The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-17 00:00:00

CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR.

In the year 1831, when the population of the United
Kingdom was, in round numbers, 25 millions, the coo-1
iumption of all kinds of sugar was 4,364,243 cwts.,
which gave to each individual better than twenty
pounds annual consumption. The price of sugar in
this year was 235. Bd. the cwt., and therefore, in so
far as the wholesale price, exclusive of duty, was con-
cerned, the cost of the entire consumption was
5,164,875/. In the year :840 the entire consumption
of the kingdom was 3,764 710 costs., which gives to
each individual little more than fifteen pounds a year.
The price per cwt. had then risen to 48s. 7id., as
given in the Gazette, and, therefore, the consumer
paid for his diminished supply just 9,156,8291., which
is nearly four millions sterling more than what he paid
ten }ears before for his ampler supply. In short, the
consumer paid for his sugar in 1831 about 2id. per
pound, while in 1840 he paid 54-cl., or beyond cent.
per cent. more. The reader will, of cousin, under-
stand that what is here meant is the wholesale cost,
without duty or retail profit. We shall place the sub-
ject in another point of view. Every poor family of
five persons paid in 1840 a tax of 12s. to the sugar
monopoly beyond what he paid in 1831.
By this statement it will be sten that, in ten years
rime, the consumption had fallen off by very nearly
sir hundred thousand hundred weights, equal, at the
average rata of the year 1831, viz., about 201hs. per
head, to the annual consumption of three millions,
three hundred and fifty-sec en thousand, three hundred
and eighty-four persons! But this is by no means the
most unfavourable aspect in which our diminished con-
sumption may be viewed. Our population had mu:ti
plied meanwhile by 45 per cent. This would make
it, in 1840, twenty-eight millions, seven hundre
and fifty thousand. This number, at 20 lbs. a
head, the consumption of 1831, ought to have
made that of 1840 as much as 5,133,928 cwts.,
hut the actual consumption, as before stated, fell
short of this by the following number, 1,369,118
cwts., which, at the computation of 2014 per head, is
equal to a supply for 7,667,015 persons. It is needless
to add, however, that the scarcity thus produced did not
fall equally on all the classes of consumers. The
wealthy, to whom it is not of much importance whether
they pay 21d. or 5-1-4. prime cost for a pound of sugar,
,could, of course, use just their usual quantity. The
middle classes would economise, and the poor economise
greatly, or be compelled to dispense with the necessary
altogether. Thus the monopoly has, in truth, reduced
the inhabitants of this kingcom, in so far as the first of
all imported articles of comfort is concerned, to a coedi-
tion petty much resembling that of a beleaguered town
with a scarcity of provisions.—Examiner.

The Town Council of Carlisle have agreed to
petition the House of Commons to pass the measures
proposed by Ministers. In the course of the debate on
:he subiect, Mr. Alderman Ross olive the following ac-
count of WAGES IN CARLISLE.
He might refer to tabies of the rates of wages to show
they were not connected with the price of food—indeed
it was found that when food was dear money wages were
lowest. He might take in illustration of this point the
mite of
of :ages in Carlisle for two or three years. They
ere, "course, not perfectly accurate, but as far as an
average could be taken they were correct. Mr. Ross
then read the following statement of the aggregate wages
paid lu Carlisle for tli-ee years, with the pri.- of co id.
Year. Wage 3. Price of Flour
per stone.
1836 £127,000
1838.... ....... 109,000
1840 76,000
There wai thus a difference in the wages raid in 1836
and 1840 of 51,0001. If they took this into considera-
they wool I see the enormous amount of suffi ring which
must now he endured by the working popula ion. How
was it to b 3 remedied ? In two ways. Either by re-
ducing the price of food so that as much could be bought
76,0001.nefoitrenasw
as fur 127,0001.,. or raising wages to such an
Juld_give a similar advantage.- This the ma-
nufacturer could.pot Journa: