The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-16 00:00:00

cintin

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1844,

We have already directed the attention of our rea-
ders to some among the more prominent items of the
Revenue accounts for the year and the quarter ended
10th instant. But there are still some important
features connected with the results stated in this re-
markable document, which call for grave considera
tion. These will be now touched upon, in no desire
to disparage the general importance and encouraging
aspect of a statement which brings out an aggregate
of increase on the revenue of this year, as compared
with its predecessor, ending 10th of October, 1843,
of 1,39.5,3491.; and on the corresponding quarters of
the two years, also in favour of this, by 520,944/. In
analysing this increase, we find that, in a single year,
the Customs (amounting to the enormous net product
of 20,243,5051.) have improved by the increased sum
of 1,723,165/.—equivalent to the whole revenue of
three or four German principalities with " reigning
houses." Can we fairly attribute this vast increase
of Customs' Revenue to a corresponding development
and expansion of our foreign trade ? We cannot be-
lieve it, though we acknowledge, with;high gratifica-
tion, our conviction that the trade of the country
has received, within the last twelve months, a most
extraordinary impulse. But a moment's calculation
will show that, without allowing for any reduction
on the total tariff of Customs' Duties, in the interval,
or for the probability that there may have been a
decrease in the Imports and Exports of the higher
rated commodities; an increase of 1,723,165/. on one
branch of fiscal revenue of 20,243,5051.; must be ap-
preciated on data of this kind. The total value of
our Exports, last year, was, in round numbers,
131,000,000/. ; and of our Imports, say 68,000,000/. ;
together, 191,000,000/. ; and the total Revenue of
Customs netted thereon to 18,520,340/. Therefore the
total amount of our Exports and Imports, together,
this year, should be upwards of 212,000,0001., cal-
culated on the increased product of Customs. Now,
we cannot bring ourselves to imagine that there has
been any such accumulation in the transactions of
our general commerce as would represent this in-
creased aggregate of 21,000,0001. on Exports and
Imports.
Besides, had there been any such incredible ad-
♦ance in the extent of our general dealings, as this
calculation would infer, it must have been diffused
throughout, and made itself sensibly felt, in all the
great branches of our productive and material in-
dustry. No department can have much languished
for want of full employment and active demand.
There must have been no strikes, no furnaces put
out, no mills discontinued, no factories shut up, no
fisheries deserted, no shipping dismantled, no la-
bourers discontinued, no looms unemployed, no
surplus supply, and no diminished markets of in-
dustrial occupation. In proportion as this whole-
some state of things has prevailed, capital must have
been called into new employment, wages must have
circulated, and consumption of exciseable commodi-
ties must have largely increased: It would afford us
no pleasure—and the reader as little gratification
to contrast, with this hypothesis, the real picture of
affairs in sonie of the northern and western districts
of this kingdom ; or to follow out the inferences to
which the poor-law returns, at home—the memorials
of our planters and proprietors in the West Indies,
and our other colonial possessions—would infallibly
lead us. Suffice it to say, that the Revenue returns

