The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-23 00:00:00

(Concluded from our Paper of yesterday.)
.THE COAL TRADE.
The following petition was also read to the Court
by Mr. Tickner; in the course of his speech
TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN
COUNCIL.
• '‘ THE HUMBLE PETITION OF CHRISTOPHER
TENN ANT, OFSTOCKToN-UPON-TEES, I N THE
COUNTY OF DURHAM, MERCHANT,
Humbly sheweth—That the city of London, and the.
aciast of England, from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Ply-
mouth, are mostly supplied with coal from the ports of
Newcastle and Sunderland, to the amount of 1,200,000
Newcastle chaldrons annually, which is nearly double the
number in Imperial chaldrons, or 3,180,000 tons, of
which the metropolis censumes about two-thirds.
" That in the year 1795, the best Walls End coals
were sold free on board of ship at Newcastle at 189. a
Newcastle chaldron ; and at the present time they are sold at
365. a Newcastle chaldron, although the method of work-
ing coal-mines has so much improved.
" That the great increase in the price of coals to your
Majesty's subjects arises from a combination between the
Most Honourable the Marquis of Londonderry, and divers
other owners of -eolleries, at the aforesaid ports of New-
castle and Sunderland.
" That arbitrators are annually appointed to award to
each coal-ownerthe quantity of coal he is to ship for the
year, divided into.rhonthly parts.
" That the arbitrators chosen by the Most Honourable
the Marquis of Londonderry, and divers other coal-owners
for the year 1826, to limit the vend of coals for the year
1827, were Benjamin Thompson, Matthew Plummer,
William Stobart, George Johnson, and George Hill.
" That. the arbitrators chosen by the aforesaid coal-
owners for the year„lB27, to limit the vend of coals for
the year 1821 are William Brandling, George Robinson,
Thomas Hopper, George Johnson, and George Hill.
" That an office, with a Secretary, is kept at New-
castle, and another office at Chester-le-street, to regulate
and enforce the awarded limitation in the vend of coals at
each of the ports of Newcastle and Sunderland.
" That your petitioner humbly conceives that the afore-
said limitation in the vend of coals is contrary to various
Statutes provided against combinations and monopolies, to
enhance the price of the necessaries of life to your Ma-
jesty's subjects.
" That your petitioner has made the coal-trade his chief
study for many years, and can point out an effectual remedy
to overthrow the aforesaid limitation in the vend of coals,
and greatly reduce the price of that most neces.ary article
to millions of your Majesty's subjects.
" That your petitioner, actuated by motives of patriotism,
appeals to your Majesty, as the father of your people, to
protect them against a monopoly or combination, so detri-
mental to national prosperity, and oppressive to the poor
classes of the community.
" Your petitioner, therefore, humbly implores your
Nfajesty will be graciously pleased to command him to be
examined on oath to the truth of the allegations of your
petitioner, before such Members of your Majesty's Right
Honourable Privy Council as your Majesty may think
proper.
"And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray,
(Signed) " CHRISTOPHER TENNANT.
" Stockton-upon-Tees, 13th November, 1827."
Mr. Sheriff COPELAND thought the object pro-
posed a good one, as he knew that as much coals
were sold for 7s. at the Tees as were equal to three
chaldrons in London.
Mr. Ald. WAITHMAN was glad to see the subject
taken up by the Court. An opposition had been
got up in the House of Lords against the City of
London, when, for the purpose of effecting a great
public improvement, it had proposed to levy a tax
of 6d. a chaldron on coals. That opposition was
placed on the ground of the tax being a great injury
to the poor. Their Lordships had extended their
sympathy on this occasion a great:. s'Vatttid 'so
strong was their sympathy that they brought wit-
nesses and solicitors a distance of 600 miles, and
maintained them in London at a great expence, -not
for their own interests, but the interests of the poor.
A combination had formerly existed among the
coal owners ; a quarrel had afterwards ensued among
them, and then coals fell eight shillings a chaldron.
The bast coals had been under thirty shillings. The
differences, however, among the coal owners, had
been healed; they had agreed that the vend should
be resumed, and the instant this agreement had
been entered into coals had risen more than eight
shillings a chaldron. The coal owners had objected
to a tax of sixpence per chaldron for a great public
object which would have amounted to forty thou-
sand pounds a year, and they levied a tax of ten
sixpences, amounting to four hundred thousand
pounds, which they took from the poor and
the public generally, not for any public purpose,
but to put into their own pockets. These persons
had entered into a foul and abominable combination.
Ought not, he would ask, the indignation of the
public to be roused, and ought not the:opinion
of that Court to be displayed ? An oppo-
sition had been got up to the execution of a great
public object, upon the miserable arid hypocritical
pretence of the tax raising 40,0001. on the public,
while they who opposed it levied on coals a tax of
ten sixpences to put in their own pockets. He had
been attacked because he had not agreed to certain
doctrines concerning free trade; but he should cer-
tainly like to see the trade in coals free, and before
people set about carrying schemes into execution
which tampered with the commerce of the country,
it behoved them to put a stop to such iniquitous
plans as the one he had referred to, for putting
money into the pockets of individuals, by taking it
out of the pockets of the public, He was sorry to
say that some suggestions he had made to the Coal
Committee had not been attended to. The public
indignation was, he believed, however, now roused,
and he hoped the Committee would make such a
report as would lead to presenting petitions to both
Houses of Parliament.
The petition was then ordered to be referred to
the Coal Committee.
It was also referred to the same Committee to in-
quire relative to the subordinate officers, and to con-
fer with the Court of Aldermen thereon.
The City Lands Committee delivered in a report
with a Bill for establishing a cattle market on Thurs-
day at Smithfield, which was read and agreed to;
and the Bill read a first and second time, referred
back to the Committee to fill up the blanks, and re-
port thereon at the next Court.
The Court then proceeded to the election of a
person to fill the office of Secondary of the Gilt-
spur-street Compter, in the room of Samuel Col-
lingridge, Esq., deceased, and the ballot being taken
and cast up, the numbers were—
Mr. John James
Whereupon the LORD MAYOR declared Mr. James
duly elected.
William Lewis Newman, Esq. having resigned
the office of Coroner, the Court proceeded to the
election of a person to fill that office, and the ballot
being taken and cast up, the numbers were—
' Mr. William Payne 7B Mr. Josiah Wilkinson 35
Mr. IL D. Francis 6O Mr. Joseph Smith 12
Mr. RicharZ.Clude 3B
Whereupon the LORD ?
Payne to be duly elected.

MAYOR declared Mr. Wm
—Adjourned.

A most desirable alteration has been effected
in the road at Cropthorne Brook, between Pershore and
Evesham, by lowering the hills and fillmg up the valley.—
Cheltenham Chronicle.
THREATENED BOMBARDMENT OF AL.
crEas.—The French Government have given notice at
the port of Toulon, that it is resolved to have done with
Algiers, and to take measures fur having the expedition all
ready by April next. For this purpose new experiments
have been made with the firing of the mortars, which
has created in the Commission a preference for silicious
shells, and those moved by percussion, as they unite the
advantages of qulckneas and correctness of firing.