The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-13 00:00:00

SALE OF CONY.

Mr. OSBORNE asked the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer it corn merchants were compelled to furnish a
return of the quantity of corn which they sold?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
that, by the Act passed in 1842, corn dealers in Lon-
don, and in various country towns, were compelled to
mako returns of the quantity of corn sold, which were
required for the purpose of determining of tithe-rent
charges.
RATE IN AID (IRELAND).
In reply to Sir ARTHUR BROGICE and Mr. STAFFORD,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he proposed to take the
second reading of the Rate iu Aid Bill on Monday, the
26th inst. The Bill whieh was • now printed, would be
delivered to Members to-morrow. '
IRISH PAUPERS.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said, as the Right Ron. Bironet
stated that he had received information of the eitablish-
meat of a society in Belfast, fur sending Irish paupers
to this country-, he wished to ask him whether he had also
received information that a large number of the persons
who were sent from Glasgow to Belfast had been located
for some time in Glasgow, and had partly contributed to
the wealth of that city.—(Laughter.)
Sir G. GREY said he had received no further informa-
tion than that which he had already communicated to
the House.
ABOLITION OF CHURCII-RATES,—REMOVAL
CI

THE l'oo-fil

An Hors. MEMBER. inquired whether the Hon. Bar°
net the Secretary of State fur the Home Department
another case of extreme inhu-
manity heard of the case of the removal of a child three
months'
and chargean of
h a Scotch pauper from
Glasgow
manity of a nearly similar nature?
Sir G. GREY said he had received no information.
old,t o Belfast, a tsht
Mr. THORNELY presented a petition from the Pro-
testant Dissenters, praying to be relieved from chureh-
rates.
Mr. BRIGHT presented similar petitions from Hitchin
and Derbyshire.
Mr. OSBORNE presented a petition from Denbigh to
the same effect.
Mr. LOCKE presented a similar petition to the same
effect; as also di i Mr. G. THOMPSON.
Mr. GOULBURN presented a petition from Arbroath
praying that tne Jew Bill might not become law.—
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. TRELAWNY then rose to move "that it is the
opinion of this House that effectual measures should be
immediately taken for the abolition of church-rates."
He said he should first take a review of what had been
done with respect to this important subject. In 1834
a measure was introduced for the abolition of
church rates, and the substitution in lieu thereof of
a land rate ; but it was apparently the Dis-
senters who considered that the proposition
rather favoured the Church than the Dissenters, and
lands the property of the Dissenters would have
become liable for the payment of the rates;
and after it had passed he would have had no opportu-
nity of escaping from it. In 1837 Mr. Spring Rice
brought in a Bill on the subject, but it was open to the
objections he had named. The rate was to have been
paid upon that improved management of Church lands.
—(Hear, hear.) Subsequent legislation had taken
place, but, nevertheless, the question had
been left in its present unsatisfactory state.
It appeared to him that that state of things was very
much calculated to injure dissent. He sincerely
hoped he might induce Right Honourable Mem-
bers to agree with him, that something ought to be
done. Lord Althorp, on one occasion said that church
rates were a tax laid on upon one class at the discretion of
others and the dissenters were compelled to pay towards a
system of worship,of which they did not approve. That he
(Mr. Trewlawney) thought that was a strong expres-
sion of opinion from a Noble Lord so moderate in his
opinions, and so warmly attached to the Church of
England.—(Hear, hear.) Lord ,Stanley had also
said, when speaking on this subject that " he was ready
to acknowledge that church-rates formed a serious
and substantial inconvenience to Dissenters."
Was it not lamentable after that, that years
after years had passed away without any set-
tlement of this question? In July, 1839,
when John Thorogood, a Protestant dissenter, was
committed to prison for the non-payment of church-
rates. The House of Commons came to a reso-
lution that it was highly expedient to make
such an alteration in the existing law of
church-rates, in the ensuing session of
Parliament, as should prevent a recurrence of
similar violence towards any of her Majesty's sub-
jects who conscientiously dissented from the Church.
In the first case a rate was made, in which the pa-
rishioners refused, and the rate was nevertheless
levied. In the next case, the rate ws s carried
with an amendment, that the money should
be applied to other than church paupers.
Eventually the case came to be argued before the Court,
and it was decided that the amendments were bad, but
that the rate was good, for the vestry was held
solely tor the purpose of making a church rat,,.—
(Hear, hear.) He would then state some of the
cases in detail, the first was that of a man of the name
of Riddle, in Cambridgeshire, whose goods were his
trained, and who was himself subjected to an imprison-
ment for three mouths for the non-payment of the rate.
The next sufferer was subjected to an imprisonment
for s x months. The Hon. Gentleman then went into a
detail of a variety of cases in which the imposition of a

