The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-29 00:00:00

THE SALT MONOPOLY.

The salt monopoly of India haS been often 'noticed
under this head as a subject of serious complaint in the
local papers. The Serampore journal, the Friend of
India, well known for the knowledge it displays of com-
merce and statistics, has particularly distinguished itself
as an advocate for the admission of British salt, and the
consequent abolition of the present monopoly, which con-
fines the population of India to the salt taken from the
shores of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

Hitherto we have mentioned the monopoly as a matter
of local complaint only, arld the notice of the subject has
been confined to occasions when the Indian papers have
arrived. Now, however, the question has changed its
character, and appears as one which is taken up with
great warmth by the salt trade of this country. They
are convinced of the fact that England can supply India
with salt to an unlimited amount, to the great benefit of
both countries, and they grow restless at the obstacle
which the salt monopoly places in their way.
The following resolutions, passed at a meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce of the white salt trade, held at
Northwich on the lath inst., will clearly show the state
of feeling on the subject :
" It being higly desirable for the interests of the salt
trade of this country that the Indian markets (whose
annual consumption is at least 250,000 to 300,000
tons) should be fairly opened for the admission of
British manufactured salt, which can be supplied of a
far purer quality, and at much lower rates, than that
produced under the East India Company system :
" Resolved, that each salt manufacturer in Cheshire
and Worcestershire be requested to use his personal
interest, individually as well as collectively, to abolish a
monopoly so injurious to the interests of the salt trade of
England.
" That, as the admission of British salt into India in-

timately affects not only the price, but also the supply
of Bengal sugars, and is likewise f the greatest import-
ance to the shipowners and manufacturers of this
country, it is advisable that a letter be drawn up
and forwarded by the Chairman of the Salt Chamber
of Commerce to the Chairman of the Shipowners'
Association in London and Liverpool—the East India
and China Association—the Manchester, Liverpool,
Bristol, and Glasgow Chambers of Commerce—re-
questing their aid and assistance, separately and col-
lectively, as well as that of the individual members of
the various chambers and associations over which they
preside in order to abolish a monopoly so fraught with
mischief to the manufacturing, shipping, and commercial
interests of England, as well as so injurious to the moral,
domestic, and political economy of the people of India ;
and in order that an accurate knowledge may generally
be diffused of the working and effects of the salt mono-
poly in India, 150 copies of Mr. D. C. Aylwin's Salt
Pamphlet be forwarded to each of the above gentlemen,
with a request that they will distribute them amongst
such shipowners, manufacturers, sugar, refiners, and
merchants, as they may deem most interested in the
Indian trade, or most likely to take up and advocate this
question.
" That, as it is desirable the Board of Control should
be petitioned prior to applying to Parliament for redress,
a deputation from the salt proprietors of England shall
as soon as possible be formed ; -and that this Chamber
be requested to place itself in communication with the
ctairman of thel Shipowners' Association in London
and Liverpool—the East India and China Associations—
the Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, and Glasgow Cham-
bers of Commerce, to request their active co-operation
in submitting to their various chambers and associa-
tions the prcpriety of uniting in one common body, to
petition the Board of Control to abolish a monopoly
which is equally prejudicial to the interests of all.
" That circular letters, with the above resolutions at-
tached, be forwarded to each member of the salt trade,
with a request that, with as little delay as possible, a
list may be furnished to the Chamber of Commerce of
such individuals to whom each member may wish a copy
of Mr. Aylwin's Salt Pamphlet to be forwarded.
" That a general meeting of the salt trade of Eng-
land be called for Monday, August 31, at the Angel Inn,
Northwich, at one o'clock; and
" That Mr. Aylwin be respectfully requested to attend
such meeting.

" W. WORTHINGTON, Chairman."
It will be perceived that a .paniphlet by Mr. Aylwin
s mentioned as of peculiar importance. This is a
quarto work, in which the information relative to the
salt monopoly, and its effect on the most varied inte-
rests, has been collected with the greatest diligence,
every fact which it contains being borne out
by a reference to the most extensive tables. For the
purpose of collecting this information, Mr. Aylwin
went from England to Calcutta, and there from resi-
dent merchants obtained the great mass of material
which he now lays before the commercial public. The
pamphlet being of rather formidable dimensions,
though excessively interesting to all who are prac-
tically concerned with the subject, Mr. Aylwin has added
another, of smaller size, that exhibits at a glance the
salient points of the case. As his object is to spread his
views as widely as possible, this is a judicious proceed-
ing ; but, nevertheless, all who wish to make themselves
acquainted with the question—and it is a very important
one, with the most various bearings—should peruse the
larger production in addition to the abridgment.
In the first place, the question is treated as one of re-
venue, and here the principle is laid down that if the
Government of India has not netted 3 rupees per inaund

