The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-17 00:00:00

CLoSNIG PRICES.

BRITISH FUNDS.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Red. '99% Ditto Bonds
3 per Cent. Cons
3% per Cent. Rel lOl3 Ditto New Annuities...
New 3% per Cent lo3n Ex. Bills, 1,000/. 13,(d... pm..
New 5 per Cent. Ditto 5001
Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small , pm.
Jan. 1860........,... 12 7.16 ;Bank Stock for Acct —
Oct. 1859 l2 5.16 Consols for Acct. lOO%
Jan. 1860 l2 11.16 Ilndia Stock for Acct....
FOREIGN FUNDS.

Austrian, 5 per Cent Portuguese,s per Cent —
Belgian, 5 per Cent
Brazilian Bonds
Buenos A pies, 6 per Ce;.t — Russian, 5 per Cent —
(Mien, C per Cent ' —. Ditto, Metallic —
Colombian, 6 per Cent
Ditto, 1824 • Ditto,
3 per Cent 37l',
Cuba Bonds 6 per Cent 93 Ditto, Deferrei —
Danish, 3 per Cent
Greek, 18.5, 5 per Cent Exchange —f. —c.
Mexican, 5 per Cent ' 263. French, 3 per Cent —f. —c.
Ditto, 6 per Cent., 1837. — .Dutch, 2% per Cent." 61N
Peruvian, 1925, 6 per Cent... !Ditto, 5 per Cent 100 S
SHARES.
Bristol and Gloucester (30 paid)
Eastern Counties (W paid)
Ditto, Perpetual 5 per cent. (1:18.4d. paid)
London and Birmingham (Stock)
London and Blackwell (161. 13s. 4d,,) I 14
London and South Western (41/. 6s. 10d. paid)
Manchester and Leeds (70 paid,
Ditto Half Shares (30 paid) 47%
Midland Counties (100 paid) 99
South Eastern and Dover (3312 s 4d paid)
Rouen and Havre ( 8 paid)
COURSE OF EXCHANGE.—(YESTERDAY.)
Amsterdam CF. 12 6 Gibraltar —
Ditto, at sight l2 4 Leghorn 3O 60
Rotterdam 2U. 12 6i Genoa 25 90
Antwerp
Hamburgh M.B. 13 15 Venice 47
Altona l3 15 Naples 39
Paris, 3 days' sight... 25 70 Palermo, per oz ll7
Ditto, 3 months 25 95 Lisbon s3i
Marseilles
Bourdeaux 25 95 Rio Janeiro 23
Frankfort on Maine.. 122 i Bahia 23
Petessburgb, 3 Us... 36 Buenos Ayres —
Berlin 7 NewYork,2ldys sight
Vienna, effet. fl. 3 M 956 Philadelphia —
1 rieste, ditto - 957 PRICES OF BULLION, PER OZ.
Madrid 37 Foreign Gold, bars..X3 17 9
Cadiz
Rilbao 36 New Doubloons..... 0 0 0
Barcelona 36 New Dollars 0 4 9/
Seville — Silver in Bars 0 4 111

