The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-27 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN,

SIR, —About three years ago you did me the honour
to insert in your journal a letter I wrote you, exposing
the fallacious theory expounded by Professor Muspratt
(a gentleman, I believe, employed by the Government to
find out the " mare's nest" connected with the tobacco
trade), and I believe the result was, that that gentleman
never afterwards inserted another letter in your journal
upon the subject. This induces me to believe that I related
indisputable facts then, and I now venture to supply you
with a few more equally as certain.
It is with much pleasure I see the question of the pro-
posed alteration in the tea and tobacco trade taken up
by the public, and the fillacy of such alterations exposed.
I know not how many tobacco licences are granted by
the Excise throughout the United Kingdom, but this I
do predict, that, so far as regards tobacco licences, if the
alterations proposed are carried into effect, next licensing
day will not be a very busy one for the clerks, as the
tobacco licences are sure not to be much in demand ; so
far am I convinced of this, that I venture to assert that
the demand will at once be decreased at least two-thirds,
if not four-fifths. For instance, go into any town in Eng-
land, take an account of the number of tobacco licences
that are being traded under, and I venture to assert that
(if all the parties now having licences to sell tobacco
were compelled to renew such licenses upon the proposed
principle of alteration) all the profit procurable upon the
article would go for licences, and more too. There is
not an article consumed in this country which the sale
of is more divided than tobacco. In many instances one
man living in a house of 101. or 121. per annum, sells
more tobacco than 10 or 20 of his neighbours whose rentals
vary from 501. to 300/., yet tobacco (in one shape or other) is
equally an article compatible with their trade as with his.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer certainly could not
have inquired into this fact, that tobacco, either cut,
ground, or in the shape of cigars, is more or less sold by
all and every class of tradesmen ; as a proof of which,
I am myself a wholesale dealer in the article, I turn
over many thousands in the course of the year, and I
have nearly 2,000 accounts open in my books. Amongst
these customers, I believe, I could supply myself with
almost every article consumed or required for any pur-
pose from a quartern leaf down to a farthing lollypop ;
up again from a Whitechapel needle to a five hundred
guinea carriage, or a splendid hunter ; in fact, all classes,
even private gentlemen, deal in cigars. This being the
case, take the average returns of each party, and I do
not believe it would amount to el. per annum, most
certainly not to 121. per annum each. Hundreds of
these parties are occupying hotels, at rentals vary-
ing from 50/. to 3001. per annum and upwards.
I know many of this class who have been wavering for
years whether they should keep cigars or not, but they
have been compelled to keep them for the sake of accom-
modating their customers.
I forward you my name and address, and if the Hon-
ourable Chancellor of the Exchequer requires proof of
my assertions, I shall be happy to afford him such, for
which purpose you are at liberty to give him my name.—
I remain, Sir, yours obediently, B. C. J.

NOVA SCOTIA MINING COMPANY.—The announcement
of the result of the exploration by Messrs. Petherick and
Hitchens of the lands at Indian Point, conditionally
leased by the Nova Scotia Mining Company, has attracted
a degree of attention which will perhaps cause it to ope-
rate as a warning in mining matters against trusting nny
statement whatever that has not been verified by disin-
terested parties. It appeared in the prospectus that the
reliance of the directors was chiefly placed in a report of
Mr. Adam Murray, who estimated the amount of copper
at the spot to be equal in probable worth to about
9,000,0001. sterling, after deducting all smelting and
other charges, while the true state of the affair, accord-
ing to Messrs. Petherick and Hitchens, is, that such
copper as exists there has no commercial value.
FOREIGN EXCHANGES.—In the foreign exchanges the
rate upon Amsterdam was a shade lower. With regard
to Paris and Hamburgh, the quotations were about the
same as last post. •Bills on Leghorn were again in de-
mand, and obtained better prices,