Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-16 00:00:00

CONSUMPTION OF BRITISH SPIRITS,

1852. 1853. 1854. 1855. ' 1856.
galls. galls. galls galls ga's.
Scotland.. —7,172,000 6,534 000 6,020,000 5,637,000 7,197,000
Ireland ....8,208,00 8,136,000 7,998,003 6,509,000 6,688,000
England ....9,820,000 10,350 000 10,843,C03 10,123,000 9,555 000

---
T0ta1....25,2C0,000 25 020,000 24,858,000 22,269,000 23,440,000

On the whole these figures show a considerable reduction
upon the consumption of former years, although in the last
year there is an increase as compared with 1855—and a
very considerable one as relates to Scotland. The compa-
rison with 1855 is, however, unfavourable as, for a reason
to which we shall presently advert, the consumption in that
year was usually small ; and the same reason has probably
operated, though in a smaller degree, to reduce the quan-
tity upon which payment of duty has been made in 1856 ;
for it must be borne in mind that, so far as public returns
are concerned, they indicate only the quantities upon which
duty has been paid for home consumption, and not the
actual consumption; and that the two may vary so far as
the duty-paid stocks may increase or diminish from time,
to time. It will be borne in mind that prior to 1855 the
quantity of British spirits exported was extremely trifling,
but that the manufacture existed almost exclusively for the
home trade. Owing, however, to the failure of the grape
in most parts of Europe, a sudden and extensive demand
for British spirits for export commenced in 1855, and has
continued to the present time, as the following table
shows :

bPIRITS BRITISH —EXPORTED

1952. 1853: 1854. 1855. 1856.
galls. galls. ' galls. galls. galls.
Scotland . 227,204 3t8,661 366,625 1,293,3E9 2,259 063
Ireland.... 33,497 124,103 59,116 07,901 348,935
England—. 98,452 418,446 521,218 2,472,397 2,348,12

T0ta1.... 351,153 931,210 749 959 4,268,697 4 956.150

Thus we see that from 351,153 gallons exported in 1852.
the quantity rose in 1855 to 4,268,697 gallons, and in 1856
to 4,956,150 gallons. No provision existing for the supply
of so-sudden and so great a new demand, it was supplied
chiefly from what otherwise would have been destined for
the home market. The first effect was to diminish the
stocks in bond, and to raise the price; the next was to in-
duce the home dealers to rest upon their existing stocks as
long as they could, and to limit their purchases. Under
this two-fold operation the duty-paid stocks in the bands of
dealers had no doubt diminished, and the considerable in-
crease in the quantity duty-paid in Scotland in 1856 was in
a great measure caused rather by the process of replenish-
ing stocks so much reduced in 1855, than by any increase
in the actual consumption. We think, therefore, that it
must be plain, upon looking at the returns for the last five
years, that the apprehensions which have been so strongly
expressed in connection with the apparent increase in the
uoe of ardent spirits is not well founded in fact, but is
rather apparent than real.---Economist.

TIVI CALIFORNIAN Pats.—The everlasting questleo if cot 1, this
good pen" has been answered by Mr. E. T. Hall, of South John
street, who has succeeded in producing a metallic pen, which he
designates, not above. inap pen—every t as lThere is hardly anything more
annoying than a bud one knows the misery. The pen
made by Mr. Hall, is fit for n
any hand to use (light or heavy), and
what is of the ;greatest value, it does not corrode, but will work with
equal facility in any ink. From experience of metallic pens, we caa
say that thls one, Which ii, polished as gold, and will lot nearly as
long, is the best:one we have ever used.—Northern Times. One
box, containing six dozen penis ,
postage stamps. A sent free on reoelpt of 2s 6d in
T7§e44 Welltee, for the conntry,,44v. ._