The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-17 00:00:00

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE .3.111,.
SIR,—Slaving in my posse.sion same manuscript hills
and receipts bearing date April 4, 1749, I was led to
contrast them with the price of similar articles at the
present time, April, 1849, as near as I could arrive at
the same, and believing they might be acceptable to many
of your numerous readers, I herewith place them at
your disposal.

COMPARISON BICTWEEN 1749 AND 1849.
X. s. d.
150 0 8
00
17 0 0 3 6
0 7 6 0 2 0
011 0 0 6
. 00 6 00 3
012 0 0 6 0
012 0 0 6
O 17 6 0 5 6
0 5 7
O 3 6
0 5 0
• 0 13 6
•0 1 4
... 0 3 6
▪0 9 0
... 0 3 6
••• 217 0
... 1 0 0
... 018 0
... 0 8 8
... 0 4 4

Gunpowder tea, per lb.*
Bohea tea, per lb.
Coffee, per 1b....
Loaf sugar, per lb. ...
Rice, per lb. ...
Lucca oil, per gallon ...
Raw cotton, per lb. ... •-•
Silk stockings (men's), per pair ...
Worsted stockings, per pair ..
Cotton stockings, per pair •••
Silk gloves, per pair ... •••
Silk, per yard... .--
Dowlas, per yard ••. •-•
Holland, per yard •..
Fine holland shirting, per yard
Cambric (English), per yard
Muslin, per piece ..•
Diaper, per piece
Brocade satin, per yard
Flowered damask, per yard ...
Plain damask, per yard

