The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-31 00:00:00

SHORT WEIGHT IN COALS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sfu,—The flagrant case of short weight in coals,
reported in your paper of the 22d instant, together
with the steps that have been taken by members of
the Coal Merchants' Society, have at length fairly
brought this matter before the public ; but it requires
" line upon line, precept upon precept," in order to
put an end to this iniquitous system. Will you,
therefore, permit me to furnish your readers with a
few hints for their guidance, those at least who may
wish to satisfy themselves of the honesty of their coal
merchants.

Have your cellars measured, a ton of coal occupies
a space of about 52 cubic feet. A sack of coal ought
to weigh two hundred and twenty-four pounds,
exclusive of the sack. See7that the scales, and also
the weights, are properly balanced, by placing two
of the four half-hundredweights on either side of
the scale. There is no security in allowing any
other than a proper balance machine to be used.
Select the sacks for weighing, and as small sacks are
frequently used which are made to contain only 1
cwt., do not be deceived because they appear quite
full. Have a witness, who should write down the
exact weight of each sack (if a policeman so much the
better), as he will prevent the not uncommon prac-
tice of the carman 's driving away; do not believe
that he has ricked his back, even if he swears to it,
and if he breaks the machine (a common trick)
send to the nearest police station fur another. And
last, though not least, do not leave the matter to
your servants or butler, unless you wish to be defeated.
I heard of a nobleman a few days since who
inquired of his corn merchant whether he could not
afford to allow his coachman more than 5 per cent.
Every man owes a duty to the public as well as to
himself. You may consider that you owe nothing to
the coal merchant—you may disregard his advice, if
not worse ; but bear in mind that all his efforts to serve
you, and redeem his trade from the disrepute attached
to it, can only be done by your assistance and co-
operation. If the above recommendation should be
adopted, the public will soon discover to what an ex- ,
tent this fraudulent system has been carried.
I am, Sir, yours respectfully,
A COAL MERCHANT. I

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
DEVONPORT, WEDNESDAY, FIVE, P.M.—lt Still con-
nues to blow half a gale'from the S. W., with no sign of a
change. The Calliope, 26, Captain Sir E. Home, Bart.,
advertised to sail this day, is not able to get out of
harbour.
Indefatigable, 50, Captain Smart, K.H., is only waiting
for weather to go out of Devonport harbour.
Virago, steam-sloop, is waiting (with Mr. Henderson
and party) for favourable weather to go down to Fal-
mouth for the Astrea, store-ship, to navigate her to
Devonport.
Hecate, 6, steam-sloop, Commander G. S. Hand, has
proceeded from Portsmouth forthwith to Newcastle, at
the request of the Mayor of that port, to protect the
shipping interests of that place and its immediate vicinity.
FALMOUTH, JAN. 28.—A sudden and melancholy ship-
wreck took place last night, and which was only made
known this morning at about ten o'clock by an open
boat entering the harbour with a solitary occupier.
From his tale it appears he is a Prussian, named Martin
Jonsten, and was a sailor belonging to the schooner
Mormond Maid, of Fraserburg, Malcolm, master, from
Nantes, laden with wheat, bound to this port fur orders.
Last evening they made the Lizard, and subsequently
the light of St. Anthony, but at 7 P.m., struck on a rock,
and during the confusion which ensued, Jonsten, who
had been at the helm, got into the longboat and was
immediately floated out of the vessel, which he supposes
must soon afterwards have sunk with the remainder of
the crew, including a passenger, six in all.
Although Jonsten is ignorant of the locality, it would
seem that the rock on which the unfortunate schooner
struck is the Manacles, and as no tidings have transpired
from the coast to-day, it is but too clear the wreck is
total, and no one aware of it near the fatal spot. The
escape of the survivor, and his entry into this harbour,
partake of the marvellous, especially in such a gale as
blew last night. A grindstone being in the boat, he ma-
naged with a line to anchor ber within a headland in the
western bay during a great portion of the night, and
this morning got again under weigh, and actually came
himself up to tho town-pier unassisted, and communi-
cated his tale.
7 P.m.—The pilots have just reported that a wreck is
partially visible on the outer Manacle rock, which con-
firms the foregoing statement.
A Dutch galliot, called the Concordia, of and for Am-
sterdam, from Surinam, Lordt master, and laden with
sugar and cotton, has just put in very leaky, and with
loss of sails, bulwarks, bouts, &c., having experienced
very severe weather, especially on the 16th inst., in lat.
43 N., long. 25 W.
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The Amphitrite, 25,
Captain Frederick, will be inspected by the Commander-
in-Chief to-morrow, after which her crew will be paid
advance. She will sail en Saturday, weather (which is
very foul at present) permitting.
The new steam-frigate Argus, designed and built by
Mr. Fincham, master-shipwright of this dockyard, having
received her engines, returned to this port this morning
to be brought forward for commission.
The Lady Flora freight-ship, embarked :150 of the
50th Regiment for Cortu this day at the dockyard.
The Hercules, 72, Master-Commander Fulton, is de-
tained at Spithead by adverse weather.
PLYMOUTH, JAN. 30.—The crews of her Majesty's
frigate Calliope, 26, Captain Sir J. E. Home, and her
Majesq's brig Ftilitome, 12, Commander J. E. Gunnys,
were paid adv.ince wages on Wednesday.
her Majesty's ship Foudroyant, 80, is ordered to have
her copper taken off, and her bottom caulked.
Five deer, two bucks and three does, were captured on
Tuesday ut Mount Edgeetimbe, and sent on board the
Calliope for breeding in New Zealand.

APPOINTMENTS.
WOOLWICII, JAN. 30.—Lieutenants—John 11. CAVE',
recently promoted from the Excellent gunnery-ship, at
Portsmouth, to the Hogue, 56, steam guard-ship at Cork;
John B. Scriven (1810) to be agent of mails, and Robert
W. Clark (1844), and CoLatautiiie G. Glinu (1845) to
the Coast Guard.