The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-23 00:00:00

SOAP.

There is no circumstance which more clearly points out
the relative condition and progress of society than the de-
sire and means possessed, at different periods, to promote
personal cleanliness. It appears, from the household hook
of the Earl of Northumberland, that in the middle of the
fourteenth century the charge for washing for the whole
establishment was not more than 4d. per week. In that
document every item of household expense is minutely re-
corded ; and it is clearly obvious, that at the period in
question that powerful and opulent feudal Baron was be-
low the level of the English cottager of the present day in
the enjoyment of the comfort arising from personal cleanli-
ness. There is, indeed, no point of view in which the pre-
sent state of society in England exhibits so decided an ad-
vantage over the past, although much remains yet to be done
in the further improvement of the habits and tastes of the
mass of the people. This is a branch of statistical inquiry
little inferior in importance to the means of reaching the
highest standard of subsistence for the mass of the people,
and on that account demands the study and attention of
the enlightened statesman. The inquiries of that class of
men have hitherto, however, been more frequently directed
to the purpose of discovering the means of raising the
largest amount of public revenue, without very nicely
weighing in the balance the relative effect produced upon
social comfort by the imposition of a tax ; and in no instance
has this been more conspicuous in this country than in the
case of the duties levied upon articles essential to promote
cleanliness. We have been naturally led into these re-
flections by the effect produced by the partial repeal of
the duties on soap. (Here follow the official returns.)
Deducting the amounts from the aggregate quantity manu-
factured, it leaves 117,907,939 for consumption in Great
Britain, or a fraction more than 7lbs. to each individual per
annum. In addition to this, there is an allowance to
be made for the quantity smuggled; which, however, there
is reason to believe, has been much diminished by the
reduction of the duty. The convictions during the year for
frauds on this department of the Revenue, amounted only
to twenty-seven, and as the fines imposed were of trifling
ainoent, the highest only reaching 30/., it is a presumptive
proof that they were deemed of little importance. As it
is notoriously known that a large allowance requires to he
inade for frauds committed under the high scale of duty, it
r..aders it almost impossible to ascertain with accuracy the
precise impetus given to production and consumption, by
the repeal of one half the tax. In the ten years, from
I Q•3O to 1830, the aggregate quantity of soap manufactured
e,hielz paid duty, varied very little from 100,000,00011 n.,
F o that there is reason to believe that the consumption,
for domestic purposes, has increased from 30 to 40 per
cent. during the last year.—Econonzist.

Bombay papers, announce the death of "Alljor.
General Sir J. W. Adams, K.C.8., on the 9th of April last

A public dinner was given at Worthing, on Wed-
nesday, to D. Salomons r 31., the Liberal candidate for
Shoreham, when a piece of plate, the gift of the ladies of
-Worthing, was presented to that gentleman.
HIGH LA ND ERS.—A second vessel, the Mid-
Loth'n e, has sailed from Skye, with emigrants for Austra-
lii. On the arrival of th2i vessel at Loch-Snizort, on the
:Atli July, to take on board the emigrants, crowds from all
districts visited the ship. Among the visitors were the
Earl of Dunmore, and his brother, an officer in the Royal
Navy, who, with the rest, expressed themselves pleased
with the arrangements provided for the accommodation of
the emigrants. The 4th, being- Sunday, an appropriate
sermon was preached on hoard by the Rev. Mr. M'lntyre,
who goes out with the ship. Oa the evening of next day
the vessel took her departure amidst the cheers of the
people, and the wild notes of the bagpipe ; the effect of the
sevue was heightened by a beautiful and mild evening. The
t,,ird vessel sails from Tobermory, in Mull, in the course of
n, at man th .—Scots nuns%

