The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-13 00:00:00

CAUTION TO DISHONEST BREAD

BAKERS.

In so numerously a populated place as Hull, there are
thousands of persons who have not the profitable oppor-
tunity of baking their own bread, and such persons (and
they are mostly of the poorer classes) are frequently
liable to the dishonest stratagems of bread bakers. Of

late, numerous have been the complaints, not only in
letters addressed to ourselves, but at the weights and
measures office, as well by persons who have purchased
of the bakers and in provision shops. of loaves of bread
considerably deficient in weight. Those parties have
urged us to expose the bakers and dealers, and they
have urged the inspectors to summon such shopkeepers
before the magistrates ; but the inspectors find that this
would be wholly beside and beyond their sphere of
duties, and we believe they have usually intimated
to the complainants that the remedy is wholly in their
own hands. But it seems to be very little known, that
there is an Act in existence which imposes a penalty on
any baker selling bread otherwise than by weight. We shall
therefore, notice two or three of the principal provisions
of this act (the 6th and 7th W. IV. cap. 38)' which
passed in July, 1836, and is usually called " the Bread
Act." This statute, after repealing the several acts
relating to bread to be sold beyond the limits (specified)
of the city of London, including those which enacted the
assize of bread, by the second section makes it lawful to
make and sell, offer or deliver, bread made of flour or
meal of wheat, barley, rye, oats, buck-wheat, Indian-
corn, peas, beans, rice, or potatoes, or any of them,
and with any common salt, pure water, eggs, milk,
harm, leaven, potato, or other yeast, and mixed in such
proportions as they shall think fit, and with no other in-
gredient or matter whatever. The 3d section authorises
bakers to make bread of any weight and size. The 4th
section is the important one. It enacts.—
" That from and after the commencement of this Act,
all bread sold beyond the limits aforesaid, shall be sold
by the several bakers or sellers of bread respectively
beyond the said limits, by weight; and in case any baker
or seller of bread beyond the limits aforesaid, shall sell
or cause to be sold bread in any other manner than by
weight, then, and in such case, every such baker or
seller of bread, shall for every such offence forfeit and
pay any sum not exceeding forty shillings, which the
magistrate or magistrates, justice or justices, before
whom such offender or offenders shall be convicted, shall
order and direct: Provided always, that nothing in this
Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to
prevent or hinder any such baker or seller of bread from
selling bread usually sold under the denomination of
French or fancy bread or rolls, without previously
weishing the same."

The Eta section requires bakers to use the imperial
avoirdupois weight of 16oz. to the pound, and its aliquot
parts; and imposes a penalty not exceeding 51, or less
than 403. for using any other weight. Then the 6th
section requires:—
" That every baker cr :teller of bread beyond the limits
aforesaid shall cause to be fixed in some conspicuous
part of his, her, or their shop, on or near the counter,
a beam and scales with proper weights, or other suffi-
cient balance, in order that all bread there sold may from
time to time be weighed in the presence of the pur-
chaser or purchasers thereof, except as aforesaid ; and,
in case any such baker or seller of bread shall neglect
to fix such beam and scales, or other sufficient balance,
in manner aforesaid, or to provide and keep furuse proper
beam and scales and propc'r weights or balance,or shall have
or use any incorrect or false beam, or scales, or balance,
or any false weight not being of the weight it purports to
be, according to the standard in the Exchequer, then,
and in every such case, he, she, or they, shall for every
such false beam and scales and balance, or false weight,
forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding five pounds, which
the magistrate or magistrates, justice or justices, before
whom such off,nder or offenders shall be convicted, shall
order and direct."

