The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-05 00:00:00

THE COAL TRADE.

A scene which occasioned some surprise took place yester-
day, at the Justice-room, Mansion-house, on the subject of the
coal-trade combination.

The captain of a collier applied to the Lord Mayor for an
order upon Capt. Couscns, the harbour-master, to permit him
to move his vessel, which had arrived at Gravesend on the Ist
of January, to the upper part of the pool, in consequence of
some injury which she had sustained, and which, he said, made

it necessary that she should be unloaded and repaired as soon
as possible.

A gentleman, who stated himself to be a shipowner (but
who afterwards turned out to be one of the parties employed by
the combinators) not the owner of the ship which the captain
commanded, urged the necessity of the case, and expressed a
hope that his Lordship would supply the applicant with the
order at once, for the prevention of unnecessary and heavy
expense.

The Lotto MAYOR—It must be known to you both, that if
the cargo is sold, or the ship is to go into dock, the harbour.
master will instanter give the order to proceed up the River.
But the regulations must not be broken.
The shipowner, who took a very prominent part in the con.
versation, represented that the ship's cargo would certainly be
sold that day, and that it was quite impossible to keep her in
her present situation without extra hands.
The LORD MA YOR—To whom is the cargo assigned ? The
Captain—To MesQrs. Miller and Potter, the factors.
The LORD MAYOR—Are they the owners of the vessel ?
The Captain—No, they are merely the consignees of the
cargo. The coalowners are the owners of the vessel.
The LORD MAYOR—The coalowners in the north ? The
Captain--Yes.

The LORD MAYOR—I think it necessary to be very parti-
cular in my inquiries, as several persons who said they were
captains of ships, and who I have no doubt came to me primed
and loaded from the combination, have endeavoured to de-
ceive me. One of these persons called here the other day
and represented to me that his ship was leaky, and stated that
Sir James Duke and Co. were the consignees. Sir James,
upon seeing the statement in the newspapers, called upon
me, and declared that he never had heard a word about the
leakiness of any vessel consigned to his house, and wished to
be informed of the names of the captain and the ship, and I
wrote to Capt. Cousens, the harbour-master, to send to me
the particulars, which, however, he could not furnish. Your
business is as simple as possible, and that you know. Either
let the cargo he sold immediately, or go into dock. You will
then move up without impediment.
Shipowner—The cargo can't be sold till the factor sells it,
and that will be done this day.
The Loan MAYOR-06, that's your opinion, is it? Now, I
happen to know that the factors do all they possibly can to
threw impediments in the way of rapid sale.
Shipowner—The fact is we do not wish to keep back the
ships at all. It is quite otherwise, my Lord.
The LORD MAYOR—lndeed I Then you know something
about the coal trade, I dare say ?
Shipowner—l do, my Lord, know a great deal about it. I
am a shipowner myself, and am well acquainted with the
business.
The LORD A/Taloa—And don't you know that but for the
factors you could make more voyages than you do?
Shipowner—l don't know anything of the kind. Your
Lordship is quite deceived on that subject. The fact is, more
coal cannot be sold ; the trade is everdone ;
and if any vessels
intend to make more voyages than they do, several must give
up the trade altogether. The coal merchants cannot sell more.
The Loan Mayon—What I not if they %tere considerably
lower in price?

ShipoWner—The price is but a fair remunerating price.
The LORD NlATon—lf the price of coals be 345., the poor
must pay in the miserable quantities they purchase a still more
enormous price ; and do you tell me thlt those who find such
difficulty in paying for the article would not burn twice as
much if it were at the price at which we all know it ought to
be sold ?

