The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-05-31 00:00:00

THE HOME TRADE AND TAXATION.

An estimate may be made of the extent of the home trade
of this kingdom by the average expenditure, weekly and an-
nually, of the whole population, consisting of twenty-six
millions, as follows :

One shilling expended
Two shillings
Three shillings
Four shillings.
Five shillings .
Six shillings
Seven shillings
Eight shillings
Nine shillings
Ten shillings..
Eleven shillings...
Twelve shillings.....
Thirteen shillings....
Fourteen shillings
Fifteen shillings

Weekly. Annunlly.
£1,300,000 £67,600,000
2,600,000 135.000,000
3,900,000 202,800,000
5,200,000 270,400,000
6,500,000 338.000,000
7,800,000 405,600,000
2,100,009 475,200,000
10,400,000 544 800,000
11,700,000 608,400, 00
13,000,000 667,000,000
14.300,000 743,600,000
15,600,000 811.200,000
16.900,000 878,800,000
18,200,000 964,400.000
19,500,000 1,014,000,000

, .
If we take fifteen shillings a week for the average expend;-
tore of each class, rich and poor, of the whole population, in
food, clothing, and the comforts of life, it amounts to the
sum of £1,014,000,000 annually. If that sum were alone
taxed five per cent. it would raise a revenue of £50,700,000,
which is more than is now annually raised by the present sys-
tem of taxing the food consumed by the people, instead of
the incomes, and which can he just only on the supposition
of the appetites and incomes of all being:, equal!
But if fifteen shillings a week be considered too much, take
only ten shillings, and tax £676,000,000 at 5 per cent, which
produces a revenue of £33,800,000 annually; and if that sum
be not enough, raise the per centage to seven-and-a-half, to
produce £50,700,000 as it would be preferable to forty or fifty
per cent. that all classes are now taxed, who spend their en-
tire incomes in the maintenance of their families.

This concise view of the subject is sufficient to show that
the present system must be wrong, when 5 to 74- per cent. on
the average expenditure of the whole population would Le
sufficient for all the wants of the state, and cons: quently a
more simple and efficient system might be substituted for it,
without taxing any provisions, and leave commerce free from
the shackles of customs and excise laws.

All that is first required is, a dispassionate investigation of
the whole system of taxation by a committee of the House of
Commons, and a just report madeupon it ; but so long as the
people are led away with shadows, NS they now are, by peti-
tioning only for a reformation of a part, instead of the whole
system of taxation, the substance escapes them, which would
secure the comforts they want, by relief from the unnecessary
burdens they bear.

FIRE IN BEVINGTON Busn.—On Wednesday last, abort
ten o'clock in the forenoon, a fire broke out in the joiners'.
shop adjoining the national school, in Bevington-bush. The
engines were early on the ground ?I but, we regret to say,
that so combustible were the materials, that the shop and
sheds were consumed.

COLLECTION OF PRINTS.—Those who are curious in prints
will find a large and splendid collection now on sale at Mr.
Lewis's, South Castle-street. Many fine impressions after
first rate artists are included in this collection.—See adv.
FIRE AT EDGE HILL.—On Wednesday morning about
half-past eleven, a fire broke out in the small timber yard
belonging to Mr. Charles Padley, corner of Sidney-street,
Edge Hill. It appears to have originated in some sparks
from the chimney of the adjacent house, which had taken fire,
falling amongst some shavings and other timber in the yard,
all of which was of course rendered the more combustible by
the dryness of the weather. In a short time, all the boards,
&c., were in a blaze. The alarm being quickly passed to the
station, two engines and a body of firemen were immediately
dispatched to the spot, where they arrived with all possib'e
expedition, and saved the adjoining building, though not the
property in the yard, which from its nature was speedily con-
sumed. Inspectors Hamer and Hacking, and fireman Dixon,
(163) were first on the spot, and with the assistance of a young
man named Thomas Overshaw, who got upon the roof of the
house through the attic window, and the supply of water
being abandant, they kept the fire under until the engines
arrived.

