The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-06 00:00:00

711 E CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMEN7'.

On Wednesday night a meeting of the London
teadealers and grocers was held at the Hanover-
square Rooms, the large hall of which was filled, for
the purpose of considering the present effect of the
co-operative movement upon the trade, and to form
a society to be called the Teadealers and Grocers'
Association, to watch over and protect the general
interests of the members.

Mr. NEWSOM occupied the chair, and in opening
the proceedings remarked that although he was not
now in business he had, in the absence of Mr. Abbiss
(ex-Alderman), who had met with an accident,
readily come from his retirement to assist his old
friends on a question affecting the general interests
of the trade. Ile rather objected that the card of
invitation had described the meeting as a public
one. He did not so regard it. He looked upo❑ it
as a meeting to devise means of protecting them-
selves under exceptional circumstances—a question
in which the public had but an indirect interest.
(Hear, hear.) Now, whatever might be said, truth
and justice were on the side of those present. He
was a grocer of 40 years' experience. Since this co-
operative movement had become so prominently be-
fore the public he had looked through his books,
and he found that during the last six years of his
trading his average trade expenses amounted to 7j
per cent.—say 8 per cent.—and his bad debts to less
than 3 per cent. This 8+ per cent. included every-
thing—a thoroughly efficient staff, horses and carts,
interest on capital employed, and all other necessary,
expenditure for conducting a large trade in a pro-
per manner. Now he found that the cost of ma-
naging the Haymarket Co-operative Association
was set down at 10 per cent., and that of managing
another co-operative society was stated to be 15 per
cent., while he had seen somewhere that the average
would be 12+ per cent. He was certain that under
such a condition of things the trade might take
courage. They should rather rejoice at the compe-
tition, for they would shortly see the enemy retire
from the field. One great reason for the present
state of the trade was the unwise practice of selling
sugar under cost price. When he was in trade he
never found any difficulty in getting a good profit
—say, 2s. per cwt.—upon sugar, and if he were
now in businees he certainly should not like to en-
gage in the combat waging with the heavy weight
on his shoulders of a loss on the sale of sugar. De-
precating the system gf long credits, the speaker
said he had nn doubt that every:west-end tradesman
present would be highly pleased if their aristocratic
patrons would come with their ready money and
give them a chance similar to that they now ap-
peared so anxious to extend to what he must call
illegitimate traders. He knew that customers
would be as well, if not better, served by their
old tradesmen under the ready-money prin-
ciple than by any co-operative society in
existence. The more fortunate and refined
classes appeared unwilling to admit that the
retail tradesmen of the country were entitled
to a profit enabling them to live, and the absurd
letters that had appeared did very little credit to
the education of the persons who had written them.
People who took the money of the country had
thrown themselves into the question, used argu-
ments that would have disgraced the pupils of a
charity school, and displayed much bitterness and
unfairness.

Mr. P UCKRIDGE remarked that the competition
resulting from the establishment of the so-called co-
operative stores deserved special attention on the
part of the trade. Not that it was for one moment
believed that the flag of individual enterprise would
droop before this new opposition, but a just cause
of complaint did certainly exist, inasmuch as the
civil servants of the Crown, under a Government
name, were using their influence with the professed
object of substituting mere distribution, without
profit, for fair trading. The fact that the legiti-
mate trader could, from his superior knowledge,
successfully compete with any such movement did
not detract from the animus of this attack, op-
posed, as it was, to all English notions of just
trading. The proposed association would, no doubt,
deal with many questions arising in the grocery
trade; but the primary matter for their consideration
at the present moment was the movement that had
been set on foot to deprive them of their legitimate
trade. They did not mean to be downhearted ;
but were determined to show courage and firm-
ness. He contended that the trade had not been
treated fairly by the Press, and the article in
the Saturday Review of December 18 (in which it
was stated that the profits on groceries, &c., were
50 per cent.) was simply infamous. As to the
ready-money principle, the more it was adopted the
better ; it was nonsense to suppose it could be car-
ried out without exception. He referred to keepers
of schools, medical men, lawyers, as classes who
could not as a rule conduct their business on the
ready-money principle, and many clergymen who
took their tithes at fixed periods could not be ex-
pected to pay for every article at the time of pur-
chase. The present movement was an attack upon
the middle classes, who had hitherto been regarded
as the backbone of the country, and had persis-
tently evinced great anxiety to assist in all laudable
objects, charitable and otherwise. He knew very
well that the managers of the various churches,
schools, and benevolent institutions would not de-
spise the tradesmen of London, and he thought it a
very dangerous thing, in the existing condition of
parties, for the higher orders to set themselves
against the middle classes. As to the civil servants
of the Crown, who were taking so prominent
a part in the matter under consideration, many
of them did not do two days' commercial work
in the whole week, and it would be a question
whether it should not be pointed out to the Go-
vernment how the civil service could be conducted
in a much cheaper and more efficient manner
than at the present moment. The country paid
£8,000,000 for this service, the members of which
were interfering unfairly with trade ; but they could
not succeed. The stores contained the seeds of
destruction in themselves, and at no distant day the
trade would triumph and see their old customers

