The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-12 00:00:00

THE COAL TRADE.

On Thursday a very splendid entertainment was given
by Mr. Robinson, the Chairman of the port of London
and Navigation Committee, at the London Tavern, to the
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor and the members of the
Committee. A great number of guests were invited to
meet his Lordship. It was rumoured that a very exten-
sive coalowner would be present, who was represented as
having been anxious to meet the Lord Mayor face to face,
and to refute and for ever extinguish the statement made to
the public by his Lordship relative to the existence of a
combination and monopoly. Among those particularly
connected with the River was Captain Fisher, the principal
harbour-master, Mr. Saunders, the water-bailiff and de-
puty conservator of the Thames, Mr. Elmes, the port of
London manager, and other officers.
Mr. ROBINSON, in proposing the Lord Mayor's health,
expressed the gratification he felt in being honoured with
the presence of the Chief Magistrate, who was not only at
the bead of the Navigation and Port of London Commit.
tee ex officio, but who, as conservator of the river, had such
exclusive power and exercised such boundless authority by
virtue of his chartered rights. It would .give equal plea-
sure to every other gentleman present as it gave to him to
arrest the opportunity of thanking his Lordship for the very
able and energetic manner in which he aided and supported
the Committee in carrying into operation the new by-laws
so lately passed for the improvement of the navigation. The
manner in which the Lord Mayor discharged the duties of
his office generally gave great satisfaction, performed as they
unquestionably were with remarkable steadiness, impartia-
lity, and judgment ; but the zeal displayed by him in the
endeavour to break down the coal monopoly, and thereby
benefit every one of his fellow-citizens, would never be for-
gotten, whether that exertion succeeded to the height of
the general expectation or not, by the public. His Lord-
ship had commenced his Mayoralty in the most auspicious
manner by making a resolute attempt to break down a mo-
nopoly which most grievously oppressed the poor, and by
compelling oppressors of another character to adopt a
prompt, although a reluctant imitation of humanity.
The toast was given with three times three, and received
with loud cheering.
The Loan MAYOR, in returning thanks, said he feared
that his fellow-citizens were too sanguine in their expecta-
tions of the issue of his exertions. After a Committee of
the House of Commons had declared that the combination
in the coal trade could only be destroyed by a legislative
enactment—after it was admitted by that Committee that
for the purpose of preventing a body of merchants or
traders from combining together to deprive others in the
same business of the means of procuring the articles of
merchandise, or to prohibit the sale, after the purchase
was effected, under certain restrictions, it would be neces-
sary to subject them to such penalties as restrained common
operatic a It was, perhaps, too much to expect any re-
markable change—at all events such change could not be
accomplished without the energetic assistance of practical
and persevering men. He could not see why there should
be a law to curb the dangerous tendency of combinations
amongst— the poor, and no law to counteract the more
fatal consequences of combinations amongst the rich and
powerful. ---i( Cheers.) If the pitman or coal-whippers com-
bined to keep up or regulate their wages they were amen-
able to the laws ; but those who were so ready to complain
against them would commit the very offences they were
eager to punish with perfect impunity, and in the most bare-
faced manner. Although at present there was no Act of
Parliament to prevent the- combination which now so natu-
rally occupied the public attention, and he much appre
hended that no Act of the kind would pass, he believed
that the public had in their own hands the power to put a
period to its existence. His Lordship then gave The
Health of Mr. Robinson," and observed, in a very power-
ful manner, upon the advantages which the Committee, the
navigation, and the public at large derived from the four
years' service of a gentleman who was possessed of practi-
cal knowledge and experience, which gave him (awl
through him the Committee) such a superiority over in-
terested individuals, who, from tine to time, are influenced
by private motives, and not by any even mixed considera-
tion for tho public good.—(Cheers.) His Lordship con-
cluded by expressing the pleusure he felt at being able to
congratulate the Navigation Committee on the fact that
they would be able to profit by Mr. Robinson's advice and
assistance for another year.
The next toast was " The Health of Deputy Blacket,"

