, 1880-04-16
LONDON MARKETS.
The Coal Exchange Of the British
Metropolis.
How tho Black Diamonds Are
Bought md Sold.
Unreasonable Prices Kept Up By q
Ring Of Middlemen.

'''H %.Ap HAt1 WEN
find now TINT III ttlose early .tays I was n
vlc,im Of misplaced confidence. Avery goo.l
authority says tltnt the fnnions cat wns noi,c
other tau ii ''cnttc" (stift no cnitcd fl so,,,.,
parts VI thu llurlh ot EnEln,Nl), or "bitty-
h0y," Wltfc|t first htU,tght coal into tic
IlMnles l'y order OF that renewed Lord
Mayor. ! wish these senrctlers nttep truth
were fgss severe III tt,cfr investigations. Why
emit they let atonc the heroes Of our yo,itl,-
fttnc: THEY flnve tlurttfy spared us one.
'flcy f.nye taken Robinson Cr,,soo from lis.
Tile pretty story about William Toll alMl the
apple Is fiction. Jnan Of Are was q myth.
Sweet 1'ocnontas didn't save tho life Of tic
gullnnt Captain Smith. Julnt UIlpin never
rode Tho historic ride. And Dick Whiting
toms eat il MI impostor. J frankly confess
tint Ito not like 10 he rlideiy told by some
body wllnni tNn't know, md wl,nse nn,lle
never lIcnrtt Of, but who 1r}olces in the vague
distinction of being "go0l authority" that
Whtttington's cnt was 0nly n dirty coal
barge.
Before Wh1,tlngton was Lonl-Mayor, tho
burning Of coal In London wns nh oirenso
ruSlsitAD1.E WITH DEATH.
IL honor Of his third Atnyornlty this meas
NE was repealed. Aud tho profit Of Tits pro-
ccefllng Is qulte II, keeping with the legend,
for the Qllallttyn coal that COMES to London
: HOW II nearly 1900, coo tons annually, which,
bearing clty.tlucs Of abnMt 70 cents ton,
brings fn good round sum to the Corpora
ton exchcqser, Shakespeare speaks chcerlly
OF tho latter etlh of n sea-conl fire." But he
is alonc nlsong ttlo old drnluatists in pralsing
1t. English c0Rl Is first mentioned in the
reign Of Henry III, THIS monarch granted
ctiartcr 10 tho people Of Newcastle enpow-
ering them to dig 1t. As soo,,, however, rs
the tyers and brewers begnn to use coal in
tftctr tradcs, the nohIcs and gentry conl-
plninctl OF tho smoke, AMI n proclamation was
issued ngafhst its use. find IT recorded by
one wrltcr that, at II certNin period of EIizn-
beth's reign, It was prohibited to burn store
coal during, tho session 6f Parliament Coun-
try-membcrs accustomed TO their wood-ilrcs,
wcrc afraid Of their health. Three hundred
years ngo tho dealings III black diamonds did
not ullo,lnt to more than 200 or 100 tons Il
year. Originally y very smaff room, owlied
l,,sineSs la t.is Thirty years since, te Corpora
THE NEW EXCHANGE
ut the east Of :f10o,0M sterling. This build
ing occupies the site Of tic oil :" D"g''
tavern, IL Lower rhnmcs street, directly OPP
POSI- Billlngsgatc. When digging for the
neist lnii!t,f ua 1he safnga Waskine Se P Pof tsa 81
fl9nrs and several rooms. This lyrocallst Is
still shown. Tho Interior Of tho Exchange,
Which was not LONG, since rcdre0rate.! alld re-
palnts' Foa, e, y IN tho sI'npY Of rotunn sixty
enettrcling It,, Lending out Of these nre tho
otlfces Of tile factors mid merchants win fro
H.ient tho market. L, the corridors adjoil,.-
LIE IRE f. PC seen seen cMrio's specimens ot coal
vlgWs Of c0ni-plts. cmblenlntical figures Of
e4!ligr rivers, md fanciful pers0ntflcntlons Ut
Wisdom, Fortitule, temperance. Justice,
fattii. etc.,5ts,ol1Eh wlint connection solne
IT Is dltllcntto say. Tho Jloor Of the rotuntln
ls na,g ,o;Xtrenely Interesting. As q mechanical
aeile;yemei,t ae,,;S Y ts by mo means bud, for 1t
fons fSsS'f ss ID sRRy Rsfes 9f , XP0s y Gf w
ssht tho face OF 1narlnor's compass.
~ md mulberry do not exhaust the vnrletles
tint were cailett into reguistt1oi,. Tie black
was discovered IN tic Tyne, wIiere it ,is ti sid
to hNyo 'nin between four md five centuries.
II the centre Of tho floor are pictured tho
clty, shield md MI anchor. Thu tla9ger:blatio
treo plaMtc. by Peter tic Great wilen ho
worked " ri ns shlr-wright in Dcptforl Dock-
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday aro
" THE M.ANlsET-I'Ays.
Mondays markell is always best Intended,
resentatlves. Tho best place 10 act view Sf
TIE scene ut these times is the Inst cutlery.
Below nrp u wl.ole host 1T London urG cDllil-
try tryy MERCHANTS ~ eol!ery agents, and speeu-
basge-captalns, coAl-shippers, waKoll-builtl.
,,rs. srs, i ai'd general llnnserson. Everybody
In hand (iso snmpies arS over show, "o,i
mngkct"), pushes md jostles his l,elghbor
with 10 eye to consequences. Thuro Is a
atenty blIxtng sufficient to leafun you.
tho lnuhptnnoy OF which fl broken
by tho shouting Of the po,l,pot,s bcadto md
1is II assistant. who are calling out. Tor those
letters ,havo Just arrlvutl. Il sligiit wizer
fgura is sometimes seen dnsllIng Il, and nut
nlnollg tho mass, TliY Ii the Walter nj lila
E!xchHnge bar md i,ilell-rootn, vnlMiy seek
lgg for tho na,l who ordered ri, ,,uIcr-tipne
ch0p which Inns already been on the rrlil
srA.no,,sx coAr, ov,x
ia t,cn,t in n, Tho Isxc,,ou1 'f ria mi, ,,,,a
sr,It ~ Inlnn M ao Il If sEva,{1I,,y ths 81 o ,oosne
ts es i n eoms as mo ~, sn es a1 r.
n'n iia,H a. sS ~ Riace " tno
~, @ st,,ut NJ !s ,at ny SonIes ~ lug 1sort nro
cn,,. ~, thn a' rnt,yo, soy vSt ,t, seGess1uiiy