exhibit, under the head of Excise (always the great
test of the means of consumption in the labouring
masses of the country), a slight decrease on the pre-
sent quarter as compared with its correspondent in
1843, and on the whole year an increase by no
means proportionate to such an actual increase of
Customs as has been realised, or such an increase of
our general commerce as the hypothetical average we
have struck, supposes. The Customs' Improvement
must, therefore, be traced to other causes. We are
willing to attribute it to that from which The Sun
has so often predicted that results of this gratifying
nature would ensue—namely, an increased, though
tardy, vigilance, on the part of the controlling autho-
rities of the Board of that Department, and the con-
sequent check upon that destructive system of fiscal
frauds and depredations which their supineness or
imbecility has allowed, for so many years, to prevail
with almost perfect impunity.
Then we must always remember, that of the vast
aggregate of this year's net Revenue, 50,741,6221.,
no less an item than 5,148,7401. has been contributed,
in the thirtieth year of profound peace, by that
scandalous enormity of financial tinkering, Sir R.
PEEL'S property-tax. We doubt whether even the
modesty of the Premier will venture to take
any credit for the astonishing yield of this con-
trivance for depleting the plethoric pockets of JOHN
BULL beyond the degree of assurance which sustained
him in prosecuting such a scheme for replenishing his
Exchequer, in lieu of the more legitimate, more pro-
ductive, more statesmanlike, more certain, but less
onward course, of striking off from trade the shackles
imposed by prejudice, and riveted by monopoly. Sir
ROBERT is a political SANGRADO ; and so long as his
robust patient retains strength enough to bear his
experiments, he will not want a whole college of
sucking empirics of his own school to applaud him
to the skies as the first of practitioners. But we
look with confidence to a coming day of better sense,
and awakened indignation, on the part of the most
closely-fleeced people in Europe. Sir ROBERT- ST...
JOHN-L ONG•PEEL has been allowed his nostrum of
counter-irritation long enough. It is high time the
people should be relieved from his plaster !

We did not expect to be so soon called upon, after
our recent notice of the encroachments in the course
of silent, but gradual, perpetration in Epping Forest,
to protest against the meditated spoliation of Hamp-
stead Heath. These offences against public feeling,
and the healthful recreation of the public, are be-
coming as daring as they are frequent; and the re-
probation of public opinion must be expressed in a
tone proportionably emphatic and decided. There is
a Sir THOMAS MARYON WiLsori—a Baronet, and
Lord of the Manor of Hampstead in this metro-
politan county—whose name has been often before

the public, since the year 1829, in a litigious,
annoying sort of association with a persevering
scheme for inclosing that still unspoiled and beauti-
ful heath, which occupies the most interesting por-
tion of the gentle heights that invest, as it were, the
northern boundary of London. On the part of this
proprietor the attempts have been many, and hitherto
fruitless, to wheedle the House of Commons out of a
convenient Private Bill, giving him authority for
closing up footpaths, and dismantling common-land,
and grubbing up green lanes, and levelling wild little
patches of copse, that have afforded pleasant resort,
and healthful exercise, and breathing-ground and
room for rambling, to so many generations of the
cooped-up population of the dusky metropolis. It
appears, that notwithstanding the protestations made
to Parliament on the occasion we speak of, that Sir
THOMAS had no intention of encroaching upon " the
heath," his meaning and purpose being merely " to
encircle the same with squares, streets, and courts ;"
he has now commenced the preliminary operations of
his abominable building nuisance, by breaking ground
upon the heath itself. We have already stated in
The Sun, that this amiable Baronet employed, last
week, some eighty men in levelling the hedges that
have hitherto divided the various fields, unfortunately
his property, lying between Highgate and the Vale
of Health. The copyholders located on or near the
heath are greatly alarmed for the safety of their own
rights, as well as the integrity of the heath for its
present purposes of quiet and healthful enjoyment.
The Earl of MANSFIELD, owning in Caen Wood the
most beautiful estate both for timber and scenery,
within the same easy walk from the capital, is about
to find his sylvan glades overlooked by a huge ceme-
tery. This noble and accomplished person must sym-
pathise, we imagine, in thegrievances experienced by the
Hampstead copyholders and other residents, and the
London public at large. We hope his Lordship will
give the powerful aid of his influence and authority to
the determined opposition which is being organised to
the sordid attempt (we must so designate it) of Sir
THOMAS WILSON. The defeat of such an attempt we
shall be disposed to regard in the light of a great
public victory over an offensive pretension of private
monopoly. It is a sad thing—as mere matter of taste

