The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-07-30 00:00:00

EX rRAORDEPIARY FLOOD.

A very heavy rain came on here some time in
the morning of Sunday the 18th instant, which
continued with little intermission the whole of the
day, and incessantly on Monday and Monday night
—the whole of its duration being not less Mau
sixty hours; causing such an inundation in this
part of the country as has not been knower (or fifty
years past; and, we are sorry to add, that numerous
individuals have, in its consequence, sustained con-
siderable damage. Vast quantities of hay have
been swept away.—the growing wheat, in several
places, sanded up and warted-•-the soil welshed off
and scattered hem the ground prepared for wheat,
sc.—quantities of potatoes washed up, and lost—
several hedge■ broken down awl demolished—and
bridges over brooks and rivulets, in various parts of
the country, have either been destroyed, or other.
wise greatly injured.
In many situations, the houses were inundated,
and the inhabitants compelled to retreat for safety
to their upper apartments. We have accounts of
inconveniences (not to say dangers) to which null
families were exposed, far more thou our Inuits can
allow us to particularise.
At Braystones. near Egremont, the house occu-
pied by (and still in the occupation of) Mr. &ped-
dle, was in a manner deluged for one day and two
nights! In the apartments en the ground-floor,
the water was generally from two to two feet and a
half in height. The hone* is seated by the bunk of
the Ed•n, and the wood bridge, which led from the
trout of the mansion-house, across the river, to the
(very perfect) remains of the Druids' Temple, was
injured so as to render it impassable; whilst all the
farm-buildings, which are at the rear of the main
building, were so flooded as to threaten them and
their contents (amongst wbkh were several young
calves) with immediate destruction.
In the village of Ominous.% an out-house belong-
ing to Mr. W. Smith, of Beckermont, but tenanted
by James Little, was undermined by the deluge of
water which for a long time poured upon it in •
torrent, supposed to have been not less than three
feet above the surface of the adjoining ground, till
at length one of the Kobel ends and the side wall
connected with it tumbled down.

The flood in this quarter is supposed to have
been at the height about seven o'clock on Monday
night ; but the alarm created by its violent and
rapid encroachments on the land, cud the subse-
quent confusion it occasioned amongst the inhabi-
tants. who beheld the produce of the seaaou (the
fruits of their industry) borne away from them by
the force of the uncontrollable element—these
might well prevent any accurate observation en the
height or extent of this great and uuexpected over-
flow.

Besides the occurrences in the immediate vicinity
of this town (the adjoining meadows being for some
time under water, mid the like havoc being made
amongst the hay, &c. as already noticed), we have
similar accounts of its effects from Egreinont,
Cal-
drr Bridge, and on all the road to Bootle, Whit-
beck, Whicham. &c. &c.
_ . .

Its ravages were severely felt on the low grounds
about Cockertnnuth. Bassetithwaite, Braithwaite.
Keswick, Bridefoot—sod, in short, throughout the
whole country. The loss altogether, it is presumed,
must amount to something very considerable.—
Ou the waters subsiding, the fields, in many places,
presented an appearance, such 64 has seldom been
seen in this part of the. kiugdoui,, and of which it
would be futile to attempt a description.
At Carlisle, the Eden overflowed all the low
lands in its ;tinily, and swept away considerable
quantities of hay, and damaged the corn, grass,
potatoes. &c. Both the utility and strength of the
uewly.forwed bank from the bridge to the Castle
Walk were put to the test, and the result is most
satisfactory.
At Kendal, the rain raised the rivers Kent and
Lane to en unusual hetght, and messy of the adja-
cent meudows were inundated with the flood. On
Monday morning a considerable quantity of hay
passed down the Keut: two sheep, which had pro-
Wily been surrounded and swept sway by the
flood, were also observed to float down the river.
Many of the. timers 'in the neighbourhood had
completed their Isay•hsrvest previous to the fall of
rails and a great part of the hay which was ex-
posed to the min on Sunday sud•the two succeeding
days, was stacked on Thurodsy eveuing.—( White-
hoots Paper.)

PRICE OV STOCKS YESTERDAY.