. .
the last chairman, who had also been extremely active.
while in office, and on retiring from the office supplied his
successor with all the valuable information of which he was

possessed.
The DEPUTY, in returning thanks, stated that he went
down the river at the beginning of the week, and was quite
satisfied at altered appearance which it presented. Al-
though he ob!.‘erved no fewer than 400 colliers, he foun,l
• that they sere all placed in such regular and excellent
order; and that the moorings were so complete, as to
give assurance of freedom from all obstruction.—(Hear.)
A great variety of toasts followed, and the company
broke up with an apparent determination not to relax in
their exertions to crush the monopoly, about which we ex-
pect to have some interesting communications to make in a
few days.

Who that gentleman was, from whom a powerful de-
fence of those who are said to constitute the combina-
tion was expected to issue, did not appear, for not one
word was uttered during the evening in favour of the high
price of coals.

lI!PRISONMENT FOR DEBT IN

FRANCE.

The subject of imprisonment for debt in its general results,
an 1 more especially as afF..!cting the interests of commerce,
has recently been attracting attention in France, where the
laws in force under that head are, as is known, much more se-
vere in their operation than the law as it lately existed
in this country. As the chief objections to any amelioration or
diminution of the rigour of the law lay with the mercantile
and upper trading classes, inquiry has been directed as to the
extent to which traders are really interested or sufferers by the
actual state of the law, whether in the character of debtors or
creditors, and the results collected, apparently with great per-
sonal industry on the part of one individual, are curious, as
tending to show that, in fact, the trading classes, as a body,
have far less to do with " gaols and sheriffs' officers" than
other portions of the community. The fact, moreover, is
worthy of notice as evidence of the commendable prudence
and good faith of French traders in general in their commer-
cial transactions. Amongst the prisoners for debt in the city
of Lyons, where traders and manufacturers exist in such num-
bers, there cculd be found fourteen silk manufacturers and
eight dyers only during a period of five years, during which
there had been two periods of panic or great suffering. In the
prison of Marseilles not one person was incarcerated connected
with the commerce or manufactures of the place, as soap-
makers, shipowners, shipbuilders, merchants, or bankers. At
St. Etienne, equally well known for its iron works and coal
mines, its manufactures of arms, silks, and silk gloves, there
were none engaged in those branches of industry to be found
in prison for debt, although cabaretiers (gin or wine-shop
keepers), limonadiers, tavern keepers, and tailors might be
seen there. At Avignon, during five years, but one person
concerned in the madder trade, there so extensively carried
on, had been imprisoned for debt. There was no greater
number from among the wines. liqueurs, vinegar, and verdigris
makers of Montpelier ; and although a large proportion of the
debtors there same from Lund, where so much wine is pro-
duced, and from Cette, where more still is fabricated, yet of
all prisons it was the one which contained the smallest propor-
tion of wine-dealers as prisoners for debt. Among the priso-
ners for debt in Paris, from 1831 to November 1833, 242 were
proprietors (of lands or houses) or rentiers, 42 half-pay officers,
11 on full pay, 76 employes or clerks in public offices, 17 phy-
sicians, 18 schoolmasters, 9 jurisconsults, 3 literary men, 27
students, and 57 workmen, none of whom, of course can be
considered as of the trading order, the number of traders in
prison being in proportion greatly less in Paris as elsewhere.
The proportion of traders among the various classes of detain-
ing creditors serves to bear out the statement that imprisonment
for debt was had generally as little or less recourse to among
commercial than other people. In Farb the number of detaining
creditors who were merchants or dealers was 51, of pro-
prietors 30, of rentiers 5, bankers 9, clothes-dealers 12, provi-
sion dealers 13, persons without trade or calling 32, and other
parties of different professions 40. At Lyons, 5 silk and vel-
vet manufacturers, 4 dealers in objects necessary for the manu-
facture, 4 dyers, and 1 banker were detaining creditors, the
rest being 32 tailors or clothes dealers, 28 bakers or flour-
dealers, grocers, confectioners, wine-shop keepers, and horse-
- dealers. At Marseilles, the only commercial' detaining credi-
tors were one soapboiler and one banker. At St. Etienne one
Iron-master and one maker of cutlery, detaining creditors. At
Montpelier, two liqueur-makers, not one wine-merchant or
manufacturer of verdigris, as detaining creditors ; and so on
was the same result of inquiries in many other places. It is
observed that generally throughout France about one-fourth
part of the insolvents are not subjected to legal process at all ;
about one-third are pursued, and in danger of being imprisoned
for non-payment, the half of whom, atter a hearing, escape
further trouble ; a very small number prosecuted for culpable
negligence or fraud, and a smaller number still actually found
guilty and punished. In Paris about one half of the failures
aro regulated by a concordat; very few are the subject of a
contrat d'union. Law proceedings are abandoned against more
than one-third. The larger portion of insolvencies are arranged
by mutual agreement, and many are not followed up. So that
it appears that, on the whole, the higher order of the trading
classes are little interested either as debtors or creditors in the
maintenance of the law of imprisonment for debt, and have
least recourse to, and suffer least by its operation. The mass
of those so interested appear to be non-traders, with a propor-
tion, besides, of the lowest sort of traders, morally and sub-
stantially.