SALE OF A VS-H E.—On Tuesday, the 15th inst.,
-oil, of those illegal and dis;rtisting transactions took place
;:t Wieksworth, which are a dis:irac.e to the country, and
on,,ltt to he pr,wented. Tie wife of John Allen, of Turn-
(iiicli, eloped with J. T.:,10r, of Shottle, on the I lth of
July last. Tne iejered husliand having got information
that she was with Ta)lor, at Whalcy-bridge, went and found
them together in loigings. lie demanded :11. for her clothes.
which Tiylor said he would p:ty on eonclition that he would
aeeompany them to Wirksworth on the market-day, and
deliver her, as he called it, accordiug to law. They came
together to Wirksworth, and Aiken purchased a halter,
piaeed it round his wife, and .rave one end of the rope to
Taylor,saying, " I, John Allen, vitas bereaved of my wife
by James Taylor, of Shottle, on the 1 lth of July last ; I
have brought her here to sell for 3s. GI. ; will you buy
her, James ?" James answered " I will, here is the money,
rind you are witness, Thomas Riley," callirpl: to a petrnan
who was appointed for the purpose. The ring was deli-
vered to Allen with threw sovereigns and 3s. 6d., when be
shook hands with his wife and her paramour, wishing them
all the good luck in the world. She was married to Allen
at Kniveton, about tan years ago, and they lived together
till the time above named.—Derbyshire Courier.
THE HILLS.—A correspondent, in writing from
the hills, says, " So intense has been the heat here that
sportsmen have been afraid, on more occasions than one, to
lo .d their fowling pieces, lest the powder should ignite with-
oat the aid of flint or percussion." Now this is nearly as
good as the gentleman who wrote from America, that " the
fegs there were so intense, that when he put up his walk-
ing-stick above his head it stuck fast !" But whatever be
the true merits of these cases, one thing is certain, that the
present is the best shooting season which sportsmen have
had in Scotland for many years. Notwithstanding the bad
weather which prevailed during the spring months, and
which it was confidently believed would destroy most of the
young birds, grouse are more numerous and strong On the
wing than they have been for a long time. How to recon-
cile these facts is a puzzler.—Aberdeen Herald.
HoßsEs.—When in conversation the other evening
with a gentleman who had unsuccessfully tried for a long
series of years to effect the cure of windsuckers in one of
his horses, by a variety of ingenious contrivances, he men-
tioned, with much satisfaction, that he had at last succeeded
in his attempt. He said he had employed hard-wood man-
gers, without effect ; he next overlaid them with sheets of
iron, still without effect—it was gnaw, gnaw, gnaw—crunch,
crunch, crunch, with the usual pernicious resuilt. But one
day lately, when examining the premises of Mr. Templeton,
carpet manufacturer here, he observed a workman renew-
ing the covering on a wool-carding machine called the drum,
and this gave him a hint that proved successful. This co-
vering,
in outward texture, nearly resembles the rough wiry
face of a domestic wool-card, and it occurred to our friend
that were he to cover the usually gnawed furniture of his
stable with this article the propensity of his Rosinante to
make chips might be cured. The application was made—
the horse renewed his old practice, but great was his sur-
prise to find his lips come in contact with a whole legion of
tormentors whenever he attempted to get a bite of his
manger. His philosophy was fairly at fault—and, after
tapping his claret four or five times in succession, to his
deep chagrin, in despair he gave up the practice. This hint
may prove useful to those who possess windsuckers.—Ayr
Observer.
HULL ELECTION.—The day of actual disclosure
is of course at no great distance, and on that day we confi-
dently anticipate a display which will drive the Tories, i. e.
the Tories who care for nothing but Tory predominancy,
into a frenzy. On the fairest calculation we can make, the
actual Ministerial majority will be about forty. This,
taking into account the unprincipled efforts that have
been made for Tory ascendancy, must be demonstration
strong that Tories must relinquish all thought of again
coming into power. They have done what they could, and
they have done what they will never be able to do again.
Were a new election to take place to-morrow their losses
would be immense. Neither in Hull, Liverpool, nor in
Norwich would their success be anything like what it has
been, nor in many of the counties. The general feeling in
regard to their practices is abhorrent of them, and though
much subserviency may still remain, the manly feeling is
reviving, with a resolution, in thousands of cases, to set
at defiance all attempts to enforce submission to Tory
dictation. What has just passed may be fairly considered ,
as a trial of strength, and, if with Tory wealth and Tory
stratagem, aided by a Tory priesthood, and, comparatively
speaking, a Tory magistracy, Toryism be left in the mi-
nority now, all efforts may well be concluded to be in
vain for the future. Their Church and State and Poor-law
delusion are at an end. The least reflecting must now see
thee nothing was meant by the declamation on either of
those subjects but to impose upon credulity, and gain pri-
vate selfish ends. To the majority we have mentioned not
a doubt exists that several Reformers will be added, in
consequence of the Parliamentary investigations which will
be instituted into the legality of various returns. Mr. Hutt,
we have very little doubt, will eventually be Member for
Hull. We are not without hopes that Mr. Wood will be
his co-partner. Similar transfers of representative autho-
rity in many other places are confidently calculated on, of
svhich, perhaps, the most valuable result will be the ex- -
posure of Tory profligacy and Tory determination to get into
power, reckless of the means by which the object could be
obtained.—Hull Rochingliam.
On Sunday evening, as the Rev. William Bennett,
M.A., evening Lecturer of All Souls' Church, Langharn-
place, was discoursing to a very numerous congregation
from the parable of the Good Samaritan, he took occasion
hi the course of his remarks, to notice the duties the rich
owed to the poor, and those of the poor to the more wealthy,
when a woman meanly attired arose from the free seats in
fil,:e.„,l4):alv. e ;lisle, and vociferated—" lam not poor, Sir ;
1
~Tr 40 poor, Sir ; you are mistaken, Sir ;I am not
Xt--•-:•:liitZte,S . was immediately taken out of Church by the
e.:4..e -• • :s••-e--eme •
..ftre[ei,e, . .• . '4,4. re is every reason for believing that she was
47.e7:1i1,.;.44.4-4ht,' uence of liquor.
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