The Sun.
London, England, 1802-09-22 00:00:00

P ARIS;;

EXTRACT OF A LETTER, SEPT. 13.

. .
IF ever a large tray`} of Country and Inhabitants
could combine together.for a particular purpose; there
is now a 'combination from London to Paris,
,to pil-
lage those of our unfortunate Countrymen and Wo.
men, whom business, or pleasure, brings upon the,
road. I think I cannot better exemplify the fad than
by a Bill, or two, as delivered 'by the Innkeepers.
As they are all nearly on a footing, I will not make.
an inviclious•distindion by giving the names, for I
do not wish to hurt one in particular—the 06.101
ought, to he a general Reform. At Dartford they.
- charge 16d., per mile—because they .always do so,
and" because it is a long stage.,-;--The first reason is
nugatory, and the sec,pnd ought to operate precise-.
ly the reverse, 'if suffered to operate at all. At
Canterbury they'have just reduced the prices from
‘lBd. to JO. per mile. At Dover it is still !Bd.
with the usual answer, " we'always charge
Surely, there is nothing just now that calls more
loudly for the interference of Parliament, than Rates
in general, and particularly 'Posting., Not long
since, in a journey of So miles only, I paid
.!3d.
z4d. zsd. 115 d. and 18d. per mile, every sittge •
changing according to the caprice of the Landlord, •
or that incontrovertible answer, " we alw4s.
charge it." In the Isle of Wight, indeed, a rea-
son was given extra for charging i Bd. per
whieb_was, that the, Traveller paid no turnpikes.,
.Unfortunate Wight ) to he imposed upon, because
he is not obliged to pay justly :—but to return to
Dover, take a specimen of. a Bill for two persons,.
who, fatigued-with their journey, wished a slight
repast, with a glass of negus, and their beds

. s. at.

Bread . .
Beer*
Cyder (t bottle)
Boiled Fowl (Chicken)
French Beans .
Potatoes -
Cheese -
Lamb Chops (two)
•White• Wine • -
Lemon and Sugar .
Wax Lights -
a'll Bed. Light .
Beds (two) .
Breakfasts, .
Eigi.(two) .

o t o
o "sr) -S
o z 6
O 4 6
o
• I
• t o
o 3 o
0.5 6

o 0
o
o o 6
o 4`:o
o 3,0
o o 6

I 3 Z
PASSAGE—In the year /790, we had one of the
best packet-boats for ow-selves for five guineasin
the year 13oz, it is necessary to bargain for such an
acquisition, from 20 /(135 guineas. The post duties
at Calais on an English packet being about 350-
livres, or zsl.—this has also increased the price of
a single passage from half a guinea to one guinea,
with the satisfaaion of having a- cabin 'with twelve
beds, consigned for the accommodation of thirty,
forty, nay as far as sixty passengers.
What is this, if it is not imposition,? At Calais
you have another passport to pay for, a fee to -the
man who brings it, a fee to the man who goes with
• you for it, besides fees for a ladder to run the risk-
of breaking your neck in getting on the Pier. Af
ter having paid your share of 151. for the_ port du-
ties, ands. or six francs a-head for a small boat,
Which might bring you to some ,stairs—but then
the ladder-men would not have their fee--.-yer
have then a fee to the Custom-house-officers for
not spoiling all your clothes by over-bawling them,
and then a fee .to the Commissioner who gives it
him, a fee to the Custom-house porter for carrying
,your baggage to the Custom-house, and a fee to an-
other for
.bringing it home, and with all, obliged to
stay at Calais tijl all these ceremonies are per-
formed, which before the War might be an hour, and
now one day and sometimes two, a delay of con_
sequence to your pocket, from the -,difference in
charges between

1790.
li;•res.
Diner pour 2 Personnes en particulier 6 o
houteille de Vin de Chablis - - z o
pour Nem, de Bourdeaux, a long bouchon - 3 ro
la Chambre - - 2 0
pour le Dejeuner . 2 0

1802.
iz 0
4•• 0
7 0
S 0
3 '0

:5 1° P o.
and unfortunately this proportion seems to reign as,
an example for-the whole road, such as four livres
for supi)eri,.where we used to pay two Bourgogne a
auartce2frane,, that used to be two livres, &c. &c..
ostillai.s' who used to be well satisfied at zo sols
Per post, are now dissatisfied with 3o sols, and so
till we arrive at that great mart of imposition, the
-aPital. The first attempt is, that of endeavour_
y)g to persuade you, that no apartments are. let at
its unless for a month ; that point gained, zo, 25
4d 3o Louis per month are, asked for any moderate
alccommodation, that is a saloon, bed-chamber, anti-
chamber and cabinet, of which the usual, price be_
fore the war, was from zo to 15 Louis. The
,nex
P°lnr is to announce the impossibility of giving you
I.(linner per head, bat the necessity of having your
elnner par plat, or so much for each dish • thus in
Power of the Cook, instead of a good dinner for
fro four to livres per head, as heretaftstg,,.,:he.
i:,?4 With ease, for four or five dishes, produce ,you a,
11} 01 30 livres, as thus,
Pot, tiv . so ts
rri pouf deux Personnes
Aistse Poulet, aux Champignons - 9
Vde Ve2ll Pique
crreatix rote. so 0
xnelette souse- - - - 4 0

wt io
an extraordinary dinner for Paris, andB yet ' for
° Persons,_ amounting to the easy sum of twenty..
sigh hillin„,c;s without hreaa'.--4or breakfast 40 to
sj,c) 8,°13 per person ; this added to four "lyres in.
'ean 01 two to the laquais de place, 20 and. zz: Louis
ive4rr month for a carriage, instead of 11, as. before the.
witl alll,Ja the various incidental charges, aug.
3:ente ' Per Cent. will, for two persons, and their
‘onrltntsao very easily create a bill of r 200 livres, for
nt: week (sal. sterl.) ; of the truth of this I believe
-re than One or.two witnesses will vouch. This,
tiweyer IS, I believe,. rather confined to .what are-
tu2eci the first hotels, such as l'H-otel desEtrangers,
Pp de la Revolution, l'Hotel de l''Empire,
rb•wtel de la C4ringe Bateliere, all Which are in
the neighbour;lood of les Boulevardsdes Itatiens
ibens of the Theatres- the Fauxbohrg -Ger-
e(,lll biing somewhat. abandoned, wilt afford better
"anuAlation for less .money ; for in the abbve
%
()bilked to call 4- Crd-. socit pt,4114:
IwQr (Loins tt e lois •