O 1 6
0 2 6
O 3 6
O 0 4
0 0 9
O 2 6
0 1 6
0 16 0
O 4 6
O 8 0
O 1 6
O 0 9
O 0 10
O 1 0
O 0 6
0 6 0
O 0 8
O 3 0
5 0 0

_ •
Poplin, per yard .. „. 0 310
Ribband (various), per yard ... 0 2 6
French paper fans, each ... 0 3 6
Meeklin lace, per yard ... 0 14 0
China plates, each ... 0 3 6
China dishes, each 0 10 0
Set of window curtains and valiance 17 0 0
Crimson velvet easy chair and two
stools• Wrought bed, dimity and furniture
complete ••• ••• 29 0 0
Down beds, bolster, and pillows ... 15 0 0
Indian four-leaved screen ... ... 17 0 0
Book-case, glass doors ••• ••• 18 0 0
Serge, for carpet covering, &c. per
••• ••• ••• ••• 03 6
yard
0 8 8
Silver plate, per ounce ..• ...
Nails, per thousand (various) 0 3 10
Wainscotting, per foot •.. ... 0 1 1
Charge for dyeing stuffs, per yard ... 0 1 2
0 5 10
Tape, per piece ..• •••
0 15 0
Thread, per lb.
Sable muff and tippet ••• ••• 21 0 0
Ten chairs, two arm ditto, walnut-
tree frames ••• ••• ... 34 0 0 10 0 0
Pier looking-glass, 72-inches, gilt ... 15 0 0 50 0
British wrought counterpane "•2 0 0 016 0
Printed calico quilt 016 0 0 4 6
Pair of blankets ... 1 7 0 016 0
Coals, per chaldron .• • ... 1 9 0 1 6 0
Beef, mutton, and pork, per stone .. 0 110 0 4 0
Moist sugar, per lb. ... 0 0 2 0 0 4
Butter, per lb. 0 0 3 0 010
Bacon, per lb. 0 0 5 0 0 9
Old Cheshire cheese, per lb. ... 0 0 3 0 0 9
Raisins, per lb. ... 0 0 3 0 0 5
Currants, per lb. ... 00 3 00 5
Tobacco, per lb. (various) ... 0 0 6 0 3 6
Oats, per bushel •.. ••• •• 01 6 02 6
Wheat, per bushel 0 4 0 0 8 0
British spirits, per gallon ... 0 5 6 013 6
Brandy, per gallon 0 6 6 1 8 0
Port wine, per gallon 0 5 6 013 6
Sherry, per gallon ... 0 6 6 016 0
Sarsaparilla ..• 0 010 0 5 6
Free thy' preceding list it appars that articles of
agricultural produce were nearly 200 per cent. cheaper
one hundred years age than at the present time, even with
a free trale and an amended and most liberal tariff;
while articles of luxury, convenience, or usefulness were
proportianably dearer during, the same period. What
eu4rmous priafits,:4ben must have been made, and what
fortunes aina,sed. when we now produce in our menu-
facturira districts articles of superior workmanship for
one-thlr.l. or 'leas, than what it cost one hundred
years ego.
Neither, Sir, did the working man receive a portion
of these profi s, or in any way gain by high prices of
workmanship in those days, sa tne following extract of a
bill, out of many, will show :-
1749. To t' .e Right Hon. Richard Earl of Castlemain,
Dr. to Benjamin Taylor, builder.
To wainscotting, 73 yards, at 3s. 2d. per yard (now Is. 6d.)
To nails, per 1,000 at 34. 10d. per 1,000 (now 10d.)
To foreman, 2 days, at 3s. Od. per day (now 65.)
To carpenter, 2 days, at 2s. 6d. per day (now 55.)
To bricklayer, 2 days, at 2s. Od . per day (now 45.)
To labourer, 2 days, at Is. Bd. per day (now 35.)
This extract is sufficient to show that high prices did
not ensure high remuneration to the working man as
far back as a hundred years ago. Our navy was at that
period more flourishing than at present, and occasion-
ally I irge sums divided among the crews, yet the pay
was small—disproportionately small—to the dangers and
perils encountered. The following is the beginning of an
Admiralty order:—" 1794, August, pay to 3,349 seamen
at 14s. per month, 46,886 shillings."
Apologising for the length of this letter, I remain,
Sir. &c., W. A. J.
Previous to the year 1666 tea was unknown in this coun-
try. It was first made into a decoction at coffee-houses, and
sold at a duty of threepence per gallon. In 1667 the East
India Company sent for 700 lbs. of it, which being immedi-
' ately disposed of, led to a further trade in it ; but the price
was at that time immensely high. In 1707 it was sold at
1/. 6s. per pound. In 1768 its consumption had nearly
doubled, al,d it bore a duty of 2s. per lb. This beverage
having now become of almost universal demand, the Go-
vernment of that day once more raised the duty (in 1773),
and the consumption fell 75 per cent. In Mr. Pitt's Admi-
nistration (1784) the duty was reduced to ls. A change
immediately took place, the consumption rose from
5,000,0021b5. to 21,000,000 lbs. in twelve months. From
this year until the year 1804. the duty gradually increased,
it being then 100 per cent., which continued unto the termi-
nation of the Company's charter in 1843, at which time the
trade was thrown open. A free, or rather open trade, led to
an immediate increased demand, and at the end of that year
the consumption was 44,000,000 lbs., the previous twelve
months being only 31,000,000 lba. The present duty on tea
is 2s. 214 d. per lb., or 200 to 400 per cent. The original cost
of tea varies from 4d. to 2s. per lb. The populatioa of China
is estimated at about one-third of the known world
(350,000,000), and their territory offers free access to our
manufactures—they admit our imports at five per cent.,
while our duty on their teas ranges from 200 to 400 per cent.
The quantity cf tea used in the United Kingdom is under
2 lbs. per head per annum ; less than one-half usually con-
sumed in the Channel Islands, and a mere fraction of what
the Chinese themselves use, who drink it as we do beer.
Were the duty only ls., the consumer would obtain three
pounds of tea for the lame money that he now pays for two
pounds. Now, as the consumption of every pound of tea in-
volves that of five pounds of sugar, the extra duty on the
sugar, added to that on the increased quantity of tea, at Is.
duty, would yield a revenue of 4,000,00(11., according to the
most moderate calculation.