—to find a gentleman of large landed property in
other localities, so wanting in a taste for the pic-
turesque, as to be obstinately bent on the desecration
of this favourite district. It is a pitiful thing to see
a gentleman of ample fortune persisting, against the
remonstrances and entreaties of those whom he should
glory in retaining as attached tenants or respect-
ful neighbours—in the invidious endeavour to oust
them of advantages which the custom of the manor,
and a prescription that we have no doubt will yet be
found an invincible obstacle to his design, have alike
conceded to them and their predecessors. But it
would be a surprising, and much to be deplored con-
clu)ion, indeed, if, despite of the spirit, exertions, and
means of the Committee who represent, and vigorously
uphold the interests of the copyholders in this in-
stance, Sir THOMAS WILSON were to be allowed to
make good his very unwise, unbecoming, and unpo-
pular plans of building appropriation. Let him thus
occupy Hampstead Heath, and the people will be
next year walled out of Kennington Common, warned
off Blackheath, and taken up as trespassers if found
on Wormwood Scrubbs.

The speech recently delivered by Mr. DISRAELI at
the Bingley Allotment meeting may be regarded as
the confession of faith of " Young England"—so far,
at least, as the opinions of this sanguine and enthu-
siastic body of Reformers have yet acquired definite-
ness and consistency. There is nothing in the re-

forms which they advocate at all at variance with

common sense, notwithstanding their comprehensive
character; nor—so far as we can perceive—do they
enunciate one single sentiment to which the Whig
as well as the Tory may not subscribe with equal
cordiality, provided each can be induced to abate
something of his party prejudices—a difficult matter
we grant—and regard the question in the calm, en-
larged spirit of the philanthropist and statesman.
For what are the objects which " Young England"
professes to have in view ? Simply these. First, to
bring the different classes of society into more active
and harmonious fellowship with each other than they
have been for years, and, by so doing, to restore a
healthy feeling of nationality among us ; and, secondly,
to raise the humbler orders from the abject condition
in which they have been too long permitted to re-
main ; to imbue them with a sense of self-respect by
showing them their importance in the social scale,
and how they may be influential, or the reverse, ac-
cording to the course of conduct they pursue. "What
we desire is this," said Mr. DISRAELI, " that Eng-
land should become once more a nation, and not a
mere collection of classes, who seem to think that
they have nothing in common, no interest which it
behoves all of them to unite together for, and no
pursuit which it is the duty of all of them at the same
time to cultivate.—Would any man ten years ago,
nay, ten months ago, have talked of England's pea-
santry being a bold peasantry, their country's pride ?
Not a man would have had the audacity. Yet the
phrase was in every body's mouth. We are asked
what we want. We have no mystery in telling what
we want. We want to put an end to that system of
political and social exclusiveness which we believe to
be the bane of this country. Where there is exclu-
siveness there cannot be sympathy ; where there
is no sympathy we hold that no society can be
safe." Never was there a sounder truth than
is contained in this last sentence. Unfortu-
nately, however, it is a truth that has been lost
sight of for the last fifty years and upwards by our 1
legislators, who too much engrossed with mere party
politics, and -the consideration of partial instead of
general interests, have governed upon class-principles
and allowed the many to shift for themselves, while'
they devoted their attention almost exclusively to the
few. The consequence of this one-sided system of