Bank Stock • 434 bolls Builds 'loth. done
8 per Cent. Red..7l/ 711 Ss. 8i115,4..1 pr. I rim.
3 per Ct. Cots... 711 I Lottery Tickets 191. 18..
se per Cent 81 Oiniiiuos ...Anti pr.
91
4 per Cents go 31i pr.
5 per Ct. N.. 100 1041 Coos. for Ace. i • 47thif
ILIA L.. Aar... 6be ) • 701

THE BEER REYIORP.
~..i-......

Extract from the Minutes tslceit before the Com-
mittee of the ifssinte or Coinunin4 tin the Prtitii.ti
or several inhabitant. a London slid its vicinity re+
vetting the since said gustily of beer.

[Continued from our roper of Felting lost.]

3. T. E. Besumewit, Req.'s. examination rowtinriti.

DO pot mean to OS!, rhyttrilllOS have 1.d.; y a that illem
awn got diereses, Of duel of ol.lio king hut I low, or drink-
iwg 1.0 excess, mud fur a long toile ' —The opin 1111 l is of the
coal merriment, wharfingemand the ployeiciaws oboes I have
consulted, were declared upon the no us drinking to excere,
and pertiesalsrly spirits; that they w..... drivels to she drink-
ireg of spirit., in many instances, tie the weak or an -leas qua.
lily of the beer; in my opinion, if the licensing system did
not exclude competition in a cosiaiderahle degree, iseighbotte-
howls could not thus suffer ; if the trade were free, MAW-
deals would readily come forward with • supply of good
beer where such beer was wanted.
Is there any mearere, or atterailou in the !Wooing rye.
tem you shirk would lend to reduce the price of here wish.
out lose to either brewer or publican?-1 di slut think say
alteration uould be effectual short of doing away wish the
arbitrary feature of it. I believe there is No other comitry
except England, and I have travelled in several, where
the Magistrates ate anthorisel so refuse liccuses to twit
victuals which are applied for by respectable presume ; sod
I am convinced no measure will be effectual for prodwriog
to the public good beer, mol at a moderate price, but she
opening of • fee retail trade. It is cu-wily demonstrated
to me an • matter of fact, an well us or calculation, that
one halfpenny out of the present price of sixproce, per put,
is paid by the public to the licrisre.holdisii intereet, either to
repay the publicist for the interest on the mentions paid by
him for the lease, or for the silditieual rent he pays on ac-
count of his house being a licensed house; is, other words,
if the publican had nut that add' • •I charge to provide for
be 'night take one penny per pot profit instead of three half-
pence, and enjoy quite its much for himself ; I am also satis-
fied that if the brewers bail slot to provide capital fur belying
, up licensed houses, and fur loans to publican's, 14100
which capital, as well as that employed iu brewing,
they compute their profits, they might take is halfpenny
less, sod draw as match profit computed on their capi-
tat, when lipsited to she trade of bsewissg ; thus • penny
per pot would he saved to Ilse commoner, which be stow
has to pay id exalting mad upholding she !machinery of
the licensing system. How muds more might he save.' if •
free competition were opened, it is impossible to soy ; but
when we compare the average price of omit and hops in she
year 1904, when porter was raised to sixpence per put, with
the much higher average which followed for eight years,
when under the correction of competition, the price of
porter was kept down to five-pence a pot; or compare the
price of malt and hope, taxes, sod expenses in the summer
and autumn of 1812, with the pre•eut, when they certainly
are not higher, and anal that in the first case we bail porter
at five-pence per put, and now pay sixpence, I have no doubt
but that the restoration of • free trade would benefit the
public still further. Here I would beg leave to notice to the
Committee, the hardship upon the tabooing chasms of the
levy of an unnecessary penny per pot. le some of the hard-
working trashes, men drink six pots of porter per dry, and thus
have to pay 6d. a day extra for beer, which 6d. would support
a child, or pay for the lodging or clothing of the family. I
would further beg leave to submit to the Hon. Committee
that in point of fact, every rise in the price has taken place
at the instance of the great brewers, and that every competi-
tion to reduce the price has emanated from minor brewers;
fur instance, the Golden.laue brewery mud Dickenson 's ; and
that, is the exchanging the natural peek-client of commer-
cial contpetitiou for the optional moderation of privileged
great capitalists, the public at large are most seriously in-
jured. For proof of the injustice with which individuals are
deprived of their property, toed absolutely ruined, without
having committed a fault, without a trial or hearing, of even
an imputation, I beg leave to refer to my evidence given