NEW COAL TAX—PROPOSED EM-
BANKMENT OF THE THAMES.
A public meeting was held at the Crown and Anchor
yesterday, for the purpose of taking measures to oppose
the proposed tax upon coals intended for defray-
ing the expense of erecting the proposed embankment
of the river Thames. The following noblemen and
gentlemen were on the platform :—John Masterman,
Esq., M.P., Capt. Boas, M.P., Col. Wood, M.P., B.
Hawes, Esq., M.P., W. Ord, Esq., M.P., Lord H. Vane,
M.P., Sir C. Napier, M.P., David Barclay, Esq., M.P.,
Matthew Foster, Esq., Wm. Bateman, Esq., (Deputy
Chairman of the Chartered Gas Company), N. Pouffes,
Esq., W. Christie, Esq., M.P., and gentlemen con-
nected with and interested in the coal trade.
The Secretary read letters from the following gentle-
men opposed to the proposed tax, who, from various
circumstances, were unable to be present at the meet-
ing:—Lord Howick, Mr. Mattison, M.P., Mr. Lyall, M.P.,
Mr. Duncombe, M.P., Mr. Antrobus, &c.
Mr. MASTERMAN, M.P., (Chairman) exilaieed the ob-
jects of the meeting. A tax of sd. per ton was propose.' to
be levied on coals entering London, for the purpose of
erecting an embankment to the river Thames, in addition
to Is. Id. at present levied—not only on coals consumed
within London, but to a considerable distance around it—
and the object of the meeting was to oppose any further
charge upon that necessary article of life, believing that
it would seriously injure the coal trade of the metro-
polis, and throw an additional weight on the consumer.
Mr. HAWES, M.P., proposed a resolution to the effect,
that the additional tax on coal, the cheapness of which
tends so much to the comfort of the poor, and
is so essential to the prosperity of the va-
rious manufactories established in the metropolis and its
environs, is unjust and impolitic. He thought the pro-
posed enbankment was unnecessary, and highly injurious
to the trade of the metropolis, and would prove most
injurious to the navigation of the river.—(Hear, hear.)
There were three reasons assigned for carrying the pro-
posed embankment into effect:—first, that it would
improve the navigation; secondly, that it would give
increased facilities to the coal and river trade; and,
thirdly, that it would present increased facilities
between different parts- of the metropolis. Now, he
had attended the various meetings of the Commissioners,
at the request of many of his constituents, and very few
of the witnesses examined before them were in favour of
the proposed embankment. The Commissioners were
desirous of making the city of London like Florence and
other continental towns, so fine were their ideas of
architectural display, and appeared to have forgotten the
trade of the City of London.—(Hear, hear.) The
estimates for the embankment amounted to 366,000/.
He thought Sir Robert Peel and other Members of the
Government too high-minded to express any opinion on
the matter without evidence to justify such a measure.—
(Hear, hear.) In fact, be did not believe Sir R. Peel
was in favour of it. It was said that the tax on coals
was a most equitable way of making improvements ;
but the great mass of the working population
would have to pay it. He repeated that the tax would
come out of the pockets of the working classes—
(Cheers)—and they could ill afford to pay it. The tax
would fall far heavier on the poor than on the rich, and
on these grounds he felt it his duty to take a strenuous
part in opposing the imposition of an additional coal
tax.—(Cheers.)
Mr. ORD, M.P., seconded the resolution. He
said he felt deeply interested in the subject, re-
presenting, as he did, the persons interested in
the Newcastle coal trade, who, he was sure, would
second in every way -their opposition to the pro-
posed tax ; but he considered that the consumer was more
interested in the matter than any other party. The
report of the Commissioners perfectly astonished him,
and he thought they could not be aware of what they
were signing. The proposed embankment was an ugly
dyke, and, instead of proving beneficial, it would prove
most injurious to the health of the metropolis—it
would also be injurious to the various branches of trade
connected with the river. The wharfingers would be
put to additional expense, and additional expense would
thus be entailed upon the consumer.—( Hear.)
Mr. RICHARD TAYLOR said he was a large consumer
of coals, and he did not object to a small addition to the
present tax if the money derived from it was properly
applied. He thought that those who lived in their villas
ten or twelve miles out of town, but whose avocations
led them daily to London, ought to pay their share of
the proposed tax. He should regret if it fell heavily on
the poor, and expressed a confident hope that it would
not. He ridiculed the idea of the embankment and the
building of the new House of Commons on the river.
The coal owners were chiefly interested in this question.
—(" No, no.") [Captain Ackerly, who had repeatedly
interrupted the meeting, here created some disturbance,
and it was some time before he could be prevailed upon
to resume his seat.]
Mr. COPE moved an amendment to the effect, that
a duty upon coals, however desirable it might be to
avoid such a mode of taxation, was an excellent source
of carrying out metropolitan improvements.
Mr. M'GILIVRAY seconded the amendment, which,
after some discussion, was put and lost. The original
motion was then put and carried.
Colonel Woos), M.P., proposed the next resolution,
that the purpose for which this tax is proposed to be
applied does not justify so obnoxious an imposition. He
thought the tax would be ebnoxious, because it was to be
levied upon the second necessary of life—that it. would
obstruct the interests of the trade of the metropolis, and
if they neglected the persons who gave employment
to the poor labourers, they would destroy the
very elements of the trade of that city. He
was confident the tax would fall heavily on the
working classes. He then referred to the evidence
and opinions of several scientific gentlemen on the sub-
ject of the embankment, who were unfavourable to the
plan.
Captain Ron, M.P., seconded the motion. He said
he saw no reason why the consumer should pay for the
embankment. He was not in favour of the imposition of
the tax.—(A Voice—" The corn tax for example."—
Cheers.) He thought the Thames embankment more
ornamental than useful.—(Laughter.)
Sir CHARLES NAPIER, M.P., said he had not had
time to read the voluminous report of the Com-
missioners so fully as his friend Mr. Hawes—
he, however, understood that the embankment was
to be a most magnificent thing—it was to give in-
creased facilities to trade, but he thought it was more
adapted as a promenade for ladies and gentlemen. It
was the most absurd plan ever invented by man.—
(Laughter.) It had surely been concocted by the gentle-
men who reside in Privy-gardens—(Laughter)—who
wish to walk as far as they can down the river. Now,
let them have a promenade where coal- heavers and
other poor people could enjoy the fresh air, and no ladies
or gentlemen would be seen there. It might certainly give
more employment to the watermen, who would have
better facilities fur landing ; but the navigation of the
river would be impeded. In Portsmouth harbour the
water was allowed to come as high as it could come, and
every means was taken to get as much as possible, and
to remove all obstructions to the free current of the tide.
The tax put him much in mind of a milch cow, which
got dry at last. Many persons were desirous of having
a slice of the proceeds of the proposed tax, but he saw
no reason why his constituents should not have a share
of it.—(Laughter.) It would be very injurious to the
poor man, if they put a tax upon coals ; he would hare
to burn less if he paid more for it.—(Cheers.) He
thought that was plain to a man who could think, on
the principle, that if they taxed corn he must have less
bread.—(Cheers.) Four shillings per ton was put upon
coals sent abrovd, and the imposition of that tax had de-
stroyed that trade altogether. He should do all he could
in the House of Commons to throw the Bill for the levy-
ing of the tax overboard.—(Cheers.)
Lord H. VANE, M.P., proposed the following resolu-
tion, " That the purpose for which this tax is proposed to
be applied does not justify so obnoxious an imposition."
Capt. Rolls, M.P., seconded the resolution, which
was carried unanimously.
A resolution was then proposed and seconded, " That a
petition embodying the sentiments of the meeting, be
presented to the House of Commons by the Chairman,.
and that the co• operation of the eight Metropolitan Mem-
bers be requested to support the prayer thereof; and that
a deputation, consisting of the Members of Parliament
present, be requested to form a deputation to wait upon
Sir Robert Peel on the subject."
The resolution was carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman for his
able conduct in the chair, and the meeting separated.