(the duty on imported salt), the salt moiopoly causes a
loss to the Treasury. Now, it appears that the total
amount of salt manufactured by the East India Company
between the years 1793.4 and 1844-5 (including a com-
paratively small amount imported) was not less than
.237,347,544 mounds, which, at 3 rupees per maund,
would have yielded- the Government a revenue of
712,042,662 rupees, whereas the revenue actually realised
does not exceed 606,268,280 rupees, thereby showing a
loss by manufacturing of no less than 105,774,382
rupees, or upwards of 10,500,000/. sterling.
By a comparison of the state of the population at two
different periods a new result is obtained, which bears
greatly upon the philanthropic view of the question.
From the year 1813-14 to the to the year 1844-5, the
population has increased 50 per cent., whereas in the
same time the amount of salt manufactured by the East
India Company has only advanced at the rate of 6 per
cent., although the consumption of imported articles has
kept pace with the increased number of the people. In
case this fact should not be sufficiently valued, from a
notion that salt is not so absolutely necessary to the In-
dian population, it is as well to quote the opinion on
this matter of the late Rammohun Roy :
" As salt has by long habit become an absolute neces-
sary of life, the poorest peasants are ready to sur-
render everything else in order to procure a small pro-
portion of this article, though the dearth of the salt is
felt by the whole community ; and the people in general
are therefore obliged to make use of a bad quality, and
few, comparatively, are able to incur the expense of pro-
curing it in a purer form.
"As the food of the people in Bengal consists chiefly
of boiled rice, which is, by itself, a most insipid kind of
food, salt, and the ingredients dressed with salt, are used
to season the rice, and render it palatable. The rice is
usually eaten with what the Hindoos call byunyun or
turkaree, and the Mussulmans salun; that is, something
such as a little fish, or dal (a kind f dressed pease), or
vegetables, according to their abilities to procure these
articles. But as they have been long accustomed to the
use of salt, the high cost of this ingredient sometimes
obliges the poor people to give up their byunyun or salun
to procure it, and eat their rice with salt alone.
" Salt being, as I already observed, an absolute neces-
sary of life, is now purchased, even by the poorest in-
dividuals, at the sacrifice of every other kind of
ri season-
rendered cheaper and better, it must greatly promote the
ing and eatable but
common comforts of the people. Ido not know that it
, the staff of life. If salt were
would immediately cause a very considerable increase of
consumption, but, to a certain extent it would undoubt-
edly; and, from its cheapness, its use may be again ex-
tended by the people in seasoning the food of cattle, for
which purpose formerly large quantities were used. The
poorer classes, at any rate, would not in this case be
compelled to' sacrifice any other comfort in order to
procure it.
" As I understand, the price of salt is here about
one-fourth of what it is in India ; therefore there is no
doubt that the natives of India would be very glad to
purchase English salt, if imported, excepting, perhaps, a
very few professional Brahmins. The bulk of the
people would make no distinction between the salt which
is home made and that which is imported. One-fourth
(if not one-third) of the soda-water manufactured in
Calcutta by Europeans is, I think, used by the natives
residing in Calcutta and its suburbs, and also a conside-
rable portion of the liquors imported from Europe,
" The adulteration of the salt is carried to an enor-
mous extent, by mixing it with one-third, or even one-
half of earth, until, instead of being like salt, it more
resembles the earth of which it is partly composed. Per-
sons in comfortable circumstances generally purify it,
by manufacturing it over again before they use it, or
purchase it already refined, often at double the common
price ; but the poorer classes cannot afford the expense
of either."
The fact is, the deficiency of salt is in some measure
supplied by smuggling, for which the extensive frontier
affords the greatest facilities. Still, however, setting
aside the consideration thkt smuggling is invariably at-
tended with the most immoral consequences, the Indians
appear to be most scantily supplied with this very neces-
sary article, and the indirect effect of the high price of
salt, and the indigence of the people, is considered by
Mr. Aylwin to be a cause of the decline in the exporta-
tion of sugar :
" To what is this remarkable decline to be attributed?
Has the demand decreased? Is the profit on the pro-
duction lessened? Have fresh competitors arisen? Have
new duties on exportation or importation been imposed
in England or in India, to check the enterprise of the
Bengal grower? Has the consuming population dimi-
nished? Or, in fact, has any rational cause ever been
assigned to account for this mercantile phenomenon? I
answer confidently and emphatically in the negative :
none of the above-mentioned causes have arisen. India
enjoys the same advantages that she did in 1840-41 ;
but she iS unhappily not in a condition to avail herself
of them. She is not enabled to put forth and show her
capabilities of production, while the industry and energy
of her vast labouring population are paralysed, as they
now are, by the oppression and injustice of the salt mo-
nopoly. There are limits to the extent of human labour;
and while that is strained to the uttermost to provide the
means of obtaining the bare essentials of existence, no
Margin is left for the application of time, labour, and
capital in order to procure clothing, which by the poorer
Hindoo, I grieve to sal, is now regarded as merely one
of the luxuries of life.
The shipping interest are also concerned in the ques-
tion, as is shown by the following extract from the short
pamphlet:—
"Of the wonderful advantage that will accrue to
British shipping from such an increase in the export
trade to India, it is impossible to form an estimate. A
complete revolution, in fact, will be effected in the condi-
tion of the India shipowner, now struggling with the
serious and almost paralysing influence of steam. Owing to

