The Sun.
London, England, 1827-04-11 00:00:00

POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.

The Report of the Committee on the Postage Duties
Bill having been presented,
Mr. 'TERRIES observed that one object of the Bill was
to facilitate communication with the Colonies. Regula-
tions would be introduced, in accordance with the resolu-
tions of a former evening, which resolutions were to the
following effect :-
1. That there shall be pay-aisle on the con►eyance of
printed votes and proceedings in Parliament, to any of his
Majesty's Colonies and Possess,ils, a packet postage, after
the rate of one penny halfpenny for every ounce weight
thereof.

2. That there shall be payable on the conveyance of
Colonial Legislative proceedings, from any of his Majesty's
Colonies, to the United Kingdom, a packet postage after
the rate of one penny halfpenny for every ounce weight
thereof.

3. That there shall be payable a duty of three pence on
every newspaper printed and published in any of his Ma-
jesty's Colonies brought into the United Kingdom by his
Majesty's packets, or by ships other than packets, and sent
to the Post Office of the port or place at which the letters
brought by such ships are landed.
4. That there shall be payable a packet postage of one

shilling for every pamphlet, magazine, or periodical publi-
cation not exceeding six ounces in weight, sent from the
port of Falmouth to any of his Majesty's Colonies, and a
further sum of three pence per ounce for any weight there-
of exceeding six ounces.
To carry these various alterations into effect, he had had
communications with the heads of the requisite depart-
ments, and he had ascertained the practicability of them.
There was one amendment of considerable importance, or
rather convenience, to which, agreeably to his promise,
he had paid attention—that respecting the time for putting
papers into the post after the day of publication, so as to
have the benefit of these regulations. The time (we under-
stood the Hon. Member to say) for putting papers into the
post was to be extended to seven days after the day of pub-
lication. Another amendment regarded invoices. Here-
tofore, except the invoice formed part of the sheet of paper
on which the advice might be written, there was a charge
of double postage. This was found to be a serious
burden on merchants. It was now proposed that ad-
vices accompanied by invoices, should not be charged extra
postage.—(Hear, hear.)--This was of importance to mer-
chants ; but it was obtained by a sacrifice of revenue. It
was calculated, of between 40,0001. and 50,000/. a-year.
—Another object of the proposed regulations would be, all
equalization of the postage rates of Ireland to those of England
—an object exceedingly- to be desired, but which would cause
a loss to the revenue of about 80,0001. The sacrifice was con-
siderable but the regulation was deemed of advantageous ten-
dency. By another regulation respecting Irish letters,
there would he some advantage resulting to the revenue;
the internal postage-rates would be continued the same in
the English currency that they had been in the Irish cur-
rency. This advantage would be about eight per cent.,
perhaps 10,0001. However, by the two regulations to
which he had averted (that respecting invoices, and the
equalization of English and Irish rates of postage), the re-
venue, it was calculated, would lose at least sixty or seventy
thousand pounds a year. The rate of transmitting the
legislative or colonial proceedings was mentioned in the
resolutions ; the papers were to he distributed from the
Vote-•office. This would get rid of any unpleasant confu-
sion. Sometimes the legislative or newspaper packages
from the colonies were charged as merchandise, and at
other times as postage. Now, if brought in a private
ship, such ship was to have the twopenny ratage, and
the Post-office the other penny rate for delivery. The
newspaper to the colonies might be forwarded by pri-
vate ships—the Post-office would have no objection to
such conveyance. As to Looks, &c. though there was no
objection to their being forwarded by means of the
packet, they could not be passed by the snail. Some-
times there were no fewer than 80,000 newspapers to be
examined of an evening—sometimes the number was even
90,000, averaging about 60,000 every day, taken to-
gether. These should be transmitted rapidly—the exami-
nation took place every day, and it was found that about
eight in every 100 newspapers were made the medium of a
correspondence which should be carried on by letter, and
which was a great fraud on the Post Office. He was as-
sured that in one town a regular system of correspondence
was thus carried on with London. This showed the ne-
cessity of examining the newspapers to prevent this fraud.
By- the present measure, all letters and parcels above six
ounces could be sent with a ship to her destination, and it
would be no longer necessary to put the letters into the
office at the next post town to the ship. It was also under
contemplation to put the postage of letters to Ireland on the
same footing with the postage of letters carried the same
distance in England.
Mr. P. THONIPSON said a few words, which were
not distinctly heard in the gallery.
Mr. S. RICE expressed Isis approbation of the plan cf
making letters to Ireland pay the same postage that those
carried the same distance in England paid. To perfect the
system, however, both the Irish and English Offices should
be consolidated.

