The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-02 00:00:00

THE COAL MONOPOLY.

A powerful ally has started forward to aid in crashing this
gigantic monopoly. The Monthly Chronfck, which has just
appeared, grapples with the evil in all its parts, and establishes
a ease from the evidence taken by the Coal Ct,mmittee «hick is
perfectly unanswerable. The suhject is opened by an eloquent
and poetic statement of the evils arising from the system in
which the " black diamonds" are made to sparkle by the touch
of a novelist, who can display " art in truth" as moll as " art
in fiction." The genius of Buliver and the science of Lard-
ner can find pearls even in coal-pits, as the following extract
will show :

" A few weeks ago, strange sights presented themselves to the people
of London. Nature had bound in thick ribbed ice' the land as id the
water ; for many days the cold was almost without parallel : Glow who
till the earth or plough the sea, were alike idle and destitute; the
Journals teemed with accounts of pining and shivering mortals hay. ng
been frozen to death; the Refuge for the House3ess was nigh tly crammeA I
by males and females, old and young, seeking shelter and warinth ; the
free hospitals were tilled with wretched beings, whose diseases, if not
occasioned, were aggravated, by the intensity of the cold. Meanwhile,
in another quarter were to be seen vessels laden with coals, in immi.
rent danger of sinking: to lighten these vessels would be their salva-
tion—to distribute their cargoes among the poor would be to give
warmth to many a benumbed limb, and vigour to many an eelfeebled
frame ; but no—the vessel may sink, the poor may starve, but nest one
coal must be removed save under a written and formal protest, and
ttien only a part, just sufficient to prevent the vessel immediately going
down : should danger again arise another protest must be made before•
another coal can be touched, and if these protests be not rendered in
time, perish vessel, perish poor, to keep intact every scale of the hideous
monster."

" The cold has gone—the ice dissolved—the waters liberated—vessels
freighted with the products of the earth come careering over the waves,
bringing the luxuries of other lands for our rich, to take back the manu-
factured goods of our artisans : they are impeded in their progress—the
merchant cannot unload, the manufacturer cannot load ;—a fleet of small
vessels, with listless crews hanging their heads and their arms in con-
strained idleness, block up the passage. What prevents that fleet of
small vessels from getting out'of the path ? What occasions those crews
to remain inactive, or, if active at all, active in evil ? Is it the tide ?
No. Or the wind ? No. It is the monster COMBINATION

