The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-30 00:00:00

SALE AT STRAWBERY HILL.

The sale of books was resumed yesterday, and will be con-
cluded this day. The books sold obtained excellent prices.
Lot 1. The Gentleman's Magazine, from 1731 to 1796, 80
vols., was sold for 71. 7s. Lot 38. Lord Bolingbroke's works,
4t0., in'calf; 3 vols., 4/. Lot 57. A selection of the most
remarkable Poems published in the reign of King George 111.,
uniformly bound in calf, gilt, many of which are extremely
rare and curious, 8/. IBs. 6d. Lot 78. Archteologia, or Mis-
cellaneous Tracts relating to Antiqu►ty, 4t0., in boards, 171. 17s.
Lot 226. Harrison's Triumphal Arches erected in honour of
King James, very rare and curious, Si. Lot 230. Eight mas •
terly Sketches in Oil, f, om the antique, 1/. 10s. These sketches
were executed in a free style, in a sort of mixture of white
and amber. They were sai Ito be the production of Lady
Diana Beauclerk.

The result of the day's sale was upwards of 4001.

WINDOW DUTY.

RETURN OF THE DUTY ON WINDOWS, ASSESSED FOR THE
TWELVE TOWNS IN ENGLAND WHICH CONTRIBUTE THE
LARGEST AMOUNT; 1840, ENDING APRIL 5, 1841.
Amount of Duty.
Bath £22,408
Birmingham
Brighton
Bristol
Cheltenham ... ,6,972
Clifton. 7,818
Leeds
Liverpool
Manchester...... 19,343
Norwich 6,892
Newcastle-on- Tyne
Plymouth ..
THOS. LIGHTFOOT, A. and C.G.
Accountant and Comptroller-General's-office, •
Stamps and Taxes, April 2, 1842.

HER MAJESTY'S DRAWING-
ROOM.
LADIES' DRESSE4j..
HER. MAJESTY.
A net dress, over white satin, elegantly trimmed en tablier,
with blonde and pink roses; the body and sleeves splendidly
ornamented with diamond and blond ; train of white satin,
richly brocaded in silver (of Spitalfields' manufacture), lined
with white nth..., and trimmed with chaplets of pink roses.
Head-dress, feathers, diamonds, and lappets.
H. R. H. THE DUCHFSS OF CAMBRIDGE.
White net dress over white satin, richly trimmed with blond ;
train of rich brocaded satin (Spitalfields' manufacture). Head-
dress, emeralds, diamonds, and feathers ; necklace and ear-
rings to correspond.
H. R. H. THE PRINCESS AUGUSTA CAROLINE.
White net dress, trimmed with flowers; a splendid silver
train (Spitalfields' manufacture). Head-dress, diamonds, fea-
then, and blond lappets.
DUCHESS or SOMERSET.—Habit de Cour, composed of a
superb white satin dress, richly embroidered in coloured che-
nille and gold bouquets ; manteau of white satin, embroidered
to correspond ; body and sleeves profusely ornamented with
costly diamonds. I lead-dress, ostrich plume, gold dentille lap-
pets, and tiara of magnificent diamonds.
TILE CouNTEss of LINCOLN.—An elegant blonde dress
ever white satin, festooned in front with bouquets of silver and
cerise flowers, corsage et manches, with a superb blond berthe
and ruffles ; train of cerise tabinet, lined with white satin, and
tastefully ornamented with blonde, bows of ribbon and cerise
flowers. Head-dress, a plume of ostrich feathers, blonde lap-
pets, pearls and
_diamonds.
VISCOUNTESS POLLINGTON.—Train of rich white watered
silk, ornamented with feste9ns., of lace and black roses ; dress
of white net over white satin. (the whole of British manufac-
ture.) Head-dress, wreath ref white roses, feathers, lappets,
and diamonds.
LADY CAROLINE CLIFTON.-1t Court dress of tulle, with
a tunique over a white satin slip, ornamented with bouquets of
pink flowers, corsage et marches, trimmed handsomely with
blonde ; train of pink watered silk, lined with white satin and
ornamented with flowers a,nd crape lisse. Headdress, feathers,
lappets, pearls and diamonds.
Hori. Miss DuNcomnE.—Train of rich white watered silk,
trimmed with ruches, and white roses and lilies; berthe and
sabot guypure ; dress of illusion tulle over white satin, trimmed
with white roses and lilies. Head-dress, white ostrich feathers ;
reviere of ruby and diamonds ; lappets to correspond ; necklace
and ear-rings of emeralds and opal.
Miss CHOLMONDELEY.—Un costume de Cour, composed
of body and train, en glace blanc, trimmed with tulle and
flowers ; body and sleeves trimmed with chantille blonde ; a
most splendid skirt, en poult desire blanc, embroidered en Ire-
land with coloured silk. Head-dress, blonde lappets, ostrich
feathers, and pearls.
LADY CLlFTON.—Manteau of magnificent brocaded satin,
lined with white glace silk, and superbly trimmed with rich
point lace ; bodice of the same, with berme and sabots of lace
to correspond; petticoat of white satin, elegantly trimmed,
with flouncings r.f lace and aigraffes of ribbon- Head-dress,
feathers and point lace lappets; ornaments, diamonds.
LADY ANNE STUART.— A Court costume of the richest
pink satin, lined with white glace poult de soie, corsage and
sleeves trimmed with pearls and finest ruses; Brussels lace bertha
and ruffles ; tulle dress over white glace poult de soie petticoat;
upper dress to 'led with pearls and the finest roses. Head-dress,
Brussels lace lavets and feathers ; ornaments, pearls.
Miss COVENTRY.—Court dress, composed of a rich blonde
tunique over white satin, looped with bouquets of silver and
blue eonvolvuluses ; train and boddice of rich brocaded white
and skyblue satin, trimmed with blue and silver. Head-dress,
leathers, blonde lappets, and pearls.
Miss WATSON, of Saughton.—Habit de Cour, composed
of a white tulle illusion dress over a rich white Bros de Naples
slip, looped with bouquets of white roses ; manteau of superb
white watered silk, trimmed round with rich Brussels lace and
white roses. Head-dress, ostrich plume, Brussels lace, lap-
pets, and diamond ornaments.

