The Sun.
London, England, 1829-11-21 00:00:00

our shipping to trade on the same footing as th
Americans and other foreigners, may be esti-
mated fairly from these statements.
Tea has long been almost a necessary of life
to all classes of our population, and is taxed
severely enough by Government to check its
consumption, without the additional burdens im-
posed 'by the Company. The value of the im-
portation of tea into this country, on an average
of the five years ending with 1814, was
3,229,4971. ; the average of the five years end-
ing with 1827 was 4,258,6541., being an in-
crease of about 32 per cent,, deducting from
which 17 per cent. for the increase of the popu-
lation in the same period, leaves it only 15 per
cent. This rate is small enough compared with
the augmentation of other branches of our trade,
but taking, as a more correct criterion of the
effect of the monopoly, the quantity returned
yearly for home consumption, it appears to
have been nearly stationary since 1801. In
the return of the 19th of June last, to which
we alluded on a former occasion, the con-
sumption of tea in 1801 is given at 20,237,753
lbs., and in 1828 at 26,790,481 lbs. The
population of Great Britain in the latter year was

,o that of the former as 16 to 11 ; adding, there-

fore 5-16ths to the consumption of 1801, the
result is 26,562,048 lbs., and the real increase
of 1828 over 1801 is only about 230,000 lbs.
By the same rule adding 3 sixteenths to
20,702,809 lbs., the consumption of 1811, the
quantity of tea used in 1828 only exceeds that
in 1811 by about 1,500,000 lbs., or 1-25th of

the whole. It is to be borne in mind that the
duty was raised from 50 to 95 per cent. ad va-
lorem in 1803 ; that it became 96 per cent. in
1806 ; and that it reached its present rate of 100
per cent. in 1819. We are willing to make every
allowance for the weight of this tax ; but an ad
valorem duty, if properly levied, is at all events
a fair one, and it should be observed that the
very causes which raise the price enhance also
the duty. Now the India Company buy tea at
about ls. 3d., and sell at from 2s. to 2s. 6d.
per lb., acquiring thereby a profit of nearly 100
per cent. ; and as the value of tea is ascertained
from the gross price it fetches at the Company's
sales, it is obvious that the monopoly system is
a two-edged sword, enhancing prices enormously
over those which would result from free compe-
tition, and at the same time aggravating the
weight of the King's duty.
The Parliamentary accounts show that the
price of tea is considerably higher in England
than in France, the Netherlands, and a great part
of Germany. It is little to the purpose to say
it is lower than in Russia, because we ought to
have it infinitely cheaper and better than any
other country in the world. The Company tel
us we should have bad tea if it were selected byl
any other persons than their servants. The
people of England answer, " Let us try." The
Proprietor of WARREN'S blacking is kind
enough to caution us against using any other
mixture but his own, and if he were to petition
Parliament for authority to supply exclusively
all his MAJESTY'S subjects, we are convinced
he would be able to satisfy the Right Reverend
Bench that his claim rested on a foundation
quite as solid as that on which the Leadenhall-
street tea monopoly demands a prolongation of
its mischievous existence.

Mr. VESEY FITZGERALD has returned to
own, from the seat of Sir Jotrx HOPE.

We have letters from Barcelona to the 4th
Nov. The Olive crop continued to chew a good appear-
ance, particularly in Andalusia, Tortola, Malaga, and
Seville. At Seville the price is 189. 9d. per cortan.