returning. He moved, " That a society be formed,
called the Teadealers' and Grocers' Association, to
watch over and protect the interests of the trade."
Mr. CHADDLE, in seconding the motion, said it
was clear that if sugar was sold at a loss certain
articles were charged extra to make it up. He
thought it impolitic to put so large a profit as was
done upon some things sold by the trade, and in the
present contest they had suffered by a comparision
of their prices with those for the same articles at
the co-operative stores. He thought that the trade
should refuse the odds and ends of an account, and
if a family dealt at a co-operative store retail trades-
men should decline to execute small orders, except
for ready money.
The resolution, having been supported by Mr.
Cox and another speaker, was put and carried
unanimously.
Mr. STRUGNELL proposed a resolution to the
effect that the society be governed by a committee
representing every section of the trade, and that a
legal firm of high standing be engaged, whose ser-
vices should be available by the members at the dis-
cretion of the committee. The speaker recommended
combination to carry out what the meeting had in
view, and thought the trade had reason to complain
of the slanders of the press.
Mr. BErrs seconded the motion.

Mr. RAYNER supported the resolution, and dwelt
with some bitterness of expression on the fact
that there had been no Court in London for
seven seasons, when there were thousands of starv-
ing people in their midst. Trade would be gene-
rally benefited if her Majesty resumed her proper
position.
The resolution having been unanimously adopted,
Mr. DEBAC moved another, deprecating the em-
ployment of the Government's name and influence
by the civil servants of the Crown in their trading
operations, as calculated to excite class jealousies.
He mentioned that during the past ten years the
Civil Service Estimates had increased by £1,600,000,
more than one half of the whole amount obtained by
the duty upon tea, which was in round figures
£3,000,000, and that upon inquiry he found that
the committee of management of the stores started
by the civil servants received of public money from
£BOO to £l,OOO per annum each. Surely, they were
not the people to interfere with legitimate trading ;
but if they saved as much as had been stated they
could afford to do the work of the public at a
cheaper rate. He had received many letters from
members of Parliament on the subject, but they
were, with the exception of that from Mr. Glad-
stone's son, marked '6 private." (The letter was
read, the writer stating that he had not fully made
up his mind upon the question, but he was scep-
tical of the advantages that were to be obtained by
co-operation.) In conclusion, Mr. Debac said
their mottto must continue to be " Live and let
live." That was all they asked or desired.
The resolution was seconded and adopted unani-
mously, and a vote of thanks to the chairman
closed the proceedings at a late hour.-

THE MARQUIS D'AZEGL lO'S COLLECTION
OF OBJECTS OF ART AND VERTU.