" Turn your eyes to another scene—a scene occasioned by the spawn
of this monster. Behold yon " gang" of miserable seen, sitting discon-
solate in filthy tap-rooms, with blood-shot eyes and trembling hands,
imbibing ardent spirits, or a mixture of deleterious and narcotic ingre-
dients called " beer," which they neither relish nor require—see, they
are chained to their places, and, though revelling in the unwilling in-
toxication, they are not rejoicing—no drink makes their hearts glad;
while the imp the shape of a publican is scoring down to them not
only that which he forces them to take, but also the mixtures which he
obsequiously presents to another being of a higher grade, who ►hame-
lessly takes it at their expense. See them unchained and permitted to
go to their families in yonder hovels—behold their children naked, and
crying for bread—behold their wives woe-begone and haggard, asking
how much of their wages they have been permitted to bring home--and
ir ark the wretcl e i pittance they take from their pockets.
Now, let us travel from these scenes of ♦ice and misery, and enter into
that august forum, the assembled senate of this great people. Mark
how they are gravely and solemnly passing a law, empowering the civic
magistrates to take steps to cruse the monster—to save their poor from
perishing by its frightful talons—to prevent the crews of those small
vessels from remainieg inactive—to open the path for those noble vessels
to come to their desired docks and wharfs. " say you, " the fate
f .he' Monster' is sealed, it must now perish." Alas: you are mis.
taken ; the monster laughs that senate to scorn.
Enter into that splendid hall, where the deeds of patriots and
phil ntropLts glow, and their portraits breathe on the canvas sus-
pended from the walls. Mark yon dignita ies in gold chains and
furrowed gowns, sitting in conclave: they are conservators of
that noble river they have been severally elected amid the
shouts and acclamations of the poor you erst saw perishing with
cold, and frozen to death. It is their province especially to watch
over, and promote the good of the citizens for whom they act in
trust. They have to repress vice, to discourage drunkenness, to re-
fuse licences to improper applicants—they are the parties to whom
that senate gave the charge and the power to make regulations for
the banishment of the "monster" fro:n their precincts. Will they
do so ?—Mark ! An individual rushes in to detail the winding ty-
ranny and compelled drunkenness already described; he narrates the
miseries of the wives and children whom he had just visited ; he tells
of the assaults committed upon himself, for essaying the deliverance
of both parents and children from the system and its horrors. They
look coldly upon him, and move not. Again he comes—and again—
and again—and again ; wearied with his importunity, they acknow.
ledge the system to be very wicked, and still move not. Successive
lords of the City confess the evil, and refuse the remedy.
They are in consultation. Is it to clear the river, of which they
are the Conservators? Is it to give fuel, if they cannot give food, to
the starving poor of whom they are the protectors ? Is it to carry into
execution the powers delegated to them by the Senate ? Not so ; they
arc talking of boundary-stone.;, and Railway Bills—how the Charter
that gave them rights by water, could be so enlarged as to give them
powers by land. Instead of crushing, they are in league with the mon.
ster. They draw a charmed circle fifteen miles round that great city,
within which no coal shall come, without paying them a tax.
Listen to the instructions they are giving to their professional
tools. " Go," say they, "to yonder Railway Company, and to yonder
Canal Company, whom you will find at the doors of the senate-house—
whisper in their ears to insert clauses in their Bills, giving us rights of
toll which we lave not in our Charter; if they refuse, tell them of our
power in that Senate ; we can oppose—we can remand—we can destroy
—let them beware." The men of law consult ; the clause; are in-
serted—the public are taxed, and the Monster COMBINATION shakes his
sides with fiendish glee.
Behold yon vessel in the North! She has no yellow flag—the has no
black flag, and yet all men shun heel See how shesails from port to port,
asking for something which all refuse. Goods are for sale, and there is
gold for the goods, but no man will take it. Why ? It has the plague
spot of her trade marked upon it—it has broken through the " regula-
tions"--it has defied the MONsTEß—hence it is an interdicted, a pro.
scribed, a condemned thing!

Is all this true, or is it all a flight of fancy ? Let us in sober earnest-
ness make the inquiry.
Since the above was written, we have received some very valuable
information from the north. The surprise we have expressed at the
conduct of the largest coal-owners is justified by the fact that some of
them, who possess the best coals, and are parties to the "Vend," have
opposed by their votes the " Regulation," cr " Turn," system of the
factors and shippers in the south, who chiefly profit by it. The interests
of the owners of inferior coal, and their numbers, always left the more
enlightened proprietors in a minority; hence the continuance of the
system till this hour. The coal merchants in London, also, readse an
enormous profit by mixing inferior coals with the best, and laying upon
the whole ten shillings per ton beyond what has been paid fur them.
During the late frost, profits, in some cases were more than a pound
per ton.

In reference to the table furnished by Mr. Clarke, the faetcr, we
would further observe, that the greater part of these vessels do not bring
the best coal, for which them is the greatest demand, but inferior sorts,
which the public do not like, and will not buy—,:f they know it ;
nevertheless, these vessels are allowed to take their places, day by day,
as part of those permitted to be off,:red for sale, till they are sold.
Not a single vessel with good coal can enter, unless in turn, after the bad
is disposed of.
A note is appended to the article, which contains some in-
teresting facts.

RATING OF THE LONDON AND BIR-
MINGHAM RAILWAY and other CONIPIINIES.

