Star.
London, England, 1830-04-24 00:00:00

THE IRISH PRESS.

Though Mr. GOULBURN is about to legislate for the
Irish press, it is more than probable that he has not taken
the trouble of comparing its present with its past state.
Probably some returns of stamps, issued to the various
papers, within these two or three years, have enabled
him to give, what is called " a rough guess," as to cir-
culation ; but it is exceedingly likely that in reference
to the far more important concern of advertising, his
mind is as complete a " sheet of white paper," as was
that of one of his colleagues on affairs of trade, of which
he was to have the management in chief. The encreasing
agitation of politics, from 1824 to the passing of the re-
lief bill, had, unquestionably, caused an encreasing con-
sumption of stamps within that period ; but the cause
being removed the effect has also ceased,—and this will
be demonstrated if the issues of the first four months of the
present year be compared with those of the same period
in the last ; or if the consumption of the latter half of
1829 be contrasted with that of 1828. The official re-
turn for 1829, shows an excess over the stamps used in
1828, not because there is an increase of regular readers,
but because there was inordinate reading from the opening
of Parliament, last year, up to the passing of the Relief
Bill. We have the proof in the sales of the Weekly Re-
gister, which, in the four first months of 1829, doubled
the usual average. If this is to be said of the consump-
tion of stamps, what have we to relate of advertisements ?
Let the following, which is a statement of the revenue
upon advertising, for a series of years, answer the
question :

Produce of Advertisement Duty.
To Jan. 1812 .... £26,915
1813 .... 21,253
1814 19,759
1815 20,475
1816 18,488
1817 ..... 18,191
1818 .... . 18,533
1819 ... .. 16,721
1820 ... .. 15,490
1821 15,102
1822 13,708
1823 ..... 14,524
1824 ... .. 16,426
1825 15,896
1826 15,699
1827 ... .. 15,720
1828 ..... 14,379
- 1829 15,632
1830 14,985
A more remarkable exemplification of a gradual, and
almost ceaseless, decay in a branch of trade than this
exhibits, never, perhaps, was presented to public con-
templation. A couple of millions have been added to
our population since 1812 : and it was said, and almost '
sworn, over and over again, in this present Session of
Parliament, by official gentlemen and others, that our
commerce has increased, and is still marvellously en-
creasing. Yet the advertisement revenue of 1812 is
almost double the amount of 1830 ! We assume that
Mr. Goulburn may not be aware of this fact. We
a•sume that he may not have taken the trouble to in-
form himself that when the duty was only one shil-
ling each on nine-tenths of the advertisements then pub-
ii,lid, that is, in 1810, or 20 years ago, it produced
i ',,7231. or more, than it does at the present time. We
:,seine these things, that we may not charge the Right
lion. Gentleman with the baseness, the utter profligacy,
4 running at a falling branch of commerce with his eyes
optil. to totally destroy it. But charitably imputing to
thi, ‘‘ orthy financier mere ignorance, must we not believe
:lie condition of mercantile property in this country to be
this. that it may be exposed to the blunders or caprice of
one man, who does not think it worth his while, before
I'. makes it a subject of now fiscal exaction, to en-
it:ire into its actual condition ! !—Dublin Morning Re-
nisttr.

The Holyhead steam packets are now having their en-
ats altered from 80 to 100 horse power. This is an
,:iroyement which should have been long since made.
Saturday night, the stables of Sir J. MACKINTOSH'S
‘,4usi., at Clapham Common, were broken open, and two
rated harnesses, one for a chariot and the other for a
gig, stolen. Crest, a cat ; motto, " Touch not the cat
but a glove."
THE GREAT WILL CAUSE —lt may not be unin-
teresting to present our readers with a few particulars
respecting this highly important trial, which occupied
the attention of the Court six days. The Court met
inch morning at nine o'clock, and sat on

Hours. !lags.
Friday ..
Saturday
Monday
And it thus appears that the investigation occupied 77
hours. Eight Council were employed. The Attorney-
General, we understand, had a retaining fee of 400
*zinerts, with an addition of 150 guineas with his brief.
Mr. Brougham, it is said, received a fee of 200 guineas,
and an additional 100 guineas with his brief, and Mr.
Andersbn and Mr. Armstrong also had large fees. Dur-
•ng the trial there were read 260 documents, of which
7S mire wills, involving transactions, as to value, of up-
wards of 200,0001, and to which there were no less
than 78 different attesting witnesses. For the plaintiff,
iht::.e have been examined 35 witnesses, including one',
limber of Parliament, several magistrates, one phy- '
sician, three surgeons, five clergymen, and a great
;lumber of country gentlemen of property. For the de-
fence sixty-two witnesses were examined, including
many men of great respectability ; but the majority
'core persons who had, at one time or other, lived as
;ervants at Hornby Castle. We have not heard what I
was the amount of the retaining fees to the Counsel of
the plaintiff, but certainly, if exertion and talent ought
to be taken as the standard, Mr. Pollock should at least
hare as great a remuneration as the Attorney-General.
-Chester Courant.