• policy has been, that the unprivileged—if we may
use such a term—have gradually become more and
more estranged from the privileged orders of the
community; the line of demarcation between them
has grown broader and wider, concurrently with the
growth of wealth and luxury ; spoiled and rendered
supercilious by the numerous advantages of their
position and the favour shown them by the Legisla-
ture, the higher—and more especially the middle—
classes have come by degrees to look on the
poor and the humble, if not with contempt,
at least with indifference, and the latter sensitively
alive to the neglect shown them by their superiors,
have lost all feeling of respect and attachment for
them, and may now be said to constitute an isolated
body, having no views in common with those of the
rest of the community—jealous, sullen, distrustful,
bound together by a sense of mutual•injury—and re-
garding as oppressors those whom, under better treat-
ment, they would gladly have recognised as friends
Now it is the object of Young England to put an end
to this disastrous state of things ; and by effecting a
reconciliation between the privileged and the unprivi-
leged orders of society, and destroying the selfish
system of castes, to restore that generous spirit of
nationality which was once the prime boast of this
country, but which for years past can scarcely be
said to have had any existence at all. In a word,
Nationality is the chief—the fundamental article of
the creed of Young England. Give fair play to all
parties—give all an interest in maintaining law and
order, and cherishing a proud and ennobling love of
country. Think that the poor have affections
as well as the rich, and legislate in accordance
with this conviction. Surely there is nothing vague
—nothing mystical—nothing extravagant here ! At
any rate, however much the selfish, the prejudiced,
and the narrow-minded, who have no faith in
humanity, and are insensible to all generous and ele-
vated emotions—however much these men may sneer
at the views and sentiments of Young England as
being Quixotic and Utopian in their character, one
thing is certain—namely, that they are rapidly gain-
ing on the attention of the community, as any one
may see who reads the speeches delivered at the late
agricultural meetings, and marks the stir that is now
making in many of our great manufacturing towns
respecting the formation of parks and walks for the
recreation of the working classes.

Accounts from Madrid of the 7th inst. state that
though the public peace had not been disturbed,
great excitement prevailed. Reports of conspiracies
and a change of Ministry were published in some of
the journals, and contradicted in others. The fol-
lowing persons had been named as the probable suc-
cessors of part of the present Cabinet :—M. OR-
LANDO, Minister of Finance ; OLIVAN, Minister of
the Interior ; and BENAVIDES, for Justice. The
Castellano says the reports deserve no more credit
than various other rumours which are circulated, and
which have no foundation. The same journal pub-
lishes the following letter respecting the sinking of,
the Spanish war schooner by the signal battery of
Gibraltar

" ALGESIRAS, OCT. 2.—Yesterday, at six P.m., the
English battery of Europa Point sunk our war•-schooner
Rayo, commanded by Capt. Santiago Ofer. The captain
and all his men were fortunately enabled to- escape,
thanks to the assistance of a Portuguese vessel, -which
happened to be near the schooner, and which hastened
to succour her the moment it perceived the signals, for
our charitable allies did not even send out a boat•ta save
our seamen. The motives assigned for (this unfortunate
event are these :—The schooner, which had beisted-Spst-
nish colours, was pursuing a smuggling, boat which,
dreading capture, was proceeding to:the port •of -Gibral-
tar. The captain of the schoonero apprehending that the
boat would escape him, placed himself between the batte
ries of the Europa Point and the smugglers, in order to
compel the latter to go out to sea, where he might cap-
ttlre them. When the English perceived the ma-
noeuvre, they fired a shot at the schooner. As the
captain fancied that it was meant to make him
loosen his flag, although he had already hoisted, he set
about lowering and raising it, thinking that it had not
been seen ; he also let out the royal flag on the fore-
mast, to show that the vessel belonged to the Royal
Navy, and that it was under the command of an officer
of that department ; but those demonstrations were use-
less, and the battery continued to fire on the Rayo, which
had abandoned the pursuit of the smuggler, and which
was awaiting the armed boat sent to board it. The lat•
ter returned, considering the impossibility of continuing
the pursuit. Captain Santiago, seeing that the firing
continued, steered from the land, but a shot unfortu-
nately struck the side of the vessel, which filled with
water in every direction ; and, despite every effort to
save her, sunk so rapidly that the crew had but time
enough to leap into the boats of a Portuguese vessel,
which saved and brought them to our port.
" I have just learnt that when the English perceived
that the schooner was sinking, they sent out some boats
in order to save the crew ; but Captain Santiago, trans-
ported with anger and indignation, and with the noble
pride of an offended Spaniard, declined the assistance,
declaring that, after the barbarous treatment the Eng-
lish had just inflicted on him, he preferred being drowned,
with his whole crew, to being indebted to them for his
life. That brave officer is in the deepest affliction."