The objects of art and vertu formed by his Ex-
cellency ,the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Italian Ambas-
sador at this Court, now about retiring from the
Emb:issy, were 3estcrday brought under the
hammer of Messrs. Christie, Manson, and Woods,
at the late residence of the ambassador, 49, Gros-
venor-street. Among the more prominent objects
were the subjoined :—Lot 67. Dresden Porcelain.
—A magnificent set of five vases, of very early
Dresden, painted with Chinese figures and flowers.
These vases formed part of the collection at the
Japanese Palace at Dresden. They were sent to
Italy, when the collection was re-arranged about
40 years ago--70 guineas (Marks.) Tapestry.-
109. Jeptha. A very remarkable specimen of Italian
embroidery of the sixteenth century, from a design
ofr A. de Mantegna-16 guineas (Oldfield). 110.
The Crossing of the Red Sea. A very fine specimen
of Venetian embroidery, from a design of Raffaelle,
with border of satyrs, masks, and children-16
guineas (Ward). 114. Four pieces of Italian
tapestry, originally belonging to the palace of
Andrea Doria, at Genoa, whose arms are placed at
the corner; on one of the pieces is a view of the
Moto Vecchio, at Genoa, and the Galleys of Doria.
Vasari, in his Life of Perino del Vaga, architect,
of the Palazzo Doria, states that this artist, who
assisted Raffaelle in painting the Loggie of the Va-
tican, designed the cartoons for the tapestry of the
Prince's Palace ; the style of these tapestries is si-
milar to that of the arabesques of the Vatican-43
guineas (Mason). 115. St. Veronica, woven in silk
and gold thread, from a cartoon of G. de Pontor-
mo, during the period when he imitated A. Darer,
supposed to be the work of Maestro Rost, called by
the Florentines Roso, a Flemish artist employed by
the Medicis to instruct the Florentines in the art
of weaving tapestry ; and three medallion heads of
Apostles, after designs of Raffaelle, embroidered in
silk and gold, formerly belonging to the cope of
Leo X.-14 guineas (Durlacher). Ancient Pic-
tures.--118. Hughtenborg—the Battle of Malpla-
quet, engraved, and the companion, the Battle of
Chiari —32 guineas (Pattison). 125. Dello Delli,
the front of a cassone, with the marriage of one of
the Altoviti family, and two archangels, by G. L.
Da Vercelli-27 guineas (Calvetti). 133. Maerino
D'Alba, St. Lucia and St. Lawrence ; purchased at
Alba by SirJ. Hudson-20 guineas (Grindiay). 135,
Giovenone Da Vercelli—the marriage of St. Cathe-
rine. The costumes are those of the valleys of
Monterosa ; on the ornaments of the dress of the
Madonna is inscribed a verse by Dante :—" Humile
ed alta pin the creatura."-20 guineas (Ditto).
Engraved metal dishes and vases.-145. A fine en-
graved brass dish, with arabesque and arms of the
Zena family, and a very fine early cinque-cento
engraved brass ewer, with the figure of a warrior
on the lid-16 guineas (Wilson). 147. A beauti-
ful repoussa brass cup and cover, surmounted by a
figure, the handles chased with arabesque figures,
and a very fine engraved brass dish, with the arms
of the Salamone family, the monogram of Orazio
Fortezza, on the back-18 guineas (Drake). 149.
A very fine brass dish, by Orazio Fortezze da
Sebenico, with the Michieli and Trepoli Arms-
-15 guineas (Ditto). 150. A magnificent brass
dish, with engravings of the Caesars and sub-
jects of Roman history ; in the centre the arms
of the Doge Cicogna ; near the tablet inscribed
Brunno Duca di Galli is the signature L. DI LIGI,
an artist from Litige. An unique specimen
—54 guineas (Pattison). Ornamental Objects.-
152. A magnificent Japanese screen, with animals
and landscapes in relief,_ made of gold cloth. This
is similar to the tapestries in the Palais du Bois, at
the Hague, which were given to the Dutch Govern-
ment by the Tycoon during the last century-10
guineas (Wright). 154. A looking-glass, in gilt
frame, carved with rams' heads, masks, and festoons
and a pair of ebony tables, inlaid with figures and
ornaments in ivory-30 guineas (B. Benjamin).
157. A very fine dinner service of Venetian porce-
lain, painted with bouquets.of flowers, consisting of
118 pieces, and a dessert service, similar, with blue
border, consisting of 22 pieces-- 35 guineas (Smith).
159. A very large jar, painted at Capo di Monte,
with animals, birds, and wreaths of flowers, on white
ground-15 guineas (B. Benjamin). 160. The
companion jar, printed with Pompeian ornaments.
These two jars formerly belonged to Carlton-house
—25 guineas (Calvetti). 165. A magnificent
Armoire h Glace, inlaid with ivory and mother-o-
pearl, with the arms of Victor Amadeus on the
lock. Purchased in Sicily when Victor Amadeus
took possession of the Sicilian throne, 1707. It is
attributed to the Venetian Pietro Vidari, who was
the intarsiatore of the King, and worked at Turin
in 1694, the first of the school which formed after-
wards Piffetti and Bouzauigo-45 guineas (Wood-
gate). 166. A beautiful mirror, in elaborate carved
frame, by Bonzauigo, iu the style of Gouthiere.
Bonzsnigo lived at Turin at the latter part of the
18th century, and was appointed scultore in legno to
the King of Sardinia-30 guineas (Pattison). 167.
A very fine cassone, by P. Ucello, with warriors
passing through a gate, inscribed Roma-15 guineas
(Calvetti). 168. A magnificent Florentine cassone,
by Dello Dolli, with a procession leaving the church
of Santa !Maria del Fiore, beaded by Lorenzo de
Medicis and his younger brother Giuliano. This