MASTERS AND MEN,
TO TILE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

SIR,—As your paper is the a ivocate at all times of the poor
and the oppressed, I think it right to correct what appears to
me a gross mis-statement in your paper of yesterday, of the
nature of the dispute between the colliers in the neighbourhood
of Hawarden and their employers. The colliers, as far as I
am able to know, by no means wish to dictate to their employers
who shall or shall not conduct their business, but Mr. Staley is
supposed by-the workmen to have suggested and carried into
practice a scheme fur reducing the colliers wages from 18e. to
about 12s. per week, by enlarging the meshes of the screens
that screen the coals, so as to admit one-third of the coals, for
which they were used to be paid, to pass through them as
slack ; their strike is, in fact, to prevent an actual reduction
of wages of 33 per cent., and no man of feeling will say they
are at present overpaid for risking their lives in a coal-pit.
Mr. Editor, I do think it is high time that the higher and
middle classes took the situation of the poor working people
into serious consideration, anti at once put a stop to this insane
system of reducing the wages of labourers. The working
classes, it is well known to all, are at the present time totally
estranged in sentiment and feeling from the higher and middle
classes, and that they look upon their employers in all parts of
the country as their worst tyrants and oppressors, and how can
they feel otherwise towards them? When they see the nail-
makers in Staffordshire, who at present cannot earn more than
43. 6il. per week, reduced 20 per cent. ; when the hosiers have
suffered reduction after reduction till they can scarcely earn
4s. 6d. per week ; that weavers are earning no more ; that
the working men in Liverpool have been reduced 50 per cent.
since 1835 ; and that this reducing system is still going en in all
parts of the country. And of what use is it to masters?—every
reduction in wages produces immediately a corresponding reduc-
tion in the price of manufactured articles, reduces the value of the
stocks in the hands of capitalists, and disables and disinclines
them to purchase again till goods are actually wanted; whilst
the reduction of wages makes it impossible for the mass of the
people to purchase the articles that should give them employ-
ment. The consequence of all th s is, that the working people
are compelled to produce more goous to get a living, whilst the
demand is lessened, competition is increased among the mas-
ters, and their profits are reduced at every reduction of wages.
If there be no demand for the goods, let fewerogoods be
made, but no man with the feelings of a man, and especially of
a Christian, will be instrnmental in reducing the cages of the
poor, till they can no longer, even when fully employed; pro-
cure food and clmhing fur themselves and families.
Your insertion of my letter in your valuable paper will much
oblige my bri,ther work .tier,, and, Sir, your friend and admirer,
Liverpool, April 27, 1842. A WORKING MAN.
[We have inserted this at the request of our Correspondent,
but he must see if there be little or no demand for goods, the
masters must either reduce wages or throw out of employment
a number of their men.]