The Three per Cents. were done on the Madrid
Bourse of the 7th inst. at 27 7-16 for cash, and 27f
at 60 days ; the Five per Cents., at 201 at 60 days.

We have received the Paris papers of Sunday,
which were delayed beyond the usual hour of arrival
by the stormy weather in the Channel. They are
chiefly occupied with details of the proceedings at
Windsor Castle, and with leading articles on the
KING'S visit, but we find little new in them. The
writers in the Opposition journals are still exerting
themselves to stir up their countrymen against Eng-
land; and one of them, the Siecle, has seized upon a
fresh subject, the right of search, to excite the na-
tional jealousy. We attach little importance to the
statements contained in the article, but give it as a
new specimen of the bad feeling which pervades that
journal. " Lord ABERDEEN," it says, " did not ap-
pear at Windsor on the Bth. He was not at Ports-
mouth with the Duke of WELLINGTON, nor at Wind-
sor with Sir ROBERT PEEL. The British Foreign
Minister accompanied Queen VICTORIA to the Chateau
d'Eu, when she came to partake of LOUIS PHILIPPE'S
hospitality, but now that Louis PHILIPPE is the
guest of the Queen of ENGLAND, where the presence
of M. GUIZOT would appear to call for that of Lord
ABERDEEN, the indispensable Minister is absent on
the first day, and on the second only appears in
company with Sir ROBERT PEEL, Lord LYND-
HURST, and the Duke of WELLINGTON. This reserve,
which we believe to be systematical, has been
differently explained. The following is the probable
version. It is known that a sufficiently grave diffe-
rence of opinion showed itself in the English Cabinet
with respect to the events in Otaheite. Lord ABER-
DEEN and Lord STANLEY were of opinion that Eng-
land should accept the satisfaction offered by M.
GUIZOT : Sir R. PEEL and the Duke of WELLINGTON,
who were more compromised in that affair by the
speeches in Parliament, thought the terms offered
were not sufficient. M. GUIZOT go t them to agree
by promising an indemnity to Mr. 'PRITCHARD. Not-
withstanding the temporary re-establishment of
good feeling, two tendencies of very different natures
have shown themselves stronger and stronger with
regard to France in the English Cabinet. Lord
ABERDEEN is for concessions. He thinks that to be
the only way of preserving in the French Cabinet
the representative of England—M. Guizor. Sir R.
PEEL, on the contrary, considering the attacks upon
the part of the Whigs to which these concessions
would expose him, will not make the smallest sacrifice
to the safety of the man of Ghent. Like a true
Englishman, he looks first, and, above all other con-
derations, to his own safety. It has been often said
that the KING'S visit to Windsor had. a political ob-
ject. There is some truth in the report. Not that M.
GUIZOT has gone, as has been reported, to solicit the
recognition of our sovereignty in .Algiers. That
would be to throw doubt upon our rights, and to en-
courage foreign powers to trample upon us. In
spite of our abasement M. GUIZOT cannot commit
that fault, which the presence of Louis PHILIPPE in
England has still further aggravatnd. We believe
rather, as is believed in London, that M. GUIZOT is
soliciting a modification of the treaties which regulate
the right of search, while he declares that it is neces-
sary in order to give him a supporta;ble attitude next
session. Even if England were to yield upon that
point, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would not rise
in our opinions. .1S o success can do away with dis-
grace : should M. GUIZOT obtain a modification of
some clauses in the right of search tra aty, every one
will know that he has already paid th e price by the
humiliating compromise to which the `Otaheite affair
has given rise, and by the ridicule )us. and foolish
treaty of Tangiers, which the English themselves
have laughed at. But M. GUIZOT will obtain nothing.
For fear that Lord ABERDEEN should zshow himself
well disposed, Sir ROBERT PEEL and the Duke of
WELLINGTON keep him at a distance. The more the
French Government endeavour to give a- political