The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-03 00:00:00

THE COAL TRADE.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, 28th FEB.—Some-
thing like a sensation in the Coal trade here has
been the consequence of the Minister's avowal
that an unlimited quantity of coals should be per-
mitted to be imported into London by the Pad-
(Hinton Canal, upon payment of the low duty of
one shilling and three pence per chaldron, while
sea-borne coals were to be subject to the pay-
ment of six-shillings. The Ship-owners, however,
discreetly pausing upon the thing, have not rashly
committed themselves by opposing the Minister in
his new regulation. A meeting of this respectable
body, it is true, had been called by public ad-
vertisement, to meet at noon this day, at the
Trinity Hall, " to concert the necessary measures
on the present alarming occasion"—(such were
th• portentous words of the advertisement.)—
It would seem, however, from the very slender
attendance, and from there being no one pre-
pared either with RESOLUTIONS, or sentiments
even upon the occasion, that the measure was
viewed at least hesitatingly by the general body
of Ship-owners. Some, indeed, ascribe the pas-
siveness of the meeting to the neutralizing
effect of a hand-bill very generally circu-
lated at an early hour in the morning, cau-
tioning the Ship-owners from lending themselves
to the Coal-owners. " The measures," says the
writer, who signs himself A SHIP-OWN
" brought forward by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer will not affect Ship-owners ! The Coal-
owners have only to reduce their price equiva-
lent to the difference of the proposed duty, and
we shall still retain our trade."

Whatever relates to the great question of the
Coal Trade, being an interesting topic to the
Metropolis, and more particularly so, perhaps, at
the present crisis, I have briefly submitted to
to you, Mr. Editor, what may be termed the first
ricirmish here, in consequence of the new modifi-
cation of the Coal 'Fax by the Minister. By and
by, probably, there will be a much greater stir.
It was rumoured on 'Change, this afternoon,
that, at a full meeting of the Coal-owners, held
this day, they, viewing the Chancellor's scheme
as one pregnant with the most disastrous conse-
quences, as well to the great nursery of seamen
in the North, as to the important interests of the
aggregate body of Coal-•owners in Northumber-
land and Durham, had determined to submit
their most serious remonstrances forthwith to his
Majesty's Ministers, and for that purpose they
would immediately send off two Deputies to
Loudon.

Yesterday, at three o'clock, a Cabinet Council
was held at the Foreign-office, in Downing-street,
agreeably to summons, which sat in deliberation
till about five o'clock.

Dispatches were last night made up for Mr.
BEGO, the Italian courier to take back to Spain,
in reply to those brought to London a few days
since, by Mr. BEGO, from Sir Wm. A'CounT,
our Ambassador at Spain.
The Duke of YORK, as Commander-in-Chief,
held a Levee yesterday at his Office, in the Horse Guards, which
was attended by—Lieut.-General Crosbie, Lieut.-General
Hodgson, Major-General Hutchinson, Major-General Conran,
Major-General Sir John Dalrymple, Major-General Swenton,
Major-General Murray, Lord Churchill, Lord Hotham, Lord
Grantham, and between twenty and thirty others.
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE returned to Hanover
on the 13th ult. in excellent health, after having
been on a visit to Berlin and Brunswick.

Yesterday, about twelve o'clock, Prince LEO..
POLO left town for Claremont.
The Duchess of GLOUCESTER and the Princess
SOPHIA, yesterday, visited the Duke of YORK,
where their Royal Highnesses partook of a
dejeune.

MURDER AT BETHNAL-GREEN.-Notwithstand-
ing the most patient and ceaseless investigation during the last
four days, in every quarter likely to obtain a clue to the disco-
very of the real perpetrators of this barbarous deed, the whole
transaction is still involved in an impenetrable mystery. Some
suggestions were privately 'made at the inquest on Saturday,
and in consequence of those hints instructions were given to
the officers of Whitechapel establishment, who have been on
the look-out ever since without obtaining any further informa-
tion worthy of particular remark.