4 0 0

10 10 0
8 0 0
3 0 0
5 0 0

0 0 8
O 7 2
0 0 10
0 0 6
O 0 6
0 0 9
O 4 0
7 0 0

GREENWICH.
FROM A. CORRESPONDENT.)
During the past week thousands of the inhabitants of
Lond.,n visited that beautiful spot. Greenwich, and, as a
few remarks and particulars respecting it may not be un
inter. sting. I have ventured to mske them. and to place
them at your service. And first then as to its name.
Greenwich, or the Gr. en Town, was named trope the
verdure of its park. In the reign of Henry V. it was
only a small fiihing town. Its present populousness
arose from the establishment of a royal residence within
its b,uno ark's, to the cony, nience of its harbour, the
pleasantne is of its situation, the convenient distance from
London, and to th- peculiar facilities for travelling by
water or land from one to the other ; of which the fol-
-10w11?; calculation the number of visitors from London
on Sandays throughout the summer may give some
idea:—•' Op an average at least 18,000 individuals resort
to Greenwich every fine Sand throughout the summer.
On a fine Easter Sunday above 25,000, and on last Whit-
Sunday up wards of 40,000 persons were taken to and fro
by railway. The ticket-taker at the London-bridge
terminus states, During the first three days of last
Whitsun.week fair 100 000 persons were conveyed to
and fro by railway! 47 000,' he added, was the largest
number they ever carried to and fro in one day.' At the
Town Pier at Greenwich, from Sunday to Wednesday in
that week, they embarked 100,000 persons, and on
Whit Monday alone 46,000. At the Waterman's Pier,
during that week, they landed and embarked 101,700
persons. In various conveyances, thus, it appears that
upwards of 200,000 persons have in one week visited this
spot."
Ore of the principal attractions is the Royal Hospital.
No fewer than four of our English Sovereigns were born
in the palace which stood on the site from which the
present edifice by gradual steps has grown—viz., Henry
VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. For nearly
400 years it was the scene of courtly splendour. The
lalt King v•ho inhabited Greenwich was Charles I
Charles 11. began to repair it, but 1-ft it in an unfinished
state. Queen Mary, in the reign of William 111., resolved,
at the suggestion of Sir Christopher Wren, to turn it to
its present use. The King gave 2,0001.. the Commis-
sioners 8,0001 The foundation of the present hospital
was laid in 1696, and an Act wis passed by which 6d.
per month of the wages of all seamen belonging to the
Royal Navy is app-opriated to the benefit of the insti
tnti;al. The present annual income is about 90,0001.
The pensioners must be seamen or marines, disabled by
age or maimed in the Queen's service. Foreigners are
admitted who have served two years in the British navy,
and merchant seamen wounded in defending or taking
any ship, or fighting against a pirate. There are about—
Pensioners •-• ... 2,700
13,)y3 800
Nurses ..•
11004
Officers • •• • •• 0
Wives, families, and officers servants, 296

3,990
And every Saturday night all are expected to sleep
within the building. They are all of them old men. None
are admitted under 60, except they are maimed, and
obtain a special order. A man of 70 is almost a junior,
many are between 80 and 90, and one has arrived at 103.
Many pensioners are maimed. The following was an
accurate list-inserted in the Suuday Times, Sept. 4, 1842:
Pensioners with loss of right arm •• •• 12
Ditto •
left arm ••• 8
Ditto both legs 3
Ditto right leg ... 29
Ditto lett leg 36
Ditto both eyes 61
Ditto right eye 44
Ditto left eye
Ditto ruptured ... :7. 44895

717
About 300 of the pensioners die annually. All who die
are buried within forty•eight hours. The Hospital has
an infirmary containing sixty• four rooms, each room
accommodating four patients.
The Hospital schools contain upwarls of 800 boys-
-400 of whom are the children of seamen in the navy, or
von-commissioned officers and. privates of the marines,
sari 400 the sons of officers. seamen, and marines in the