church-rate had been oppressive to several members of
the Society of Friends and other iedividuais, and was
[I.FFT SPEAKING.]

COFFEE v. CHICuR V.

To an impoverished and famishing p,ople, the question
of the character of its tuod, whetter s.lid or fluid, is no
unimportant consideration. It is one of vital moinent, it
is rramount before all others; and this either as regards
the quantity or the quality; in fact, the latter is, under
cet tain circumstances, a most important consideration
than the former, inasmuch as the injury the system can
receive from insufficient amount of good food, must un-
doubtedly be less than that which arises from bad food.
Bad food is always, ipso facto, insufficient. No person
was ever known to die because he had only a quarter
pound of meat to dinner, but many die annually from
eating bad sausages ; at least this is notorious enough in
Germany ; and it was but the other day that a whole
family perished in London from the effects of eating
cheese.

Food, whether fluid or solid, and in particular
the latter, may be rendered unfit icr nutrition,
either from certain organic changes occurring
throughout its whole mass, in obedience to the laws
of decomposition, to which all organic bodies are
naturally exposed, or it may equally be impaired in
its nutritious properties owieg to admixture with ocher
ingredients, which may be either of an organic (eatable)
or inorganic nature. If the admixture be with
organic substances, the nutritive properties of the
whole mass will be impaired in proportion to the
scale which the sophistication holds in the rank of
nutritious bodies ; but if it be of an inorganic
character, that kind of matter being absolutely innutri-
tious, then the diminished nutritive property will be in
the ratio of the amount of that inorganic matter, pro-
bably somewhat augmented by portions of the organic
matter being entangled mechanically in the mass.
Coffee, which forms so extensive au article of consump-
tion among the people, yielding only to the beverage of
tea, is, it would appear, adulterated to an extent that we
had scarcely any idea of, until we perused the observations
in the Times of the 27th ult. That there was adulteration,
oonlf y however s teor
vaa
tl
umni t;c dandde g rpere had
o,
ba
bd l
ybeen long
from
th e i mutternu o .
cuous nature of the herb, or rather root, (chicory,) used
in the adulteration, comparatively little interest was ex-
cited on the subject. The notoriety, however, given to the
subject by the observations just al:tided to, renders it im-
perativethat
and
brandwith its, i oura capacity
iope
journalists,ra
mark,
should notice,
fraud almost universally and unblushingly practised,
and which, independent of the good coin in which the
lieges are mulcted for an inferior article, is further
to be condemned for the loose morality it indirectly
sanctions. The beneficial and cheering effects of
coffee are so well known as not to require description,
though we fear, if' the sophistication be carried on to
the extent alleged, nearly 50 per cent., (and from various
samples we have examined we do not believe that
statement overcharged.) we shall require a standard
description of what coffee was, in order to obtain some
approximation to the actual amount of adulteration.
The sophistication of coffee with chicory, pro-
vided the chicory be absolutely pure, (and it is not
always so, for it is Wien mixed up with roasted
beans, corn, &c.) is not attended with any bad
efiects on the animal economy. We think that we
have found that hybrid coffee to have a tendency to
maintain a lax state of the bowels; but others remark,
that they have witnessed the same occasionally from the
pure coffee. However, the use of coffee is generally consi-
dered to have a constipating effect on the primce vice. But,
admitting the chicory to be devoid of all noxious agency,
it does not necessarily follow that it may not nega
tively be injurious to the animal frame, especially when
taken in equal proportions with the pure berry of
the coffee, by a ithdrawing a proportionate amount
of the active princip:e of the coffee (caffein),
which otherwise would have been furnished to the
system. It has been satisfactorily proved, by
recent chemical analysis, that the three great vege-
table matters which are extensively used by mankind as
a beverage, either in the form of infusion or decoction,
contain severally a peculiar proximate element, on the
agency of which the virtues of these plants respectively de-
pend. :fhe matter, or proximate element, contains a suitable
quantity of nitrogen, and it is in this manner supposed
to exert its peculiar action on the animal economy.
Liebig has been led, from theoretical considerations, to
infer that the caffein, or thein, contributes to the gene-
ration of bile; but this is at present only matter of
hypothesis.