SPLENDID MEDAL.—We have just seen a beautiful silver
medal, which was presented at the second Liverpool Eistedd-
fod, held in the Music Hall, on St. David's Day last, to the
Rev. Thomas Pearce of this town, for his prize poem on
" Haman and Mordecai." The engraving on the reverse is
most elaborately executed, and reflects the highest credit on
the artist, Mr. John R. Isaac, of Castle-street, by whom it
was designed, drawn, and engraved. The subject is " Ahasu-
suerus on his throne, extending the sceptre to Queen Esther,
who is in the act of falling on her knees, (supported by an
attendant) to implore protection for her Jewish bretherh.—
In the outward court is Hainan weeping, while a friend is
calling his attention to the scene before the king." The at-
titudes of the principal figures are touchingly represented,
and the drapery and architectural decorations are accurately
arid tastefully engraved.• We understand that this exquisite
specimen, of engraving may be seen for a few days at Mr.
Isaaelailop in , Castle-street. It is well worth inspection
FkrAl.,Pcc utiatENCE —On Saturday last a f rightful scene
happeriedipn Boat-house
Mersey, opposite to the Boat-ouse
Pier Ru.Reorn.„4 boat, belonging to the Bridgewater Trust,
had a new suit pf jails Made, and as she was known to be
what is technica4Y termed " crank" the maker had iina4iaed
he had cut fhea in such a way as to remedy this defect, and
he and several carpenters and others (altogether seven in
number) went for a sail up the river, the wind at the time
blowing a stiff breeze. Taeir intention was to go up to the
Old Quay and return, but when they came to the Gap, in a
sudden gust the boat capsised nearly in the middle of the ri-
ver, and about high water. The screams for help were ter-
rifying ; and as there were a number of flats moored at t.e.
Pier, waiting the return of the tide, and two steamers a fe y
minutes before had arrived with passengers, prompt aSsis,-
tance was rendered, and six out of the seven were rescued
from a watery grave, but one man (John Withington, the un-
fortunate saihnaker) was drowned. Another sailmaker, by
the name of Cooper, whose son, a child about eleven years
old, was with his father in the boat, and it was heart-rending
to see the anxiety and hear the cries of the poor father until
he got.his son upon his back, and swam with him towards
the shore, which he had. almost reached when he was taken
on board a boat, amidst .loud cheers from the spectators.—
Withington's body has not been found.—Chester Courant-
DESTRUCTIVE FMB IN HILL-STREET.—Yetoterday mor-
ning, about ten o'clock, a tire- broke out in the yard and
premises occupied by Mr.• Henry Worthington, team and
cart keeper, near the bottom of Hill-street, Toxteth-park.
The yard consists of a small quadrangular area, bounded on
the sonth, the' west, and north by small buildings -or erec-
tions almost wholly of wood ;—and on the cast by a stable
and part of a row of dwelling-houses. The building on the
south side consisted of a hay-shed, and adjoining to it on
the west is a wheelwrights' shed. The stable and the hay-
shed form a right-angle, and in this angle rises a chimney,
within the yard but outside the buildings,—the flue to a
boiler for preparing food for the horses. A cart-load of hay
stood in the yard, close to the shed, and the boiler fire was
burning when some communication took place with the hay.
The conflagration was, of course, instaataneous, and much
alarm was excited, and with cause, for the lives of several
valuable horses in the stable. The excellent engine belongtin;
to Mr. Gregson, of the steam-works close by, was very
early brought to, play with great effect, and contributed in a
great degree to save much of the surroun ling property.
Five, We, believe, of the town engines afterwards came up,
with as much speed as possible, and the fire was eventually
subdued, but not until Mr. NVorthinton had sustained se-
rious and lamentable loss. The rapid combustion of the hay
close to the stable door prevented access to the poor a iimals.
Three holes were eventually made through the wall, from a
yard at the back of the building with a view to save them,
and some men went at the risk of their lives amongst the
smoke. Five of the horses had, however, perished, and lay
dead nn the floor. Though scorched a little, they were suf-
tbcaled rather than burned Two others, we le Ira, were
rescued not much injured. A sow, with eight tine also
fell a sacrifice to the flames. They were roasted outwardly
to a cinder. The horses were amongst the thest of those
heavy and valuable employed in teams ant carts at the da,d(s,
and the loss to the owner is therefore great. The fire-police
deserve great credit for their activity, as do Mr.
men.

