"We regret that we cannot announce any improvement in the trade of this town. There has been one failure of a respectable lace concern since our last. The number of operatives employed by public subscription on the roads is nearly a thousand. The Relief Committee, after anxious deliberation, came to the decision on Monday evening that, in future, the wages allowed could be only 8s. a week on day work."--_Nottingham Review._ When William IV. came to the throne the stamp duty on newspapers was 4_d._, less 20 per cent. discount, and the price of the _Times_ was 7_d._ Each advertisement had to pay a duty of 3_s._ 6_d._ The consequence of the newspaper stamp being so high was that leaflets were perpetually being started which bore no stamp, as it was contended that they contained no news. Still the vendors were always being haled before the magistrates; but the publication of these vexatious leaflets was settled in May, 1831, in the case of _Rex_ v. _William Carpenter_, which came off in the Court of Exchequer, before the Lord Chief Baron. The Crown obtained the verdict, and Mr. Carpenter was let off very cheaply, by being fined only £120. The duty on newspapers brought in a large revenue. In 1830, 30,158,741 stamps were issued, and in 1835, 32,874,652; but in 1836 the duty was reduced to 1_d._ per newspaper, and 1/2_d._ for each supplement; and the _Times_ on September 15, 1836, reduced its price to 4_d._ Of the number of newspapers I have already written. Many lived by the pen, whether quill or steel. In 1830, although not a novelty, steel pens were dear, as we see by an advertisement in the _Times_ of October 18th-- "PEN-MENDING TOTALLY SUPERSEDED.--Patent Perryian Pens, warranted not to require mending, and to write better than any other pen whatever, as cheap as the common pen. Price per packet (containing nine pens of the best quality), 3_s._ 6_d._" In 1837 they had got somewhat cheaper, _vide_ _Times_, March 23rd-- "PERRYIAN PENS, protected by five patents.--Double patent pen, with holder, 2_s._ per card; Indiarubber spring pen, 2_s._ 6_d._ ditto; office pen, 1_s._ ditto. Any of the above, with patent elastic holder, at 3_d._ extra per card. Under-spring pen, with holder, 2_s._ per card; side-spring pen, 2_s._ ditto; flat-spring pen, 2_s._ ditto; three-pointed pen, 2_s._ 3_d._ ditto. Each card contains nine pens."