Shipowner—We cannot afford to bring coals here at less
than 7s. per ton.
The LORD MAYOR—.WeII, what do you pay for them at the
pit's mouth ?
Shipowner—Twelve shillings a ton.
The LORD MA', OR—Very well, there are 193. of the
money. How do you get them up to 345. a ton ?
Shipowner—Then the coal merchants are obliged to pay
certain charges, and to derive a profit themselves.
The LORD MAYOR— Do you not know that 3s. or 4s. more
than ought to be paid are paid at the pit's mouth, in conse-
quence of the arrangements made in London?
Shipowner—No, I know nothing of the kind.—(Laughter. )

The LORD MAYOR (to the Captain)—Captain, dare you to
eno9 nut or ..r vir
.fitra.)
captain-I,w, my Lord._

Shipowner—The Captain is under a contract. A certain
number of days are allowed to the factors to give them an op-
portunity to sell, and the invoice price must be paid. Business
cannot be done except in this way.
The LORD MA YOR.—d think I shall cause it to be done in
quite a different manner. I know from the most authentic in-
formation that we ought to have coals six shillings a ton
cheaper than the price at which they are now sold, and I am
convinced that the high price arises from the combination and
the turn regulations, which I consider it to be my duty to use
all my exertions to destroy. No doubt there have been car-
goes of rubbish sent up to fill up the places and prevent ships
with good coals from coming to unload to the public, but I
trust that the vessels, instead of discharging 49 tons will very
soon discharge 56 tons a day each ; so that the succession shall
be quick, and there shall be no excuse for delay. Pray, what
is your name, Sir.
Shipowner—l decline giving my name, my Lord.—
( Laugh ter. )

The LORI:, MAYOR—After having held a conversation with
you, I confider myself entitled to be made acquainted with
3 our name.
__ _

Shipowner—No, my Lord, I certainly shall not give it.
The LORD MAYOR—Very well. The Captain cannot be
surprised at my refusal to give him an order after an intro-
duction by such a person as you. The public will, I dare say,
appreciate your motives, and I assure you that whatever may
be your name, you have done no service to the cause of those
who sent you here.

The siripowner and the Captain then left the justice-room.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

IMPORTANT TO THE EXPORTERS OF CATTLE FROM SCOT-
LAND.—On Thursday Deputy Hicks, accompanied by Mr.
Duckworth, waited upon the LORD MAYOR, and complained
that some live pigs, which had been consigned to Mr. Duck-
worth from the northern part of Scotland, by the ship Earl
Grey, fur sale at Newgate-market, had not come to hand.
The Deputy stated, that having been applied to by Mr.
Duckworth, he had advised that the complaint should be made
before his Lordship, and that he attended as Chairman of the
Markets Committee, to which the management and controul
of the Ci,y markets were entrusted, and which anxiously de-
sired that the greatest public benefit should be rendered, by
securing on the one hand the largest supplies, and, on the
other, by upholding and protecting the interests of those
markets, and increasing their convenience and accommodation.
Parties residing, as was the case in the present instance, from
500 to 700 miles from London, in consigning their property
for sale to the public markets of the City, relied upon re-
ceiving its marketable value from the continual competition
therein. In this case ten pigs had been shipped by
Mr. George Ferguson, of Cromartv, consiened to Mr.
Duckworth, by the Earl Grey. Mr. Duckworth had received
advice by post to that effect last week. On Monday the vessel
arrived at Downes's wharf, and Mr. Duckworth having sent
his servant the same afternoon with an order to receive the
pigs, he was told by the mate that there were none for him,
and that he (the mate) had signed a receipt to Mr. Ferguson
for the delivery of the pigs to a Mr. Ratcliffe. Upon the
servant mentioning that his master had received a letter ad-
vising about the pigs, he was told to produce it, and when on
the following morning, about eight o'clock, he did produce the
communication, he was told that he was too late, and that a
Mr. Orton had got the pigs and sold them. He then went to
Mr. Orton's yard, and was informed there that they were all
sold and gone except one, which was hanging up in the yard.
This was a part of a system which had been carried on for se-
veral years past, and which had given much dissatisfaction in
Scotland, for the very essence of a free and open market would
be destroyed, and the bendt of that competition which in-
sured the full marketable value of goods to their owners
would be suspended, if parties by tampAing with captains and
mates of vessels were to obtain possession of stock consigned
to the public markets for sale ; established regulations in
London, rendered it incumbent on persons entrusted with
the sale of live stock, to bring them to public market, and au-
thoria Al them to expend money in punishing parties who of-
fended against such regulations. The present matter was
brought before his Lordship, as clerk of the public markets of
the City by charter, it being another of those cases, now so
frequent, of setting up the business of public markets against
the rights and privileges of the City.
Yesterday the Deputy again waited upon his Lordship, and
stated that at present bis Lordship's further interference would
not be required for the reported intention of complaining,
having, he supposed, by some means reached the parties im-
plicated, when Mr. Duckworth went to the wharf afterwards
to make inquiry respecting the ship's manifest, to his great
surprise and satisfaction the pigs, which were represented on
Tuesday morning as having been sold and gone, were all again
brought back to Orton's yard, and from thence safely driven
to that of the regular legitimate consignee.
The LORD MAYOR expressed his surprise at the transaction,
and said he thought the parties had acted wisely in "not
driving the pigs to the wrong market" at last.

