Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-12-18
CONep ve, Ltaupr,

The substitute in Great Britain Of Coffee for
ocer end spirits, has increased its consumption
10 such an extent as to call the attention uf
government to the propriety of reducing the
duties on the importation of it, as cne o: the
most efficient means Of producing moral reform
among the people. The examination before
parliamentary committee, Of fseveral Keepers Of
modern Coffee houses in London, gives curl.
ous and interesting view of the progress Of the
habit of coffee drinking as a substitute for dram
drinking. 1t seems that there were not over
ten or twelve Of these coffee shops in ,ol,don,
twenty five years ago; now they number 1900,
and they are increasing at the rate Of l00 a
year. The price per cup of Coffee is from ld
TO 81. and one of the keepers who charges id
per cup, testifes that he has from 1900 to leDO
persons daily at his home.
The consumption of CofTte by the laborlng
classes in London, is shown by the examination
of another witness-the proprietor ofan exten-
sipe coffee house. The laboring man comes in
the morning .t4 o'clock, and has cup Of coffee
snl slice of bread and butter, for which he pays
IL; and then again at eight, for his breakfast
he has cup of coffee, penny loaf and pen.
ny worth Of butter, which is 81 at one o'clock
he comes again and has his coffee. his bread
and meat; at this hour of the day, there are up
wards of one hundred dining in one room at
time. These coffee houses are now generally
resorted to by all classes, and 1T has become
fashionable and customary, to drink coffee and
ask i.cnd 70 drink it with you, ia the place
Of liquor The duties on coffee in England arc
very high the duty on colonial coffee being
about l2i cents per h., and on foreign coffee
almost 30 cents Even at these high duties
q cupo c3ifte is sold at 3 cents, and the con.
sumption is stwcnty-fve millions ofpounds annu-
ally. 1t is supposed that with moderate re-
duction duties, the consumption would be in
creased one hundred millions of pounds.
In ireland the reformation has been still more
extraordinary through the exertons of Fa-
tier Mathew, the great Temperance Rcformer,
millions have taken the pledge OF total absti-
nCncc, and these reformed drinkers are aided
in their resolutions. by the free use of Coffee
instead OF lThiskey. In the districts of Ire
land underline influence of Father Mathew, in
all the pu blic houses, coffee is sold instead OF
whiskey.
We avail ourselves Of the subject and gisc
few hints from noted writer, as to the most
approved mode Of preparing coffee. The eX-
cellence OF this beverage depends in a great
measure, on the skill and attention used in
roasting coffee. If it be too little roasted, it is
devoid of flavor. and if too much it becomes
roasting. the grains should be kept constantly
agitated. Coffee used as an infusion is decided.
ly preferable to when used as decocton, both
~ regards favor and strength. Coffee is gen.
orally used as decoction, and boiled for some
time, under mistaken notion that the strength
IN this manner is best extracted, but the fact il
the reverse. Tho fine aromatic oil which pro-
duces the flavor and strength Of coffee is dis
PEELED and lost by boiling, and a mucilage ex
tracted at the same time which makes it fla
and weak. The best modes are TO pour boil
ing water through the coffee in briggn o.
strainer, or to pour boiling water upon it, unC
SGT it upon the fire not to exceed len minutes
These are the modes Of preparing coffee adop,
ed by the French, the greatest coffee drinker
in tho world. Prepared in this manner coffc,
is one of the most cordial and delicious restora
tives; as most generally concocted with us,
is n1uscous and prencious drug Macol
Messenger.