The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-06 00:00:00

THE WEST HAMDISTILLERY COMPANY.

The announcement of this company (the first estab-
lished under the Limited Liability Act) being in readi-
ness to receive orders for February, is an instance of
successful enterprise diligently and sedulously carried
out, which deserves more than passing mention.
After getting together their capital, in the first in-
stance, the directors had to refit the premises with an
entire new plant and machinery, &c. This has been done
at a cost of not less than 30,000/. ; but to do this effec-
tually, to secure the best construction of machinery, the
utmost vigour and ability have been brought into play
by the manager, Mr. Thomas Webb. Now at first sight
this seems to be a merely commercial speculation, in
which nobody is interested but the directors of the con -
cern. But that is a mistake. We will not say that it is
only a metropolitan affair, for it is national in its character ;
since the West Ham Distillery Company propose, and
are prepared to produce a spirit so pure in quality, and so
adapted, in consequence of that quality, to insure a busi-
ness for their produce, that the dividends upon it must
be large to the shareholders, but also to lead to the
operation of a system through which only pure spirit
shall be retailed to the country. However, taking the
matter in its lower and merely trading sense, what do
we find I A. number of gentlemen, men of capital and
experience, have placed in their hands an excellent busi-
ness, which has beeniinsufficiently worked by a private
firm. That firm, through a series of events which it is
not worth while to recapitulate, could not find the way
to turn their advantages to such ample pecuniary ac-
count as they ought to have done, and they therefore
lost their opportunity. Several gentlemen saw the
advantage open before them, and secured it, sub-
scribed their capital, laid out 30,0001. in securing the
plant and premises of the West Ham Distillery Com-
pany, brought in all the appliances of science, and, what
was equally as effective for profitable returns, all the in-
terest of their extensive connections. They do not, how-
ever, rely upon this, but upon the solidity of the principle
on which the company is founded—that of supplying a
pure spirit at a cheaper rate than it can be obtained else-
where. What the extent of the field is for their opera-
tions may be partially gathered from the facts that
there are sixty-two thousand licensed victuallers in
England, of whom ten thousand are located in Lon-
don, and yet for the whole of the demand presented by
such a community—and their customers are not to be
forgotten—there are but six distillers in the whole me-
tropolis. Now, taking these facts into consideration—
those of the smallness of the supply and the purity of the
spirit—it is very evident that the West Ham Distillery
Company have a field of operation before them which
will not only tax all their energies and secure them large
profits, but create an area of operation which will in-
sure an immeasurable business, and very speedily double
the value of their shares.
Taking raw proof spirit at this day's price to be worth
10s, 7d., and barley of 531 b. the bushel to be worth
378. per quarter, the returns per week would be 20,900
gallons of proof spirit, at 10s. 7d., 11,0591, uls. Bd. ;
granting refuse at 120/. the works would produce
11,179/.lls, Bd. Now 1,100 quarters of barley, at 37,.
cost 2,0351., and allowing for labour and all expenses,
including rent, coals, yeast, horses, &c., 2501. and the
duty on 20,900 gallons proof spirit at Bs., 8,360/., there
is a remainder of 10,645/. ; leaving a clear weekly profit
of 5341. 11s, ld. which would produce beyond 30 per
cent, on the paid-up capital.
Nothing could be more conclusive, nothing more evi-
dent than this statement, that the shareholders will reap
a large profit ' • while the establishment of the West Ham
Distillery will not only lead the way to the formation
of a great business for themselves, but also prove a great
advantage to the general community. This, indeed, has
been already shown by the fact that between the institu-
tion of the company and the constitution of its plant, an
enormous increase in the demand for pure spirit has
been created from the north of Europe, and those other
countries where spirit was an integral produce. Eng-
land has now, indeed, acquired a position as head of the
distilling business, and the West Ham Distillery Com
pang seems prepared to secure its cream.