The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-31 00:00:00

EXCISE INFORMATION

ADULTERATION OF BEER.—Lord Sydney, the Rev.
Sir Charles Farnaby, Bart., and a full Bench of Magis-
trates, assembled at the police-hall, Bromley, Rent, last
week, to hear an information which had been filed at

the instance of the Commissioners of Excise, against
William Epps, the keeper of the Three Tuns, in Becken-
ham, charging him with adulterating his beer. The pe-
nalties sought_to be recovered amounted to 1,400.
Mr. Mayow appeared on the part of the Crewn, and
Mr. Nobler defended the accused, who pleaded " Not
Guilty," _ _

Mayow, having stated the case, called
Mr. Golding Bird, the surveying-general examiner
of Excise, who stated that in consequence of numerous
complaints made to the government, in July last, of the
bad quality of the beer retailed in Beckenham, he, with
Mr. William Millen, visited that quarter, and amongst
other houses entered that kept by the defendant, who,
on being told their errand, conducted them into the
cellar. Flavin.- obtained from the puncheon of beer on
draught a sample, he tasted it, and without applying the
usual test discovered that it had been most grossly adul-
terated, and told the defendant so. This he strenuously
denied, declaring that he had put nothing into it but a
little sugar ; but on witness drawing his attention to a
solution of stuff on the head of the cask, and telling
him that the contents were totally unfit for con-
sumption, he admitted that he had mixed with the
beer a handful of salt, and two 'buckets of water.
Witness knowing that colouring matter had also been
put into the beer, afterwards searched the .house, and in
the bed-rooni found some of .that article, besides other
ingredients used in the adulteration of beer. Of the beer
on draught, and that as it came from the brewery, wit-
ness took samples, which he produced. The samples
'were uncorked, and the stench arising from that adulte-
rated was really dreadful. That taken from the puncheon
as delivered, was fresh and good.
Mr. Hobler asked whether there was anything per-
nicious in the beer ? Mr. Bird—l will not swear
whether there was or was not, but it was altogether
unfit to be drunk, and that its effect upon the system of
any one drinking it, must have been very baneful. Adul-
teration causes a second fermentation, which produces
diarrhoea and other diseases to a fearful extent.
Lord SYDNEY wished to know how long the defendant
had kept the house ? Mr. Bird—The defendant told me 4
years. He said he had not been playing tricks with his
beer longer than a year and a half. He stated that an
old publican had put him up to it.
Lord SYDNEY—What did you say to that ? You very
likely have introduced this old publican to the Commis-
sioners before now, and caused him to be fined. If you
have 'not, I dare say your zeal will direct you to him,
and accord him a just punishment. Mr. Bird—l merely
said the old publican, whoever he be, was no friend a
his, and for the future he had better be an honest man,
and deal fairly with his neighbours.
Lord SYDNEY, after consulting with his brother col-
leagues, said there is only one decision they could arrive
at, and that he was persuaded was a just one. It was to
find the defendant guilty, fine the defendant one hundred
pounds, and order a di.:itress to be immediately levied on
his goods to enforce payment.