The 7th section requires bakers and sellers of bread,
delivering by cart, &c , to be provided with scales,
weights, &c., for weighing bread ; and imposes a penalty
for refusing to wei4h, if required, any bread purchased
or deli•"ered out of such cart, in the presence of the
purchaser. Then fdlow various clauses relating to the
adulteration of bread ; and the 10th requires all bread
made of mixed meal or flour (other than wheat fbur)
" to be marked with a large M, under a penalty not ex-
ceeding 103." By the 20th section, informations may
be laid before the acting magistrate or magis-
trates of the district (or borough), any one of whom
may issue a summons, and, on hearing, convict; the
25th section giving an appeal against such conviction to
the quarter sessions, whose decision is to be final. It
is, therefore, clear that any person finding that the
bread purchased by him is deficient in weight, may pro-
ceed at once by information at the borough police-court;
and this appears to be the only way in which frauds of
this nature can be investigated and punished.—Hull
Packet.:

A rumour is current in military circles, which we
notice with the utmost reluctance, and in the hope that
this public allusion to it may elicit some authorised
contradiction or explanation. It must have struck our
readers that in the official accounts of the recent victories
in India the praise so justly bestowed on the extraor-
dinary valour of her Majesty's 3d Dragoons, 16th Lancers,
and other cavalry regiments, did not include the 9th
Lancers. This latter corps must be well known to
our metropolitan readers; it was frequently reviewed on the
parade in St. James's Park by his late Majesty and his
revered consort, Queen Adelaide, and the distinction of
" Queen's Own" was conferred upon it. The regiment, before
its departure for India, was commanded by Lord Rosyln, the
present master of the Queen's Buckhounds and no body of
men could have been in a higher state of discipline and efficiency.
It is, therefore, with surprise and regret we hear that in the
late transactions it wholly disappointed the general expect-
antniesno,
fthoantetobfisociire circumstance is isserssaitrtriuutghtettedeutitgs,hheatbnoadclihrweaactrtdia-t
has been deemed necessary by
court of inquiry into his conduct.—. Observer.
A laughable incident occurred at Romsey Abbey
Church, en Sunday morning last. An out-asked couple, a
" navie" and one of the factory ladies, presented themselves
to be united in the indissoluble bond of matrimony. The
ceremony performed, the officials naturally looked for their
fees—the lergyman received his, but the clerk and sexton
heard w:a rueful countenance that none were forthcoming
for them the husband stating that the parson was quite
enough to marry him, " without them other two fellows."
As neither threats nor entreaties could prevain on him to
alter his determination, it was resolved to try the effect of a
little confinement, so the happy couple and their attendants
were locked into the vestry; but here, however, consolation
under trials was not wanting, for being armed with their
pipes and a match, they comfortably enjoyed themselves for
more than hour, till the arrival of people for morning ser-
vice compelled them to be dismissed, the fumes of the to-
bacco rather offending the olfactory nerves of some of the
more sensitive part of the congregation.—Brighton Gazette.
HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTIDN.—At a recent meeting
of the Committee of Management of the Hospital for Con-
sumption and Diseases of the Chest, held at the Hospital,
Chelsea, the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Durham, offered to
contribute 501., providing nine similar subscriptions could be
procured, for the especial purpose of aiding the fund for
furnishing of the new hospital, recently erected at Brompton.
His Lordship's benevolent intention has been followed, by
Philip Rose, Esq., Robert Vyner, Esq., James Alexander,
Esq., Mrs. Elizabeth Vaughan, Sir Robert Fitz Wygram,
Sir John Kirkland, and R. Beazou de Beauvoir, Esq.
EASTER TERI4.—The ensuing term will commence on
Wednesday next, upon which day the Lord Chancellor will
entertain the Judges and members of the inner bar with the
usual Easter Term dijetiner at his Lordship's house, whence
they will proceed to Westminster Hall, about one o'clock.
CURIOUS DISCOVERY.—On Wednesday, while some
men were engaged in removing a hedge in the vicinity of
Wheeler's-street, Birmingham, they discovered two copper-
plates, evidently constructed for forging IL and 21. notes of
efarorgededtonhoatvese
Bankbtheeena
queanf England, of
hoaftdaatrealBbleti.eveTdhetroe abpep
placed between the plates ; but owing to the length of
time they have been concealed, they were almost reduced to
P9wdet Th• plate. have Wee fvrirerdecLte the Beak 9f
ugludt