: -

the balance of the export trade being at present in favour of
India, the average freight of dead weight from Calcutta'
to London, from 1840 to 1845- inclusive, has been
41.75. 7 d., and of light goods, 31. 14s. 64d., while ship-
ments from this country to the East, of metals and otber
goods, have been generally effected at from 15s. to 255.,
and sometimes even so low as Gs. per ton. Our ship-
owners, indeed, have been glad to take what they could
get for an outward cargo, trusting for profit entirely to
the homeward voyage."
Altogether, a subject of very wide importance appears
to be opening to the commercial, and indeed to the
genera), public of this country.-7 imes' City Article.

THE LATE DEATHS FROM POI-

SONOUS BERRIES.

John Hilliard, the man charged with vending the poi-
sonous berries which caused the death of Thomas
Parker, and the child Jones, "was again examined on
the charge of manslaughter, at the Thames Police-court.
Mrs. Parker repeated the testimony which she gave
on her previous examinations, and proved that the pri-
soner pressed the fruit upon her by the strongest recom-
mendations as to its agreeable flavour, as well as its
wholesome qualities. He said he brought the barits
from a long distance, and that they were just then very
scarce. In describing the effect which the poison pro-
duced, she said that soon after eating the berries her
fingers tingled, and her knees gave way, so as that she
felt as if she was dropping down. Her tongue swelled,
her throat became dry, and she lost the power of utter-
ance. She then became insensible, and was, as she un-
derstood, removed to the London Hospital ; but she re-
collected nothing more until she found herself in bed
there the next morning. Her husband was there also,
and died whilst she was with him.

Mr. William Prophet, surgeon, Church-lane, White-
chapel, repeated the evidence hich has already been
published. describing the various effects which the action
of the poison produced.
George Birch, 105 B, apprehended the prisoner on
the 20th instant at Stratton-ground, Westminster, He
was selling blackberries at the time. Witness told him
that he suspected him to the person who had sold poi-
sonous berries in Whitechapel. Witness took him to
the station, where he denied all knowledge of the poi-
sonous berries, and said that he had not sold berries in
White, chapel, adding that he had heard of Whitechapel,
but did not know the way there. He further said that
he had gathered and sold herbs and berries fur the last
twenty years, and ought therefore to know what was
fruit and what was not. At Whitechapel he showed
witness the way to the station, and admitted that he
knew every turning about the place.

John 'Williams, gas fitter, 2, Wellington-street, Black-
friars-road, and John Lambert, 24, Pear- tree-street,
Waterloo-road, proved having also bought some berries
from the prisoner. When selling them he said they
were beautiful fruit, and fit to make pies and puddings.
They were both subsequently seriously affected after
eating them.
Elizabeth Tappin, 5, Upper Somerford street, stated
that on Saturday week the man came up with his black-
berries and what he called dewberries. A young man
who lodged in the house came to the door and told the
prisoner that the berries were poison, cautioning the
witness not to buy them. He said to the prisoner, "If
you are a countryman at all, you ought to know that
they are poison." He at the same time explained to the
prisoner what they were, and in what places they grew.
The prisoner said they are ripe and sweet and fit to eat,
but the lodger again contradicted hith saying, " Yes, I
know they are sweet, but they are rank poison." Wit-
ness declined purchasing them, and the prisoner went on
still crying out " berries." -

.
Mr. Donegan, who had charge of the case, was pre-
pared with a host of supplementary evidence, but in the
then stage of the case it was not deemed deirable to en-
cumber the inquiry with any extraneous matter. He
was, however, directed to keep together all the substan-
tial evidence which he could collect, there being some
doubt as to whether the prisoner should be committed on
the charge of murder or manslaughter. The prisoner
was ultimately remanded until next Saturday. The in-
quiry, which occupied five hours, excited the most in-
tense interest, and the court was crowded with persons
anxious to hear the details of the evidence.