The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-29 00:00:00

THE COAL COMBIN

The following letter from Mr. Pletts, of Newcas 'e-
upon-Tyne, to the Lord Mayer, upon the subject of ?he
Coal monopoly, was received in due time by the Lord
Mayor, but was not answered, for the reason stated in the
letter directed by his Lordship to be written, until Tuesday

ast :

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, June 15, 18;9.
My Lord,—Having been intimately connected with
-be coal trade in all its branches, both as colliery agent,
fitter, ship owner, ship and insurance broker, &c., for
upwards of forty years, I may, perhaps, without any great
presumption on my part, be allowed to offer an opinion on
the coal trade generally.
I have always been opposed to the system of combina-
tion, and have made some fruitless efforts to convince the
parties of the evil tendency of its adoption, even to them-'
selves. The effect of high prices always producing com-
petition, in the end prejudicial to their own interests, as
well as to the public, of which your Lordship is well con-
vinced, as I am, or any of your Lordship's numerous and
intelligent correspondents.
A deputation from the inland counties, I perceive,
waited upon your Lordship a few days ago, and offered
coals at from ss. to 103. per ton, below the prices of those
received from Newcastle, which they said would give equal
satisfaction to the consumers. On this subject, I beg to
differ from those gentlemen, both as to price and quality.
In the first place, they have no coal (or, at least, they have
never produced any in the London market, in my recollec-
tion) of equal quality with the best Newcastle and Sunder-
land coals; and, in the next place, I doubt that they have
them of any quality, equal to those from hence or Sunder-
land, at the same price, provided the trade was freed from
the combination restrictions. And, with due deference to
your Lordship, I beg leave, most respectfully, to submit to
your Lordship's inspection a hasty calculation on the
subject.
I will take the highest cost price and lowest of the New-
castle coals, say 10s. 9d. and 6s. 3d. per ton ; the differ-
ence is 4s. 6d. per ton, so that a ton of best coals at
103. 9d., with the Custom-house charges of clearing, in-
cluding insurance on the cargo, say sd. per ton, make the
price on board at Shields 1 Is. 2d. The freight (with
despatch) say 7s. 6d. ; municipal charges in London,
Is. 2,W., with the charge for delivery, admitted may be
done for 65., will make the price of the best Newcastle
coals to the consumer 255. io/d. per ton. The inferior,
according to the price at Newcastle, I will also take the
lowest priced, say at 6s. 3d., with the other charges
upon it (for the charges will be the same whatever the
price here may be) will amount to 21s. 41d. per ton,
which I submit is equal in quality to any of the coals re-
commended to your Lordship's notice by the late deputa-
tion of the inland coal proprietors of Staffordshire, &c.
I also much doubt their ability to deliver them to the
consumers at the above price, but these are only my own
opinions, having no knowledge of the capabilities or the fa-
cilities of those gentlemen supplying London with coals,
taking into consideration the uncertainty of inland naviga-
tion in winter.

I have only further to add, my Lord, that the supply of
London with cheap and good coal, let them come from
where they may, is a consideration of the greatest import-
ance to that immense family, and that your Lordship's
unceasing exertions are the best calculated to bring about so
long wished for an object of human happiness and comfort,
and that they may be carried out to the fullest extent
is my fervent wish ; but my bumble opinion is, that
nothing short of compulsion will over drive the coalownors
here from their purpose ; they have enjoyed, are now
enjoying, a monopoly inconsistent with justice and common
sense. Why not immediately apply, since they have re-
fused to ship or sell coals unless they are placed under
their laws and ordonnances, fur the in-mediate repeal of the
Act prohibiting the inland coal being brought within a cer-
tain distance of London ? Can any rational reason be given
why the inhabitants of London should be taxed to the
amount of 700,0001. or 800,0001. a yenr to feed the lordly
coal owners in the North, and their hungry adherents in
London ? We know that a cry has been set up that the
nursery for seamen would be destroyed, Sze. If inquiry
was made, I believe not one-tenth of the men in that ser-
vice will be found to have been brought up in the coal
trade, and in the present state of it, under this regulation,
what kind of seamen can they make ? A ship now makes
eight voyages in the year, instead of from twelve to fif-
teen ; she is a week on each passage, that is sixteen weeks
in the year to make a sailor, the rest of his time he is in
idleness on board of ship or on shore ; can any argument
he grounded as regards the interest of the navy on such
flimsy pretences as these? You must go to work, my Lord,
in earnest, and clear away all the obstacles to a free and
unrestricted trade in coals, reserving to yourselves your
municipal rights, and if I can in any way be useful to, or
accelerate your wishes in this quarter, it will afford me
great pleasure.
I remain, my Lord, your Lordship's very obedient ser-
vant, EDW. PLETTS.