Mr. HERMES said that it would, be necessary to wait
the result of the inquiry of the Commission which was now
engaged on that and other matters. This matter was not
iu the hands of the Treasury. •

Mr. HUME said that the net revenue of the Post-
office was about 2,200,000/. That could now be increased
by proper regulations. It was not right that letters carried
only fifteen or twenty miles should pay as much as if carried
' sixty or seventy miles, and yet that was the fact in some
cases. He recommended that the postage should be fixed
on more duly in proportion to the distance. It would also
be worthy of attention to have a proper office at the Post-
office for parcels and pamphlets to be sent abroad. He
also recommended that newspapers, whether they consisted
of one or more sheets, be sent on the same single charge.
It was his own opinion that newspapers going to the Colo-
nies should he free from any charge, and should he sent as
they were to Ireland or Scotland. The whole revenue
derived from this trifling chargo was only fit:W.—a paltry
sum, not worth retaining. Another point o❑ which he
wished to remark was the injustice of making an additional
charge on a letter sent to an officer in ally of the out-ports,
as Portsmouth. If he was removed from that station and
the letter sent after him, the charge was increased. Now
these letters should follow the officer free from any addi-
tional charge.

Mr. HEII. RIES was not aware that persons were so
charged when letters were sent after them, certainly it was
but fair that when letters were sent after an officer removed
to another station, no additional charge should be made.--
(Hear, hear.)—The principle was right, and he would
attend to the suggestion. Some of the suggestions of the
Hon. Member would depend on the inquiry now pending.
With respect to newspapers, a supplement with a paper
was considered only as a single paper. As to packets,
parcels, &c. they could as well be booked as now by the
stage-coaches, and coach-masters would take care to de-
liver them. This was better than the establishment of a
public office.
Mr. HUME thought one public office would be much
better, as all the parcels could be sent together at the same
expence that a single parcel could. Another paint to
which he forgot to call attention was the late delivery of
letters in London. Tie did not get his letters yesterday
morning till twelve o'clock, though they are despatched
from the post-office at nine. They should have been de-
livered at ten o'clock at farthest. If .a person paid a gui-
nea a year his letters were delivered at ten regularly, and
that proved the possibility of the early delivery generally.
This was a matter requiring attention. He also thought
that we ought to have more frequent posts to the Continent.
Now we had only two a week to Holland. There should
be three at all events.

Mr. Alderman WOOD concurred in the suggestions of
his Hon. Friend. He believed, however, that the Monday
delivery of letters in the west-end of the town could not but
be always late. If the expence of letters was to be reduced,
he thought the revenue would not suffer by that reduction,
as people would write oftener if the expense was less. He
approved of a public office for pamphlets and parcels.
After a desultory conversation, in which Mr. Alderman
Wood, Mr. C. Thompson, Sir Charles Forbes, and Mr.
Herries, took a part, the House resumed, and the report
was ordered to be received to-tuorroxv—(this day.)
On the motion of Mr. SHADWELL, the Writ of Right
Bill was read a third time and passed.
The Alehouse Licencing Bill was read a second time,
and went through a Committee of the whole House.
The House having resumed, the Report was brought
up, and ordered to be considered on Friday, the 4th May.
The Bill, in its amended form, was ordered to be
printed.
Tke remaining Orders of the Day were then disposed
of, and the House adjourned at Half-past Eleven o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR TIIIS DAY.

1. Mr. Bright—Copies of all Orders in Council, or of the Trea-
sury, or of the Trinity House, regulating Trade, or affect-
ing the Duties levied thereon, since Ist January, 1622.
2. Mr. Bright—That the Petition of the Ship-owners of the City
of London to the Privy Council, dated 4th August, IR!;
together with the Report, dated December 4th 1823, made
by a Committee of Ship-owners in support of that Petition ;
together with the Answer to the same, be laid before the
House.
3. Mr. Hume—Copy of the Minutes of Evidence of a Committee
respecting Free Blacks at Trinidad.
ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR Tills DAy,
1. General Turnpike Act Amendment Bill—Committee.
2. Supply—Committee.
3. Corn Duties Bill—Third reading.
4. Distresses (Ireland) Bill—Further consideration of Report.
5. Ways and Means—Committee.
8. Postage Duties Bill—Report.
NOTICE GIVEN YESTERDAY.
Thursday, June 7. di
Lord John Ruseell—Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts.