MAIL-ROAD THROUGH READING..—SO
snugly was the Act for the projected new line of mail-
road through this Borough to Bath, passed through
both Houses of Parliament, that although we have two
active representatives in the Commons, we believe neither
of them knew a word about it till the Royal Assent was
obtained—although the bill unquestionably involves the
possibility of very valuable property, and may pos-
sibly materially affect the prosperity of Reading. We
know, however, from our own experience, that in-
dividual interests are seldom or never consulted, when the
public benefit is at issue. If a nearer and better line of road
could have been obtained, by avoiding the town altogether,
such a measure would unquestionably have been adopted
—all the petitions of the inhabitants and householders to
the contrary notwithstanding.—Lichfield .Mercury.
Dr. CAL AMY'S celebrated Memoirs have at
length been permitted to be published. The Diary of
PEPYS only excepted, there is probably no work so fertile
in familiar and rare details of men celebrated in the history
of this realm. From delineating the private characters of
CHARLES IL and JAMES 11. the autobiographer proceeds
with anecdotes and brief memoirs of his famous contempo-
raries, viz., Sir W. TEMPLE, Mr. HAMPDEN, Mr. BAX-
TER, Dr. Boarrrr, Dr. SHERLOCK, Holum, Lord
SHAFTESBURY, Duke of BUCKINGHAM, Lord CLAREN-
DON, Prince of ORANGE, Lord LAUDERDALE, Lord W.
RUSSELL, Dr. TurArrsoN, Dr. OATES, and numerous
others. It is singular that the same epoch should have
produced three such famous private chroniclers as EvxLyrr,
PEPYs, and CALAMY, and that the publication of their
valuable papers should have been reserved for the present
day.

TOTTENHAM-STREET THEATRE.--This
house, which has lately been under so many different ma-
nagements, appears now likely to be brought into good re-
pute. It has been closed for the last fortnight and un-
dergone considerable alteration and repair ; and the in-
terior has been completely re-painted and embellished.—
It is taken by Mr. A. LEE, Mr. J. K. CHAPMAN, and
Mr. MELROSE, who have spired no expense in endeavour-
ing to make it attractive and worthy of public patronage.
From the strength and respectability of the company an-
nounced, it augurs well fur success. Amongst the princi-
pal performers announced, we notice Mr. PINING, Mr.
WILLIAMS, Mr. HAMMERTON, Mr. P. FARREN, Mrs.
WAYLETZ. Miss A. TREE, Mrs. TAYLEURE, Mrs T.
HILL, &e. The theatre will open on Monday with a
variety of entertainments, and a new piece from the pen
of Mr. LUNN, the author of " Family Jars," " Fish out
of Water," &c. &c.

MARY FREEMAN was committed to the
House of Correction for three months, as a lewd
woman, having had two illegitimate children, charge-
able to the united "parishes of Saint Michael -and
the Holy Trinity. In her defence she said, " She
had had but two in seven years, and therefore hoped thly
would not put the law in force."

THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, Twairs o'CLocr.

Montreal Papers to the 20th Oct. have been re-
ceived at the North and South American Coffee-

house.

From the Montreal Paper of the 19th Oct. a case
we find has recently been adjudged in the Court
of King's Bench at Quebec, which is of consider-
able importance to the mercantile interest. It will
be recollected that last year an order was received
by the Custom-house of this province, to take
Spanish dollars at the rate of 4s. 4d. sterling, in
payment of duties. Several merchants deemed this
an illegal order, and paid their duties under protest,
and an action was instituted by Messrs. Finlay, &c„
of Quebec, to try the case. The Court was unani-
mously of opinion that the collector, in receiving the
dollar at 4s. 4d. sterling, had but collected the exact
amount of the duties imposed by the Act of the
14th of Geo. 111., and that he was not by law
bound to refund any part of what he received. The
action was dismissed.

From New Orleans they write, that in September
nearly the whole of Major Quantzenger's company
had been attcked by the fever. Lieutenant Spencer
and six of his soldiers died of it; most of the others
are likely to recover.
'I he Colombia, South Caroline States Gazette of
the 19th, says the Cotton crop through the Stale
has been considerably injured by the late drought.
ST. JOHN'S (NEW BRUNSWICK), SEPT. 30.

Since the commencement of this month the
weather has been much broken and unusually cold,
and the crops have made but little progress in ripen-
ing, consequently they will fall short.

Accounts from New Orleans of the latter end of
September, state that the brig Castello arrived there
on the 21st September from the Havannah, stating
that the second expedition against Mexico had not
sailed. Two hundred volunteers left Havannah
about the 10th, for Tampico. News had been re-
ceived there that a squadron was to sail from
Cuona, in Spain, in August, with 3,000 men on
board.