IHE LATE CASE OF MANSLAUGHTER AT
BRENTFORD.—A Correspondent states, that Mr. Green-
shields has been admitted to bail before Lord Chief Jus-
tice Denman, himself in hoof., and two sureties in 2.50/.
each, to appear and answer the charge of having caused
the death of John Dod, by furious driving, at the next
Sessions of the Central Criminal Court.

FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.

DOWNING-STREET, Jaw. 5, 1839.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint Andrew Stuart, Esq.,
to be Solicitor-General of the Province of Lower Canada.

WAR-OFFICE, JAN. 11.

3d Regiment Dragoon Guards--Lieut.-Gen. Sir J. C. Dalbiac
to be Colonel, vice General Sir S. Hawker, deceased, Jan. 1.
6th Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Brevet Major B. P. Browne,
from the llth Light Dragoons, to be Captain, vice Jones, who ex-
changes, Jan. 11. _ _

7th Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Lieut. J. R. Heaton, from
the Ist Foot, to be Adjutant and Lieutenant, vice Johnson, who
exchanges, Jan. 11. .

llthitegiment of Light Dragoons—Captain L Jones, from the
6th Dragoon Guards, to be Captain, vice Browne, who exchanges ;
Cornet H. G. Moysey to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Ander-
son, who retires, Jan. 11 ; Lieut. J. Hussey, from the 13th Light
Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice Ready, who exchanges, Jan. 12 ;
J. Cunningham, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Moysey,
Jan. 11.

13th Regiment of Light Dragoons—Lieut. W. Ready, from the
11th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice Hussey, who ex-
changes, Jan. 12.
Ist Regiment of Foot—Lieut. and Adjutant J. Johnson, from the
ith Dragoon Guards, to be Lieutenant, vice Heaton, who exchanges,
Jan. 11.

11th Foot--Assistant-Surgeon P. Brodie, from the 13th Light
Dragoons, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Chermside, promoted in
the 23d Regiment of Foot, Jan. 11.
16th Foot—Ensign G. Stoney, from the 2d West India Regi-
ment, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Crawford, who retires,
Jan. 11.