Po,' Parliamentary Papers the quantity of home-
made spirits that pail duty in the year ending sth January
last, was, when reduced to wine gallons, the same gallon
as former years, for England, 8,560,626 gallons ; Scot-
land, 5,073,4.51 gallons; Ireland, 8,207,07'7 gallons;
which is an increase in England of 4,365,989 gallons over
the former year, and may be accounted for by the reduction
that took place in the duty on them at sth January, 1326 ;
while, on the other hand, it is a decrease in Scotland of
2,056,368 gallons, and in Ireland 3,567,990 gallons,
together 51,243,353 gallons under the former year. In both
these countries the duty was increased at sth January,
1926. On rum there was an increase 0f2,651,794 gallons
for the year ending sth January last over the former year :
on it a reduction of duty took. place at sth J4nuitry, 1226;
equal to three-tifthe iu the mile gallon.

LONDON,
WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 11, 1817.

We feel the highest gratification in being able
to announce to our Readers, that his MAJESTY
has graciously signified to Mr. CANNING his
Royal Commands to form an Administration.
During the whole of the anxious interval
which has elapsed since the illness of Lord LIVER-
POOL, we have expressed our confident expecta-
tion that the splendid talents of Mr. CANNING
could not be dispensed with in directing the
affairs of his country, and we cannot but con-
gratulate the Nation at large on his MAJESTY'S
choice of his Minister, and the Right Honoura-
ble Gentleman himself on the proud station to
which he has been thus called by his Sovereign.

We understand that two or three of the Mem-
bers of the present Cabinet are expected to ten-
der their resignations in consequenee of this ar-
rangement—but, for obvious reasons, we forbear
to do more than mention such a rumour.

Lisbon Papers to the 28th ult. were received
last night. If we were to judge by the contents
of these Papers of the present state of Portugal,
we should conclude that it was in the enjoy-
ment of the most profound tranquillity. Not a
word is said of military movements, rebellion, or
the foreign force which occupies the kingdom ;
but the Lisbon Papers have never contained any
information of the actual condition of the country.
The state of England might almost as well be
gathered from the columns of the London
Gazette as that of Portugal can be ascertained
from those of the Journals ;published in its

capital.
The official part of the Gazette, of the 26th
March, contains the convention between this
country and the EMPEROR of Brazil for the
abolition of the Slave Trade.

The War Office had given notice, that difficul-
ties having arisen respecting subjects of his Catholic
Majesty taken for soldiers, from their not pre-
senting sufficient proof of their being such, the
Spanish Ambassador, at Lisbon, had proposed,
to avoid the continual applications of these per-
sons, that all the military officers should oblige
those, who being taken for soldiers, desire to
prove themselves subjects of his Catholic Ma-
jesty, to present certificates to that effect, deli-
vered by the Spanish Legation. In consequence
the Princess Regent had ordered the Lieutenant-
General, now Military Governor of Estremadura,
to issue the necessary directions to this effect.—
The same orders had been sent to the Generals,
of the Provinces.

We subjoin the project of Law relative to the
Estimates, which was read in the Chamber of
Deputies on the 26th :
Senhores,—The Committee of Finance having examined
with the most serious attention all the documents pre_
pt and expenditure of the State f,.,r
tshenetaemd
otuontthoifs Cthheamrebce:ri by his Excellency the Minister of
Finance, in the Sitting of the 15th February, containin7
IS2
of
1826, and
pthreeseetntt }'ear,
was sensible of the difficulty of of the probable receipt and
per-
formingexpendi-
ture
the delicate and arduous task which the Chamber was
pleased to confide to it, and would have despaired of ac-
complishing it, had it not received the most zealous co-ope-
ration from his Excellency the Minister of Finance, and
had he not recollected that the subject was the most im-
portant and decisive for the interests of the State. These
motives, and still more the hope of obtaining the indulg-
ence of this Chamber, allowed the Committee to have to-
day the honour of presenting its opinion on this important
subject, and to call its attention to the state of our public
administration.