- Resembling tea in many points, the action of the pure
coffee is decisive and marked on the nervous system. It
excites the whole frame, and displays its power alai.)
o❑ the brain. The senses feel more lively, and the action
of the brain is more vigorous and clear under its influence;
weariness subsides and watchfulness succeeds, which
is often protracted till dawn. It promotes digestion,
and seems to counteract the uneasiness experienced
from excess of wine. Nor is its agency less marked in
the powerful stimulus it supplies to the system when
under the influence of narcotic poisons, especially opium,
being not unfrequently the means through which valu-
able lives have been saved.
When taken in immoderate quantity, it is apt to in-
duce internal congestions, and not untrequently various
nervous symptams arise, such as tremors, a peculiar
feeling of anxiety in the region of the heart—some-
times with, sometimes without palpitaion, dimness
and confusion of sight, and some fever. It is not, there-
fore, well adapted to the young, muscular, and Bangui-
neous, but aather suited to those of a cold, lax, phleg-
matic habit. It has been used for various indications in
medicine, and is proverbially beneficial in asthma.
The herb chicory has none of these specific and
well-marked effects on the animal body ; it may,
indeed, placed in contrast with the berry of the
coffee plant, be considered as nearly inert. The
root, when fresh, is tonic, and in large doses it acts
on the bowels. It is alleged to be useful in certain
visceral diseases of a chronic character, but in these we
think time is fully as efficient an agent. It has some
slight claims to the action of a diuretic, and its action as
a tonic is but trivial.

We may further subjoin, that the presence of an szl
tised principle in its chemical constitution (which some
of the first authorities consider as a positive criterion of
the nutritious properties of vegetab:e matter), has not
been detected.

Hence, we should feel disposed to consider the action
of the chycorium intybus, mixed up, as it is, so exten•
aively with coffee, as almost nearly negative, inasmuch
as the root itself has little more medicinal virtues than
sawdust.

We are indebted to Mr. Cook for a very clear state-
ment of this matter in a memorial, at this moment lying
before the Lords of the Treasury and the Board of Trade.
When the reduction in the price of sugar was made, equal
to 26 p,r cent., an increase iu the consumption folowed
equivalent to 46 per cent. Coffee, however, which
suffered a reduction of price, in 1846, of 22 per cent.,
has remained almost stationary; while the increase in
the consumption of tea, even with stationary prices, hus
been 1 per cent., within the last two years, over that of
1846 but obviously not so great as t affect the great fall-
ing off in the apparent consumption of coffee. The
nistory of coffee has always been appealed to, since
1784, as a striking instance of the increased con
sumptiou that generally attends judicious reductions
in the import duty. This anomaly receives the
following correct explanation from Mr. Cook. The
root of the Chicorium luty hos, Nat. Fam. Compositm, has
been long known as a substitute for coffee in Germany,
where it has been cultivated extensively for that purpose.
Imported to Great Britain, a duty was levied on it equal
to that paid ou coffee. As the herb is indigenous to our
island, it was subsequently grown at home, so that the
consumer might have it duty free; and in 1840 a
Treasury order was obtained " authorizing the Excise
for the future not to object to grocers selling
chicory, or mixing it with coffee." The effect of
this was speedily felt, and induced the importers of
coffee, in 1842, to complain of it to the Chlncell rof
the Exchequer, but without effect. Chicory rapidly was
in great demand, and the consumption of it, which was
estimated by Mr. M'Culloch at 6.72 million lbs. in 1842,
has at least doubled, and is, to that extent, now en-
croaching on the use of coffee.
. .

