawing operations have been continued
since yesterday, and the water has now been so much
reduced that I.7ne cisterns will not, fill at the bottom
of the shaft, There is still a considerable depth
of water the " dip" levels, and men are actively
engaged, in baling it into the cisterns, so that the
drawing continues, though at a slower rate. This
morning Messrs. Woodhouse and Elliott, two of
the mining engineers controlling the operations,
descended the pit, accompanied by the son of Mr.
Nicholas Wood, and also by Mr. Coe and several
other colliery viewers, for the purpose of ascertain-
ing the state of affairs below; In consequence of
the reduction of the water they were enabled to
penetrate further than the viewers who had pre-
viously descended. At the conclusion of the ex-
ploration Mr. Woodhouse made the following state
meet to the representativei of the press :
Mr. Woodhouse said—We Wave been down the
pit to-day and carefully examined the progress that
has been making for drawing put the remainder of
the water and for the recovery of the bodies. We
found a very strong current of air running through
the parts of the mine we have been able to explore,
without any appearance of fire. Indeed there
appears tp be no fire in existence in the pit what-
ever. We were stopped in a complete exploration
by a fall of earth from the roof. This will shortly
be removed, and then the exploration Will be corn-
pleted. That done, measures for the recovery of
the bodies will be proceeded with. We do not
think that the recovery of the bodies can take
place very rapidly, but the viewers employed here
appear to be conducting their work very carefully
and properly, and are proceeding very diligently
and energetically, so that we hope before long the
whole thing will be complete.
In reply to your correspondent, Mr. Woodhouse
said—Our exploration was not sufficiently complete
to enable us to say beyond question that there is no
fire, but so far as we proceeded we found no ap-
pearance of fire. My opinion is that the lire is
quite extinguished, but that is and can only be an
opinion to long as the exploration is incomplete.
Mr. Morton, the Government inspector, said—.
The measures taken thus far are quite satisfactory
to me, as also are the plans suggested forour future
operations. I have joined and fully concur in
thew.

The viewers are intending to descend the pit
again this Tuesday evening for the purpose of pre-
paring, as far as practicable, for future exploration,
and it is expected that more bodies will piobably
be recovered to-morrow (Wednesday).

DANGER OF CEINOLINE.—On Wednesday afternoon a
servant was crossing the Wellington bridge, Dover, with
one child in her arms and another by her side, when
two ladies, magnified by crinoline, , rustled past, and
actually swept the little toddler into the water. Provi-
dentially, assistance being at hand, the chil4 was
rescued.