The report then proceeds at great length to show the
difficulties it kas experienced in earning to a just estimate
of the public revenue, and the Committee then proposes
the estimates for each of the departments. Front the
whole of this ♦err long expose, it appears the estimated
revenue of 1827 is--

8,531,563,485 reis
Expenditure, 10,438,844,646

Deficit 1,907,281,161

The real deficit, in consequence of deductions that must
be made from it, is not so large, being, in fact, only
1,137,601,256 rein ; and it is possible that' even this sum
may be reduced ; but as these calculations are liable t•
error, and the Government must by no means be exposed
to want means to carry on the business of the State, the
Chamber had already authorised the Government to con-
tract a loan of 4,000,000 rein. The Committee, there-
fore, proposes a project of law in three articles; first and
second forming the expenditure and receipt, at the Milos
above-mentioned ; and third, that the deficit shall be made
up by the balance of last year and by the loan.
The debate on the estimates commenced, and was to be
continued in the next Sitting.

We received last night the Paris Journals of
Sunday and the Etoile dated Monday morning-
formerly a member
of are nearly filled with the proceedings in-
stituted against M. KERATHY,
Of the Chamber of Deputies, and M. PA 1-I"ET,
the Editor of the C94ricr Francais, for libels

against M. VILLELE, contained in two articles
published in that paper against the Law on the
Press. The King's Advocate concluded the
prosecution by proposing that M. KERATHY
should be imprisoned six months and fined 500
francs, and M. PAUCHET to be imprisoned seven
months and fined 1000 francs. After M.
KERATHY had defended himself in an able
speech the further proceedings were adjourned to
the 21st, when M. PAUCHIT'S defence will be
heard.

We subjoin a few extracts from the Eloile,
which classes under Lies of the Day nearly all
the rumours mentioned in the other papers :
(From the Etoile, dated Monday, April 9.)
" LIES OF THE DAY.

" PARIS, APRIL B.—The Quotidienne.—The Eteile
has published that the Duke de Villa Hermosa is exiled to
a province of Spain..
" The same.—An express from Madrid was received
yesterday at the office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
It is affirmed that the courier was the bearer of important
despatches, the contents of which might very well prove
unwelcome to certain persons.
" The Debats.—A report has been current, that M. de
Montlivault was going to take the place of the Minister of
the Interior.

" The Courier Francais.—The British Ministry is
definitively organized : we believe we may announce that
Mr. Canning unites the functions of Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer with those of First Lord of the Treasury.
" The Constitutionnel.—M. Garel, of Paris desires the
suppression of the ordinance of the police concerning per-
sons who let out carriages on hire in the capitaL The
Chamber proceeded to the order of the day.f
" The Augsburgh Gazette containsthe following letter,
dated Vienna, March 30 :=
" ' The funeral of Beethoven took place yesterday, ana
was attended by an immense crowd of persons, who deeplY
deplore his loss. M. Grellparger Castelli, and the persons
attached to the theatres, followed to the Church and the
burying-ground, and after them was an endless file of car-
riages. The public are deeply affected by the death of this
great composer, and they are not a little surprised at learn-
ing that M. Moscheles, who, however, has himself had 00-
casion to know the support which the numerous amateurs
in this city afford to distinguished talents, should have
taken the liberty to make a subscription in London for the
benefit of the deceased. This news has excited universal
discontent : Beethoven had no need of such support, and
nobody had a right thus to anticipate a Government, the
protector of all the arts, and a people who are rensarkably
attached to them•. A single word would have sufficed to
make thousands of persons fly to the assistant* of the great
composer. Besides, people esteemed him too much to con-
ceive such a thought; and they knew, besides, that he re-
ceived pensions from the Archduke Rudolph, and manY
families in the highest ranks of the nobility. Real artists,
in Austria, certainly have no need, considering the sense,
which animates our Government and nation in favour 01
all that is noble and good, to implore the vaunted generosity
of the English nation, of which C. M. Von Weber lately
made a trial.'
" This thought was certainly more foreign to the mind
of Beethoven than of any other person."
cc * The Etoile, far from announcing- what the Quoti-
dienne ascribes to it, positively contradicted this assertion
in its number of the 3d of April."—Note of Etoile.
t On the contrary, the Chamber, on the motion of lq•
Casimir Perrier, referred the petition to the Minister of the
Interior.—Note of Etoile.

