The National Register.
London, England, 1819-04-12 00:00:00

COAL TAX.

[Extract from the Life of the Bishop ofLlintlaff.]
It has often been the subject of my considera-
tion, ' the taking off the Tate on Coals carried
toistwise, and used in burning lime.' I do not know
the exact amount of the tax ; but I do know it is a
great obstruction to the agriculture of the country.
Lime is a useful manure for many lands, but espe-
cially for waste lands, which are covered with heath,
furze, briars, &c. If laid in proper quantities on
such lands it changes them without further trouble
'or expellee into valuable pastures, and if the im-
provement is carried further these pastures become
good amble land.
' " On account of the dearness of coal, many mil-
lions of tons of limestone remain unburnt, which, if
converted into lime, would be spread with the most
beneficial effects both on productive and unproduct-
ive lands. Now if the duty should be taken off
coals used in burning lime, much more lime would
be burnt than at present, and in less than 50 years
millirms of acres would be brought into cultivation,
which must without lime remain in the unproduct-
ive state they have hitherto been ; to say nothing
of the increase of revenue from the increase of bar-
ley, employment of the poor, &e."

- - -
CHIMNEY SWEEPUtII.-.-The following is an Ab-
stract of the Bill now be tore the House of Corn.
mons :—The first clauses relate to the form of the
Indentures of Chimney Sweepers.—lndentures to
be void, and penalties imposed on persons keeping
apprentices under a certain age.—Penalty for em-
ploying climbing boys who are not apprenticed, ex-
cept on trial for only with the consent of
Justices.—Penalty for employing females in climb.
ing flues —Penalty for putting or taking boys un-
der years of age as apprentice, or otherwise pur-
ehasine or selling their service.—Boys not to 1•c let
out to hire, nor call in the streets.— Boys not to ex-
ercise their business of climbing before or after cer-
tain hours.—Flues hereafter to be built, to be con-
structed so as not to require eoreing ; and to admit
of being swept by machinery.—Requiring any
child, apprentice, or person to ascend a flue, for the
purpose of extinguishing fire, constituted a misde-
meanour.

CAUTION TO CLERGYMEN AND PARISH O►/t-
CLRs.—On Saturday last, a warrant was isried by
Mr. Shelbeare, Coroner, to the Minister and Parish
Officers of' Great Worldham, Hants, directing them
to take up the body of a man named Francis Ste-
phens, who died on Wednesday, from drinking
nearly a gallon of beer in about a quarter of an
hour, on the prece3ing Sunday. The Jury return-
ed a verdict—Died from excessive Drinking. The
Coroner stated, that. Clergymen, as well as parishes,
were liable to presentment and fine, and also to in-
dictment, for suffering a body to be buried without
sending for him, where the death was sudden, or
had been occasioned by violence ; and from its hav-
ing been repeatedly done, he expressed his determi.
nation to indict the first Parish Officers who should
hereafter render themselves liable.
SURREY Asstres.—The Assizes for this county
terminated on t% ednesday evening. Lleven prisen-
ers received sentence of death, eight of whom were
reprieved before the Judges left the town, and three
are left for execution, namely, Wils n, Burnett, and
Curtis. These men hase been convicted ofrobberies,
under circumstances of peculiar atrocity, and formed
part of the " Borough gang," that have so long been
a terror to the counts. The whole of the ceavicts
frnm Kingston arrived on Thursday night' at the
prim in liorseraonger-lane.