" And—this is only what might have been expected,
for wl.ile home-grown, kiln-dried chicory can be
delivered at 21d. per lb. to the wholesale dealers
(retailed at Bd. per lb.), the average price of duty-
paid coffee is from 7d. to 9d. per lb. Accordingly,
even rPspectulle grocers add, at least, two ounces
of chicory to 14 of coffee, while others make the mix-
ture half and half. The most experienced officers of
the Excise estCmate the average proportion of chicory
to what is sold in the London shops for coffee at
one-half ; in the manufacturing towns in the
country, it is said to be fully one half. What
further potion of pure chicory is else~ here added to
this mixture it is impossible to say; hut it is a fact, that
those descriptions of coffee which will bear the greatest
admixture of chicory, such as Costa Rica and Java, en-
joy, on that account, a marked preference in the market,
greatly to the detriment of the more delicately flavoured
Ceylon coffee."

Besides the primary sophistications which the coffee
submits to from chicory, the chicory itself also is adul-
terated; and this was carried to such an extent, that the
wholesale houses were induced to take into their own
hands the manufacture of the chicory which they sell,
purchasing themselves the root, and kiln drying it on
their own premises.
It is therefore urged, alike for the interest of the
colonists, the revenue, and the public, that the duty
charged on chicory should be renewed. It is,
indeed, but even-handed justice to our fellow-subjects
in the colonies, unless our home growers of chicory
can establish that that substance has claims on
the public from properties totally dissimilar to those of
coffee; and we think that they might do so with some
appearance of plausibility. But then the chicory would
still be used a 3 an adulterator of cofFe, on which ground
alone it is most exceptionable.
" Estimating the proportion in which chicory at
present enters into what is sold as coffee at the low
rate of one• third, it follows that, along with the
36 85.000,000 lbs. of coffee consumed last year,
12 28,000,000 lbs. of chicory have been sold. If
the sale of chicory should again, in conformity with
with 3 George IV., c. liii., be restricted to persons not
being vendors of co&e, and taking out an annual license
for that purpose, the consumers would be agai❑ left to
make their own mixture of those two ingredients. In that
case, it is believed, they would, at most, mix only half as
much chicory with their coffee as the grocers de at presen t.
The effect would be, that about six million pounds less
of chicory, but the same quantity more of coffee would
be consumed ; consequently, our coffee growers would
find a vent for six million pounds more or their produce
here, and that an additional annud revenue of, at least,
100,0004 would flow into the Exchequer."
Agreeing wtth the above statement, we are even
disposed to think that the anticipated consumption
of coffee is underrated ; for the inferior character
of the article vended under that name, at present,
prevents parties more extensively employing it, and

even many are forced to give up th use of coffee, as it
is so totally different from the:article that was wont to be
purchased in the market as such but a fcw years since.
In additional rt-marks on this highly hitt que-
tion, the judicious writer, in the Times of the 28th
ultimo, obArves:—

"That legislation on eu&l e matter might, as is
usually the ease, lead telerable vexations,
iivery probabie; but a ;er tIV is nevertheless ne-
cessary; end, if there be no teller means, the con-
sumers should adopt it for themselves, by purchas-
ing all coffee in an unground state—a plan
which would be altogether effectual, were it not im-
practicable in the case of the very poor. Even, how-
ever, if chicory were proved to be the most wholesome
and agreeable article in existence, it would (still seem
hard, that it should be in the power of any dealer
legally to foist it upon those who de not ask for chicory,
but for coffee, and who part with their money in the full
belief that coffee has been served to them,"
In conclusion, we would observe, that amid the
praiseworthy efibrts making in all quarters to foster
a more elevated standard of public morals, the sub-
stitution of coffee instead of alcoholic fluids, whether
in the form of ardent spirits, or our diurnal beer,
has been attended with decidedly good effects. Bu,
we must not blink the matter, when we say that
the wretched, warm, dirty-coloured water (for it
scarcely deserves any other term) doled out in na-
merous coffee-houses, under the name of coffee.
cannot but materially injure the cause ; and th(
pledge-taker (for he evidently proclaims by be.
former propensities that he was sensible to the de
lights of a stimulant) revokes his oath in a mood)
fit, and returns to his old habits. We say this from
melancholy experiei ce in not a few instances ; and we
trust that some means will, ere long, be devised by th(
Legislature to secure the berry in its original purity
for the consumer, and guard its own exchequer against
the frauds of the unprincipled dealer.—Medical Times.

