Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-17
LONDON,s LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
Its Regulations, Profits and How IL Il
Conducted.

All persons engaged in the liquor traffic in
this country must have license, writes Lon
don correspondent. The vIoualler's license
allows the person holding it to sell all kinds of
drinks. but there are licenses granted for the
sale of beer and cider; Others for the sale of
beer and wine; others for cider and perry,
and still others for table beer only and for wine
only. The houses at which beer is sold, with
out spirits, are called 'beer houses" to distn-
guish them from the 'publics." which operate
under a victualleT's or '.full' license. OF the
former, not including those which are licensed
to sell only for consumption off the premises
there are "a, or in the United Kingdom, against
S2. 34S of the latter class of houses The total
number OF persons in Great Britain and
Ireland holding licenses of one kind or another
to deal in and retail excisable liquors for use
"A beverage Is 229 597. the revenue from these
licenses amounting for the year ending March
81, 1888. to nearly sic. 10000. The houses re-
semoiing most closely the American saloon are
the two classes already singled out-viz. beer
houses and publics. particularly the latter. A
beer license costs $3.50 year. and the premises
covered by 1T, to meet the requirements of law
must be of an annual rental value of from $50 TO
$50. according to location. house for which
avictuallers license is sought must have at
least two public rooms i'm which spirits are sold
and one in which they are not sold exclusive of
the rooms occupied by the family keeping it,
the annual value IF such house must be not less
than ESQ. while in places of less than 10 600 the
minimum is $50, and elsewhere it is as low as
S75
The power Of granting or refusing licenses
rests with the local magistrate: but. should
these dignitaries refuse to renew or transfer a
license when requested to do So the licensee
having given bonds for the COSTS NAV carry
his grievance TO the general or quarter sessions
The laws governing the retail traffic in liquor
70 hnfh ma md or Eno1,
must display sign plainly announcing what it's
license allows to be sold there. and the license
must be produced whenever demanded. BY
either the police or revenue officials. Police
eonstabes must be allowed entrance to the
premises at any time, under penalty of from
S25 to $50. At the same time the publican
must not give or sell liquor to one of
these gentlemen while on duty. or the law
will mulct him again for from $50 to 800.
Standard measures must be used and the pen
altles for adulteration are very heavy. fine of
300 is imposed for selling beer without a
license. and a beerhOuse keeper who sells spirits
makes himself liable for q similar sum, in addi-
ton to the excise penalties. In times of riot
the authorities may order all public houses to
be closed, and the penalty for NONCOMPLIANCE is
$3.50 The fine for selling spirits to child ZAP
rently under 16," as the law puts it, is from s.
TO S1O. This is obviously one of the weak spots
in the legislation affecting these places. For
allowing prostitutes on his premises any longer
refreshments, the publican renders himself liable
In the sum of from S5OtO $780, and a like penalty
is incurred the house be used for illegal gaming
or betting.
Any licensed person permitting drunkenness
or any violent, quarresOme or riOtOus conduct
to take place on his premises or selling liquor
to any drunken person, is liable to be fined $50
for the first Offense and 800 for the second. But
the law steps in at this point for the protection
OF publicans. giving them power to expel
drunken or quarresOme persons, and making
such persons who refuse to quit the premises
when asked TO do so liable to a penalty of S25,
or. in default. to Imprisonment with hard labor
considering how many are engaged in the
business, there are comparatively few convic-
tons for any of the offenses enumerated above
and the fact is undeniable that the English pub
heans, as whole, show great respect for the
laws Of the land
The liquor traffic in England is falling off,
The decrease in the revenue last year. as COM
pared with the year before. was. on spirits.
$3.50 COO. and on beer S652 $50. making total
OF over 81 500. 600! This as the commissioner
OF internal revenue will observe lis significant
OF altered habits. and the tendency is still in
EreaSUp" motto III boi