The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-13 00:00:00

WAITILMA Ns MAYOR.,

A COMMON EXH7Seit, holden in the CHAlifilF,Tl of the
GUILDHALL of the CITY e( LONDON, on THURS-
DAY, the 12th Day of February, 1824,
Rtsot.v.„
THAT it appears to this Court that a Reduction of
Is. Ai. to ts. per Chaldion has taken plate ghee the emo-
tion of the War, in the price fd"Newcootie Coals, at the Shipping
Pon ; but, that no such Reduction has taken place in the price of
Suniterionil I;fmk.

That. taking into consideration the above Reduction, u well as
the repeal of the War I tidy of le. Id. per Chaldron, together with
the very great reduction which that leo been in the value of Ship-
ping, the emu of Provisions, and the rate of Wages, no adequate
reduction appeant to have taken place in the price of teal in the
London Alasket ; en the convey, this important Nerm-
sary of Lite has, at various recent period*, maintained nearly the
War Prices.

That the Report of the Coal and Caen Committee appears merely
to represent the conflicting opinions of interested l'arttea, without
suggesting any other Remedy titan the appointment of twelve ad-
ditional Meters; while it is clear, feint the Returns annexed to
their Report, that such incense would be perfectly inadequate to
the removal of the evils complained of.
That the Report of the .aid Committee states, that the prim of
Coal in the Market do not appear to them to be excessive; but the
Committee do not state upon what grounds they have conic to this
eonclu snD ; nor does it appear to this Court that the f'omin Mee have
considered, or inquired from any other Parties than the ('runes of
the very Ships engaged in the Coal Trade, what effect the reduction
in the salute of Shipping, Wages, and Provisions, ought to have
had on the price of tie Article in the hontlon Market.
That it appears to this Court that the sole use of a Public 31ar-
ket, supported as it is at a great public expense, is to guard the
community against imposition. by securing, amongst other things,
the supply of the Market at the me and fair value of the respective
kinds of foals, with a reasonable profit to the dealer ; and that, if
this principle were acted upon, it would he the obvious interest of
the Coal Ikaler to obtain, and therefore he would be able to sell,
his I'cuals upon the most moderate terms.
That • practice luis prevailed of Coal Merchants and Factors
becoming themselves Freighters, whereby nominal or fictitious bar-
gains are made between parties acting in the double character of
buyer and seller by which mains excessive prices are established,
to the manifest injury of the lower classes. and of others who are
obliged to purchase at a season When the demand very much
exceeds the quantity which, igloo the Parliamentary restriction of
12. chaldrons per day, can be delivered by the present limited num-
ber of Meters.

That it appears that the public are open to Impositions by reason
of the precise description of the Coal not bring specified in the
hand Coal..3leter's ticket; there beisg, for instance, twelve or
thirteen some sold under the driminination of R'oll's End Cosh,
the priers of which vary from ten to fifteen per cent.; by want
or which sufficient description in the Meter s ticket, the dealer
has the power of selling Coal of the lowest value at the price of
the highest, to the manifest injury of the public and of the fair
trader.

That it appears that Shine have had to wait 10. 11. 11, IR, and,
in many rases 111, days for Meters, In consequence of the number
now appointed bring so inadequate to the prompt discharge of the
Ships as they arrive, which detention occasioning, se it does, en
extra expense of Four err nee Pounds per day to every Ship so de-
tained, necessarily adds from 3s. to his. per Chaldros to the price
which the Public must pay for such Goals; involves the Dealer in
the necessity of keeping a larger establishment of Craft, and a larger
stuck of I 'oils afloat, and creates an apparent and artificial scarcity
of the article, when, in fact, there may, and frequently does, exist a
surplus supply, though, owing to theabovc.stated causes. the same
cannot be brought into mane of delivery, stud has, in fact, little
more effect upon the llarket than it would have if the Coals still
remained in the Pits at Newcastle.
That there ought Dot to exist any delay in the discharge of Ships
toning Leto Ws Fort withflaahc and that therefore there can exist
no reason why the number of Meters should nut be increased to such
extent as will best insure the immediate delivery, provided such in-
crease can be effected without imposing any new charge upon the
Public. anti without miming the emoluments of the 3leters below
that elite which semis likely to Snare an holiest and faithful dis-
charge of their duties.
That hum the year 1800 to the year 1010 the meters did not earn
more than IBM. to 2000. pie annum each, though the prices of pro-
visions. and of the other neressasies of life, were 311 to 10 per cent.
higher than they now are ; but that the Meters now earn, upon the
average, more than 2801:, and nearly :hell. per annum each.
That to remedy the evils already describeil, it is the duty of
this Court to direct that at least 40 additional Meters shout(' forth-
with be spi,stinted ; so that the number should he 143, instead of
1111; which increase may he made without in the sllghttst degree
adding to the tArtll.(l4 that now fall upon the Public, and with.
out reducing the emoluments of the Meters below 2110 L per
annum.

That in future the real and fall description of all Coals sold
ought to he specified in the Meter's Ticket, tinder a penalty.
that all posaible measures ought to be taken to put a stop to
the practice of persons being suffered to impose upon the Public
by wing in the double eb.iracter of Buyer :ind Seller, and being
thus enabled, by fictitious Sales, to regulate or +Ali the price of
the 31arket.

That the reduced price of labour, and the diminished value of
property in general, ought to produce a proportionate reduction in
the price tc:Ctial at the Shipping Porte; and that unless such re.
duction should take place, it will become the duty of this Gain to
apply to the Legislature, to permit the open and unrestricted ad-
mission of Inland Coals, or to adopt such other measures as may
seem best calculated to relieve the Inhabitants of this 3letropolis
(mot a monopoly which thus so materially enhances the cost of so
important a necessity of life.
11.(N11)111011TE.

I VS( )N and (1). respectfully apprise their Patrons and
lastica in general. that they have manufactured for the
approaching season a superb and novel colleetion of Lace Dresses,
Scarfs, Veils, hr., and will continue to produce cm every Monday
an entire new article of Female Dress, which system received so
diatincmished pat/image front the Reau Monde the preceding
year. 'Devoting their attention to the sole article of Lace thotim
lleitish and Foreign), of which they are real manufacturers. they
prcs to offer a more convincing proof of their superiority in
choice and priers, than by any elaborate specitication too often in.
sertc.l to

Jim published, in one large volume, /Ivo. prier 18a. in boards,
IVINGTON'S ANNI:3,L REGISTER for the
Year lm*:.

•;* lstelypublished the Volume for 1821, price 18a. of which
an Account is, ren in the " British Critic" for June, 18'n: also,
for the Year 111. e (commencing with his prcsetit 31ajesty's Reign),
price 18s.
St. Paul's Church-yard, and Waterloo-place, Pall-mall.

Just published. price Is.
LONDON DOCK COMPANY'S COPIES of RE-
SOLUTIONS, DECLARATIONS, and PAPERS Tr,
latisig to the Transfer of Goods at the London Melts, Ste Right
of Stopping 4;oods in Teansitu, on the Responsibility of l% hartin.
gets, with the Opinion of the Judges of the (Inure of King's Bench
upon a Motion foe a New Trial en the Cause of Hawes versus Watson.
Watson.
Published by EffingharaVilson, Royal Exchange.