44f Many promises lavished in England on C. M. 1/°'
Weber were not realized. The higher classes had en-
couraged him to give a grand concert, the expense of wlaieb
was immense, and which cost him much trouble. The
concert room ( Salle ) was hardly half full. When Weber
saw this !minty audience, he nearly fainted, and said sor-
rowfully to one of his frinds, You see how Weber is ap-
preciated at London." Three weeks afterwards he was n°
more."

Mr. BRIGHT is to move to-night that a Pe'
tition of the Ship-owners of the City of London
to the Privy Council, dated 4th August, 1825,
be laid before the House. That the Shipping
interests of this country are not so flourishing
as could be wished, there is no denying, but, 3t
the same time, we cannot help being of opinions
that when the subject comes before Parliament,
after the holidays, it will be discovered that
matters are not so bad as the sufferers are inclined
to fancy them, and at all events that the liberal
policy of his MAJESTY'S Government will be
vindicated from the aspersions cast on it by
deluded or interested persons. Does it re-
quire knowledge of commerce or of maw
time law, or in short of anything but common
sense to see, that during the war, Great Britain
having crushed the maritime power of BUONA'
PARTE, or rather of the Continent of Europe,
t
Agtwtpa'lloeomoiirsr:Ntleldidn,srg;3eibitllatthuielltaxmni
ayietottosfht
_hbetahtsteol
el
irresistible
rcheapr rwbsleeo fpateri
persuaded
esuuti
tr,:adedenedt
arguments con'
othhlele;
nations to employ our merchantmen only, in trans'
floirdno mnt
not
thete b e cessationos
uthbem r i quarterstteodf
itloos
tboilyfi, t
titicitiee, •
PNoalitciyo.ns of Europe, who were no longer afraid
of our cruisers and privateers, and soon found
means to defeat our selfish and monopolizing
ARISTIDES objected to the proposal
of THEMISTOCLES for aggrandizing Athens,
pietywlto,the
and rendering her Navy paramount by
it
destruction of the Grecian fleet. we fear
that there are too many persons among 115
eS T Ot
their
;country at anY
cost, men incapable of " overleaping the barriers
of geography " in their notions of eternal justice,
would hold
nor can we say that our Government have
withto agTgriaiEndmisi
proved any claims to possessing the high standard
of ARISTIDES. They have shown no romantic
notions of justice, but have only yielded to the
necessity of the case ; and every person who env
barked money in shipping (with all the risk'
slipiilmeoewullvahtt
turns
speculations),
rreaofttleinirlds espoaul rlplaeob
years n
tfhroe
mnoi
iegri;
l
and
pcccharges
ona beforefirt
gi tsee
2s
them as the causes of his distress.— -
Instead of going about the bush, let us advise
them to throw off the mask, and at once peti-
tion Parliament to go to war with the world.

The underwriters at Lloyd's and several of the Insurance
Co •
mpanies, where very large sums are insured on species
&c. per his Majesty's ship Tweed, Capt. Hunn, from Vero
Cray, continue in a state of most anxious suspense, and
considerable fears seem to be entertained for her safety.-'
Early in the day of yesterday a small amount was insured
upon her at 10 guineas per cent. but late in the day (after
four o'clock) a considerable sum (7,0001.) was taken at
one of the offices at the same rate. A Vessel front Hon-
duras has arrived in the Clyde, loaded with mahoganYt
which is said to have left that place on the 14th February,
and is considered to make the Tweed look much worse
than she did yesterday.

The Allgetneine Zeitung to the sth inst.
been received this morning ; it gives a detailed
statement of the extent and population of the
Empire,lt ussian
millions of il which contains nearly sixty
spread over its vast
tent in sixty
three quarters of the globe. If.erdargeg)
dominion be rtainll
the symbol of greatness, ce
no Monarch in the universe can rival th,
Autocrat of all the Russian ; but if, on tho
other hand, freedom, civilization, and thg 40'

i

sion of enlightened principles be the ornament
and true glory of society, the subjects of his Im-
perial MAJESTY are not far removed from their
kindred bears, and add as little to the true great-
ness of Sovereignty—blessing a happy people, as
they do to the dignity of man—secure in the en-
JoYtnent of life and property.