The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-18 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

IVircnson, Suzin.ty.--Yesterday the Queen and
Prince Albert took their accustomed early walk in
the morning. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness
again promenaded in the pleasure-grounds in the
afternoon, returning to the Castle in a pony carriage.
Their Royal highnesses the Prince of Wales and
the Princess Royal were taken out on ponies, and the
Princess Alice was taken a walk yesterday morning.
About noon his Royal Highness Prince Alfred went
out for an airing.
In the afternoon the Royal Family were again
taken for walking and equestrian exercise.
her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited
the Queen and the Prince at the Castle in the
afternoon.

Lord Glenlyon arrived at the Castle yesterday, orl
a visit to the queen. The Right lion. Sir James 87
Lady Graham also arrived in the afternoon, on a visit
to her Majesty.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent and
Lady Charlotte Dundaa joined the royal dinner pot./
at the Castle yesterday.
The band of the Royal Horse Guards was in et;
tendance during dinner. Her Majesty's private boa,
afterwards attended, and performed the remainder of
the evening.
This morning the Queen and Prince Albert walked
out as usual.
The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the
Princess Alice, were taken an early airing to-daY
the Terrace and in the pleasure-grounds near the Castle;
The Queen, Prince Albert, and the Duchess of
' Sent, attended Divine service in the private chapel °I
the Castle, with the Court and the domestic household,
this morning. The Honourable and Rev. Charles
Lesli• Courtenay officiated.
Lady Charlotte Pandas was in Waiting on the
Duchess of Kent yesterday.
Yesterday his Royal Highness Prince Albert bc4
noured Mr. Boys with an interview for tle inspection
of a finished proof of the engraving of the whole'
length portrait of his Royal Highness from the oni•
ginal picture painted by 111 r. John Lucas, in the por
sossion of the United Service Club, with which 08
Prince was graciously pleased to express his approbs.
tion.

The Duchess of Cambridge and the Hereditsrf
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz visited her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester yesterd*
at Gloucester-house.
The Duchess of Invorness had a small part,Y at
dinner on Saturday at her residence in Kensingl
Palace. Among the company were their ROld
Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, an,
the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg'
Strelitz, and Baron Kneseheck.
Sir James Graham had an interview with Sir 110.
bert Peel on Saturday. Sir James and Lady Grabill*
left town in the afternoon for Windsor Castle. ~
Sir Robert Peel loft his residence in White
gardens on Saturday afternoon, for Brighton.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, Lord Ague,'
and Lord Ernest Bruce, were among the nobility
attending Divine serv'ee yesterday in the Chard
Royal, St. James's. The Rev. Mr. Dyson preache
the sermon.
The Earl of Aberdeen returned to town fr°lll
Burleigh on Friday evening.
Dispatches for the Governors of the West Indi6
Colonies, and also for the Governor of British Gui3l4l,
were sent off from the Colonial-office on Saturday
evening.

THE CRY FOR THE REPEAL Or

THE MALT DUTY.

