The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-21 00:00:00

ASSESSMENT OF CITY PROPERTY.

Mr. JONATHAN TIIORP, pursuant to notice, pro-
pounded a motion expressing the opinion of the
Court that it was desirable for the convenience and
security of the inhabitants of the City that there
should be one general assessment of all property in
the City, which should be the basis for all future
Imperial taxation, as well as municipal and local
rating. It also suggested the appointment of a
committee to consider and report how this object
may be best accomplished.
Mr. BENGOUGH supported the motion, remarking
that there were five different rates in operation in
the City, and that the system was most irregular
and unsatisfactory.
It was also supported by Mr. De Jersey, chair-
man of the Commission of Sewers, who argued that
the poor law authorities were at the bottom of it
all, and he entered into details tending to confirm
that view.

Mr. FINLAY movedtn amendment, to the effect
that it was desirable that there should be one
equitable basis of assessment of all property in the
City and metropolitan districts for municipal, local,
and metropolitan rating.
The subject underwent, some further discussion,
and in the result the original motion of Mr. Thorp
was adopted.
THE DUTIES OF TAE MAYORALTY.

Mr. MACGEORGE moved a reference to a com-
mittee to inquire into and consider the whole ex-
penses of the mayoralty, the duties, emoluments,
and responsib lities of the different officers connected
therewith, the allowance made to the Lord Mayor,
and the different funds from which the same is
paid, and also the duties, expenses, and emoluments
of the offices of sheriffs and under-sheriffs of Lon-
don and Middlesex ; and to report thereon gene-
rally, with such recommendation, if any, as might
now appear desirable, lie introduced it in a dis-
curgye speech, iu which he reviewed the various

beads of expenditvre, alluding particularly to the
fact that the allowance made by the Corpora-
tion to the Lord Mayor during his year of
office, for purposes of hospitality, was upon an
average about £B,OOO, which he held to be
ample, provided every Lord Mayor supplemented
the amount, as he thought he should do, by an ex-
penditure from his own private resources of £5,000
or £6,000. lie urged at the same time that the
hospitalities at the Mansion House might take a
wider and, in some respects, a more dignified range.
fie noticed incidentally the fact that in the last ten
years £1,500,000 had been ccllected and dispensed
in charity at the Mansion House on occasions of
public calamity. The mayoralty, be said, was a
great institution, and had always been so regarded;
but its dignit3 might be enhanced by the chief magi-
strate for the time being associating himself with
the various municipalities in the country, the great
City companies, and the chambers of commerce in
the principal towns, and other public bodies.
The motion was seconded by Mr. BONTEMS, and
led to a short discussion, in which Mr. Homer and
Mr. De Jersey took part. It was almost unani-
mously adopted.

Upon the motion of Alr. JOIIN SrmoNDs, chair-
man of the City Lands Committee, regard being
had to a resolution of the Court of the 25th Octo-
ber, 1567, on a report of the Local Government
and Taxation Committee on the subject of a county
rate, and to the subsequent proceeding ,of the juaiL
tices, it was referred to the same committee to con-
sider and report what parliamentary or other steps
should be taken to prevent the levying of any rate
upon the citizens of London by any body of men
not subject to periodical election.

It may be stated that this resolution points to
the Court of Aldermen, who are not subject to
periodical election.

The Court then, after transacting some business
of comparatively little interest, adjourned.

MR. GLADSTONE ON 7HE CO-OPERA.

TI VE MOVEMENT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

you kindly afford space in your jour-
nal for insertion of the enclosed correspondence ?
May we venture to commend very earnestly to the
retail trade the immediate adoption of Mr. Glad-
stone's suggestion, which is, in fact, the custom in
the wholesale trade—a fixed term of credit, dis-
count for prompt payment, and a charge for interest
after the expiration of the credit?—We are, &c.,
JONES, EVISON, & BARTER.
16, Borough, Feb. 19.

" To the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.
" 16, Borough, S.E., Feb. 13.

" Sir,—We apologise for the liberty of addressing
you, but our object is to solicit your attention to
the growth of the co-operative movement, which is
at present causing some anxiety to the retail trade,
and is operating prejudicially to their interests.
That which has obtained most prominence is the
Civil Service Co-operative Store,' partly from the
notices of it in the newspapers, but chiefly from the
high rank in life of many who further the scheme.
A considerable feeling of irritation has arisen in
consequence, and is rapidly spreading among the
trading class. It is felt that the Civil Service, which
costs the country so much, and the Estimates for
which have grown so rapidly of late years, are doing
their utmost to.destroy the trader altogether; that,
in fact, they are becoming traders, although retain-
ing their situations at the country's cost, and it is
asked, if this goes on, how is the trader to meet the
heavy taxation he has to bear ? Many eyes are
turned to you in the hope that you may see fit to
use your great influence in the correction of the ten-
dency to which we have referred, which is being
viewed with great anxiety by many, and which is,
probably, doing more than any movement has yet
done to set class against class —an evil which, as
lovers of our country, we greatly deprecate.—We
remain your obedient servants,
"JONES, EVISON, AND BARTER.

" 11, Carlton-house-terrace, Feb. 18.

