Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-03


 West India convoy and seven per cent. if with convoy for the voyage and ar rives" At other times, the insurance varied from seven to twelve per cent, with a like clause to return propor-. tional part if convoy is taken, until 1763, when the premium was two ana one-half per cent; and from 1767 to 17Y2, but two per cent.
 These invoices contained, literally, an assortment of almost every con- eeivable thing for apparel and personal use, with not a few for ornament ury goods, hardware, nails, spices, hemp, steel, coals, grindstopes, window glass, crockery and China ware, ropes, empty bottles, pewter and brass ware, books, felt hats, &c., &c.
 Among the dry goods were many ar ticles not known by the same name al the present day--aIlpeens, balladine (sewing silk), death-heads (buttons), : garlix. goshee. grozet, prushinetts. tan dems spriggs, &c-, sc. Linens were staple articles; the quantity was not only large, but the quality ran through at least half a dozen numbers, with corresponding prices Many of them are named as French linens and somt as Irish cloths, and while these are imported in large packages, we have how and then Ion ps. cotton Holland No. l." at fifteen and three quarter pence, and two ps. No. D. at nineteen pence-evidently the commencement of that manufacture which has since nearly filled the civilized world-cot- ton shirting Ribbons, like nails, are classed as four-penny, six penny. ten penny, &c., &c. Single ribbons (of only one color, probably, Sd, cost six shiilings and nine pence; Tod. nine shillings, and 12d. eleven shillings and sixpence; while 4d. paduasoy rfn rhfl1fnnG z teen shiliings. Grape (Italian), fifty four yards, No. l, cost fifty-eight shil- lings, and No. z, four pounds. Thread lace, No. 1. cost five and half pence; No. IS, two shillings and sixpence These are the wholesale prices in Lon don, in sterling money. How much was added to convert them into our currency and afford the importers a profit, we have no means of knowing. Some articles certainly did not stop short of one hundred per cent.
 The books imported were entirely religious or scientific, mostly the for mer. Of twenty-six different works. at one time. twenty-one were on prac- tical religion, and seventeen, includ- ing one on astronomy, and one on im- provement of the mind. were written . by Doct. Watts.
 Among articles partly useful and partly ornamental, knee buckles and shoe buckles held a prominent place among the men--as did "barly-corn necklaces" and London lettered gar tering" among the women. Jewsharps, for music, marked distinctly the ad- vance of the fine arts. While pipes, for smoking-four hundred and sev- enty-f0u and a half of which came over in one ship--and with twenty pounds of nutmegs, four pounds of cinnamon. four pounds of cloves, four pounds of mace, bottled beer, punch bowls of four quarts capacity and two hundred and ninety-six pounds of best snuff in GAP bottles, at the rate of F lbs. in 26 bottles" costing forty-tw0 pounds ten shillings and six pence-told the insidious, but sure. inroads which luxury was making in the simple habits of our grandsires and granddames. Loaf sugar was brought over at seventy-four shiIlings for the hundred wesght Ca debenture being allowed of fourteen shillings and six penoe-bue we have not noticed, tea as imported once during the full term of fourteen years. Goals and grindstones were both shipped by the chaldron. while nails of every size, description and quality, are invariably charged by the thousand, and not by weight-2d. at thirteen pence, up to six shillings and threepence for 20d Meanwhile. perhaps, an editor may feel an in terest in knowing that the London price of foolscap- which, of course, he never wears), was eleven shillings, and sometimes twelve and sixpence. Manufacturers of paper may also learn that potts were eight shillings, eight ana sixpence, and nine and sixpence, relatively, for numbers {, 3, and g. The orthography of these documents is much too variable to be received as the standard Of the England language In that day. Bays Cbaise), chape tshape), tax (tsclss), rfiem (ream- riem, by the way, is good Dutch), with other peculiarities, give no very high opinion of the early clerks to London and Bristol merchants. In one invoice Q759) we find the following entry:
 The children'S morocco shoes are two dozen short as we could not pro- cure any more in time"; and in an- other 1764)-"You wrote for twelve large Bibles at thirteen s1illings-there are none at that price. We have there fore sent six, of two sizes that come nearest to your price. AThe Bibles printed in Scotland, we cannot send, as there is penalty on their being sold in London"
 Biased on an editorial in the. Nor wich Courier of November IT, 1S53.)
 Shlphuildng, which had been the fclndation of the prosperity of West Chelsea, fourished during this period. In 1900 beautiful ship of 400 tons lurthen, the Oliver Ellsworth, was launched from Willet's shipyard on the west side of the Thames river. Just 9 year before this date the Courier 1ad contained the following account of the launching of the sloop of war, TrLmbuli. built at the same yard for the federal government:
 Yesterday, between the hours of 10 end II o'clock. the Trumbull sloop of av&r was launched from Mr. Jedediah W.llet's Ship Yard in this place. She we mt into the water with the most easy sid graceful motion, amid the accla- nations of thousands of Spectators. Her appearance on the water was Leautiful and majestic, and command e.: the admiration of the best judges. She is completely coppered, is pierced for IS guns. and will be commanded by David Jewett. Esq
 The steady and majestic movement Of the ship, the immense crowd of spectators, of this and neighborine towns, which occupied the surround ing wharves and eminences, the re- reated huzzas, which seemed to rend the air, formed a scene never before witnessed in this place.
 She was immediately warped up to the Ship Yard Wharf, from whence she took her departure.
 "The interesting scene was honored by the presence of His Excellency Governor Trumbull.
 Tier figrehead Is good repre- sertation of the nlustrious statesman lose name she bears. It represents tho Governor in the attitude of draw ing his sword. as if in the act of de- fcIding the American Ensign, which is frrled upon his right side, resting up- on the skirt of his coat, while his left loot is, supported by the muzzle of a carnon, and his right advanced and