__—
The English farmers are now raising a cry of cliY
tress—a thing they never fail to do when food is chesP
and the country prosperous. On such occasions they
do not look for relief to the parties who ought t°
afford it, their landlords, but they besiege Parliament
if
with petitions, either for the imposition of some ne
tax under the name of protection, or the repeal °
some old tax which, in their opinion, presses partiell;
larly upon their order. Accordingly, a movemetit
is now commencing for the repeal of the 0"60
duty, an impost which is invariably attacked when
the farmers do not find themselves comfortable'
it is avowed that their motive lg
to
raise the price of barley by increasing the ecgi:s
sumption, but in general the false pretext
put forward of compassion for the working classes, °it
a benevolent desire "to cheapen the poor man's Pca
of beer." This was the cue taken up at a meeting h.
upon the subject in London last week. One orator.
a Mr. Ellis, declared that "it was more than human
nature could put up with for a man to do field-labour;
and to be compelled to drink nothing but tea
water." Mr. Baker " considered beer almost all
necessary as bread," and was willing to pup-
chase the more liberal use of this heveragy
for the poor, even at the expense of an adds,
tion to the income-tax ! But Mr. Hobbs capP6;
the climax by announcing the great discovery thl;
water-drinking is fatal to life. "They must all
(he said) have seen, in going through the union
houses throughout the kingdom, numerous children
who had lost their fathers from being obliged to drink
water ;" and for the benefit of the faculty, he states
the type which the water-ill assumes. In the souther'
counties, " Some men with large families had drunk
water till they brought on consumption !" Such arcs
the pitiful fictions with which these men colour over
scheme purely selfish.
The truth is, that with the single exception of the
tobacco duty, there is not a better tax in our while
fiscal system than that on malt. First, it 4,
very productive. Last year it yielded a c'c'e
revenue of 4,873,0001., which, if given LIP, wt
defy the ablest financier to replace by any inWei'd
which would not be attended with tent.,"
difficulty and tenfold inconvenience to the public.
Secondly, the malt duty has the advantage of being
fairly levied, for there is little smuggling in the r 614,,
nufacture. Thirdly, it falls on an article more i;
luxury than a necessary of life, and nearly as Inncio
abused as whisky and gin. Fourthly, it press° -of
lightly as scarcely to be felt by the great migs, a
those who pay it. Upon the species of porter ea'.'ek
beer in England, which constitutes the favourite dpi
of the working classes, it amounts precisely to
,o,
upon the barrel of thirty-six gallons, that is to t,
pence per gallon, or one-third of a penny on the r.
The fourpenny pot, therefore, if the duty were 0,14
lished, would cost the retailer about one farthing 'eo`e
than is now charged. Abatements, however, 6e,
never made by farthings on such articles, and the LA
suit would be, either that the price would be lowered
a halfpenny, and the beer reduced in strength;
or the price would remain at fourpenee, with a Prot
mise to raise the quality, which the brewer would 04
long be able to fulfil, if the abolition of the duty e',
fected the objected of those who carried it, that of et
hancing the price of barley. Like the tobacco duty;
the malt-tax being chiefly paid in pennies and fsr;
things, its weight is scarcely felt. We ask how
sum of nearly five millions could be raised in any
other way so easily, and with so little injury to al'l?
person ? Moreover, who could gain by the -chaugeon
How could even a reduction of one halfpenny
the fourpenny pot (one eighth of the price), proclit is
any sensible increase of consumption, or any se° el.
rise in the price of barley ? Any person whe ejf
amines the subject patiently may easily satisfy hires it
that the sole effect of the abolition of the wile,
duty would be to throw away five millions of r_,l
venue, without benefit to any class. Absurd an
mischievous as such a step would be, our raP,,,ac:viee
landocracy are daring enough to attempt it. j"
within the last twelve years has the House of C. thoe
tii
mons, with blind selfishness, passed a vote agsint
continuance of this tax ; and twice has the Chance by
of the Exchequer prevailed upon the Members,o,
his prayers and tears, to stultify themselves by ren
ing their vote! It behoves the country, then, Ore_
on its guard, and watch their manoeuvres; for ti!_e_bif
peal of a tax yielding five millions, leads inevit6tita
to the imposition of another, or others, of enti of
amount. The present malt-tax is but a retnn6„, tea
that which existed in 1815. While the duties o,",,ers
sugar, soap, windows, fire insurance, and many °,"11"od.
felt to be oppressive, were left untouched, the
~eit,
holders lost no time in reducing the duties on own
always acting on the idea that these duties kep!rin.
the price of barley. In 1815 the tax on Intl, the
eluding the beer duty, was about 563. or 5°4. the
quarter, or nearly triple its present amount. 'went
first year of peace, when rents were falling, awaYbester
the " war malt duties," equal to Nis. the Winfistres
the
s,
quarter. In 1822, a year of agricultural p°Bs.
what was called the r‘ annual malt-tax" 1,0 the
quarter was thrown overboard. In Its beer
same parties procured the repeal of the on the
duty, which was equal, we believe, to 123' evenue
quarter of malt. About seven millions of r
of the
were sacrificed to appease the cravings t writ t°
landholders, and aid them in their vain at e_ till
uphold war prices in time of peace. They stfiesed to
not satisfied ; and we should not be at all surp eody,
see the residue of this duty, which burdens nfeh
and is very productive, swept away
their will and pleasure, while a multitude What the
unequal, and grinding taxes are spared.
other real
farmers have gained by these and all the.
isiation,
or pretended efforts for their relief by leg dye
because s_en;ust,
their present complaints and outcries spu
senses,
could scarcely believe the testimony of our Lord
when we saw so sound-headed a statesmar! _ hot (MY
John Russell drop some expressions on t„n„eho jolt-
of the session, intimating that the repeal 0! sup'
tax was a subject worthy of consideration •'e was
pose his Lordship, when he made this rt'
nt, or to
prepared to render the income-tax perm'. on gills"
re-impose the house duty, or the higherdutjTe tlf!
equally
paper, and soap, or to adopt some meag
strong.—Scotsman.