" Gentlemen,—I cannot wonder either on. the one
hand that consumers should endeavour to adopt
means for buying in the cheapest market, or that
tradesmen should feel sore when their regular means
of an honourable livelihood seem likely to be im-
paired. It is scarcely likely that the fundamental
law, so to call it, of society which has given the re-
tail trader, or distributor of commodities, his place
in it ever since it was organised, is erroneous ; and,
if so, the tendency at any given moment to replace
that important class by a contrivance for the pur-
pose may be indicative of some defect, removal of
which would restore things to their natural course. I
speak even without the authority of a private house-
keeper, for my engagements do not allow me to give
due and proper attention to these matters. But I have
the impression that there is a prevailing vice in
the practice of retail trades which might be cured
mean the system of dealing upon long credits,
and of allowing no discount for ready-money pay-
ments. This system prevails, I believe, in most
trades connected with the supply of families, and
with many other trades of this great metropolis.
Long credits mean large loans by men in business
oat of their trading capital to men out of business.
These loans must be paid for at the rates usually
current for trading capital, which are, of course,
high. Here we have a total inversion of the natu-
ral order, which is that men in business should be
borrowers, and not lenders to, men out of business.
This system also aggravates the risk of bad debts,
which form an additional charge to a good debtor ;
and it is connected with a general irregularity and
uncertainty, which must also be paid for. I do
not doubt that we, the consumers, are much in
fault ; but I cannot help thinking that traders are
in fault also, and that much might be done by a
vigorous effort, and by combination among traders
in favour of ready-money dealings, either absolutely
or as encouraged by discounts. As you state that
others as well as yourselves are disposed to appeal
to me in this matter, although I have no specific to
propose, I am quite willing that, if you think fit,
you should give publicity to this letter.—l remain,
Gentlemen, your obedient servant,
" W. E. GLADSTONE.
" Messrs. Jones, Evison, and Barter."

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A
correspondent, wrttang from Ategerat, most at vanced post when the last mail left, says :—" Tirelo-wnda Ategerat is situated in the valley of the same name, in
the district of G-unt Afaschd, province of Agamd, in the
kingdom of Tigrd. It is a town of some size and int.
portance, and is built upon a slight eminence. In the
centre is the church, a large building for Abyssinia, and
all round it are clustered the ordinary fiat-topped huts of
the natives. At a little distance from the town, on a
rising ground, stands the largest private hofise I have yet
seen. It consists of a square two-storied tower or fort, with
structures on the top for musketry; at the base are the
houses, and the whole is surrounded by a wall. The chief
to whom it belongs once stood a good siege in it, and I
dare say it is considered a strong place in this country.
He is now, poor man, a prisoner. Having for some
reason or other espoused the cause of the Wakshum
Gobazye, ho went off to join him with all the
men lie could muster. He did him good service, and,
when the wars were over, was very naturally desirous of
raurning home ; but be had made himself much too useful
for that, and Gobazye told him that he could not be
spared ; upon which the chief ran away, was caught,
and put into prison, where he will probably remain forth°
rest of his life, if he is not lucky enough to make his
escape. Such is the reward of ni:itary service in this
country. His wife and son now inhabit the fort, and have
been very civil to us. Some two miles to the cast of the
town, on the hills that bound the valley, is the village of
Goola ; and, very prettilysituated in the midst of tall, shady
trees, stands the Roman Catholic church and the house of
Bishop Jacobus, who has now been dead about ten years.
The church is a large one, built after the model of all Abys.
ainian churches. The flat roof is of timber, supported on
strong wooden pillars. An Abyssinian church is square in
shape, and consists of an outside corridor, into which the
people are admitted ; within this is a court, open only
to the priests; and in the centre of all is the Ark, or
Holy of Holies. The doors are ornamented with rude
crosses carved in the woodwork, and sometimes with
figures of saints. Mixed up with their Christianity are
many Jewish customs, such S 3 Wive Abe Ark in thek
,ehryfelie. TbeT 4rety.,!Naltr la Alibu tatr*Agrs,
look upon it as a distinctive - mark between them and
the Roman Catholics. One of their first questions about
us was what sort of religion we professed, and whether
we had the Ark. Part of their religious ceremonies
consists of dancing—perhaps much in the same way as
David ' danced before the Lord.' They carry a wooden
staff, having attached to it a number of pieces of tin strung
together, and with this instrument they jingle an accom-
paniment to their dances. Instead of church bells th 4
mallet.
estones slun i
slung in
a goodcords, dealands of bitternesstriketh between emwithawooden
There the
Abyssinian Church and the Roman Catholics. The Tigrd
chief is very hostile to the latter, and, I believe, intends
to wipe them out of his territory altogether. On the other
hand, the Lasta chief is favourable to them, and encou-
rages them. Bishop Jacobus's house is a large stone•
built edifice, and might be made quite comfortable.
The scene was so pretty and peaceful when I saw it, about
half an hour before sunset, that I can quite understand •
man resigning himself very willingly to spend his life
there. A stream of delicious water runs through ttts
grove of trees, and, with a little cultivation, almost any
thing might, lam sure, be made to grow. Close by is
small garden belowing to a Massowah merchant, wha
went with me as a guide to chew the church; in it well
growing potatoes, onions, Chili peppers to any amount
and vines ; the bunches of grapes were formed, And wsri.
very fine and large." .