before the Police Committee, and which I un,lerrtassd to be
referred by the Mom of Commons to ibis Committee.
Another form of injury to individuals happens from •
denial of leave to open • public-house where new neigh.
houshoods 'ripe, except it be to serve the favourite brewers,
or oilier licensing connexion. For the oppressioe the beets&
log system is calculated to produce, and its inadequacy fur
any mead purpose, I would also refer to my evidence given
before the Police Committee.
Are you of opinion that the opening the trade of video'.
ling would prose any injuty to the owner of licenses ?
I might, in some degree, affect their speculations; but I
cannot compreheud the force of the object iuts, if the question
supposes an objection. It is not wished In take away • sin-
gle license; sll that is proposed, or wished by the Petitioners,
is, that licenses may be granted to any tradesman who may be
willing to ;my Government for than, and who offer to esipply
neighbourhoods that are ill served. The law never intended to
snake licenses a property for individuals, but they are made
so. The restricting the grant of licenses to les, than the de.
mand for them raises them to a premium, and mak. a them SO
far • properly for individuals. If the State, in its wisdom,
desires to restrict the privilege of selling beer, we subunit
humbly that the state had better take the premium thereby
raised upon the I:cense for its own use, Amu leave it to allure
Magistrates fuem the impartial discharge of their duty, and
to produce stsch monopolies as we see rising all over the
country. One thing I sake to be quite clear; she customers
of existing licensed houses world not leave them for stew
houses to be worse off. A competition, to be effectual,
most supply the neighbourhood better or cheaper than the old
house. The power of preventing this is called a property, and
while it lasts it is so; but it is ouly a speculation upon the
continuance of an abuse of the law, and of the natural right
of the subject. But this ought nut to be reckoned upon as pro-
perty. It is only a license fur • year, and fur mauy yeans has
beets the subject of public complete* ; but we submit iris were
• chartered monopoly, unlimited to time, and was blond to
he hurtful lu the public, as she p.csent licensing is
found to be, it might be put an end to. The power of
excluding competition is only valuable as it enables the
liceese-hulder to sell victualed or some than they would
if she market were free; the value is just as muds as the
licensed party is enabled tuckered from the consumer above
the fair price. I would beg to observe, that, in soy opinion.
the change of the licensing system would not be prejudicial
to the puhlicairi generally, bid, osi the contrary, highly be.
neficial to them; it might, and certainly would, invoke a
lose to the brewer who has bought up the licensed houses,
or lessen leis security, where he lies advanced money on
them, but the publican, generally speaking, can only
become a substantial and indepeisdent class of men by
',utility an end to the premed system. I think 'that the for
she brewers would sustain bra beds well compensated by
Ilse profits they have made; but if an indemnity should be
thought necessary, it may be easily managed by puslpooiog
the opening the trade to a distant date; then, as the brewers
fix their own prices Id beer, they may reconcile it to skin-
themselves to fix such a price daring she interval, as
they consider would urinal them a sufficient iodemnity.
I am inclined to thisik sir y are forming such an indemnity
at this moment. It has been supposed, that throwing open
the trade of selliorberr would cause • great increase of pub-
lic houses ; upon the whole I am of a different opinion; I
should think there would be fewer hoboes is • power were
provided for promptly punishing the victuallers who encou-
raged drunkenness or disorderly practices, by line, or shel-
ling up the house, in extreme cases ; a power which. has
yet been provided in this country, although existing, I
believe, io most others. In places where injurious mottos
polies, exist, the present 'accuse owners would bare to
improve their beer, or lower their price, or no doubt new
houses would be opened; but in other places where there
are now more houses than necessary, an industrious, pots
dent man, with • capital ensbling him to deal at the best
market, and possessing • well intuited house, would com-
mand • pieferetace over other victuallers near hint, not
having those advantages, and would take their business
from them ; then, if the Magistrates did their duty in seeing
that the inferior houses did not excite custom by improper
means, such houses would be dropped as public-Wages,
soil lel fur other purposes, as in other trades.
• (Ti k tvistfusaL)