LUNAR ECLIPSE.—The moon was partially eclipsed
on Thursday evening and Friday morning, and with e
clear and very frosty atmosphere, and cloudless sky.
probably this interesting phenomenon was never
seen to better advantage. The moon shone with
unwonted brilliancy on Thursday evening till its
radiance gradually declined, and " becoming small
by degrees and beautifully less," it diminished to a small
segment. The moon was full about seven minutes afte.
its greatest obscuration, which took place at fivt
minutes before one, and was to the extent of 0.738
in the southern limb of the disc. The silver crescent
that remained was beautiful and clear, and the spark
ling brightness of the arc was finely relieved by
t`•e partial shade of the penumbra, from which a ca•
sual observer might have calculated the proportion 4:P
the disc obsured at still more than three-fourths. The
first contact with the penumbra took place at 10h. 30m.'
on Thursday evening, and the first contact with the
shadow at I Ih. 25w.; middle of eclipse, Oh. 55m. on
Friday morning; last contact with shadow, 2b. 25w.;
last contact with penumbra, 3h. 38m.—Caledoniax Mer-
cury.

DEATH OF FIELD MARSHAL SIR G. NUGENT.--
On Sunday night Field Marshal General Sir Georg.
Nugent, Bart., K.C.8., expired at his residence, Wes
thorpe House, Little Marlow, at the advanced age of
92. He was the oldest general officer in the army. Sir
George entered the service on the sth of July, 1773.
which is the date of his ensign's commission. He serves
throughout the first American war, having gone our
when a lieutenant, and was employed in the expedition,
up Hudson's river, for the relief of General Burgoyne'.
army; was present at the capture of Forts Montgomery
and Clinton, by assault, and performed various other
services. He returned in 1783 a lieutenant colonel. Ie
March, 1793, Sir George accompanied the brigade o
guards to the continent, was present at the siege of Va
lenciennes, and fought in the actions of Wit.
Amond and Lincelles. On the army going into
winter quarters he returned home and raised II
regiment of foot—the 85th. In 1794 he became colonel,
and accompanied his regiment to Walcheren, where he
held the local rank of brigadier general, and in October
joined the army of the Duke of York, having obtaiiiet2
the command of a brigade of the line, cantonad
Tiel, on the Wall. During the whole of the Irish rebel
lion Major-General Nugent commanded the norther',
district of Ireland. In 1803 he obtained the rank o
lieutenant-general, and in 1806 the colonelcy of the 6th
Regiment, which he retained to his death. Having
transferred his services to India, he was appointed in
1811 commander-in-chief of the forces there, which dis-
tinguished post he occupied till 1813, when he was suc-
ceeded by the Marquis of Hastings, and from which he
retired
.with the rank of general. In June, 1846, Sit
George Nugent became one of the nine field marshals of
England. Since 1796, he has been captain or keeper of
St. Mawe's Castle.

METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OP SEWERS.—During
the year 1848 there were 5,112 coMplaints entered. ot,
the books, being at the rate of almost 100 a week, or
more than 16 every week day througlicut the year. 0
;hese, 374 were from places not within the rated juris-
diction of the Commissioners, 287 were obliged to be
deferred for the completion of the Ordnance survey, and
the rest, 4,451, were attended to. This is but a small
sample of the work of the Commission, which, as many
of the rate payers have a misapprehension on the point,
it may be well to mention not only abstains from dining
at their expense, but is altogether unpaid, the Commis-
sioners having declined to accept their legal " wages."
PENZANCE, MARCH 11.—The wind having moderated
last night, and shifted to the westward, the whole of the.
wind•bound, exceeding two hundred sail, got under
weigh this morning, and proceeded.