25th Foot—Lieut. W. A. Devaynes to be Captain, by purchase,
vice Ilderton, who retires, Jan. '1 ; Lieut. S. B. Hamilton to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Willan, who retires, Jan. 12 ; Ensign
T. It. Conolly to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Devaynes,
Jan. 11; Ensign W. Peel to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice
Hamilton, Jan. 12 ; R. M. Taylor, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, vice Conolly, Jan. 11.
30th Foot—Gentleman Cadet C. H White, from the Royal
Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Ormond,
who resigns, Jan. 11.
32d Foot—F. D. Gray, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice
Cole, appointed to the 72d Regiment of Foot, Jan. 11.
35th Foot—Lieut. J. Tedlie to be Captain, without purchase,
vice Delhoste ; Ensign G. G. Baker to be Lieutenant, vice
Mille, July 23 ; Ensign F. 11. Henry to be Lieutenant, vice
Baker, whose previous promotion has not taken place, Aug. 7 ;
Ensign J. T. Oswald, from the 2d West India Regiment,
to be Ensign, vice Henry, Jan. 12 ; Staff-Assistant-Surgeon R.
Shirley, M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Barclay, promoted, Jan. 4.
36th Foot—Brevet-Major T. L'Estrange to be Major, without
purchase, vice Crosse, deceased, Nov. 14, 1838; Lieut. J. 11.
Home to be Captain, vice L'Estrange; Ensign J. Nugent to be
Lieutenant, vice Home ; Gentleman Cadet H. W. Palmer, from
the Royal Military College to be Ensign, vice Nugent, Jan. 11.
65th Foot—Staff Assistant-Surgeon G. R. Smith to be Assist-
ant-Surgeon, vice Miller, promoted in the 66th Regiment of Foot,
Jan. 11.

69th Foot—Staff Assistant-Surgeon F. O'Brien to be Surgeon.
vice Fergusson, appointed to the Staff, Jan. 11.
72d Foot--Ensign W. W. T. Cole, from the 32d Regiment of
Foot, to be Ensign, vice Lamont, who retires, Jan. 11.
75th Foot—Ensign A. T. Hetham to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Bingham, who retires ; T. B. Bicknell, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Hotharn, Jan. 11.
2d West India Regiment—J. T. Oswald, Gent., to be Ensign,
by purchase, vice Storey, promoted in the 16th Regiment of Foot,
Jan. 11.

Ceylon Rifle Regiment—. Second Lieut. B. B. Keane to be First
Lieutenant, by, purchase, vice Fenwiek, whose promotion (as stated
in the " Gazette" of 20th November last) hag not taken place ; J.
Bourne, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant, without purchase, vice
Keane, Jan. 11.

HosrrrAL STAFF.—Staff-Surgeon C. St. John, M.D., to be
Assistant-Inspector of Hospitals, with local and temporary rank at
the Mauritius, vice G. Jones, who retires upon half-pay, Jan. 4.
To be Surgeons to the Forces—Surgeon G. Barclay, M.D.,
from the 35th Regiment of Foot, vice St. John, promoted, Jan.
4 ; Surgeon A. Fergusson, M.D., from the 69th Foot, vice A.
C. Fraser, who retires upon half-pay, Jan. 11.
To be Assistant-Surgeons to the Forces—W. 0. Mackenzie,
M.D., vice Sillery, promoted in the 35th Regiment of Foot, Jan.
4; Staff-Assistant-Surgeon W. G. Byrne, from the half-pay, •ice
O'Brien, promoted in the 69th Regiment of Foot ; W. L. Lang-
ley, Gent. ; W. Robinson, Gent. ; J. G. Wood, Gent. ; J. B.

Thomson, MD. ; C. Dawson, Gent. ; J. Paynter, Gent., vice
Smith, appointed to the 63th Regiment of Foot, Jan. 11.
ME 310 RA Nn U - The exchange of Captain White, from the
half-pay Unattached, and Captain IPlnnes, of the 26th Regiment
of Foot, as stated in the " Gazette" of the 28th December, 1638,
has not taken place, Jan. 11.

Commission signed by the Lord Lieut-nant of Southampton.
North Hants Yeomanry Cavalry—Ccrriet F. Piggott to be
Lieutenant, vice W. L. Selater, resigned; D. Griffiths, Gent. to
be Cornet, vice F. Piggott, promoted, Jan. 1.

WHITEHALL, JAI. 8.
The Lord Chancellor has appointed James Wyatt, of Devonport,
in the county of Devon, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the
High Court of Chancery.