POPULAR CONCERTS —We are glad to fine that a very in-
teresting series of concerts of vocal and iostrumeatal
is now being given nightly at the Royd Anm,itheatre. Toese
concerts deserve to become increasingly popular, as we hive
no doubt they-will become, both on account of their cheap-
ness and the talent of the performers, who are, we believe,
exclusively townsmen. The chief object of the prjectors ap-
pears to have been the improvement and extension of musical
taste „amongst the - and lower classes of society,
whose means will not permit their attendance at the more
expensive music meetings which occasionally attract, and are
almost confined to the higher orders. Another. motive, and
one which we scarcely consider to cof se.:ondary import-
ance, is to keep the local talent, instrumental es well as vocal,
together, and, by' frequent
.public rehearsals to qualify. the
professors of the divine science in Liverpool to take part
hereafter in concerts of a sup;rior character. The c :arses
for admission to the boxes
.and• pit, we per eive, are only
two-shillings per head on the former, and one shilling for the
latter; and for these trifling sums the visitors. enjoy some of
the finest compositions of the most eminent composers of all
nations, performed by an able and excellent band of thirty
instrumentalists ; and a number of glees and songs sweetly
sung, are interspersed. Among the solo and glee-sin :.ers we re-
cognise the names of Messrs. J. *and G. Lint, Mr. Earn-
Thaw, and Mr. Taylor We look upon this undertaking as
decidedly worthy of the same support whin is given to the
•neetings of the Festival Choral Society, and as being eller 1,1-
ted to promote the interest and well-being of that and all
other societies-of a similar description in the town. Let us
nope-that:the performers will be deservedly patronised and
encouraged.

• SERIOUS RlOT.—Last night, at seven o'clock, a serious riot
nroke.ont in the south end of the town-, commencipg, so far
as we could learn, in New Bird-street, and afterwards ex-
tended,- during-a period of about tw.) hours and a half to
Crosbiestreet, ordan-street, Sparling-street, and the smaller
streetS•that cross these at right angles. .How the disturbance
irigiOtedAve could not learn in the general confusion ; but
t appeafed, some of the carpenters and apprentices who had
walked.ort the previous day, had been riding,: •about and en-
joying themselves during the day, in that neighbourhood, in
open carriages, cars, &c., on some of whiati-liags were fixed ;
that one ordheSe had passed,throtigh Neu Bird-street, and
that a qUarrel had arisen, between..tha Carpenters and some
)f the inhabitants, who are almost exclasively-Iri0). Which
)a.rty gaVe the first offence it did- .not. appear ; but it is
aid that some carpenter; in a carriage were struck with
'tones or bricks. The sequel was, that stone and brickbats
vere flung-by the carpenters at the windo;vs cf the houses
n New Bird - street, and other streets, auti'vast numbers of
which were broken. The other party rptaliated upon soli.e
ether houses,- friendly to, or inhabited,l)y, carpenters ;
.m-11
i succession of riots took place at, various points,-amidst the
;:reams of women, the oaths of ine-4; and the general alarm
f all who belonged to the neighbourhood. Several peions,
t is said, Were.seriously hurt.'., Some time eLipsed -before
le police could be brought up i,6 sufficient numbers to (I's-
:erse the immense crowds collected at diffeient point; but
..)on after they.,appeared, headed by Mr. Whitty, an 1 se ve-
, all further alarm was allayed, and the • treets
,:ere about ten o'clock restored to tranquility.-