SEA-LIONS.
(From the first number of a new Paris Paper called the
Journal de la Flute.
In 1825 the Captain of the French corvette Victoria,
while at anchor in the Bay of Tunis, bought of a Moor-
ish merchant two lion's whelps of the mount Atlas
breed. The whelps made themselves perfectly at
home in their floating hatitation ; they grew up
and became lions—sea-lions as they were. Under the
tutorship of Van Amburg and carter they received an
accomplished education, and 'were allowed to go entirely
free ; the length and breadth of the ship were equally at
their disposal ; they even docile and beautifully tame ;
they rolled and played like brothers with the cahve-boys,
and seemed to understand all that messed. The
them.
4rains of .I'c and tambour were nothing obscure to
quiet At the hour of ftView, they sat with
Tn9esty at the side of' the drum, and observed as
the regiment &Ale& One of their favourite customs
was to run to the port-holes of the ship whenever a
strange beat hailed them. Their heads and yellow teethes
then jatted out like those of two Gorgons, theft eyes me-
nace,d, and their jaws resembled two tertible chasms, that
lightened the visitors. Once the Men on board were
wonderfully delighted at the panic they caused to n
American Commodore, who,
a
at e t
ladder, found himself face towhen
face with of
thtehsee
At this unexpected ap-
into his bete, tan the
whole round of the vessel to
eit the opposite
gfinoudtinign
4ittice
ps ienagrla,l ill acre In:es tie!
eraspoe eel cperreeemi
9a1.1 re faces, contented
of concentrated anger
istiidmeselfbitivitthtloieryrein
that lie was very ready to visit the commander, but re-
fused to have anything to do with his sentinels. The
commodore, thus having his self importance wounded,
complained to the Admiral against the lions
01
the 'Victoria. They were enchained ; their „
native ierocity
again regained its sway ; and they were obliged to be
thrust into a cage of iron. The unfortunate animals
could not stomach this insulting treatment ; a low moan_
choly succeeded to some days of furious rage, they fell
ill, and soon after died, to the regret of the whole ship's
company.
The story of these Lions of Atlas bears great affinity
to that of some sea-officers—a strange race—of a fierce
and independent character—of carriage free and degagee
—of a character irreproachable, worthy in every point
to be entitled Lions of the Sea. Their exquisite manners
attract wonderfully in a strange land,- they have about
them the perfume of aristocracy which seduces, and is as
charming on land as at sea. They have no idea
of that strait jacket thing, economy ; but make
debts on an illimitable method. For all moveables and
immoveables they have their epaulets
Let our Lions run the whole length of the cable, and
they are unequivocally fine fellows, but contradict in
any way their generous impulses—only muzzle them in
any shape, and the same result will arise as on board
the Victoria—you will lose all your lions.

THUNDER STORM.--We were visited at Ul
verstcne, on Saturday se'nnight, with a dreadful thunder-
storm, which commenced soon after three o'clock in the morn-
ing, and lasted several hours. A little after four o'clock th,
warring elements reached their climax of hostility. The light-
ning struck the earth close to the Ure Mill-darn, and pierced
through the root of a tree. No serious damage has been sus-
tained by the lightning that we have heard of in our norther'
districts—Lancaster Guardians.

THE AUTHOR OF " PAUL PRY."
THE SEPTEMBER NUMBER OF

CIOLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY
MAGAZINE AND HUMORIST,

Contains :
PHINEAS QUIDDY;
Or, Sheer Industry.
By John Poole, Esq., Author of " Paul Pry."
Illustrated by Phiz.
Chapter I.—lntroduction of the hero. At his start in life he
has the rare good fortune to be possessed of Nothing. By
what means he converts that property into Something. A
friend to the needy, his virtue is rewarded. True, sher in-
dustry, and its resnits, exemplified by a brief history of a

. -
worthy Scot, his master.
Chapter H.—Janet Gray introduced. A touch of the .(un )ro-
mantic. Quiddy's first love. His declaration, and how it

was received.
Chapter llL—High cogitations and resolutions. A -notable
contrivance. A perplexing proceeding. A question for an
F.R.S.. A word touching " fine" writing. Our hero a
somnambulist.
Chapter IV.—Our hero's scheme proceeds prosperously.
The Number for September also contains—Bajazet Gag, by
Douglas Jerrold, Esq. The Molten Cal', by Mrs. Gore. Ca-
naletti in London, and a variety of other interesting papers by
distinguished writers.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

13, Great Marlborough-street.
THE NEW PEERS AND BARONETS.
Mr. COLBURN begs to announce that a SUPPLE-
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with full details of each dignity, origin of the title, &e., is in
the presl, and will be ready for delivery, with the Work, in
the course of the Next Week.

"„. Orders received by all Booksellers.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

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