MARLBOROUGU-STREET.
John Paterson was brought before Mr. CONANT, charged
with having assaulted his father-in. law, Mr. Kennedy, of
Windmill-street.

The complainant said the defendant was unfortunately mar-
ried to phis daughter. After receiving his daughter's pro-
perty, the defendant made .away with it, and ultimately sold
everything in the way of household chattels which he possessed.
In addition to this proceeding the defendant made use of per-
sonal violence to his wife, who in conseqncnee was obliged to
leave him and take refuge with complainant. The defendant
on Thursday afternoon came to complainant's house, and de-
manded his wife. Ultimately he struck complainant, and he
was given into the custody of a policeman.
Mr. CONANT inquired into the circumstances and occupa-
tion of the defendant? Complainant—He is clerk to his fa-
ther, a tailor, in Cornhill, who allows him a salary of 603. a
week.

Defendant (stamping furiously)-_A tailor's clerk I I deny
it. I'm a solicitor, and a respectable solicitor.
The latest Law List was referred to, but the name of Mr.
John Paterson was absent.

Defendant—l own lam not on the rolls yet. But as I prac-
tice in the law I have a right to consider myself a solicitor.
Mr. Co ANT asked the defendant if he meant to deny that
he acted in the capacity of clerk to his father? Defendant—
I do employ my leisure time in keeping my father's accounts,
hut I don't receive a salary of 50s. a week. I only have a
gratuity of 40s, a week.

- The Bench fi led the defendant 51., which was paid in the
course of the day.

HA? TON-GARDEN.

Yesterday Stephenson, a journeyman tailor, was brought up
by the parish officers of St. Pancras, charged by his wife, a
young woman, with a baby three weeks old in her arms, with
having deserted her, and leaving her chargeable to the parish.
She stated that the prisoner had deserted her three weeks,
and she was obliged to apply to the parish for relief.
Mr. BENETT (to the priaoner)—What have you to say?
Prisoner—That I have great reason to suspect her fidelity.
Mr. BENETT eventually ordered him to pay ss. a•week, or
be committed to prison, and he agreed to pay that sum.
Isabella Boddinyton, aged IS, was placed at the bar,
charged by Mr. Allen, solicitor, of Beford.row, in whose fa-
mily she had lived as under nurse, with having stolen a gnarl-
thy of jewellery and other property.
She was remanded.
Mackey and Hawley, two notorious pickpockets, were
brought up in the custody of King, 22 N division, charged
with lurking about Islington, for the purpose of committing
felony.
The prisoners were remanded.

Yesterday morning Inspector Penny, of the G division, ob-
served a notorious thief, in Turnmill-street, Clerkenwell, car-
rying a portion of a mahogany frame for a loooking-glass, and
having no doubt but it had been stolen, ho questioned him as
to his possession of it, when he replied that he bJught it with
other old furniture. Ho was remanded.