On Saturday there was a vestry meeting in the parish of St. Pa.7cras,
when the attendance of members was more than usually numerous, in
consequence of several notices being in the paper, which were of consi-
derable public importance, especially one as to the rating of the London
and Birmingham Railway Company, which now possesses so much pro.
perty in the parish, and the several gas and water companies, &c.
Mr. M`GaliEv, the Vestry Clerk, said that the rate-book had been
made out under the new Assessment Act, and it having been thought
the rate should be ten per cent. uuder the rental, in order to meet the
intentions, the assessment had been so ma :7e accordingly.
The rate-books, assessing a rate of 10d. in the pound, were then signed.
Mr. M`Gairer then read the Report of the Committee appointed
some time since to make an assessment of the property belonging to
the London and Birmingham Railway, which has lately so much in-
creased in the parish, and the Gas and Water Companies having pipes
which are now liable to be rated. The Report stated that communica-
tions had been made to the different Companies for an account of the
qaantity of pipe they had severally laid down in the parish, but answers
had only been recvived from two of them, the Imperial Gas Company
and the West Middlesex Waterworks Company (as was understood.,
They had, therefore, arrived at the equitable rating, as well as they
were able, and assessed the Companies as follow:—The Imperial Gas.
right and Coke Company, 51,409 yards of pipe, and 6a. 3r. of land of the
estimated value of 26,3541., and estimated rental 01 1,644/. ; the rate.
able value, 1,4221. The London Gas Company, 51,409 yards of pipe;
6a. 3r. of land of the value of 26,3541.; estimated rental, 1,644/. ;
rateable value, 1,422/. New River Company, 32,356 yards of pipe;
land 4a. 2r. 20p. ; value, 21,9891,; estimated rental, 1,3651.; rate-
able value, 1,887/. The West Middlesex Water.works Company—
Pipe, 37,000 yards; land, sa. 1. 7p. ; value, 25,146/. ; estimated
rental, 1,560/. ; rateable value, 1,4091. The Hampstead Water.
works Company--Pipe, 20,032 yards; land, 2a. 3r. 18p. ; value,
13,613/. ; estimated rental, 8451. ; rateable value, 7631. The Re.
gent's Canal Company.—lt appeared that the looks and bridges built by
this Company had been omitted in the assessment, and the Committee
settled the amount at 6001. The Report then went on to state that the
Committee had devoted the most anxious attention to the immense pro.
pert), belonging to the London and Birmingham Railway Company, and
that with their own surveyor they had met Mr. Nicholson as the agent
of the Company, and after the most mature deliberation, they had va-
lued the line of railro:id, buildings, steam-engines, tunnels, &c.,
longing to the Company in the parish of St. Pancras, at the sum of
200,0001.. of which the estimated rental was 12,0001., and the rateable
value 10,8001. The Company had also about thirty acres of land which
was estimated at 50/. per acre, and would make the gro's rateable value
12,300/. The Report was agreed to.

AUSTRIAN PASSION FOR WALTZING.—A lady
of our party, to whom I made some remark on the passion for
dancing, which appeared so universally io pervade all ranks,
replied to it by saying that it was quite impossible 1 coul i as
yet be aware how strong and how universal it really was. In
proof of this she told me that such single women as were no
longer young (a class often found among domestic servants),
unable to renounce this dear delight, and knowing, poor souls
that it was no longer likely they should be selected as part-
ners, constantly, and without the least scruple in avowing it,
purchased a waltzing companion before going to the halls, his
price depending partly on his dress, and partly on his skill in
the exercise. A supper on these occasions was always part of
the fee given ; which altlgether, entrance included, often
amounts to four or five florins. She mentioned a mid ile-aged
cook, either in her own family or that of a friend, who pleaded
the amount of this necessary expense as a reason why high
wages were indispensable.—Mrs. Trollope's Vienna and the
Austrians.

DAVIS' STRAITS AND GREENLAND WHALE
FISIIERY.—The following statement of the number of vessels
engaged in the whale fishing in 1838, as compared with that of
1832, will exhibit in a striking light the great declension in
the trade :—ln 1832, from Hull, Peterhead, Dundee, and
other places, 81. In 1838, from Hull, Peterhead, Dundee,
and other places, 32. This is a very rapid decrease—the
number of ships is now so much reduced, that if every one
comes home full, they cannot bring one-third of the import of
1823, when the average price of bone was 1871. 103. per ton,
The week before last 300/. per ton was paid for old bone. In
1818, Hull alone sent out 65 vessels to Greenland and Davis'
Straits ; in the present year that port can only muster 4. We
should not be surprised to see in a few year 3 this trade altoge.
thcr almndoned, unless this year is more successful.—Liver.
ness Paper.
SEA-GOING.—He that cannot eat anything, dressed
in any way, at any time, out of any thing, and this under the
sight of any dirt, the effect of any smell, the sound of any dis.
cord, and the feeling of any motion, should not go to sea.