is one of the few records Of the facade of the
church as it stood in the 15th century-108 guineas
(Halsey). 169. A cinque-cento frame, carved with
arabesques and other ornaments, and with sacred
subjects carved in alabaster-15 guineas (Nixon
and Rhodes). 170. A magnificent timepiece, in the
shape of the tomb of Giuliano de Medicis, with
bronze figure of Giuliano, by Barbedienne, and
old Ginori porcelain figures of Night and Morning
—6O guineas (Pattison). 171. A magnificent white
marble chimneypiece, carved with cinque-cento
ornaments, in the style of San Sovino, complete
with fittings-105 guineas (Durlacher). 175. Two
pairs of mirrors, in carved and gilt venetian frames,
and a glass mirror-frame, of Murano, with twisted
rods-45 guineas (Nixon & Rhodes). 177. A large
chandelier of Venetian glass, a looking-glass, in
frame, carved with flowers and fruit— 25 guineas
(Ditto).

NAVAL AND .317LITARY IN7ELLIGENCE.

His Rcyal llighness the Duke of Cambridge, as
Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, held a levee
yesterday afternoon at the Horse Guards, at which
nearly 100 officers attended.

Her Majesty's screw troopship Himalaya, Capt.
S. B. Piers, arrived at Portsmouth at 1 p.m. yes•
terday from Malta, with the Ist battalion of the Bth
Infantry and other troops on board. She sailed
from Malta on the 25th of February at 6 a.m., and
during the passage thence to Gibraltar experienced
generally fine weather, with light westerly winds.
She arrived in Gibraltar Bay at 1.45 p.m. on the
29th ult. The same day she sailed again for Eng-
land at 10.15 p.m. No English men-of-war wer
in the roadstead at the time of the Himalaya's sail-
ing except the usual stationary guardships and
steam-tenders. Two Italian men-of-war sailed
from the roadstead just before the Himalaya's ar-
rival. From Gibraltar Bay and Cape St. Vincent
a strong westerly breeze prevailed, and from St.
Vincent to the Tagus strong head winds, at times
strengthening to a gale. On the 2d inst. the
ship passed inside the Burlings, and continued her
course across the Bay of Biscay and to the Chan-
nel with accompanying fresh westerly winds.
Ushant was passed at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, the
weather being at the time very thick, and the "Bill"
about three miles under the ship's lee. The ship
finished her voyage by anchoring at Spithead at 1.30
p.m. yesterday, and soon afterwards steamed into
Portsmouth harbour to disembark her troops. The
average consumption of coal by the engines of the
Himalaya between Malta and Portsmouth has not
exceeded 50 tons per day, and therefore her per-
formance under steam over a voyage of upwards of
2,000 miles may altogether be considered more
successsful than the new Indian troop relief
steamships.
The Australian steamship, Robert Hoare com-
mander, belonging to the West India and Pacific
Steamship Company, under charter to her Majesty's
India Council to convey troops to Calcutta, which
sailed from Liverpool on the 2d of February,
arrived off St. Vincent on the 12th, after a fine
passage of ten days five hours. She proceeded,
after coaling, on the 14th. All were well on board.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Navigating Lieut. John E•
Knight to the Indus, for the Penelope; G. H.
‘‘, hiller, paymaster, to the Malabar ; Dr. Fleet-
wood Buckle, assist.-surg., to the Victory ; Albert
Martell, engineer, to the Asia for the Grinder; and
Henry W. Ross, fii st-class assistant-engineer, to
the Revenge.