SIR 6. COCKIIUitN and SIR H. PEEL
General Sir G. Cockburn, of Shangunah, near Dublin, has
addressed a letter to Sir R. Peel, which will be found in another
column, suggesting that all the paper currency, as well as the
metallic currency, should he issued under the authority of the
Government alone, and every other description of p •per issues
gradually put an cad to and abolished. As this is a doctrine
which is making way in the city, where it finds a great number
of intelligent advocates, it may be worth while to set forth the
details of Sir G. Cockburn's plan, which is evidently the result
of great care and consideration, and which will repay perusal.
He begins by adding tog,ettier the sums due by the Govern-
ment to the Banks of England and Ireland, to Saving's-banks,
the amount of outstanding Exchequer-bills, and the defi-
ciency of the present financial year, making in the aggre-
gate 30,000,0001. He then takes the amount of notes
payable on demand, by whatever source in the United
Kingdom issued, and sets them down at 44,000/.,
which is increased to 52,000,0001., if the deposits in
the Banks of England and Ireland are to be considered as cer-
rency. The amount of bullion to meet this immense quantity
of paper he estimates at 6,421,0001., or less than 2s. 6d. in the
pound, if immediate payment were required, which is, indeed,
now an under estimate. He then proposes to destroy at once
the partnership between the Governments and the Banks of
England and Ireland, and to effect this an Act is to be passed,
enabling the Lords of the Treasury to issue notes•to the extent
of 30,000,0001., which would pay off the amount set down
above for liabilities, and would, in fact, be a " loan of the nation
to itself" (to use Sir George Cockburn's own expression),
without in!erest. The same Aet would render it ills gal for any
banking Company to issue notes payable on demand, and the
Treasury notes would, of course, be a legal tender, and receiv-
able for taxes. As this 30,000,000/. might be thought insuf-
ficient for the purposes of currency, when 50,600,004. is re-
quired at present, he thinks that 20,000,0001. might be advan-
tageously issued to pay off part of the national debt. Part of
his scheme, according to which he would force the fundholder
to take 80 per cent. under a penalty of reduced interest, is rot
worthy of serious attention, as it could not be effected without
a compromise of public faith, but this might be easily amended
by using the Treasury notes to purchase stock in the market at
the ruling price, since there is no reason why they shou4sl not
be so use as well as the present Bank notes. The great ad-
vantage
which Sir G. Cockburn promises by this scheme is a
steadiness in the currency, for all that ability of coining at
pleasure, which is virtually enjoyed by the Banks of ng-
land and Ireland, would be at once removed, and a provision
would be made in the Act under which the Treasury
notes would be issued against any increase of circulation
without the consent of Parliament. The smaller notes,
amounting to five pounds or ten pounds, would be re-
deemable on demand at the Treasury in specie, but
it does not seem that this would be the case with
those of larger amount, nor is the reason of assigning the
particular limit to convertibility as yet sufficiently elaborated
in Sir G. Cockburn's scheme to admit of close investigation.
That there must be a paper money of some sort or other he
assumes, and likewise that the present amount of bullion in the
country is lamentably deficient if compared with the present
amount of circulation. Such paper, then, though stilt insuffi-
ciently represented, had better be in the power of the Govern•
ment under legislative authority than in that of private indi-
viduals or corporations, since, at all events, if the whole dan-
ger of a paper currency were not removed, the fluctuations in
the circulation wouldoccur under legislative sanction alone, and
not be subjected to individual caprice.
Whatever may be thought of this plan, it is certain there is
no part of Sir Robert Peel's future policy to which more earnest
attention is directed in this place than to his course with regard
to the currency, and the opinion is general, that if it is thought
right to attack that ancient monopoly of the paper issues which
is po.sessed'by the Bank of England for tt e metropolitan dis-
trict, he is the man to conduct that attack, and to carry it
through with safety to the country. It is not to be doubted
that in the change of the sort here recommended, they might
become formidable and dangerous opponents of the Govern-
ment. The name of Peel may keep them in awe, but the late
Ministry, had they had the courage or the judgment to mak-
such an attempt, would probably in a very short time have been
laid prostrate by such an antagonist.— Times.